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Culture in Taiwan
Culture in Taiwan is amazing. From the celebrated aborgines tribes to the esteemed Chinese heritage and the valued treasures that the original migrants brought with them, Taiwan has amazing culture and history.
People from many different places and backgrounds have all played a role in Taiwan's development. The Dutch colonized Taiwan, so did the Portugeuse, the Spanish, the Japanese and most recently, the Chinese.
While gradually developing a new culture indigenous to Taiwan, the people of Taiwan have held on to their respective customs and traditions; as a result, you will be able to sample indigenous, Taiwanese, and Chinese cultures and even find traces left by the Dutch and the Japanese when traveling in Taiwan. |
The Chinese Culture in Taiwan
Taiwan forms the center of Chinese art and culture, which is not only obvious from the exhaustive collection of cultural relics from past dynasties exhibited in the famous National Palace Museum, but can also be perfectly illustrated by the traditional architecture and folk art found in Taiwan. |
Temples and Buildings in Taiwan
Taiwan's traditional architecture is an aggregation of folk art. Decorations are refined and while they form an important part of the architecture, ranging from colored paintings to calligraphic illustrations, wooden and stone carvings, clay sculptures and ceramics, they tell the story of Taiwan's rich culture. Next to traditional Chinese architecture brought to Taiwan by the southern Fujianese from early China and the Hakka immigrants (such as can be seen in Bangiao at the Lin Family Garden), architectural features used in Chinese temples can also be found across Taiwan. Some of the most famous temples in Taiwan that are not only of historical but also of artistic value, are the Longshan (Dragon Mountain) Temple and the Matzu Temple (Queen of Heaven Temple) in Lukang, and the Chaotian Temple in Peikang. |
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Folk Custom Culture and Art in Taiwan
Some of Taiwan's most important annual holidays and festivals include:
- the Chinese New Year
- the Lantern Festival
- the Dragon Boat Festival
- Chinese Valentine’s Day
- the Hungry Ghosts Festival
Local Taiwanese folk events are great cultural showcases:
- the Dajia Matzu Pilgrimage
- the Goddess Matzu Making Rounds of Inspection in Beigang
- the City God Welcoming in Taipei
- the Burning of the Plague God Boat in Dongkang
Traditional Chinese opera is very popular in Taiwan but the Taiwanese have also developed its own Taiwanese opera and famous puppet theater. Taiwanese opera combines local opera and music into one performing art, while the puppet theater has undergone great modernization in recent years and many special effects are added to performances today, making it extremely popular among Taiwan's younger generation. Taiwan's movies and performing groups are also gradually gaining ground on the international stage, once again demonstrating the traditional and creative value of Chinese and Taiwanese culture. |
The Aboriginal Culture in Taiwan
There are many celebrations of aboriginal culture in Taiwan. Taiwan's original resident nationality belongs to Malaya-Polynesian ancestry. Most aboriginal cultures live in the mountainous areas of Taiwan.
There are a total of 12 aborigine tribes in Taiwan:
Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Pinuyumayan or Punuyumayan, Rukai, Saisiyat, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami
Each tribe has its' own respective language, manners, customs and tribal structure, seemingly the only common thread amongst them aside from geographical representation is that fact that each is now facing assimilation and cultural preservation issues. |
The mysterious customs and traditions of the aborigines, Taiwan's indigenous people, such as the Harvest Festival (Smatto), the Worship of Hunting (Mabuasu), spiritual rituals, totemism, and snake worship, give an extra dimension to Taiwan's culture. |
Colonial Influence in Taiwan
Remnants of colonial periods can still be found in many parts of Taiwan. Fort San Domingo in Danshui, for example, used to be home to the Portuguese and the Dutch successively, while bustling places such as Taipei's Dihua Street, Taoyuan's Daxi area, and Tainan's Xinhua area have still been able to preserve the outstanding baroque architecture left by the Japanese.
Some historically significant structures built during the Japanese occupation include the Presidential Office Building, the Executive Yuan, and the old National Taiwan University Hospital Building in Taipei. |
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