Taiwan- A Cultural Overview

Taiwan (aka “The Republic of China”)

Taiwan known, especially in the past, as Formosa (Ilha Formosa in Portuguese, "Beautiful Island"), is located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the de facto current territory of the Republic of China (ROC) following the Chinese Civil War in 1950. Due to this reason and the disputed political status of Republic of China in the United Nations, the name "Taiwan" has also become the common name for the country itself.

Taiwan is frequently mistaken as Thailand by the foreigners. The names are similar but they are two countries with totally different culture and language (writing and speaking). Here’s a little historical background to let you know that the people living in Taiwan are Chinese and not Thais:

Long, long time ago (over 10,000 years from now) – The aboriginal tribes from the Pacific islands are the first known inhabitants of Taiwan

• 1400 - Chinese migration from the mainland began and increased thereafter

• 1600 - The Dutch colonized the island, centering their activities near southern Taiwan. A few years later, the Spanish occupied northern Taiwan, but were eventually ousted by the Dutch.

• 1885 - The Manchus acquired the land and Taiwan was made a full province of China

• 1895 - Taiwan was ceded to Japan as a result of the Sino-Japanese War of 1895. The Chinese Revolution, World War I and World War II, Taiwan remained under Japanese rule to 1945.

• 1945 - Taiwan was restored to China’s control with Japan’s defeat

• 1949 - the Chinese communists won the Civil War on the mainland and the Nationalists brought the seat of their remaining government to Taiwan, along with two million mainlanders

The Economy of Taiwan
In November 2011, the dampening effects of European debt crisis fears and weakness in the US economy were reflected in an increase of only 1.3% in exports and a decrease of 3.6% in industrial production. Consumer prices decreased by 1.01%, and the unemployment rate descended to 4.28%.

In order to ease the impact on Taiwan of weak economic conditions in Europe and the U.S., the government has formulated a comprehensive stimulus package creating job opportunities, promoting investment and boosting domestic consumption.

At the same time, the government will continue to carry out the “Invest in Taiwan” initiative.

On the positive side, Taiwan’s tourism  set a new record; the annual number of visitors to the island has surpassed 6 million on December 28, 2011.

With the measures in conjunction with the framework signed with China, and other south/east Asian countries, such as Japan, Singapore, it’s optimistic to see Taiwan as the hub for business operations and foreign investment among the Asia-Pacific region.

The Language of Taiwan
Mandarin Chinese is the official language for both Chinese in Mainland and Taiwan. China is a big country and its culture varies a lot from place to place. Taiwanese people's ancestors migrated mostly from southern Fujian and, to a lesser extent, from Hakka-speaking areas of Guangdong. So the Taiwanese variant of Chinese culture is basically Fujianese. As such, more than 50 percent of the population in Taiwan speaks Fujianese (aka Min Nang dialect) at home. The Hakka dialect, as well as ten aboriginal languages can also be heard in Taiwan. Many members of the older generation speak Japanese as a result of the 50-year occupation by Japan. As a result of the diverse cultures succeeded the different ruling ethnics, it has integrated to form a unique culture of its own.

The People of Taiwan
Do you know the Taiwanese people are the friendliest and most willing to help? If a foreigner standing on the side of the street with a map on hand, you will not be surprised to see he or she immediately got approached and asked “Are you lost or do you need some help?”

The Philippines thanked Taiwan for the US$150,000 donation to assist with post-disaster relief efforts after Typhoon Washi devastated southern parts of the country early December 2011. Taiwan has donated US$450,000 to the Philippines since 2007 to build 18 weather stations around the country.

For the monstrous earthquake occurred in Japan on March 11, 2011, Taiwan has not only dispatched rescue teams and materials, but also ranked the top donor among the 130 other countries by the amount of US$135 million through the Taiwan Red Cross. The donations coming from Taiwan’s 23 million citizens even surpassed that of the United States.

The Culture of Taiwan
Most of the time, when you run into someone you know on the street, the first greeting would be “Have you eaten yet?” instead of “How are you?”. You will know what an important role “food” plays in the Taiwanese society. Food brings people together; the eating and exchange of food define social groups.

By the time of writing this article, people in Taiwan, joining by all ethnic Chinese around the world, are getting ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year (aka The Spring Festival), the most important festival on the lunar calendar.

What do people do to celebrate this special festival? Food, food and more food………….Many of the traditions of Chinese New Year center around food either being cooked or eaten. Everyone decorates their homes with red and gold. The fridges are also stocked up with endless foods. All of this is a symbol to bring prosperity and abundance for the coming year.

On New Year's Eve, when everyone gathers around the table for the "Family Reunion Dinner. To ensure completeness and to avoid misfortune, most dishes are prepared with uncut or whole ingredients. You are probably familiar with a duck or chicken being served with the head and feet. When cooking, people generally avoid chopping up fish, leafy greensAll dishes are prepared with auspicious symbols, and names to bring luck and fortune in the coming year. It’s a tradition to give away “hung bao” (red envelop with cash) to the elderly and children.

The most popular greeting heard is gong hsi, or “congratulations.” Familiar songs and traditional music associated with Lunar New Year are broadcast through loudspeakers in department stores, many of which hold year-end sales to attract buyers, whose pockets are weighted down by the traditional annual bonus that is always paid at this time of year.

At the closing of this writing, we would like to wish all our friends around the world a Healthy, Wealthy and Fruitful New Year of the Dragon. Gong Hsi Fa Chai! (Congratulations and Prosperity)

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