Taiwanese Culture and Festivals – Modern Taiwanese culture is a mixture of Chinese, Austronesian, Japanese and Western influences. Because Taiwan has never experienced the tyranny of communism, visitors have the opportunity to experience traditional religious practices and ancient customs that have been lost to mainland China. Therefore, Taiwan is sometimes said to be “more Chinese than China” and “more numerous than China”.
Taiwanese Culture and Festivals
family and ancestors
Ancestor worship in Taiwan
surlerythme – Taiwanese families have close and extensive ties. Many Taiwanese people remain close to their parents even after marriage. According to tradition, the eldest son must take his wife to his parents’ house. However, this is increasingly rare, because some women are only willing to marry on the condition that they do not have to live with their in-laws. Additionally, modern career paths make it increasingly difficult to stay close to home. Housing prices in big cities are very expensive, and many Taiwanese people’s salaries are low, leaving some newlyweds with few options. Young people fresh out of university rarely earn more than $1,000 (£788) a month. Three generations living in one household is still commonplace, especially in rural areas. Many parents provide their adult children with a level of support that may surprise some Westerners (although some may find it disturbing). It is not uncommon for parents to buy a house for their child or decide what subjects their child will study at university.
Respecting our elders means offering food and clogs to our ancestors, as well as showing respect to our parents and grandparents. Younger siblings are expected to respect their older siblings’ opinions. Even if you are twins, the one born a little earlier will be your “older brother” or “older sister” for the rest of your life. Additionally, rather than simply calling someone “cousin”, Taiwanese people use one of eight words depending on whether the person is older or younger, male or female, maternal or paternal.
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For many Chinese people, ancestor worship is more important than Buddhism, Taoism, or other religions. Christianity’s rejection of ancestor worship is believed to be the main reason why the religion is not very popular in Taiwan. The essence of ancestor worship is that living descendants provide the means for the deceased to live happily after death. Ancestors are loved and feared. If neglected by posterity (daughters were expected to “marry outside the home” and make offerings to their husband’s ancestors), they could intentionally harm their offspring. Ancestral shrines are often found in homes, sometimes in the living room at the entrance, but more often on the second floor.
Festivals are held throughout the year
Taiwan Lantern Festival Festivals have long played an important role in Taiwanese society, but in recent years they have become a major driver of the tourism industry. There are good historical reasons for this. Long before Taiwan became the prosperous society it is today, festivals such as the birthdays of the gods and pilgrimages were a glamorous distraction from the daily grind. Until long after World War II, family events such as festivals and weddings were the only opportunities for ordinary people to celebrate, relax, and travel to the next city. For Taiwan’s indigenous minority communities, festivals are a way to express and strengthen their identity, as well as a source of tourism income.
Many festivals are planned based on the traditional lunar calendar, which was discovered in China at least 3,000 years ago. Pious people relied on calendars (which marked points in the solar year and lunar phases) to know when to burn incense and avoid meat.
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Some major celebrations, such as the Lantern Festival, are based on customs brought by immigrants from mainland China. The Lantern Festival, which ends the New Year season, takes its name from the colorful lanterns that decorate temples and streets. In ancient times, these lanterns were made of paper and bamboo, small enough for a child to carry, and lit with a wick. Thanks to technology, they are getting bigger and better. They can take any shape, from larger than a house, and feature cutting-edge visual tricks. The National Taiwan Lantern Festival is held over several days in various cities every year.
A unique must-see event in Taiwan
Songjiang Combat Arrangements Martial arts are as Chinese as chopsticks, but Taiwan’s special history and traditions of unarmed combat have combined to create one of the island’s most exciting events. Neimen, a small town inland from Kaohsiung, is now famous for its large-scale martial arts demonstrations during the annual Battle of Song and River.
The festival is held every spring around Guan Yin’s birthday and celebrates the temple’s militia traditions. This tradition has been strong in the inner gate since the late 17th century. At that time, military skills passed from father to son were invaluable, as the Niman tribe was closely associated with local clans that occasionally raided villages in China. Battle Alley members are expected to uphold core values such as physical fitness, loyalty, and mutual support. Whether you take part in ritual duels (swords can be used against axes and umbrellas against pickaxers) or take part in training, you will be able to demonstrate impressive coordination, agility and speed.
The Tanabata coming of age ceremony originates from the coming of age ceremony celebrated in Tainan on July 7 of the lunar calendar every year since the 18th century. When Taiwan was still part of the Qing Empire, the family celebrated when their son turned 16. At that time, children under the age of 15 were entitled to their full salary, not half.