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Culture of Taiwan

Culture of Taiwan: Encyclopedia - Culture of Taiwan

The Culture of Taiwan is a blend of traditional Chinese with significant Asian influences notably Japanese and Western influences including American, Spanish and Dutch. The Taiwanese aboriginals also have a distinct culture. Fine arts, folk traditions, and popular culture embody traditional and modern, Asian, and Western motifs. One of Taiwan's greatest attractions is the National Palace Museum, which houses over 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting, and porcelain. This collection was moved from the mainland i ...

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Culture of Taiwan - Convenience store culture

Culture of Taiwan, Culture of Taiwan - Convenience store culture, Taiwanese cuisine, Music of Taiwan, Cinema of Taiwan, Photography of Taiwan, Taiwanese opera, List of Taiwanese authors

Culture of Taiwan: Encyclopedia - Culture of Taiwan

Culture of Taiwan

The Culture of Taiwan is a blend of traditional Chinese with significant Asian influences notably Japanese and Western influences including American, Spanish and Dutch. The Taiwanese aboriginals also have a distinct culture. Fine arts, folk traditions, and popular culture embody traditional and modern, Asian, and Western motifs. One of Taiwan's greatest attractions is the National Palace Museum, which houses over 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting, and porcelain. This collection was moved from the mainland in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to Taiwan. The collection, estimated to be a tenth of China's cultural treasures, is so extensive that only 1% is on display at any one time.

Most people in Taiwan speak both Mandarin and Taiwanese. Mandarin is taught in schools, however most spoken media is split between Mandarin and Taiwanese. Speaking Taiwanese under the localization movement has become a way for the majority Taiwanese to distinguish themselves from the Mainlander group. The Hakka, who make about 10 percent of the population, have a distinct Hakka language. The aboriginal minority groups still speak their native languages, but most of them can also speak Mandarin and Taiwanese.

A majority of the Taiwanese population can be considered religious believers, most of whom identify themselves as Buddhists or Taoists. At the same time there is a strong belief in folk religion throughout the island including ancestral worship. These are not mutually exclusive, and many people practice a combination of the three. Confucianism also is an honoured school of thought and ethical code. Christian churches have been active on Taiwan for many years, a majority of which are Protestant and with Presbyterians playing a particularly significant role.

Karaoke is incredibly popular in Taiwan, where it is termed KTV. This is an example of something the Taiwanese have drawn, on scale, from contemporary Japanese culture. Pachinko being another example. During typhoons, many young Taiwanese will spend the day away singing Karaoke or playing mahjong.

Taiwanese culture has also influenced the west: Bubble Tea is a popular tea drink available in both Europe and the United States. Ang Lee is a famous Taiwanese movie director that is very popular in the west.

Culture of Taiwan - Convenience store culture

Boasting 8,058 convenience stores in an area of 35,980 km² and a population of 22.9 million, Taiwan has the Asia Pacific’s and perhaps the world’s highest density of convenience stores per person: one store per 2,800 people or .000357 stores per person (2005 ACNielsen ShopperTrends). With 3680 7-Eleven stores, Taiwan also has the world’s highest density of 7-Elevens per person: one store per 6200 people or .000161 stores per person (International Licensing page of 7-Eleven website). In Taipei, it is not unusual to see two 7-Elevens across the street or several of them within a few hundred of meters of each other.

Because they are found everywhere, convenience stores in Taiwan provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of the city parking fee, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. Eighty percent of urban household shoppers in Taiwan visit a convenience store each week (2005 ACNielsen ShopperTrends). The idea of being able to purchase food items, drink, fast food, magazines, videos, computer games, and so on twenty-four hours a day at any street corner makes life easier for Taiwan’s extremely busy and rushed population.

Taiwanese cuisine, Music of Taiwan, Cinema of Taiwan, Photography of Taiwan, Taiwanese opera, List of Taiwanese authors

Categories: Taiwan | Taiwanese culture | Republic of China