Taiwan is one of the most densely populated provinces in my country. According to statistics as of August 1998, the number has reached more than 21.81 million. Adding the population of Kinmen and Matsu, the total number is more than 21.86 million. The average annual population growth rate is approximately 7.31‰. The average number is 586.83 people per square kilometer. The population density of Taipei City has reached 10,000 people per square kilometer. The population density exceeds that of Guangdong, Sichuan and other provinces.
Taiwan’s population distribution is characterized by sparseness in the west and sparseness in the east, with most of the island’s population concentrated in the western plains. There are 17 counties and cities in the Western Plains (7 cities in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Taichung, Hsinchu, Chiayi, and Tainan) and 10 cities in Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung County), with an area of ??18,710 square kilometers, accounting for 52% of the island's area; and its population accounts for 86.1% of the island's total population.
The central and eastern parts are mostly hills and mountains. There are 5 counties (Nantou, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien, and Yilan) with an area of ??17,063 square kilometers, accounting for about 15% of the entire island. 48%, and the population only accounts for 13.9% of the island's population.
The vast majority of Taiwan compatriots are Han. Accounting for about 98% of the province's population. Before 1946, about 80% of them were originally from Fujian, with the largest number coming from Zhang (zhou) and Quan (zhou); about 20% were originally from Guangdong, with the largest number from Mei (county) and Chao (zhou). Therefore, the Minnan dialect is spoken throughout the province. People who went to Taiwan from the mainland around 1949 were from all provinces. Ethnic minorities account for 2% of the population, about 400,000 people.
Taiwan’s aborigines are divided into Pingpu and Gaoshan tribes. The Pingpu ethnic group is divided into eight ethnic groups: Hazai Nan, Ketagalan, Daokas, Paizehai, Babapula, Babusa, Hongya and Siraya. Distributed in northern and western plains and coastal areas. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Han people from mainland China immigrated to Taiwan and mostly lived in the western plains and the eastern, northern and southern coastal plains, intermingling with the Pingpu people. The Pingpu people have integrated with the Han people, and their life and culture are close to those of the Han people. According to statistics: there were 62,119 Pingpu people in 1943 and about 100,000 in the 1980s.
Taiwan's ethnic minority compatriots have suffered from discrimination and oppression by the ruling classes of past dynasties, and their economic and cultural development has been hindered for a long time. Up to now, the Gaoshan compatriots in some areas still live a life of half farming and half hunting. The Gaoshan compatriots are hard-working, bold, and good at singing and dancing. The "Pestle Dance" with unique national style has sonorous syllables and is beautiful and moving.
It is quite common for Taiwanese residents to believe in religions, with the largest number of believers in Buddhism and Taoism, accounting for about 1/3 of the province's population. Catholicism and Christianity follow, accounting for about 3% of the province's population. In addition, some residents believe in Islam, Tianlijiao, Xuanyuanjiao, Datongjiao, Neo-Confucianism, etc. Among the people, there are also activities organized by various Taoist sects such as the White Lotus Sect, the Salvation Sect, the Yiguandao Sect, and the Vacuum Sect. The Gaoshan people still retain some primitive religions. There are many churches and temples of various types in the province, with an average of one per 4.5 square kilometers, nearly double the total number of schools of all types.
Mandarin is very popular in Taiwan. It is not only the official language, but also a common language in society. But among the people, the Hokkien dialect is widely used in Taiwan. Early mainland immigrants mainly came from southern Fujian, especially Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. After they lived together in Taiwan, the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou dialects gradually formed a kind of Hokkien dialect that is "neither Zhang nor Quan", that is, Hoklo dialect. It has absorbed some vocabulary and grammar from the Gaoshan language and Japanese, so the Hoklo dialect is somewhat different from the Hokkien dialect in Fujian.
Hakka immigrants come from three areas in Guangdong Province, and Hakka also has three language groups, namely the "Four Counties" (Xingning, Wuhua, Pingyuan, and Jiaoling belonging to the old Jiaying Prefecture). Hakka dialect spoken in the county). "Raoping" (the Hakka dialect used in the Raoping area of ????the old Chaozhou Prefecture).
The Gaoshan people have their own language, but no ethnic script. Some ethnic groups have similar basic vocabularies, but they are not in common with each other. Their language belongs to the Austronesian language family, also known as Indonesian. It can be divided into three major language groups, namely
(1) Atayal language group: including Atayal and Seediq.
(2) Cao language group: including Cao language and Kanabu language.
(3) Paiwan language group: including Paiwan, Rukai, Beinan, Amis, Bunun, Saixia, and Yami. The phonology of Gaoshan people’s speech includes five vowels: а, i, u, e, and o, and 20 to 23 consonants.
Taiwan's characteristic national skills
(1) Nanguan Opera and Nanguan Music
In a broad sense, "Nanguan" refers to the music of the southern Chinese language family. But the Nanguan Opera preserved in Taiwan today specifically refers to the oldest opera in the Hokkien language family - "Liyuan Opera". It is mainly popular in Quanzhou and Xiamen, and later spread to Taiwan and various places in Southeast Asia where there are many overseas Chinese in southern Fujian. It has a history of nearly 500 years. The characters are divided into seven lines: Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou, Tie and Wai, so it is also called Qiziban, or Qise, Qijiao opera. The adult actor is called Da Liyuan, and the child actor is called Xiao Liyuan. The basic melody is Nanguan music, which is melodious and melodious. The names of the tunes are often the same as those of the Northern and Southern Operas, so it is considered to be the legacy of the Southern Opera of the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The musical instruments used for accompaniment can be divided into three parts: strings, winds and percussion.
Nanfeng music, also known as Wuyin, Nanyin, Xianguan and Langjun music, its content is divided into: (1) Refers to - it is a singable suite with pipa fingerings attached next to the lyrics. But now it is only used for playing and not singing, and there are 48 sets of suites in existence. (2) Qu - Songs belonging to the Sanqu genre, with Nanguan Gongchi notation attached, and the number of existing songs exceeds one thousand. The singing method adopts the upper four pipes (i.e. Dongxiao, Erxian, Sanxian and Pipa), with the singer in the middle and holding the knot (clapper) to preserve the legacy of the "Xianghe Song" of the Han Dynasty. (3) Score - the a cappella part of the instrumental music, 16 sets exist. The performance method is considered to retain the legacy of the "Daqu" style of the Tang Dynasty.
(2) Beiguan Opera and Beiguan Music
Beiguan Opera and Beiguan Music refer to dramas of the northern Chinese language family, also known as "Zidi Opera" (because they are mostly played in rural areas) It was named after the amateur troupe of his children), also known as "Luan Dan Opera" (from the "Huabu" accent during the Qianlong period). Its singing style is basically "Banqiang style", and the lyrics mostly use seven-character or cross sentence patterns, but it can be divided into old and new schools: "Fulu" (or Fulu) is the old school, which preserves the system of Bangzi tune and plays the main part. The musical instrument is Kezixian (Ye Hu). "Xipi" is a new style, Pihuang tune system, and the main instrument is Diaoguizi (Jinghu).
(3) Mountain Folk Songs
From the perspective of folk musicology, the folk songs of Taiwanese mountain compatriots are a great treasure trove. examples, but also developed amazing polyphonic or harmonic choral techniques.
(4) Hoklo folk songs
The singing method is a monophonic melody. Depending on the region where it was produced, each has its own representative works, such as "Grass Bird Playing Chicken" in the western plains, "Dudi Tongzi" in the Lanyin Plain, and "Thinking" in the Hengchun area.
(5) Hakka folk songs
Refers to the folk songs of Han immigrants mainly from Guangdong and Jiaqing Prefecture. Hakka residents are mostly distributed in the hilly areas of Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Pingtung, Kaohsiung. They usually sing folk songs or tea-picking songs, which are more beautiful than the Fukuro minor tunes.
(6) Shadow Puppetry
Shadow puppetry originated in the Song Dynasty more than a thousand years ago and has been popular in Taiwan for two hundred years. It was born in Kaohsiung County and became popular in the early Qing Dynasty. It is commonly known as " "Skin monkey show". Performances are mostly performed at night. The stage is about ten feet high. A white cloth is hung at the front stage as a curtain, and lights are installed at the back to project the shadow puppets on the curtain. The leather sculptures are about one foot to one and a half feet tall. They are made of animal skins rolled into a translucent shape, then carved into human figures, colored, coated with tung oil to increase their transparency, and then smoothed. The head is interchangeable and the figure is carefully crafted. The figure itself is a kind of handicraft. The composition of the troupe is very capable, with one leading actor, one assistant, one singer each, and about four musicians.
(7) Puppetry
Puppetry, also known as Palm Opera, was also introduced from Fujian. The protagonist dances with puppets and performs a dramatic performance. The stage is like a Buddhist shrine, which is called a "color building" and can be disassembled for the convenience of shipping. The traditional stage is about 5 feet high and 1 foot deep. The puppets are about 1 foot high. The viewing range is about 20 feet in front of the stage. Later, reforms were carried out and the puppets were three times larger than traditional puppets. It is said that there are three factions of puppet opera: (1) Nanguan Diao - taught by immigrants from Quanzhou, emphasizing literary opera and elegance. (2) Beiguan Diao - Zhangzhou immigrant professor, emphasis on martial arts, magical. (3) Chao Diao - taught by Chaozhou immigrants, with high-pitched singing and the same opera style as Nanguan.
(8) Hanging Silk Puppetry
Hanging Silk Puppetry is said to have originated in the Western Han Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, the skill developed to its peak, and its influence also expanded to include people playing roles on the stage for future generations. The drama, its gestures, are not unrelated.
After this opera was introduced to Taiwan, it was divided into two schools: (1) The northern school is centered in Yilan and rarely goes beyond Hsinchu to the south. The performance time is mostly when the temple is completed, the village is opened to offer sacrifices to the earth, the seventh month of the festival, or to worship the gods after a disaster occurs. (2) The Southern faction is centered in Tainan and rarely goes beyond Chiayi to the north. Performance times, except for "Tiangongsheng" on the ninth day of the first lunar month and folk weddings or honoring gods, are rarely performed for entertainment. The puppet is about one foot seven inches long. A complete troupe should have 72 heads and 36 bodies, representing 72 earth evil spirits and 36 heavenly gangs, which means all the spirits in the universe. There are 4 theater boxes, two for puppets and two for musical instruments and tools. The empty boxes can be used as seats. The "front stage" occupies one quarter and is the performance area, while the "back stage" is the work area. The performers are also divided into front and backstages. There must be at least 2 to 3 people in the frontstage and responsible for moving the performance. The actors are all family members. The most important ceremony is to preside over the "removal of evil spirits"; the main task in the backstage is to provide music, about 4 to 5 people, most of whom are not family members. This kind of play has many taboos and is full of mystery.
(9) Songjiang Formation
Songjiang Formation was originally a group performance of Chinese martial arts, accompanied by gongs and drums. Later, due to the poor local security situation, many towns and villages had self-defense organizations, and local gentry He is trained by Master Yan and is accompanied by 108 people, which is a metaphor for the 36 Tiangang and 72 Earthly Demons. Now it has been reduced to a group of 36 people, who perform at the God Welcome Competition.
(10) Crafts
There are many types of crafts in Taiwan, too numerous to mention. Their characteristics are: (1) Aiming at practicality and expressing beauty in simplicity. (2) It may be the work of unknown craftsmen. It was not recognized as specialized knowledge at the time, but it was the product of rich experience and sophisticated technology. (3) The shape is simple but not monotonous. (4) It is a handicraft, but the output of the same item is not large. (6) Can reflect the natural environment and the background of the times.
Traditional important folk festivals
(1) Spring Festival
The Spring Festival is the first day of the first lunar month, commonly known as "Kaizheng", which is the first day of the year. According to ancient legend, 12 kinds of animals are used to mark the 60th year of the lunar calendar. At the beginning of the year, which is the end of the year, the family owner displays tributes on the incense table, pays homage to heaven and earth, and worships ancestors. He opens the main gate, commonly known as "opening the wealth gate", and sets off firecrackers, which means to remove the old and introduce the new. During the "He Zheng" ceremony, the younger generation pays their congratulations to the elders, commonly known as "New Year greetings". The head of the family distributes new year's money, commonly known as "New Year's money". After the ceremony, the whole family has breakfast. All the young and old wear new clothes and walk toward the auspicious side. Said "travel". Bring incense and candles as gifts and go to temples to offer incense and pray for peace and happiness.
The eve of the Spring Festival is called New Year's Eve, and people also attach great importance to it. The whole family gets together to enjoy delicious food and wine, and has the habit of staying up all night, which is called "staying up late". At the same time, there are also customs such as posting Spring Festival couplets, drinking spring wine, and welcoming the Spring Festival.
(2) Lantern Festival
The fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, commonly known as the "Yuanxiao Festival". The slang says: "Lights rise on the thirteenth day, and Yuanming goes up on the fifteenth day." The first few days of the Lantern Festival are called "letting out lanterns", and the last day is called "thanking lanterns", also known as "three flower lanterns". On this day, every family hangs lanterns and colors, competes to set off fireworks, offers Lantern Festival fruits, sets up incense tables, and the whole family worships. A lantern festival is held at night, with dragons and lions dancing together, which is really lively. In the past 30 years, lantern exhibitions have been held in temples all over Taiwan. The lanterns are made in various shapes, including electric lanterns, which make the characters lifelike and beautiful.
(3) Qingming Festival
In ancient times, Qingming Festival was called "cold food". The Qingming Festival originated in the Spring and Autumn Period (650 BC) to commemorate the death of Jie Zitui, a hero of the Jin Dynasty, who was burned to death on March 5. On this day, the people missed Zitui, who died in a fire. They could not bear to raise the fire. They ate cold food for one month, and then gradually reduced it to three days. On the 105th day after the winter solstice, people prepare dry powder for cold food, which is called a fire ban, because the cold food day is designated as Qingming Festival. The custom of sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival has been around for a long time. In 1927, the Nanjing Kuomintang government designated Tomb-Sweeping Day as the National Grave Sweeping Day to commemorate the Xuanyuan clan, the Yellow Emperor, the ancestor of the nation.
(4) Dragon Boat Festival
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival, commonly known as "May Festival", also known as "Poet's Day", which originated on May 5, 229 BC. The great Japanese poet Qu Yuan threw himself into the river to summon his soul. At noon, people offer rice dumplings and wine to worship their ancestors. They place mugwort and calamus on the doorsteps, or boil water to bathe in to ward off evil spirits and heat. Dragon boat races are held on the riverside, and elegant people hire boats to ride in the middle of the stream. , chanting poems, drinking, and watching dragon boats, which is commonly known as "cruising the river" to commemorate Qu Yuan.
(5) Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, commonly known as the August Festival. Every family offers fruits and moon cakes in the courtyard and worships in the sky, commonly known as " Worshiping the moon mother".
After the sacrifice, the whole family shares moon cakes and enjoys the moon to enjoy the cool weather. Various theaters also performed dramas such as "Chang'e Flying to the Moon" on occasion. Elegant people gathered together to guess and shoot tigers, talk about arts and write poems, and drink for fun, which was called "Moon Appreciation Party". Relatives, friends and neighbors give moon cakes to each other, which is called "giving gifts".
The Mid-Autumn Festival is called the Autumn Festival, because it is among the three autumns, so it is named Mid-Autumn Festival. The name of the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Zhou Dynasty, playing with the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty, and eating cakes and admiring the moon began in the Song Dynasty.
(6) Double Ninth Festival
The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. In ancient times, there was a custom of eating cakes, drinking wine, climbing high and admiring chrysanthemums. In 1966, the Taiwan authorities announced that September 9th of the lunar calendar would be the "Old Man's Day".
Taiwan’s customs, food, clothing, housing and transportation
Taiwan has been gradually developed since the large-scale immigration of people from Fujian and Guangdong in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Although the Japanese colonists tried their best to implement national assimilation, they encountered stubborn resistance from the Taiwan compatriots. After the Kuomintang moved to Taiwan, a large number of people from the mainland came to Taiwan. Therefore, the living habits and social customs of Taiwan's Han compatriots are basically the same as those on the mainland, and generally maintain the characteristics of the Fujian and Guangdong regions.
(1) Food, clothing, housing and transportation
1. Clothing. In the past, rural men and women mostly wore Hanfu. Women in middle age and above like to wear long gowns or shorts; elderly people like to wear green and black clothes or fragrant cloud yarn; suits and leather shoes began to spread to the countryside during the Japanese rule, and have become quite popular in the past few decades. Some urban women wear cheongsam and other national costumes. At present, young people mostly wear suits or Hong Kong shirts and trousers. Rural men and women often wear hats or wrap towels to protect themselves from the wind and sun.
2. Diet. Taiwanese residents eat rice as their staple food for three meals a day. During festivals, guests are usually entertained with sumptuous food and wine such as chicken and duck. Taiwanese residents are all fond of wine. When offering sacrifices to gods and entertaining guests, good wine is a must. At the turn of spring and summer, and autumn and winter, Chinese medicines are often used to stew animal foods to refresh and replenish the body. Dishes are often seasoned with MSG, sugar, etc. The restaurant operates Sichuan, Guangdong, Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Fujian and other regional flavor dishes. The current living standard of Gaoshan compatriots is still low, and some still rely on taro and sweet potatoes as their staple food.
3. Residence. The styles of houses in Taiwan can be roughly divided into three types: Chinese, Western and Japanese. The Chinese style is a bungalow, mostly in southern Fujian style, including one-dragon, windlass handle, three-heyuan, four-heyuan, etc. With Zhuoshui Creek as the boundary, the rural villages are scattered in the north and residential in the south. Most of them are built in mountain valleys near the water to avoid wind and sand. Most Western-style buildings were built of bricks in the past, but in recent years they have been mostly made of reinforced concrete. In Japanese style, "tatami" is spread in bungalows. Most of the houses in the towns are Western-style. With the development of industry and commerce in recent years, new apartments have increased rapidly, and high-rise buildings are lined up in rows. However, due to the rapid growth of population, the housing problem has not been fundamentally solved, and many people still live in simple shacks.
4. Walking. Currently, the most popular means of transportation in Taiwan are bicycles and motorcycles. In recent years, the number of cars, planes, ships, and trains has increased, making it more convenient, and private cars have increased in large numbers. Taxis are widely available in towns and cities. Many buses are equipped with air conditioning. However, transportation is still inconvenient in most rural areas, and sailboats and sampans are still needed in places with many rivers. There is no way to go in mountainous areas, so we can only climb and trek along mountain roads.
(2) Weddings and funerals
1. Weddings. In the past, there were many wedding rules in Taiwan. People with the same surname were not allowed to marry. There were two types of marriages: first marriage (bringing through a matchmaker) and minor marriage (bringing a son-in-law or half-bridal marriage). Generally, it needs to go through four stages: marriage negotiation, engagement, engagement, and wedding. The age of marriage is generally no more than 30 years old for men and 25 years old for women. At present, it has been changed to free love through the introduction of a matchmaker, the sedan chair has been changed to a car, and the marriage has been notarized in the court. However, weddings in Taiwan are very extravagant and wasteful, leaving many young people with a heavy burden. In rural areas, some people are happy to get married in groups. Gaoshan people practice monogamy in their marriages, and their parents usually decide when they are young, so divorce often occurs after marriage.
2. Funeral. Funerals are similar to those in mainland China. After a parent dies, the children will keep vigil that night. The whole family mourns, offers a bowl of rice, burns paper money, and rushes to make a shroud for the deceased. At the same time, relatives and friends are visited, a coffin is purchased, and then sacrifices are made. After the sacrifice, the children help the corpse and bury it. In the coffin, they serve "filial piety rice" for breakfast and take turns crying. Then the funeral is held on a day. The funeral procession is like a long queue. Relatives and friends are sent to the suburbs. The filial man bows and says goodbye. The coffin is then transported by truck to the cemetery for burial. Today, cremation is quite common. There are funeral parlors, crematoria and cemeteries in some places in Taiwan, and some Buddhist temples and pagodas also store ashes.
3. Fertility. When a woman gives birth to a child, she must tell her relatives and friends, which is called "announcement of good news."
When the moon is full, red eggs are given to relatives, friends and neighbors to show good luck. Pregnant women give birth to the full moon, which is called "confinement". Within one month, they usually eat sesame oil and pork liver as a non-staple food. Grandparents must give gifts of clothes to babies when they are one month old, four months old, or one year old. The preference for boys over girls is quite serious in Taiwan. A grand ceremony is held for the birth of a boy, regardless of whether he is a month old, one year old or 16 years old, while the ceremony for a girl is greatly simplified or even not held at all. In the past 30 years, the Taiwan authorities have promoted the "Family Birth Control Program" with the slogans "Two children are just right" and "Girls and boys are equally good."
4. Birthday celebration. Taiwan compatriots like to celebrate birthdays. After men and women come of age, every birthday, their families prepare plain noodles, incense candles, etc. and hold a simple celebration ceremony. Generally, longevity begins at the age of 50. The age of 60 is the lower longevity, the age of 70 is the middle longevity, the age of 80 is the upper longevity, the age of 90 is the senior longevity, and the age of 100 is the longevity. Every birthday is celebrated by descendants and relatives and friends are invited, which is quite grand.
(3) Gift taboos
1. It is forbidden to give handkerchiefs to others. In the past, bereaved families in Taiwan would give towels to mourners after the funeral, with the intention of cutting off contact between the mourners and the deceased. Therefore, there is a saying in Taiwan that "giving a towel will cut off the roots." Therefore, under normal circumstances, if you give someone a towel, it can't help but remind people of unlucky funerals and the meaning of separation and farewell.
2. It is forbidden to give fans to others. Fans are cheap and fragile, and are used to cool people in the summer. When the weather gets cold in late autumn, there is a saying of "autumn fans are seen by friends", which means they are too unfeeling and will be thrown away after use. There is a saying among Taiwanese people: "If you send a fan, you will never see it again", which is based on this mentality. Giving a fan to a young man or woman in love means that they are about to get cold, which means they are not sincere. Therefore, never give a fan as a gift.
3. It is forbidden to give scissors to others. Scissors are sharp tools that can hurt people, and they have the meaning of "cutting in two with one knife" or "cutting in two with one cut". Giving scissors as a gift can make people feel ill-intentioned. Therefore, never give scissors to anyone.
4. It is forbidden to give umbrellas to others. In Taiwanese, "umbrella" and "san" have the same pronunciation. If you give an umbrella to someone, it still means sending "san" to the other person, and "rain" and "give" in Taiwanese agree with each other. "Umbrella" and "give away" have the same pronunciation, which will inevitably cause misunderstandings on the other side.
5. It is forbidden to give others a mirror. Because the mirror is easy to break, "a broken mirror is difficult to make a round". There is also the intention of asking people to take a good look at themselves in the mirror because they think they are ugly.
6. It is forbidden to give away bells. Because "clock" and "end" have the same pronunciation. Sending a bell will make people think of "sending off", which can easily arouse the resentment of friends.
7. It is forbidden to give sweet fruits to others. The sweet fruit, known as rice cake, is a must-have item for Taiwanese people to worship gods and ancestors during the Chinese New Year. However, it is strictly prohibited to steam and eat it when mourning a bereaved family. Therefore, if you give sweet fruit to someone, it will remind the recipient of a funeral in the family. Naturally, it is taboo.
8. It is forbidden to give rice dumplings to others. It is customary for Taiwanese people to neither steam sweet fruits nor give rice dumplings to bereaved families. If you give rice dumplings to someone, it will be misunderstood as treating the other person as a bereaved person, so it is also taboo.
9. It is forbidden to give ducks as "moon meat" to others. "Moon meat" refers to the meat eaten by women within one month of giving birth. The "moon meat" they eat is usually "hot" foods such as sesame duck, pork loin, and pork liver. Ducks are "cold" and should not be eaten. In addition, there are common sayings in Taiwan such as "a dead duck will keep its mouth shut" and "a duckling will die in July and a half." If a duck is used as a congratulatory gift, it will remind people of an ominous omen.
Taiwanese-style memorial activities
As an immigrant society, the concept of ancestor worship and returning to one’s roots after falling leaves is unique to Taiwanese people and is also an important aspect of Chinese culture. In Taiwan, every household enshrines the memorial tablets of their ancestors. Whenever there is a major event or festival, ancestors must be paid their respects first. The ancestral genealogy and traditional ancestor worship rituals are still passed down from generation to generation among Taiwanese people.
During the New Year celebrations, Taiwanese folk generally hold various festivals and activities, and the number is astonishing. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 15 kinds of festivals every month, and there are as many as 47 kinds in the first month of the lunar calendar. Sacrificial activities in Taiwanese folk customs mainly include the birthday ceremonies of Confucius and Mazu, the ancestor worship ceremony on Shangbaijiao, the City God's Tour Ceremony, the Ghost Festival Purdue Ceremony, and the Zheng Chenggong Ceremony.
(1) Confucius’ Birthday Ceremony
Confucius, the most holy teacher, has a very special status in Taiwanese folk beliefs. In the early days, the ceremony to honor Confucius was held in spring and autumn. Later, it was held on September 28 of the lunar calendar every year, the anniversary of the birth of Confucius, and this day was designated as Teachers' Day.
There are only twelve Confucius temples built in Taiwan, the largest one is the "Taipei Confucius Temple" located to the west of Taipei Yuanshan Zoo. On the day of the Confucius Memorial Ceremony, a grand and solemn ceremony will be held. Not only the teachers and students of the school must participate, but all government officials at all levels must also attend to show respect for teachers and education.
(2) Mazu’s Birthday Ceremony
March 23 of the lunar calendar is the birthday of Mazu. Mazu is the water god believed by residents along the southeastern coast of China. According to legend, Mazu often travels on the sea to rescue people in danger, so sailing people believe in her and call her their nanny. In the 33rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, a monk named Shubi crossed the sea from Meizhou in Putian County, Fujian Province to carry a statue of Mazu and built a small temple in Beigang to worship Mazu. From then on, Mazu "settled down" in Taiwan. Since Taiwan is surrounded by the sea, when mainland residents cross the sea and immigrate to Taiwan, they often feel protected by Mazu. Moreover, many people in Taiwan are engaged in fishing, so there are many people who believe in Mazu. There are now a total of 383 Mazu temples in Taiwan, among which Chaotian Temple in Beigang is the most popular. Every year, March 23 of the lunar calendar is Mazu’s birthday. Starting from the first month of the year, devotees who believe in Mazu flock to the Chaotian Temple in Beigang from all over Taiwan to hold a grand incense pilgrimage to celebrate Mazu’s birthday.
The entire incense-burning birthday celebration ceremony is solemn, grand and lively. Pilgrims are full of piety and travel long distances to offer incense. The sacrifices are piled up, incense is swirling, the sound of firecrackers is heard, and the performances to reward the gods are dizzying. The climax of offering incense is the day of Beigang Mazu's circumambulation on March 19th and 20th of the lunar calendar. At 9 o'clock in the morning, people carried Mazu shrines and, amidst the deafening sound of firecrackers, began the grand celebration of Mazu's annual parade around the country. Mazu, escorted by the "clairvoyant" generals and the "shunfenger" generals, circled the streets and alleys of Beigang Town. Wherever the shrine passed, every household opened its doors, placed offerings, and set off firecrackers to drive away evil spirits and monsters. In the patrol team, the lion formation, Songjiang formation, drum formation, eight generals, etc. each set up their formations and performed their special tricks. Various art pavilions rented by various business groups and neighbors are also paraded on the streets. The various art pavilions, including ancient costumes, fashionable ones, and static ones, are dazzling. The streets in front of the temple were packed with people offering incense and watching the excitement.
Every year Mazu celebrates her birthday and prays for peace every year. This ancient ritual activity has become an indispensable part of the life of Taiwanese people. There are more than 300 temples dedicated to "Mazu" in Taiwan Province, and the shrine was brought to Taiwan by a "clone" from Fujian Province. The main temples dedicated to worship include Chaotian Temple and Magong Tianhou Temple in Beigang Town, Yunlin County. General families and households all contribute tribute. There is a folk proverb in Taiwan that "worships Mazu and cherishes the motherland."
(3) Shangbaijiao Ancestor Ceremony
Baijiao refers to Baijiao Township in Tongan County, Quanchuan District, Fujian Province. Shangbaijiao means coming to Baijiao on the mainland. It shows that the descendants of the soldiers and civilians who followed Zheng Chenggong to regain Taiwan paid homage to their ancestors on the mainland by visiting the Jigong Ancestral Temple in Baijiao Township, Fujian Province.
Every year on March 21 of the lunar calendar, the Tzu Chi Palace in Xuejia Town, Tainan, holds the grand Shangbaijiao ancestor worship ceremony. On the one hand, they remember their ancestors on the mainland; on the other hand, they pay homage to the Tzu Chi Temple in Baijiao Township, Tong'an County, Fujian Province. This ceremony has lasted for more than 300 years from the time Zheng Chenggong came to Taiwan to the present, and has never been interrupted. It fully demonstrates the spirit of the Chinese nation to drink water without forgetting its roots. At this time of year, many pilgrims, monks and tourists gather in this small town. The number of people sometimes exceeds 200,000. It is really lively and grand. Especially when a grand ancestor worship ceremony was held on March 21 of the lunar calendar in 1981 to commemorate the 320th anniversary of Zheng Chenggong's recovery of Taiwan, 100,000 people attended.
Every time on this day of the festival, those who are working or studying abroad rush back to the town as much as possible to bring the statue of Emperor Baosheng in the Tzu Chi Palace to the place where he landed on the bank of Jiangjun Creek. Sacrifice to the homeland of the mainland. People in Xuejia regard this ceremony as an extremely important event, and believers of Baosheng Emperor from all over Taiwan also traveled thousands of miles to Xuejia Town to participate in the ceremony, carrying palanquins, holding umbrellas, and beating gongs and drums.
Now, in order to cooperate with this festival, preserve the folk skills in the folk god-welcoming competition, and attract tourists, the Taiwanese authorities have specially held a Taiwan-wide art competition, making this event even grander and becoming a One of the most eye-catching and spectacular festivals in Taiwan.
(4) The City God’s Tour Ceremony
Worshiping the City God is one of the traditional Chinese folk belief activities.
Every year on May 13th of the lunar calendar, it is the birthday of the City God of Xiahai in Taipei. There is a grand tour of the City God, commonly known as the May 13th Big Worship.
Taipei Xiahai City God was the county god of Tamsui Hall in the Qing Dynasty. He was invited to Taiwan from Tong'an, Fujian Province in the first year of Daoguang. He has many believers and the ceremony is particularly grand. When the City God goes on a tour, a ceremony to invite the gods is held first, that is, the statues of the City God and the accompanying gods are invited out, placed in the chariot, and then set off. Among the first to go on the tour were the North and South Wind Bands, Lion Dance Troupes, Arts Pavilions, and believers. In addition, there were hundreds of thousands of visitors, surpassing other festivals and events in Taiwan. Therefore, there is a saying in Taiwan: "On the 13th day of May, people are judged."
Taiwanese people believe that worshiping the city god, like other folk beliefs, has certain effects on calming the people, persuading people to do good deeds, and promoting tourism. Therefore, this kind of folk activity where hundreds of thousands of people gather for entertainment is still flourishing.
(5) Hungry Ghost Festival Purdue Ceremony
July 15th of the lunar calendar is commonly known as the "Hungry Ghost Festival", also known as the "Ollan Festival" and "Ghost Festival". It is a day for people to pay homage to the souls of their ancestors, and it is also a very important festival for Taoist and Buddhist believers. During this major festival, every household in rural Taiwan kills pigs and sheep, prepares extremely rich meat and wine offerings, worships ancestors and ghosts in the underworld, and hopes to "purdue" all living beings and the souls of the dead.
In Taiwan, the most common legend is that in the early morning of July 1st of the lunar calendar every year, the underworld opens the ghost gate, allowing all the ghosts who have suffered in the underworld to return to the earth to visit their hometowns and descendants. On July 15th, the people of the country unite to hold a big worship ceremony for all the ghosts and let the ghosts enjoy a feast. By July 30, the holiday is over and these ghosts return to the underworld.
On the day of Purdue, lanterns hung high are lit to guide the ghosts who have gone to the underworld to gather. If you want to invite ghosts in the water, you have to "release water lanterns". Taiwanese krathongs are usually made into a hut shape, nailed to a banana leaf stem, and a candle inserted inside. The activity of releasing water lanterns was very common in Taiwan in the past, and the scale was also very grand. But now only the Keelung, Hsinchu, Xinpu and Taoyuan areas still retain this ritual and custom, and its scale and momentum are even worse than before. In the past, every household killed pigs and sheep, but now a large number of sacrifices have been replaced by flowers and fruits. Today, relatively complete worship ceremonies can only be seen in a few villages and towns.
The villagers who still maintain the Zhongyuan Festival say that the "Pudu" Festival will not disappear in their area. They believe that worshiping ghosts and gods and ancestors are originally Chinese traditions, and worshiping can also be done. Give your usually busy relatives, friends and fellow villagers a chance to get together. Therefore, Zhongyuan Pudu combines the unique folk customs of Chinese farmers with religious activities of Buddhism and Taoism, and it still continues in the atmosphere of cigarette smoke and lantern worship in various parts of Taiwan.
In addition, Taiwanese compatriots also have many traditional festivals that are basically the same as those on the mainland. Some festivals that are still popular today, such as the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, tomb-sweeping and worshiping ancestors during the Qingming Festival, dragon boat racing and eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival, admiring the moon and eating moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, etc., were never interrupted even during the Japanese rule, and they still maintain the traditions of the Chinese nation. Habit.