Category: History
Folklore is an important component of a people’s history—both resulting from and creating it. Island Folklore documents not just the traditions and narratives of Taiwan, but also the island’s unique and fascinating history.
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Nine Categories of Taiwanese Folklore
We organize Taiwanese folklore into nine broad and overlapping categories. Four based on ethnic origin, and five on folkloric genre!
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That Time a Frenchman Pretended to be Taiwanese in 1704
In 1704, the fantastical book “Description of Formosa” was published in London, England—and it was full of nonsense and gobbledygook!
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The Story of Yuma
Yuma Taru is a legendary figure among the Atayal people of Taiwan. She has dedicated her life to preserving Taiwan’s indigenous heritage.
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The Taiwan Dollar: The Story of How It Came to Be
The Taiwan dollar is Taiwan’s legal tender. This is the story of the modern Taiwanese currency and its predecessor the Taiwanese yen!
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Is “Underfoot” a Nice Thing To Call Your Friend?
“Underfoot”—a bizarre ancient Chinese endearing form of address between friends. As with most odd folk expressions, there’s a story behind it.
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Taiwan’s Orchid Island: Ponso no Tao
Taiwan is actually comprised of nearly 200 islands. One of these, Orchid Island, is home to the unique indigenous culture of the Tao people.
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How It All “Bi Gan”: A Surname Origin Story
Two extremely common Taiwanese family names share an origin story that dates back over 3,000 years to a sage named Bi Gan.
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Red Leaves: Taiwan’s Baseball Fever
How the Red Leaves, an indigenous Taiwanese Little League team, emerged “out of left field” to ignite Taiwan’s baseball fever!
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The Dutch East India Company and Its Taiwanese Legacy
This is the story of how the Dutch East India Company arrived in Taiwan, named it, yanked it from its slumber and pushed it upon the world stage!
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What Happened to Taipei’s Grand Shinto Shrine?
The Taiwan Jingū (Grand Shrine of Taiwan) was chief among Taiwan’s 66 official Shinto shrines. What happened to it? Find out here!