Indo-European Archives | Island Folklore

The Island’s Many Names

Taiwan has had many names over the centuries. What do they mean? Where do they come from? Here’s a rundown of these names and their origins!

Taiwan has a long and colourful history. From Austronesian cultural explosions to modern tech booms, it has never ceased to amaze.

We organize Taiwanese folklore into nine broad and overlapping categories. Four based on ethnic origin, and five on folkloric genre!

In 1704, the fantastical book “Description of Formosa” was published in London, England—and it was full of nonsense and gobbledygook!

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!

This is the story of a bizarre and fascinating writing system, developed in the 1800s, used to write the Taiwanese language.

How Canadian George Leslie Mackay built Taiwan’s Presbyterian Christian Church and brought healthcare to thousands.

The fascinating, global story of early Taiwanese money.

This is the story of the evolution of Taiwan’s beloved Goddess of Mercy—how a Buddhist princely saint became a motherly deity for the Taiwanese.

Take a guess: Is this a German fairy tale? Or is it a Taiwanese folktale? Explore the secret behind stories from opposite sides of the earth.