Taiwan has a long and colourful history. From Austronesian cultural explosions to modern tech booms, it has never ceased to amaze.
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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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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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Chop-Chop: The Folklore of Chopsticks
Chopsticks aren’t just essential to Taiwanese dining, numerous stories and folklore are associated with these versatile eating utensils!
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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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Moon Rabbit and Rice Cake
The moon rabbit is a folkloric character linked to Chinese Moon Festivals. In Taiwan, Korea and Japan, it’s also associated with rice cakes!
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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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Tiger Aunt: Beware of Strangers
This classic Taiwanese folktale—with the infamous “hóo-koo-pô” or “tiger aunt”—teaches children to stay alert and beware of strangers.
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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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Taiwanese Bigfoot: The Tale of a Giant
This is the unfortunate story of a Taiwanese Bigfoot who terrorized his neighbours and the real-life giant footprint he left behind.
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The Dumpling Sage: How Taiwan’s Mount Banping Got Its Shape
Visitors to Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City will notice an oddly shaped mountain called Mount Banping. This folktale reveals how it got its distinctive shape!
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The Formosan Tiger: Taiwan’s Big-Cat Folklore and History
The Formosan Tiger features prominently in Taiwanese culture. Here are four examples!
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