We organize Taiwanese folklore into nine broad and overlapping categories. Four based on ethnic origin, and five on folkloric genre!
Read More
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!
Read More
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!
Read More
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.
Read More
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!
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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!
Read More
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.
Read More
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!
Read More
The Formosan Tiger: Taiwan’s Big-Cat Folklore and History
The Formosan Tiger features prominently in Taiwanese culture. Here are four examples!
Read More
The Definitive Siu-Kiann Guide: Taiwanese Magic vs Your Five-Year-Old’s Nightmares
Behold, this is your definitive at-home siu-kiann guide for combating your child’s nightmares and mom’s sleep deprivation.
Read More