Sinitic 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’s not a big place. But it is home to an incredible diversity of cultures with 16 native Austronesian nations and three Sinitic groups.

Taiwan is home to over 20 Austronesian and Sinitic languages. This incredible linguistic diversity reflects Taiwan’s multicultural roots.

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!

The Taiwan dollar is Taiwan’s legal tender. This is the story of the modern Taiwanese currency and its predecessor the Taiwanese yen!

Chopsticks aren’t just essential to Taiwanese dining, numerous stories and folklore are associated with these versatile eating utensils!

“Underfoot”—a bizarre ancient Chinese endearing form of address between friends. As with most odd folk expressions, there’s a story behind it.

The moon rabbit is a folkloric character linked to Chinese Moon Festivals. In Taiwan, Korea and Japan, it’s also associated with rice cakes!

Two extremely common Taiwanese family names share an origin story that dates back over 3,000 years to a sage named Bi Gan.

This classic Taiwanese folktale—with the infamous “hóo-koo-pô” or “tiger aunt”—teaches children to stay alert and beware of strangers.

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!