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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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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 is Taiwan’s legal tender. This is the story of the modern Taiwanese currency and its predecessor the Taiwanese yen!
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Chopsticks aren’t just essential to Taiwanese dining, numerous stories and folklore are associated with these versatile eating utensils!
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“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 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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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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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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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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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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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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This is the unfortunate story of a Taiwanese Bigfoot who terrorized his neighbours and the real-life giant footprint he left behind.
Island Folklore: Taiwanese Tales & Traditions
An online repository of Taiwan’s folktales, history, legends, myths and traditions.