Island Folklore: Taiwanese Tales & Traditions

An online repository of Taiwan’s folktales, history, legends, myths and traditions.

Tag: origin myth

  • Bodhidharma Tales: Origin of Zen Buddhism

    Bodhidharma Tales: Origin of Zen Buddhism

    In the heart of the Shaolin Temple, nestled among the ancient halls and towering trees, Bodhidharma, founder of Zen, sat in deep meditation.

  • The Buddha

    The Buddha

    The story of the Buddha is a great source of inspiration and serves as a guide for millions of Buddhists in Taiwan and around the globe.

  • The Island’s Many Names

    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!

  • Is “Underfoot” a Nice Thing To Call Your Friend?

    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.

  • How It All “Bi Gan”: A Surname Origin Story

    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.

  • The Dumpling Sage: How Taiwan’s Mount Banping Got Its Shape

    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!

  • The Mother Goddess

    The Mother Goddess

    The story of the mother goddess who created the first humans.

  • In the Beginning

    In the Beginning

    The tale of the giant born at the beginning of time and subsequently shaped the world.

  • Sun Moon Lake

    Sun Moon Lake

    The indigenous folktale on the origin of the name of Taiwan’s beautiful Sun Moon Lake.

  • Paiwan Origin Myths

    Paiwan Origin Myths

    The Paiwan people have many origin myths. Here is a sampling of these Paiwan origin tales.