I live on Paiwan land, in the southern part of Taiwan, in Manzhou Township 滿州鄉, Pingtung County 屏東縣. This area is part of the beautiful and renowned Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園. The Paiwan indigenous people of Taiwan are the second-largest indigenous group on Formosa. There are approximately 95,000 Paiwan people. The majority of them live in […]
Information About Taiwanese Culture
Taiwan Food
In Taiwan, food isn’t merely belly fuel – it’s a way to have a good time with friends and family. It’s a celebration of community and life. An Introduction to Taiwanese Food Food is an aspect of Taiwanese culture that is assuredly beyond any expert’s capacity to explain with fewer words than the number in […]
Taiwan Snacks and Fast Food Guide
Check out pictures of the most popular fast food and snacks found at night markets and street food stalls around Taiwan! In Taiwan, most of people’s time is spent around two things: eating, and talking about the next meal or next snack. The little snack culture (小吃) in Taiwan may be difficult to understand for […]
Taiwan Fashion
Information About Fashion in Taiwan Like almost anywhere else in the world, the love and passion for fashion is generally related to your distance from that place’s biggest city. Taipei is definitely Taiwan’s most concentrated fashion center, but Taiwanese fashion and style are increasingly weighing heavy on the minds of people everywhere from Keelung to Kenting. Culturally, fashion has gotten […]
Taiwanese Tea
What’s so special about Taiwanese Tea? Where can you buy it? What are the most famous places to sample Chinese tea on Formosa? Information About Taiwanese Tea A while ago, a friend of a friend came to Taiwan and I showed him around a bit, taking him to Maokong and the like. He was a Canadian tea […]
Popular Taiwanese Singers
About Famous Taiwanese Singers No matter how long you’ve studied Chinese, you’re bound to have a hard time watching the news in Taiwan – the number of near-identical Taiwanese celebrities and pop singers seems to double every week. Gossip and celebrity obsession are prevalent here, and within this world the pop singers are the kings […]
Popular Taiwanese Movies
Taiwan doesn’t produce a ton of its own films – most movies shown in theaters here come from Japan, Hong Kong, China and of course the United States. Still, Taiwan has a rich history of independent filmmaking that has carried over to producing more mainstream stuff as well. Probably the world’s most famous Taiwanese director […]
25 Pictures of Taiwanese Culture
A photo gallery about the culture of Taiwan! Taiwanese culture is unique and surprising in many unusual ways! Check out 25 pictures of crazy religious practices, Taiwanese people, ancient Chinese culture, Chinese ghosts, nightmarkets, Taiwanese festivals, betel nuts and much more! Temple performers take part in a religious procession during the Mazu pilgrimage in Beigang, in […]
Chinese Tomb Sweeping Festival
Tomb Sweeping Festival? Sounds a bit strange at first. Actually, once you know what it’s all about the festival is pretty cool. I’ve personally had the chance to join my wife’s family twice for a tomb sweeping day in the mountains near Jhushan, in Nantou County, in Central Taiwan. What is Qingming Jie? Tomb Sweeping […]
Taiwan Stinky Tofu
The ultimate street food to challenge your taste buds! Stinky tofu is one of those things in Taiwan which is a big question mark for many visitors. I’ve heard so many questions about it over the years: Why is it called stinky tofu? Where is it sold? Does it taste like what it smells? Why […]
Taiwan Religion
“You can find traces of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism under the roof of a single temple.” It is true that religion in Taiwan can be completely strange, even totally crazy at times. Every year, people travel to Taipei and other places around Taiwan to witness religious processions, ancient Chinese festivals, and other fascinating aspects of Taiwanese religion. Why learn about religion […]
Taiwan Music
Taiwanese music has been extremely popular in Asia for more than two decades and it is starting to make it’s way around the world. The Music of Taiwan – Hot in Asia! Taiwan has produced some of the most popular and loved Asian pop stars, most famously Zhou Jielun, widely known as Jay Chou, and […]
Taiwan Language
What languages do people speak in Taiwan? Taiwan Language Information The question of Taiwan’s linguistic situation can be a bit confusing to some travelers, foreigners and newcomers. Do they speak Chinese? Is it the same as Mandarin? Is Taiwanese different from Chinese? What about Hokkien? Hakka? Let’s dive in. History of languages in Taiwan A […]
Sports in Taiwan
Taiwan is definitely not a sporting country. You might imagine people in Chile – a country with an even smaller population – bleeding football (soccer) day and night, glued to the television set during the World Cup and rattling off international players’ names as easily as those of South American dictators. In Taiwan, there is […]
Martial Arts in Taiwan
Stereotypes about Asian culture might lead you to imagine that everyone on the street will be a martial arts master, patiently waiting to put you into an inescapable grapple hold and wrestle you into submission. Well, this is clearly a huge exaggeration. Chinese Martial arts have certainly played an important role in Chinese and Taiwanese […]
Ghost Festival in Taiwan
Understand what the Chinese Ghost Festival (aka: Ghost Month) is all about! If you’ve ever been to China or Taiwan, have browsed through this website, or read about Chinese society, you’ve probably come to realize that Chinese culture abounds with the most unusual and disturbing customs and rituals. From men who hit themselves with axes on […]
Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
About the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival During Dragon Boat Festival, you’ll catch glimpses of pyramid-shaped bamboo leaves, lightly tied with and hanging from rope. These are zongzi, a food that Taiwanese clamor over during the festival, which usually takes place in June (technically it falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar). […]
Pictures of Chinese Wedding Traditions in Taiwan
A photo album of Chinese wedding customs, Chinese wedding ceremonies, and receptions in Taiwan! Information About Chinese Wedding Traditions Since moving to Taiwan in 2000, I’ve had the chance to attend many Chinese weddings. Not only as a guest. I’ve also had the honor to be the official photographer at my girlfriend’s brother’s wedding day. […]
Chinese Moon Festival in Taiwan
When is the Chinese Moon Festival? In Taiwan, the Chinese Moon Festival means mostly one thing – BBQ-ing with friends and family! All right, not just barbecue… Moon cakes are also popular on that day! The Moon Festival is also referred to as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, and usually falls somewhere in September or early October (the 15th of […]
Chinese Medicine in Taiwan
An introduction to the Yin and Yang, Chinese doctors, acupunctures, and herbal remedies. Chinese medicine in Taiwan enjoys vast privilege and standing that can’t really be found anywhere else. Taiwan’s dirt-cheap universal health care system covers both those who want to go to a Western doctor and those who prefer to see the local Chinese […]