View source for Culture of Taiwan

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Chinese
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|t=臺灣文化
|s=台湾文化
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|l=Taiwanese culture
|p=Táiwān wénhuà
|w=
|poj=Tâi-oân bûn-hoà
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The '''culture of Taiwan''' is a blend of [[Han Taiwanese]] and [[indigenous Taiwanese]] cultures.{{sfnp|Huang|1994|pp=1–5}} Despite the overwhelming [[Chinese culture|Chinese cultural]] influence and minority indigenous Taiwanese cultural influence, [[Culture of Japan|Japanese culture]] has significantly influenced Taiwanese culture as well.<ref>黃文儀，《士大夫與羅漢腳》，《文教台灣》第092期</ref> The common socio-political experience in [[Taiwan]] gradually developed into a sense of Taiwanese [[cultural identity]] and a feeling of Taiwanese cultural awareness, which has been widely debated domestically.{{sfnp|Yip|2004|pp=230–248}}{{sfnp|Makeham|2005|pp=2–8}}{{sfnp|Chang|2005|p=224}}

Reflecting the continuing controversy surrounding the [[political status of Taiwan]], politics continues to play a role in the conception and development of a Taiwanese cultural identity, especially in the prior dominant frame of a Taiwanese and Chinese dualism. In recent years, the concept of Taiwanese [[multiculturalism]] has been proposed as a relatively apolitical alternative view, which has allowed for the inclusion of mainlanders and other minority groups into the continuing re-definition of Taiwanese culture as collectively held systems of meaning and customary patterns of thought and behavior shared by the [[Taiwanese people|people of Taiwan]].{{sfnp|Hsiau|2005|pp=125–129}}{{sfnp|Winckler|1994|pp=23–41}}

== State cultural policy overview ==
{{Main article|Taiwanese Aborigines|History of Taiwan}}

===Historical context===
{{Main article|Taiwan under Japanese rule}}
Taiwan's culture and cultural legacy has been largely shaped by the processes of [[imperialism]] and [[colonization]] as the structural and psychological effects of successive colonial projects have been integral to developing Taiwan's self-image and the evolution of both official and unofficial Taiwanese culture.{{sfnp|Yip|2004|pp=2–5}} For most of its colonized existence, Taiwan remained on the cultural margins, far from the centers of civil and cultural life of each regime, and with every regime change, Taiwan's cultural center shifted. At various times Taiwan's cultural center has been indigenous Taiwan, Amsterdam, [[Amoy]] (Xiamen), [[Qing dynasty|Qing]]-era [[Peking]], [[Imperial Japan]], postwar China and even, arguably, the United States.{{sfnp|Winckler|1994|pp=28–31}}

[[File:Taiwan bunun dancer.jpg|thumb|[[Bunun people|Bunun]] dancer in traditional aboriginal dress (1989)]]

Before the [[Qing Empire]] ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895, Taiwan's culture was characterized by Qing frontier societies of [[Han Chinese|Han]] farmers and highland [[Taiwanese aborigines|Aborigines]]. Due to Taiwan's strategic location along East Asian trade routes, the Taiwanese were also exposed to cosmopolitan influences and the effects of European commerce. By the middle of the Japanese era (1895–1945), Taiwan had begun to shift from local to contemporary global culture, under the guidance of Japanese style "westernization". Beginning during Japan's build-up for war,{{sfnp|Wachman|1994|pp=6–7}} Japan invigorated its policies to Japanize Taiwan for mobilization against the Allies. Japan's effort taught Taiwan's elite Japanese culture and language but did not largely interfere in religious organizations. When Japan's suppressive wartime policies were lifted following [[World War II]], the Taiwanese were eager to continue with their prewar [[Multicultural|cosmopolitan]] activities.{{sfnp|Mendel|1970|pp=13–14}} Japan's colonial legacy has shaped many of the customs and mannerisms of the Taiwanese. Japan's colonial legacy is still visible, due to Japan's massive effort in constructing Taiwan's economic infrastructure and industrial base, which is often cited as a major factor in Taiwan's rapid [[economic development]].{{sfnp|Gold|1986|pp=21–32}}

==KMT era cultural policy==
{{Main article|History of KMT cultural policy}}
During the early postwar period the [[Kuomintang|Chinese Nationalist Party]] (KMT) suppressed Taiwanese cultural expression and barred Taiwanese from cosmopolitan life except in the spheres of science and technology.{{sfnp|Winckler|1994|p=29}} The authoritarian KMT dominated public cultural space and Chinese nationalist networks became a part of cultural institutions, leaving little resource for cultural autonomy to grow.{{sfnp|Phillips|2003|pp=10–15}}

Under the early KMT, Taiwan was realigned from a Japanese imperial center to a Chinese nationalist center, under the influence of KMT and American [[geo-political]] interests.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mitchell |first=Martin |date=2017-10-20 |title=Taiwan and China: A geostrategic reassessment of U.S. policy |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01495933.2017.1379829 |journal=Comparative Strategy |language=en |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=383–391 |doi=10.1080/01495933.2017.1379829 |issn=0149-5933|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Although American cultural activities were modest, they played a significant role in Taiwan's developing cultural scene. The KMT claimed a loss of morale led to "losing China" and thus the state issued a series of ideological reforms aimed to "retake" China, which became the major state cultural program of the time.  The immediate preoccupation with losing China diverted long-term investment in the humanities and social sciences. On another level, the state's main objective was to "[[sinicization|sinicize]]" the Taiwanese by teaching them [[Mandarin Chinese]] and Nationalist ideology through compulsory primary education.{{sfnp|Wachman|1994|pp=82–88}}

By the late 1940s the KMT had [[authoritarianism|eliminated dissent]] for its cultural policies. When the Taiwanese had resumed the cultural activities, which were outlawed by the Japanese in 1937, the Nationalist attitude was that the local Taiwanese had been Japanese "slaves" and would therefore have to complete a period of moral and ideological tutelage before they could enjoy their full rights as citizens of the [[Republic of China]].{{sfnp|Kerr|1965|pp=72;266}} The [[February 28 Incident]] destroyed Taiwan's urban elite and the arrival of the mainlander elite ensured Nationalist domination of urban cultural centers.{{sfnp|Gates|1981|pp=266–269}}

In 1953, Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]] issued his first major opinion on culture to complete [[Sun Yat-sen]]'s [[Three Principles of the People]], which included prescribing Nationalist curriculum for education, building facilities for intellectual and physical recreation and the major state cultural program of promoting anti-communist propaganda.{{sfnp|Winckler|1994|p=30}} In regard to Taiwanese cultural life, the major thrust was for "universalization" of education in Mandarin, which was enforced by law. Despite the hard-line Chinese control over culture, the Soviet advances in technology led to a new Nationalist focus on building closer cooperation with American universities and developing engineering programs.{{sfnp|Wilson|1970|}} The American presence in Taiwan also encouraged Taiwanese to resume some politically, ethnically neutral cultural activities, which was expressed in a flourishing Taiwanese-language media market.{{sfnp|Winckler|1994|p=32}}

Between the 1960s and the 1980s Taiwan's culture was described by its media as the contrast between Taiwan (Free China) and China (Communist China), often drawing from the official tropes of Taiwan as a bastion of traditional Chinese culture, which had preserved "true" Chinese values against the "false" Chinese values of post Communist China. At the same time, Taiwanese cultural expressions were brutally suppressed by Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT. In response to the [[Cultural Revolution]] of China, the government of Taiwan began promoting the [[Chinese Cultural Renaissance]] (中華文化復興運動), with a myriad of programs designed to promote traditional Chinese culture to counter the communist movement on the mainland which aimed at uprooting the "[[Four Olds]]". These programs involved subsidized publication of [[Chinese Classics]], the symbolic functions of the [[National Palace Museum]], promoting famous prewar scholars to prominent positions in government and academic institutions, textbook and curriculum design with a focus on the official view of "traditional" Chinese culture and involvement in social and community events and the exemplification of Confucian ideology intertwined with [[Sun Yat-sen]] thought.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Su |first=Ya -Chen |date=2006 |title=Political ideology and Taiwanese school curricula |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03036783 |journal=Asia Pacific Education Review |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=41–50 |doi=10.1007/bf03036783 |issn=1598-1037|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Taiwanization==
{{Main article|Taiwanization}}

===After 1975===
[[Bentuhua]] or [[Bentuhua|Taiwanization]]/[[Taiwanese localization]] has become, arguably, the most important symbol of cultural change over the past twenty years. Bentuhua describes the social and cultural movement by the people of Taiwan to identify with Taiwan's unique mixed historical and cultural legacy. Bentuhua has often been associated with [[Taiwan Name Rectification Campaign]], [[Taiwan Independence]], and [[Taiwanese nationalism]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-06 |title=Name rectification petition gathers 4,488 signatures - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/02/06/2003687144 |access-date=2025-10-10 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref>

==Religion==
[[File:Yin yang.svg|thumb|100px|Yin and Yang symbol of [[Taoism]]]] [[File:Dharma Wheel.svg|thumb|100px|The ''[[Dharmachakra]]'' represents the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].]]

{{Main article|Religion in Taiwan}}

The prevalent form of religious belief in [[Taiwan]] is a blend of [[Chinese Buddhism|Buddhism]], [[Taoism]], and [[Chinese folk religion]], including [[Chinese ancestral worship]], [[Mazu|Mazu worship]], [[Wang Ye worship]] and [[Chinese religions of fasting|Zhai Jiao Traditions]].<ref>[http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/brief/info04_19.html TIO Gov Taiwan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526015030/http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/brief/info04_19.html |date=26 May 2007 }}</ref> However, there are also large numbers of devotees to each of these belief systems.<ref name="taipei times">[http://ecommerce.taipeitimes.com/yearbook2004/P351.htm taipei times] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128153701/http://ecommerce.taipeitimes.com/yearbook2004/P351.htm |date=28 November 2006 }}</ref>

Apart from the syncretic form of traditional Chinese folk religion, [[Humanistic Buddhism]] is the major distinguishing trait of modern Taiwanese Buddhism. Humanistic Buddhism traces its roots to Chinese monk [[Taixu|Venerable Taixu]] (1890–1947), who promoted more direct contributions to society through the Buddhist community and was a significant influence for [[Yin Shun|Venerable Yin Shun]], who is generally considered to be the key figure who brought Humanistic Buddhism to Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.masterlee.url.tw/talk/interview/1-2-0.htm|title=解嚴後台灣佛教新興教派之研究|work=url.tw|access-date=14 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103031356/http://www.masterlee.url.tw/talk/interview/1-2-0.htm|archive-date=3 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Christian churches have been active in Taiwan for many years, a majority of which are Protestant (with 2.6% of the population identifying themselves as Protestant)<ref name="taipei times"/> with Presbyterians playing a particularly significant role. The [[Presbyterian Church in Taiwan]] has been active in promoting human rights and the use of the spoken and written [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] (see [[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]]), both during Japanese rule, as well as the martial law period of the Republic of China, during which the exclusive use of [[Standard Chinese|Mandarin]] was legally mandated. As such, the church has been associated with the [[Taiwan Name Rectification Campaign]] and the [[pan-green]] coalition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-12-23 |title=Presbyterian church backs Chen\'s campaign - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/12/23/2003084600 |access-date=2025-10-10 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref>

Several Taiwanese religious organizations have extended their operations beyond the country. Several organizations, especially [[Buddha's Light International Association]] ([[Fo Guang Shan]]), [[Tzu Chi Foundation]], [[Dharma Drum Mountain]] and [[Chung Tai Shan]], have set up branch temples (or centers) and extended their humanitarian or missionary works around the world.{{cn|date=November 2021}}

Buddhist-Taoist religious belief makes up 93%, Christian 4.5%, and others 2.5%.<ref name=factbook>{{Cite web|date=26 June 2009 |title=Taiwan |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/taiwan/  |work=[[The World Factbook]] |publisher=Directorate of Intelligence, [[Central Intelligence Agency]] | access-date=1 July 2009}}</ref>

==Food==
[[File:Pearl Milktea.jpg|thumb|100px|Pearl milk tea]]
{{Main article|Taiwanese cuisine}}

[[Pearl milk tea]] (also known as [[bubble tea]] or boba) is a popular tea drink available in many parts of the world. A notable Japanese influence exists due to the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. Taiwanese cuisine itself is often associated with influences from mid to southern provinces of China, most notably from the province of [[Fujian]], but influences from all of China can easily be found due to the large number of Chinese who immigrated to Taiwan during the [[retreat of the Republic of China to Taiwan]].

==Languages and Communication==
{{Main article|Languages of Taiwan}}

=== Languages ===

==== History of language development in Taiwan ====
Prior to the large-scale migration of Han Chinese from southern Fujian Province in the 1600s, most inhabitants of Taiwan spoke Indigenous Austronesian languages. With the arrival of these migrants, Hokkien and Hakka were introduced and gradually became widely spoken, especially the former. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895–1945), the colonial government promoted the use of Japanese in an effort to assimilate the local population. Following the defeat of the Nationalists by Mao Zedong’s Communist Party, Chiang Kai-shek and his government retreated to Taiwan 1949. They implemented policies that promoted Mandarin Chinese as the national language. Mandarin was strictly enforced in schools and workplaces, and children were often penalized for speaking their native tongues—whether Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, or Indigenous languages. The table below presents a timeline summarizing the major shifts in languages spoken in Taiwan throughout its history.
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Time Period'''
|'''Main Languages Spoken'''
|-
|Pre-1600s
|Indigenous Austronesian Languages (or the Formosan Languages)
|-
|1600s–1800s
|Indigenous Austronesion + Hokkien + Hakka
|-
|1895–1945
|Above + Japanese (colonial rule)
|-
|1945–present
|Mandarin Chinese (official), Hokkien, Hakka, Indigenous Languages
|}

==== Language varieties ====
As a result of the Nationalist Party's assimilation efforts, the most widely spoken and de facto language in Taiwan is [[Mandarin Chinese]], which was introduced to Taiwan by people who emigrated from [[mainland China]] after 1949. [[Taiwanese Hokkien]], or "Taiwanese" for short, is spoken by about 70% of the population. A survey by National Taiwan Normal University revealed that 29.7% of Taiwanese speak Taiwanese Hokkien at home, while 68.6% speak Mandarin at home.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-25 |title=Fewer people speak local languages, survey shows - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/11/25/2003827457 |access-date=2025-10-10 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref> The same survey also indicated that a higher percentage of older-aged groups, particularly those aged between 55-59, speak a local language more often than Mandarin Chinese.

The [[Hakka people|Hakka]], who make about 13% of the population, speak the distinct [[Hakka language]]. The [[Formosan languages]] and the [[Yami language]] are the native languages of the [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples|indigenous Taiwanese]], comprising about 2.3% of the island's population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 January 2022 |title=Languages of Taiwan |url=https://zinglanguages.com/languages-of-taiwan/ |access-date=19 January 2022 |website=zinglanguages.com}}</ref>

[[Standard Chinese]] is the official language and is almost universally spoken and understood. English is taught universally, starting in elementary school and all the way through high school.

[[Taiwanese Mandarin|Taiwanese Mandarin (guóyǔ or 國語)]], derived from Standard Chinese, is spoken at different levels according to the social class and situation of the speakers. Influenced by the Min-nan language, Taiwanese people may speak so-called Taiwanese-accented Mandarin (táiwān guóyǔ or 台灣國語), which may be linked to undesired personal qualities associated with old age/old fashion, inadequate education or low social status. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Ensslin |first=Astrid |title=Approaches to videogame discourse: lexis, interaction, textuality |last2=Balteiro |first2=Isabel |date=2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-1-5013-3845-8 |location=New York, [New York] London Oxford}}</ref>

Some terms have different meanings in Taiwan and mainland China, such as: 土豆 (''tǔdòu''), which means peanut in Taiwan, but potato in China. There also exist differences in official<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Angel |date=2018-04-11 |title=Mainland Mandarin vs. Taiwanese Mandarin: Pronunciation Differences |url=https://mandarinhq.com/2018/04/mainland-mandarin-taiwanese-mandarin-pronunciation/ |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Mandarin HQ |language=en-US}}</ref> pronunciations of a few words such as 垃圾, which is pronounced ''lèsè'' in Taiwan but ''lājī'' in China, with the former being derived from [[Shanghainese]].

In Taiwan, [[traditional Chinese characters]] are generally used, rather than the [[simplified characters]] used predominantly in mainland China.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yan |first1=Pu |last2=Yasseri |first2=Taha |date=2017-06-09 |title=Two Diverging Roads: A Semantic Network Analysis of Chinese Social Connection ("Guanxi") on Twitter |journal=Frontiers in Digital Humanities |language=English |volume=4 |doi=10.3389/fdigh.2017.00011 |doi-access=free |issn=2297-2668|arxiv=1605.05139 }}</ref>

'''Language policies'''

Taiwan has always been a multilingual and culturally diverse society despite that language policies have often strictly regulated which languages can be used in formal settings. Below is a list of different historical periods where specific languages were actively promoted:

* '''Japanese occupation period (1895-1945)''': Under the Japanese rule, the Japanese language was promoted, while the local languages were suppressed.

* '''The KMT ruling period (1945-1987)''': Mandarin Chinese became the sole official language. School children speaking their home dialects (such as Hokkien, Hakka or indigenous languages) were discouraged or even punished.

* '''The democratic reform period (post-1987)''': A strong sense of Taiwanese identity surged during this time, which led to the recognition and promotion of local languages. Subsequently, organizations such as [[Council of Indigenous Peoples]] and [[Hakka Affairs Council]] were founded in 1996 and 2001 respectively, followed by the introduction of local languages into school curricula in 2004.

* '''Legal milestones''': (1) Between 2017 and 2019, the [https://www.moc.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?n=412 National Languages Act] recognized Hokkien, Hakka, indigenous languages, and sign language as equal to Mandarin, securing rights in education, public services, and media, and (2) In 2019, [https://www.moc.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?n=412#:~:text=The%20Development%20of%20National%20Languages%20Act%20lays%20out%20clear%20guarantees,for%20the%20nation's%20linguistic%20diversity. the Development of National Languages Act] required the inclusion of local language classes, increased multilingual broadcasting, and provided funding to revitalize Hokkien, Hakka and indigenous languages.

* '''Current situation (2024–2025)''': Mandarin Chinese continues to dominate in schools, workplaces, and social settings. Teacher shortages and differences in language prestige make it challenging to fully implement policies that position multilingualism as a core aspect of Taiwan’s democratic identity. Consequently, the use of Hokkien is declining among younger generations, while Hakka and Indigenous languages remain endangered.
* '''Future direction''' '''([[2030 Bilingual Nation|the 2030 Bilingual Policy]])''': This policy was first announced by the [[National Development Council (Taiwan)|National Development Council]] in December 2018, setting a goal to make Taiwan a bilingual nation in Mandarin and English by 2030. Implementation began in 2019, focusing on creating bilingual environments and promoting English proficiency through education and government services to strengthen international competitiveness. Despite its good intentions, the shortage of qualified bilingual teachers has limited the policy’s effectiveness.

=== Communication ===

==== Common communication practices ====
[[File:LINE_Stickers.jpg|thumb|An example of a text message sent through the Line app, featuring sticker options.]]
Today, most people in Taiwan communicate through mobile apps (like [[WhatsApp]], [[Line (software)|Line]], [[Instant messenger|Messenger]]), social media platforms (such as [[Facebook]] and [[Instagram]]), and traditional phone calls via cell phones or landlines. Among these, the Line app is the most popular, allowing users to send messages and Line stickers. Recent research suggests that Line stickers can help bridge gender expectations—especially for young men who may struggle to express vulnerable emotions—support evolving family communication and strengthen parent–child relationships.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chen |first=Chih-Ping |date=2020-10-01 |title=Exploring the use of line stickers to bridge the gap in developing parent–emerging adult relationships: Taiwanese emerging adults’ perspectives in family communication patterns and their influence strategies |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/17544750.2020.1718722 |journal=Chinese Journal of Communication |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=425–443 |doi=10.1080/17544750.2020.1718722 |issn=1754-4750|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In addition, some mobile apps (e.g., Line, Facebook and Messenger), have been used for communication among Taiwanese residents during major national disasters, such as typhoons and earthquakes.{{fact|date=October 2025}}

==== Code-switching between Mandarin and other languages ====
Because Taiwan is linguistically and culturally diverse, people of all ages tend to mix different languages in a conversation, especially outside of school or work. These mixed languages include Mandarin, Hokkien, Japanese, Hakka, and indigenous languages. This spoken code-switching is increasingly reflected in written communication, even though many local languages lack formal writing systems. When needed, however, the [https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/33540 Taiwanese Romanization System] and the [[Taiwanese Hakka Romanization System]] are used to represent sounds that do not have corresponding Mandarin characters. Due to the frequent use of code-switching and the evolving mix of languages, new colloquial expressions regularly emerge—often understood only by local speakers.{{fact|date=October 2025}}

== Art ==
{{Main article|Taiwanese art}}
The artistic heritage of Taiwan is extremely diverse. Stonecutters of the [[Changbin culture]] began to make art on Taiwan at least 30,000 years ago. Around 5,000 years ago jade and earthenware works started to appear. Art was first institutionalized in Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial period and the establishment of public schools dedicated to the fine arts. The Japanese introduced oil and watercolor paintings to Taiwan and Taiwanese artists were heavily influenced by their Japanese counterparts. As was typical of colonel rulers Japanese did not establish tertiary institutions for art education in Taiwan, all students wishing to pursue an advanced degree in the arts had to travel to Japan to do so. When the Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 they brought many of China's most prestigious artists with them. The Nationalists also established the first art colleges and universities in Taiwan. Along with Chinese influences the Nationalists also allowed the United States to establish a series of military bases in Taiwan, American [[pop culture]] and artistic ideas such as [[abstract expressionism]] were introduced to Taiwan by the Americans. Democratization in the late 1980s and the lifting of martial law granted Taiwanese artists freedom of expression for the first time in history. The economic boom of the '80s and '90s also saw the financial resources of Taiwanese museums and patrons increase significantly.<ref name="Taiwan Today" >{{cite web |last1=Chung |first1=Oscar |title=Beauty in Diversity |url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?post=168600&unit=20,35&unitname=Taiwan-Review&postname=Beauty-in-Diversity |website=taiwantoday.tw |date=January 2020 |publisher=Taiwan Today |access-date=27 January 2020}}</ref> By 1990 Taiwan was Asia's biggest art market.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chow |first1=Vivienne |title=Taipei Was Asia's Biggest Market Hub 30 Years Ago. Can a Coterie of Art-World Insiders Return It to Its Former Glory? |url=https://news.artnet.com/market/taipei-dangdai-taiwan-art-market-1762140 |website=news.artnet.com |date=24 January 2020 |publisher=Artnet |access-date=27 January 2020}}</ref> As Taiwan's art scene matured there began to be a greater specialization in exhibit spaces with dedicated museums for things like photography and ceramics opening. In the 21st century Taiwan's artistic community embraced new technologies and new mediums.<ref name="Taiwan Today" /> While no longer the largest art market in Asia the tastes of Taiwan's collectors have matured and Taiwan remains the most cutting-edge art market in Asia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Andrew |title=Where Is Asia's Art Market Headed? Taiwan's New Taipei Dangdai Fair Shows a Region on the Verge of Massive Change |url=https://news.artnet.com/market/taipei-dangdai-and-what-comes-next-1449517 |website=news.artnet.com |date=28 January 2019 |publisher=Artnet |access-date=27 January 2020}}</ref>

==Media==
{{Main article|Media of Taiwan}}
Taiwan's [[freedom of press]] is guaranteed by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]] and its [[Worldwide Press Freedom Index#Worldwide Press Freedom Index Ranking|worldwide press freedom index]] ranks at 32 among 169 nations, as of 2007. Taiwan had been under martial law, with strict restrictions on the press and broadcasting, before political liberalization loosened restrictions in the 1980s.

==Sports==
{{Main article|Sport in Taiwan}}
Popular sports in Taiwan include:

*Badminton
*Baseball
*Basketball
*[[Cheerleading]]
*Golf
*Martial arts
*[[Billiards|Pool]]
*Swimming
*Table tennis
*Tennis
*Volleyball

Athletes from Taiwan compete in international sporting events, often under the banner of "[[Chinese Taipei]]" due to PRC's opposition to the use of "Taiwan" or "ROC" under such circumstances.

==Tea==
{{Main article|Taiwanese tea|Taiwanese tea culture}}

[[Taiwanese tea culture]], include tea arts, [[tea ceremony]], and a very social way of enjoying tea. While the most common teas are oolongs, especially Taiwanese oolongs such as Iron Goddess and Alpine Oolong. However, black teas and green teas are also popular. Many of the classical arts can be seen in the [[tea culture]], examples: [[calligraphy]], flower arts, incense arts, and such.

==Recreation==
[[File:Taipei KTV-Eingangshalle.jpg|thumb|200px|Entrance hall of a K-TV in Taipei]]

[[Karaoke]] is incredibly popular in Taiwan, where it is termed KTV (karaoke television). This is an example of something the Taiwanese have drawn, on scale, from contemporary [[Culture of Japan|Japanese culture]]. [[Pachinko]] is another example. During typhoons, many young Taiwanese will spend the day singing karaoke or playing [[mahjong]]. Many people enjoy watching [[miniseries]] collectively called [[Taiwanese drama]].

[[Indoor fishing|Indoor shrimping]] has remained a popular form of recreation in Taiwan since the 1990s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1993-07-01 |title=Gone Shrimpin |url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=12&post=22352 |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Taiwan Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lu |first=Danny |date=1991 |title=High-rise indoor shrimp fishing centers become popular in Taiwan |work=The Sun}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Jennings |first=Ralph |date=2012-10-01 |title=In urban Taiwan, indoor shrimp fishing is booming |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2012-oct-01-la-fg-taiwan-shrimp-20121001-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-11-04 |title=Close up: Urban shrimp fishing in Taiwan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-20181132 |work=BBC}}</ref>

Since 1999, [[Taiwanese hot springs|hot springs]], known as ''wēnquán'' in [[Standard Chinese|Chinese]] and ''[[onsen]]'' in Japanese, have been making a comeback thanks to efforts by the government. Over 100 hot springs have been discovered since the Japanese introduced their rich [[onsen]] culture to Taiwan, with the largest concentration on the northernmost part of Taiwan island.

[[Anime]] and [[manga]] are very popular in Taiwan. Comics, including manga, are called ''[[manhua]]'' in Taiwan. It is common to see a manga rental shop or a manga store every couple of streets in larger cities.

==Convenience store culture==
[[File:7 ELEVEn Outles in Sindian.jpg|thumb|200px|Two [[7-Eleven]] stores opposite each other on a crossroad. Taiwan has the highest density of 7-Eleven stores per person in the world]]
Boasting over 9,200 [[convenience store]]s in an area of 35,980&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a population of 22.9 million, Taiwan has the [[Asia Pacific]]'s and perhaps the world's highest density of convenience stores per person: one store per 2,500 people or .0004 stores per person.<ref name="amcham.com.tw">{{Citation | author = Prevzner, Alexander | title=Convenience Stores Aim at Differentiation | journal=Taiwan Business TOPICS | volume=34 |issue=11 |year=2004 | url=http://www.amcham.com.tw/content/view/643/306/ | postscript = .}}</ref> As of 1 January 2009, Taiwan also has 4,800 [[7-Eleven]] stores, and thus the world's highest density of 7-Elevens per person: one store per 4,786 people or .000210 stores per person.<ref name=factbook/><ref>{{Cite web|date=1 January 2009 |title=International Licensing |publisher=[[7-Eleven]] |url=http://www.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/InternationalLicensing/tabid/115/Default.aspx |access-date=1 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731072739/http://www.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/InternationalLicensing/tabid/115/Default.aspx |archive-date=31 July 2008 }}</ref> In Taipei, it is not unusual to see two 7-Elevens across the street from or several of them within a few hundred meters of each other.

Because they are found nearly everywhere, convenience stores in Taiwan provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of the city parking fee, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments. Eighty-one percent of urban household shoppers in Taiwan visit a convenience store each week.<ref name="amcham.com.tw"/> The idea of being able to purchase food items, drink, fast food, magazines, videos, computer games, and so on 24 hours a day and at any corner of a street makes life easier for Taiwan's extremely busy and rushed population.

==Cram school culture==
{{Main article|Education in Taiwan}}
{{See also|Gaokao|Suneung}}

Taiwan, like its neighbors in East Asia, is well known for its ''buxiban'' ([[:zh:補習班|補習班]]), often translated as [[cram school]], and literally meaning "make-up class" or "catch-up class" or to learn more advanced classes. Nearly all students attend some sort of ''buxiban'', whether for mathematics, computer skills, English, other foreign languages, or exam preparation (college, graduate school, [[TOEFL]], [[Graduate Record Examinations|GRE]], [[SAT]], etc.). This is perpetuated by a [[meritocracy|meritocratic]] culture that measures merit through testing, with entrance into college, graduate school, and government service decided entirely on testing. This has also led to a remarkable respect for degrees, including PhDs and overseas Western degrees (US and Great Britain).

English teaching is a big business in Taiwan, with Taiwan, as part of its project to reinvigorate the [[Taiwan Miracle]], aiming to become a trilingual country—fluent in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English.

==Popular culture==
{{main article|Taiwanese Wave}}
{{main article|Music of Taiwan|Taiwanese drama}}
[[Mobile phone|Cell phones]] are very popular in Taiwan. Mobile penetration rate stands at just over 120%.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kemp |first1=Simon |title=Digital 2022: Taiwan |url=https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-taiwan |website=DataReportal|date=15 February 2022 }}</ref> Because of their high use, phones in Taiwan have many functions and are becoming cheaper.

[[Internet cafe]]s are very popular with teenagers. They often sell food. Many gamers eat while using the internet. Many parents and teachers are concerned with the amount of time youth spend in the internet cafes.

One of the best known figures in Taiwanese cinema is director [[Ang Lee]], who has also made movies in the West and has won an [[Academy Award]]. Some popular pop artists in Taiwan include [[Leehom Wang]], [[Jay Chou]], [[Jolin Tsai]], and [[David Tao]]. Some of them have gained international fame and toured Asian countries like Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Since Taiwan is well known for its entertainment scene, some of its TV stations have organised talent search to find new and young talents to join the big family of pop culture here. Some successful bands like [[S.H.E]] were formed in the talent search.

[[Hip-hop culture]] from the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan also flourished in Taiwan. [[J-pop]], [[G-Unit]] and [[Eminem]] are also very popular as well. In this process, Taiwan produced several hip-hop artists, including [[Dog G]], [[MC HotDog]], [[Machi (Hip-Hop)|Machi]], and [[L.A. Boyz]].

[[Taiwanization]] of the culture of Taiwan has been a trend since democratisation in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2000, after half a century of Chinese [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) party rule, the first ever democratic change of ruling parties in Taiwan occurred with the election of Chen Shui-bian and his Taiwan-centric [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP), marking an important step towards Taiwanization. While generally the KMT, the other major political party, is also more open to promoting Taiwan's cultural autonomy than in the past, the DPP made Taiwanization a key plank in its political platform. The Chen administration's policies included measures designed to focus on Taiwan while de-emphasizing cultural and historical ties to China. These policies included changes such as revising textbooks and changing school curricula to focus more on Taiwan's own history to the exclusion of China, and changing the names of institutions that contain "China" to "Taiwan". This sometimes led to incongruities such as [[Sun Yat-sen]] being treated as both a "foreign" (Chinese) historical figure and as the "Father of the Country" (Republic of China). These policies are called [[Taiwanization]] but have been attacked by detractors as "[[desinicization]]", which explains why these policies are generally applauded by most ethnic Taiwanese and opposed by the KMT.

One phenomenon that has resulted from the Taiwanization movement is the advent of ''Taike'' subculture, in which people consciously adopt the wardrobe, language and cuisine to emphasize the uniqueness of popular, groundroots Taiwanese culture, which in previous times had often been seen as provincial and brutally suppressed by [[Chiang Kai-shek]].

The Kuomintang took power in 2008 with the election of [[Ma Ying-jeou]] to the presidency. The new KMT administration has controversially sought to reverse some of the desinicizing policies of the Chen administration, to various degrees of public support. The restoration of the [[Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall]] to its former state has been generally supported. By contrast, a directive by the administration to foreign missions to henceforth refer to visits by foreign dignitaries as "visiting (cultural) China" has been rescinded after criticism from DPP legislators.

[[File:taiwan.nch.ntnu.apo-hsu.2005-10a.altonthompson.jpg|thumb|250px|Apo Hsu and the [[National Taiwan Normal University|NTNU]] Symphony Orchestra on stage in the [[National Concert Hall (Taiwan)|National Concert Hall]] in [[Taipei City|Taipei]] and Play [[Saint-Saens]]'s [[Symphony No. 3 (Saint-Saens)|Organ Symphony No. 3]]]]

Since 1949, Taiwan had managed to develop itself into the center of Chinese pop culture (also known as "[[C-pop]]" or 中文流行文化). Today, the commercial Chinese music industry in the world (especially [[Mandopop]] and [[Hokkien pop|Taiwanese pop]]) is still largely dominated by Taiwanese pop artists. Successful Chinese pop artists from other countries (e.g. [[Stefanie Sun]], [[JJ Lin]] from Singapore) are also trained, groomed and [[marketing|marketed]] in Taiwan. Chinese pop artists from other countries who wish to become successful usually have to go to Taiwan to develop their music career. Mandopop and Taiwanese (Hokkien) genre music continue to flourish in Taiwan today.

Ever since the 1990s, Taiwanese variety shows (綜藝節目) had grown from its home base in Taiwan to other parts of the world. Today, it is widely watched and enjoyed by the [[Overseas Chinese]] communities in countries such as [[Chinese Singaporeans|Singapore]], [[Malaysian Chinese|Malaysia]], [[Chinese Indonesians|Indonesia]], and the [[Chinese American|United States]].

==See also==
*[[Architecture of Taiwan]]
*[[Cinema of Taiwan]]
*[[Han Taiwanese]]
*[[Languages of Taiwan]]
*[[List of Taiwanese authors]]
*[[List of ethnic groups in Taiwan]]
*[[List of museums in Taiwan]]
*[[Performing arts in Taiwan]]
*[[Theater in Taiwan]]
*[[Music of Taiwan]]
*[[Photography of Taiwan]]
*[[Religion in Taiwan]]
*[[Sports in Taiwan]]
*[[Taiwanese literature]]
*[[Taiwanese drama]]
*[[Taiwanese opera]]
*[[Glove puppetry]]
*[[Night markets in Taiwan]]
* [[Taipei Community Services Center]] (offers support services to the international community)
*[[Hokkien culture]]
*[[Taiwanese chicken-beheading rituals]]

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Cited works ===
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book |last=Chang |first=Maukuei |chapter = Chapter 7 : The Movement to Indigenize to Social Sciences in Taiwan: Origin and Predicaments |editor1-last=Makeham |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Hsiau |editor2-first=A-chin |title=Cultural, Ethnic, and Political Nationalism in Contemporary Taiwan: Bentuhua |date=2005 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=9781403970206 |edition=1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Gates |first=Hill |year=1981 |contribution=Ethnicity and Social Class |editor=Ahern, Emily Martin |editor2=Gates, Hill |title=The Anthropology of Taiwanese Society |publisher=Stanford University Press |location = CA}}
* {{Cite book |last=Gold |first=Thomas B. |title=State and society in the Taiwan miracle |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |place=Armonk, New York |year=1986 }}
* {{cite book |last=Hsiau |first=A-Chin |chapter = Chapter 4 : The Indigenization of Taiwanese Literature: Historical Narrative, Strategic Essentialism, and State Violence |editor1-last=Makeham |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Hsiau |editor2-first=A-chin |title=Cultural, Ethnic, and Political Nationalism in Contemporary Taiwan: Bentuhua |date=2005 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=9781403970206 |edition=1 }}
* {{cite conference
  |last=Huang |first=Chun-chieh |year=1994
  |title=Introduction
  |editor1-last=Harrell |editor1-first=Stevan
  |editor2-last=Huang |editor2-first=Chun-chieh 
  |conference=Cultural Change in Postwar Taiwan (10–14 April 1991; Seattle)
  |publisher=Westview Press |place=Boulder, Colo.
  |isbn=9780813386324 
}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kerr |first=George H |author-link=George H. Kerr |year=1965 |title=Formosa Betrayed |place=Cambridge |publisher=The Riverside Press |title-link=Formosa Betrayed (1965 book)}}
* {{cite book |last=Makeham |first=John |chapter=Chapter 6 : Indigenization Discourse in Taiwanese Confucian Revivalism |editor1-last=Makeham |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Hsiau |editor2-first=A-chin |title = Cultural, Ethnic, and Political Nationalism in Contemporary Taiwan: Bentuhua |year = 2005 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=9781403970206 |edition=1 |doi = 10.1057/9781403980618 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Mendel |first=Douglass |year=1970 |title=The Politics of Formosan Nationalism |place=Berkeley, CA |publisher=University of California Press}}
* {{cite book |last=Phillips |first=Steven E. |year=2003 |title=Between Assimilation and Independence: The Taiwanese Encounter Nationalist China, 1945-1950 |place=Stanford, CA|publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=0-8047-4457-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Wachman |first=Alan M. |author-link1= Alan M. Wachman |year=1994 |title=Taiwan: National Identity and Democratization |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |location = New York}}
* {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Richard W |year=1970 |title=The Political Socialization of Children in Taiwan |publisher=M.I.T. Press |location = Cambridge, MA}}
* {{cite conference
  |last=Winckler |given=Edwin |year=1994
  |title=Cultural Policy in Postwar Taiwan
  |editor1-last=Harrell |editor1-first=Stevan
  |editor2-last=Huang |editor2-first=Chun-chieh 
  |conference=Cultural Change in Postwar Taiwan (10–14 April 1991; Seattle)
  |publisher=Westview Press |location = Boulder, Colo.
  |isbn = 9780813386324 
}}
* {{cite book |last=Yip |first=June |year=2004 |title=Envisioning Taiwan: Fiction, Cinema and the Nation in the Cultural Imaginary |publisher=Duke University Press |location = Durham, N.C. and London |isbn=9780822333579 }}
* {{cite book |year=2014 |title=The Republic of China Yearbook 2014 |publisher=Executive Yuan, R.O.C. |url = http://www.ey.gov.tw/Upload/UserFiles/YB%202014%20all%20100dpi.pdf |access-date=2016-06-11 |isbn = 9789860423020 |ref = {{harvid|Exec. Yuan|2014}} }}
{{refend}}

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{{Taiwan related articles}}
{{Culture of Asia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Culture of Taiwan}}
[[Category:Culture of Taiwan| ]]
[[Category:Society of Taiwan]]