As you might’ve guessed, I am Asian, or more specifically, I am Taiwanese. I constantly get comments like “being Taiwanese is the same as being Chinese!” I admit, if you think that being Taiwanese is the same as being Chinese, and you wouldn’t be totally wrong. However, you are still wrong and it irks me a lot when people say this. So in this blog, I will be outlining the basics of Taiwanese culture. Our culture is pretty intermixed with China’s. So some Taiwanese cultural standards I mention will overlap with some Chinese cultural standards.
The Language:
Yes, as rumors have it, Taiwanese people do speak Mandarin Chinese. But we also have our own language of Taiwanese Hokkien, which both my parents speak. My mom likes to talk about me in Taiwanese Hokkien on the phone to family friends, knowing I don’t fully understand the language. But, after multiple repetitions, I am able to pick up when she is gossiping about me. Most Taiwanese citizens are able to speak Taiwanese Hokkien or Mandarin Chinese, so if you can understand either language, navigating through Taiwan should be easy.
Lunar New Year:
Both cultures celebrate this holiday. This holiday is amongst the most known in Taiwan. During Lunar New Year, there is a tradition of gifting out red envelopes. You usually receive red envelopes from your parents and grandparents. Red envelopes symbolize good luck and inside them, there is money. These can be given out on other special occasions like weddings. On this holiday, we wish each other a year of health, good luck, and monetary wealth.
Taiwanese Respect:
In Taiwan, we place a heavy emphasis on the idea of respect. You must treat your elders with respect, even if you do not agree with them or are unhappy with them. When you see someone older than you, no matter the age, you must greet them by their relation to you. For example, if I see my older cousin, I would greet him formally in Mandarin with “Hello Brother.” This is mandatory in order for your elders to see you in a respectful manner. When you visit a house that is not your own, always offer to clean up. When eating, the elders receive the food first. When addressing elders, use a special form of “you” to represent respect and formality.
3 Popular Cultural Foods That Originated From Taiwan:
The first one on the list might surprise you. Bubble tea. I bet you didn’t know bubble tea originated from Taiwan. This chewy and sweet tapioca filled milk tea is the pride of Taiwan. You can find a bubble tea shop around each corner. Now, bubble tea has become very popular in North America and a favorite drink of many Asians and Americans. You can find pork buns in your local Chinese restaurant. This is Taiwan’s version of a hamburger. The pork inside is juicy, tender, and flavorful. The bun is soft and has almost no flavor. These two components contrast each other to make a concoction that is unique and tasteful. After a long or cold day, an oyster vermicelli will warm you right up. This is a type of noodle soup that features oysters and misua noodles (salty wheat flour noodles). Forget your chicken noodle soup; oyster vermicelli is where it’s at!
Transportation:
Taiwan’s transportation varies vastly from the U.S. ‘s. In America, almost everyone travels in cars. However, in Taiwan, a good majority of people travel by motorcycles, taxis, and buses. This is because there is limited room for cars by living shelters. Also, driving in Taiwan takes serious skill. There are many automobiles and the road spaces are very crowded. Getting around locally in a motorcycle is perhaps the easiest way to travel because you can weave through cars and reach your destination faster.
Now you understand some of the basics of Taiwanese culture and traditions. Taiwan holds a special place in my heart and to share my culture with you means a lot to me. I hope you consider appreciating Taiwanese culture, and perhaps decide to visit the country one day.
Hi Kelly! Being a person who is 25% Taiwanese and 25% Chinese, I think I can say feel your pain. I am proud of both my Chinese and Taiwanese heritage, and people confusing them, as you said, can be irking. I like how you brought this up in your blog!
OMG my mom likes to talk about me and my sisters in Shanghainese whenever she can because none of us understand it.
Love the post Kuei King! Your posts about being Asian and the culture behind it are always hilariously relatable and make me realize that even though I have been American-ized to an extent, I still have these cool roots. However, I’m not Taiwanese, so this post really enlightened me on the issue, especially when many people acknowledge Taiwan as its own country, but secretly have no clue how it’s different from China. I used to have this sentiment when I was little, but now I understand the key to its superiority: boba land.
Kelly 🙂 a fellow Taiwanese swimming in a sea of ABCs, I appreciated this post more than I thought I would. I love that beyond bubble tea, you mentioned less generic and more authentic Taiwanese dishes (I love oyster misua too) that got me homesick and craving for the streetfood vendors down the street from my grandma’s house. I’m also glad that you brought up Taiwanese Hokkien, as the language is one of the most distinguishing and quirky qualities of traditional Taiwanese culture. Sadly, the younger generation of Taiwanese (myself included) is less fluent in our native dialect, but I guess we make up for it by being passionately, vocally, and almost too obnoxious about the our pride for the tiny island. I was admirable for you to admit the similarities Taiwan holds with China, my pride often prevents me from doing so, although I know that admitting the sinofication of Taiwan actually reveals even bigger reasons why we hold such cultural divergence from the mainland.
From one Taiwanese to another- 愛你哦