Differences between Taiwanese Culture and Chinese Culture

Like I mentioned before, there isn’t a singular “Chinese cultural identity”. Some born and raised during the Japanese era would fantasize about returning to Chinese rule, however, most of them were quickly disillusioned when they saw just how different their own cultural identity is to those newly arrived.

That pretty much set up the environment leading up to the 228 incident and the subsequent massacres.

After that, I think you should take what’s on the “records” with a pinch of salt because it’d be like trying to guess what average Chinese actually think in China today.

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Yeah agree with that

You just edited your post after I said I agreed with it.

“Pinch of salt” is not really hope academia works, usually a lot of different accounts are used to plot history. Of course they will be subjective

What Taiwanese mean when they say they are Chinese is not the same as what the Chinese mean when they say they are Chinese.

The mainstream or majority identity is actually an apolitical ethnic Taiwanese. It is the same in the 80s and it’s the same identity today, and it’s the same one before 1949. l don’t have a better way to describe it but I guess you have to just take my word for it. It is the same thing, plus and minus some additions and variations.

The labels and the definition of the labels change overtime. They change usually to serve PC or “inclusivity purposes.

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Sure

I know what you mean.

I feel like she represents young Chinese pretty well. Plenty share her opinions (such as Taipei is like a backwater village, that doesn’t compare to modern Chinese cities - imo its the Chinese ones are backwards). That makes sense though, and goes a way to explaining why she seems like such a POS.

She represents people I have met, which is wealthy second generation taishang who for mad rich in China and look down on other Taiwanese

Just translated a bit about the Dragon Boat Festival.

The original had this sentence: 端午節是華人傳統的重要節日之一

The client asked me to avoid using “Chinese”…

Quite frankly, I think this approach is wrong. I know, people will start saying, “but China does this and that…”, but I still find it’s wrong to avoid mentioning Taiwan’s cultural and historical connections with China for political reasons.

The Dragon Boat Festival is not a Taiwanese invention, nor is the Spring Festival or the Moon Festival, etc.

What do you think? Let’s open another can of slimy crawling :worm::worm::worm:

So is Christmas an Israeli festival, or Roman?

I’m just throwing it out there.

But generally, Taiwan clearly has a traditionally Chinese culture that we see all the time. Considering some things like the temples, the religious burning, and the writing, more Chinese than China.

I imagine there are Indigenous people who don’t care for the Chinese festivals any more than Tibetans or Uighers do. And those people would be arguably more Taiwanese than Han Chinese settlers who’ve only been here a few generations

It’s a pickle

English :laughing:

These celebrations commemorated Christ’s birth and the name Christmas (Christ’s Mass) is first recorded in England in 1038.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-christmas/#:~:text=These%20celebrations%20commemorated%20Christ’s%20birth,the%20midwinter%20feast%20of%20Yule.

Or Turkish

Btw. the original text is saying that the festival is celebrated by Chinese people. It’s not about the origin of the festival. They just don’t like the idea of a connection with China, which I find questionable.

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The people…the way they interact with each other and if you can speak their language then much better;

The ones who have only been here for a few generations, who came with the KMT? Sure.

But most Han Taiwanese have been here for centuries, and I would say they are as Taiwanese as the indigenous people.

I realize you understand everything I’m about to say, but just to give you some other words that may help your client understand or possibly jar loose a solution to this possibly impossible problem.

If you go with something like, “…is an important traditional festival that originated in China …” … at least you’re taking the PRC and the ROC out of it.

Or, “…is an important traditional festival celebrated in Taiwan …” [This may be the point they really want to make and takes the “華人” out of it.]

If they insist on a closer ‘literal’ translation: “…is an important traditional festival celebrated by the descendants of the yellow emperor.” Lol.

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American, right? If we are talking about fat Santa in red, that’s an American invention in the 1800s.

I was thinking the birth of Christ, that’s why I led with Israel

Yes you are just replacing one essentialism (Taiwan is part of China, Taiwanese culture is Chinese culture) with another (Taiwan is 100% Taiwanese culture, everything is 100% Taiwanese). Reeks of the same kind of lack of self belief that they have in China

There is nothing wrong with Taiwanese being culturally Chinese or somewhat culturally Chinese, it doesn’t influence the political identity, which is clearly Taiwanese or not part of the PRC. If you are self assured as being politically Taiwanese, you shouldn’t be so sensitive about these things.

I would say that Taiwanese cultures is actually a blend of Aboriginal and traditional Chinese cultures, with a little japanese culture mixed in. It is a unique blend you won’t find on the mainland. They have their own minorities, which makes up their specific blend of culture.

Taiwanese culture is a blend of aboriginal culture the way that Canadian or American culture is a blend native Indian culture, or Australian culture is a blend of Australian Aboriginal culture. It’s mostly hip liberals from the city trying to latch onto “authentic native” culture to pretend they are different from their actual Chinese/European roots

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To be fair, status of aboriginal has increased in Taiwan society in recent years, with for example Abao winning best artist award and just more respect for aboriginal culture

But five years ago , not really

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