CULTURE AND ARTS IN TAIWAN

If you visit in Taiwan, you will most certainly be amazed at the diversity of things this beautiful island has to offer,

as a rich historical background has provided Taiwan with a multifaceted culture. People from many different places

and backgrounds, such as Taiwan's indigenous people, the southern Fujianese from early China, Hakka immigrants,

the Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese, and the recent immigrants from Mainland China have all played a role in

Taiwan's development. While gradually developing a new culture indigenous to Taiwan, they also held on to their

respective customs and traditions; as a result, you will be able to sample indigenous, Taiwanese, and Chinese cultures

and even find traces left by the Dutch and the Japanese when traveling in Taiwan.

Aboriginal Culture

The earliest Chinese settlers came to Taiwan at least four hundred years ago. Before that time, the aboriginal people had

long left their mark on the island, but there was still no mass-scale settlement. The aboriginal lived in tribes, and their

art took the form of beautiful houses and clothes that signified tribal authority. The houses were usually decorated

with carved objects and utensils, and the clothes were beautifully woven and embroidered. Facial tattoo was also a common

art form.

Glove Puppetry

The traditional Glove Puppetry spread to Taiwan about two hundred years ago. It gradually developed into a splendid cultural

and social vehicle to entertain, educate, and preserve traditional values and legends. Furthermore, due to Taiwan’s special colonial

background (under Qing Dynasty, Japan, and KMT government), traditional Glove Puppetry also served to communicate veiled

voices of opposition. It has developed to hundreds of divisions, forming one of the most symbolic entertainment forms in Taiwan.

Taiwanese Opera

Taiwanese Opera is originated from I-Lan, and it is also the only traditional local opera developed in Taiwan. It has a centuries

old history. Taiwanese Opera is a branch of traditional Chinese entertainment, and its performance is composed of singing and acting.

Taiwan Cloud Gate

According to legend, Cloud Gate is the name of the oldest known dance in China, a ritual dance dating back some 5,000 years.

In 1973, choreographer Lin Hwai-min adopted this classical name for the first contemporary dance company in any Chinese

speaking community: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan.

Cloud Gate's rich repertoire has its roots in Asian myths, folklore, and aesthetics, but it brings to these age-old beliefs and

stories a contemporary and universal perspective. The company is made up of two-dozen dancers whose training includes tai chi,

meditation, martial arts, Chinese Opera movement, modern dance, and ballet.

         Cloud Gate has gone on extensive overseas tours throughout the continents of Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and South

        America.

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