Holidays and Festivals in Taiwan

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Holidays and Festivals in Taiwan
Hsin- Han Yu
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Commemorative Holidays
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Traditional Festivals
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Commemorative Holidays
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Founding Day of the ROC
January 1, 1912 is the official "birthday" of
Asia's first democratic republic, the Republic of
China. The ROC's Founding Father, Dr. Sun
Yat-sen, united a vanguard of revolutionary
patriots to revolt against the Ch'ing court. On
this day, families around Taiwan patriotically
hang the national flag and the streets are ablaze
with the colors of lanterns and banners and the
dazzling lights of ceremonial arches. All of this
is done in memory of the revolutionary heroes of
the republic's early days and to cherish the
prosperity the nation enjoys today.
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228 Memorial Day
The 228 Incident, also known as the 228 Massacre,
was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that
began on February 28, 1947 and was violently
suppressed by the Kuomintang (KMT)
government. After the incident, public demand
for redress quickly spread. The governor Chen Yi
demanded the military and the police department
to arrest and execute the participants. 228
incident became a taboo for more than 4
decades. Now, the government hold many memorial
services, concerts, art exhibitions to expiate
the massacre and commemorate the suffering and
loss of many innocent people.
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Women's Day
March, 8th is Womens day in Taiwan. The current
condition of women in Taiwan has improved
greatly, and with these changes, Women's Day has
grown to become a major occasion in Taiwan. The
considerable achievements of women in Taiwan are
celebrated on this day at annual events held by
central and local government agencies, including
public tributes to the Ten Outstanding Young
Women of the Year, and Dimond Lady awards, to
name but a few.
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Youths Day
March 29th is Youths Day in Taiwan. On this day
the ROC president personally officiates at the
public service held at the shrine for the
Martyrs' of the Revolution and all soldiers
killed in action, and local governments hold
similar ceremonies at the regional level. Youth
Day is also celebrated by the Youth Day
Celebration Ceremony, at which "Ten Outstanding
Youth" are honored to encourage young people to
cherish the achievements of the revolution.
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Childrens Day
April, 4th the Children's Day is a time of
festivity for our nation's young. The occasion is
marked by the Children's Day Celebration honoring
model students from around Taiwan and by numerous
parent-children activities sponsored by
government and civic organizations. Thus, the day
not only lets the kids become king for a day, but
also helps to strengthen the bond between parents
and their children. In recent years, children's
issues have gained greater attention in Taiwan,
leading to the founding of several child welfare
groups. With passage of the Children's Welfare
Law, the rights of young people have been given
legal protection so that the future leaders of
the nation can live a life free from worry and
uncertainty.
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Tomb Sweeping Day
The Chinese respect for filial piety and careful
attention to funeral rites is visibly manifested
in the custom of ancestor worship. Since ancient
times, a day has been designated for sweeping the
tomb and honoring one's ancestors. Though
different in each family, these rites are usually
performed on the first few days prior to or
following Ching Ming, one of the traditional
solar divisions falling in early April. Tomb
Sweeping Day combines the people's reverence for
their ancestors and for nature and is a
reaffirmation of the Chinese ethic of filial
piety. Today, Tomb Sweeping Day is a time not
only for worship and maintaining the tombs of
ancestors, but also a tangible expression of
filial respect for the teachings and virtues of
forebears.
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Labor Day
The ROC labor movement began in 1919 with the
founding of the nation's first worker
organizations. the National Workers' Conference
convened in Canton and Hankow to advance worker
rights and interests. A major contributor to the
labor movement, the conference designated May 1
as "Labor Day" in Taiwan, and continues to hold
commemorative meetings on this day.
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Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day (September, 3rd) has been
celebrated not only by the official " Armed
Forces Day Performance," but also by
troop-cheering activities sponsored by civilian
groups from all quarters honoring the nation's
soldiers. During these activities, people chant
slogans, carry signs, and hold competitions that
instill the concept of "Honor for the Military
and Love for the People" in the hearts of all
soldiers and citizens. But perhaps most important
to the men in uniform is the rare day-off
military personnel are granted by the Ministry of
National Defense on this occasion!
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Teachers Day
In the history of Chinese education, Confucius is
a paragon of all teachers. In 1939 the Ministry
of Education pronounced that Confucius' birthday
would be celebrated on August 28, and designated
it as Teachers' Day as well as a national holiday
to remember Confucius' enormous contribution to
Chinese culture and society. The date was changed
to September 28 in 1952 in accordance with
chronologists' new findings. Every year during
Teachers' Day, the Confucius Memorial Service is
solemnly held at the Confucius Temple to show
respect and honor for the Sage. At the "Teachers
Day Celebration" held by the Ministry of
Education and the various local governments,
teachers with the highest seniority and best
qualities are recognized for their contribution
to society.
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Double Tenth-- National Day
The radiance of October in Taiwan is ushered in
with the Birthday of the Republic of China
Double Tenth National Day celebrated every year
on October 10th. The Celebration Ceremony held
in front of the Presidential Office Building on
the afternoon of National Day is attended by
ministers, returned overseas Chinese, foreign
dignitaries, and hundreds of thousands of people
from around the country. The National Day
Parade is the main event of the morning
activities on Double Tenth, and is followed by a
public parade including representatives of
different professions, as well as entertainment
and folk performances. Evening events include the
National Day Fireworks Display, which for several
hours turns the night sky over the major cities
of Taiwan into a dazzling explosion of color.
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Taiwans Retrocession Day
With China's victory in the War of Resistance
Against Japan and the consequent signing of the
Instrument of Surrender on August 15, 1945,
freedom was once again restored in Taiwan. Since
Japanese rule of Taiwan officially ended on
October 25, 1945, the day has been designated as
Taiwan's Retrocession Day in memory of this
event. To remind the people of the days when
Taiwan was subjected to foreign rule and to
cherish the present accomplishments of the
nation, popular memorial activities are held and
families hang the national flag every year on
October 25 to celebrate the important
significance of this day.
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Constitution Day
Constitution Day is celebrated every year in
Taiwan on December 25 to remember a day of
special significance to the whole nation, the
official enactment of constitutional law.
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Chinese New Year
A time of gratitude and family togetherness, New
Year's Eve is spent by bidding farewell to the
old year and thanking one's ancestors and the
gods for their blessing and protection. Children
who have left their hometowns return on this day
to share New Year's Eve Dinner with their
families, and for those unable to make the
journey, a table setting is placed to symbolize
their presence in spirit if not in body. At the
end of dinner, the parents and older generation
give New Year's money to the children, who have
been waiting with growing anticipation for this
moment to arrive. Finally, to watch the old year
out and bring in the new year, families stay up
until the wee hours of New Year's Day.
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Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival, also known as Shang Yuan
Festival, takes place on the fifteenth day of the
first moon. Last in a series of springtime
celebrations, this "second New Year" is widely
celebrated by families all around Taiwan. On the
night of the festival, decorative lanterns
depicting birds, beasts, historical figures, and
any one of a number of different themes are
carried by children or adorn temples. To
highlight these glowing works of art,
competitions are held . The Taipei Lantern
Festival, held annually at Chiang Kai-shek
Memorial Hall Plaza and the largest and most
famous of these competitions, is attended every
year by thousands of lantern-watchers. The
Lantern Festival is further enriched by the
customary lantern riddle parties that are held on
this night.
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Farmers Day
Each year around the 15th of the first month on
the Chinese calendar is the "Start of Spring",
marking the passing of winter and the arrival of
spring. The main activity is "whipping the
Spring Ox." The "Spring Ox" is a colorful paper
cow stuffed with "the five grains" which pour out
when the cow is whipped, a symbolic omen for a
good harvest. Other customs include drinking
Spring Wine eating the Plate of Spring Foods
(celery, chives, and bamboo shoots which are
homophones for industriousness, longevity, and
prosperity) and worshipping the Spring Deity,
the Earth God who is prayed to for a good harvest
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Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth
day of the fifth lunar month, and together with
Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival forms
one of the three major Chinese holidays. Since
the summer is a time when diseases most easily
spread, Dragon Boat Festival began as an occasion
for driving off evil spirits and pestilence and
for finding peace in one's life. The festival was
later enriched by the legend of the patriot Chu
Yuan. Dragon Boat Festival is highlighted by
the dragon boat races, in which competing teams
drive their boats forward rowing to the rhythm of
pounding drums. This lively and colorful
tradition has continued unbroken for centuries to
the present day.
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Ghost Festival
Taiwan have a holiday to fete the departed
spirits of the underworld Ghost Festival, a
popular occasion celebrated throughout China on
the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, which
also coincides with the Buddhist Ullambana
(Deliverance) Festival and the Taoist Ghost
Festival. Since each of these traditions in some
way honors the spirits of the departed the
seventh lunar month has come to be known as Ghost
Month. In Taiwan, Ghost Festival is passed by
slaughtering a pig and sheep, which together with
a prodigious table of wine and meat is offered to
one's ancestors and ghosts from the underworld.
Numerous Putu festivities are also held at this
time around the island.
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Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival is said to have originated
from the ancient ceremony of Sacrificing to the
Moon Goddess. When that ceremony was later
combined with the Legend of Eating Moon-cakes,
Mid-Autumn Festival grew in the popular
consciousness to become the major occasion that
it is today. Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for
family reunions. On this night, families will go
together to scenic spots and parks for moon
appreciation parties, eating moon-cakes and
pomeloes in the cool night air and praying for a
safe year. Mid-Autumn Festival coincides with
the fall harvest, the occasion is also celebrated
in Taiwan by making offerings to the Earth God
(Tu-ti Gong) in hope that he will make the next
year's harvest even more bountiful.
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Double Ninth Day
Double Ninth Day is Senior Citizen's Day. In
Chinese, the word "nine" is homophonous with the
word for "long time," and accordingly this number
has come to represent longevity. Through the
ages, Double Nine Day has evolved into a rich and
varied occasion, with hill climbing and kite
flying activities to strengthen the body, soul
and heart and Senior Citizens' Day to invigorate
the traditional Chinese values of filial piety
and caring for the elderly. The occasion is thus
a time both of good spirit and deep traditional
significance.
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Commemorative Holidays