The educational system in Taiwan is the
responsibility of the Ministry of Education of Republic of
China (commonly known as "Taiwan"). The system in the ROC
produces pupils with some of the highest test scores in the world, especially
in mathematics
and science.
It has been criticised for placing excessive pressure on students and eschewing
creativity
in favour of rote memorization. Recent educational reforms
intended to address these criticisms are a topic of intense debate in Taiwan.
Although current law mandates only nine years of schooling,
95% of students go on to high school, trade school
or college.
President Ma
announced in January 2011 that the government would begin the phased
implementation of a twelve-year compulsory education program by 2014.
Taiwanese culture has heavily influenced the West: 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 (Hokkien), but influences from all of China can easily be
found due to the large number of Chinese who immigrated to Taiwan at end of the
Chinese Civil War and when Taiwan was under Chinese rule (ROC). In the process,
Taiwan developed a distinct style of cuisine.
The United States National Basketball Association has a substantial
following in Taiwan. Popular basketball players such as Allen Iverson, Kevin
Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Andre Iguodala, Jason Williams, Karl Malone, Michael
Jordan, Grant Hill, Clyde Drexler, Glen Rice, Kobe Bryant, and Scottie Pippen
have visited Taiwan.
Athletes from Taiwan compete in international sporting events, often
under the banner of "Chinese Taipei" due to China's opposition to the
use of "Taiwan" under such circumstances.
Recreation
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 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.
Since 1999 hot springs, known as wēnquán in 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
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 stores in an area of 35,980 km² 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. 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. 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. 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.
The People
Taiwan’s population is mostly Han Chinese who were born on the mainland or have
ancestors that were. They are divided into three groups based on the dialect of
Chinese they speak: Taiwanese, Hakka, and Mandarin. Taiwan also has a small
population of aborigines who comprise about 2 percent of the total population.
Most people in Taiwan have traditional values based on Confucian ethics;
however, pressures from industrialization are now challenging these values.
Still, some traditional values remain strong, including piety toward parents,
ancestor worship, a strong emphasis on education and work, and the importance
of "face." Since industrialization, women enjoy greater freedom and a
higher social status, individual creativity is regarded as equally important as
social conformity and acquiring material goods and recognition is increasingly
important.
Some tensions exist between social groups. The majority of people in Taiwan
came from or have ancestors who came from mainland China before 1949. They are
known as Taiwanese and enjoy the highest standard of living in Taiwan. Because
of their wealth and numbers, they also have the greatest influence on economic
and political issues.
Mainlanders are people who arrived in Taiwan after mainland China fell to the
Communists in 1949. Many Mainlanders work for the government. Tensions between
Taiwanese and Mainlanders have eased substantially. The aborigines, who live
mainly in rural villages, are the least privileged social group in Taiwan.
Confucianism
The teachings of Confucius describe the position of the individual in society.
Confucianism is a system of behaviours and ethics that stress the obligations
of people towards one another based upon their relationship. The basic tenets
are based upon five different relationships:
Ruler and subject
Husband and wife
Parents and children
Brothers and sisters
Friend and friend
Confucianism
stresses duty, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age and seniority, and
sincerity.
Harmony / Group Relations
Due to the Confucian tenets Taiwanese culture is a collective one. There is a
need to belong to a group larger than themselves, be it their family, school,
work group, or country. They treat people with respect and dignity regardless
of their personal feelings. In order to maintain a sense of harmony, they will
act with decorum at all times and not do anything to cause someone else public
embarrassment. They are willing to subjugate their own feelings for the good of
the group.
The Concept of Face / Mien-tzu
The concept of face is extremely important to the Taiwanese. Face is difficult
to translate into words but essential reflects a person's reputation, dignity,
and prestige. Face can be lost, saved or given to another person. Companies, as
well as individuals, have face and this often provides the rationale behind
business and personal interactions.
> Giving Face
Face can be given to people by complimenting them, showing them respect, or
doing anything that increases their self-esteem. Specific examples include:
- Complimenting individuals (be careful not to single out individuals when the
work was a corporate effort)
- Praising group (company, school, family, country)
> Losing Face
You can cause someone to loose face by causing someone embarrassment, and/or
tarnishing their image and reputation. Examples include:
- Direct or indirect criticism of an individual or group
- Giving someone a gift that is beneath their status
- Turning down an invitation or a gesture of friendship
- Not keeping your word
- Demonstrations of anger or excessive emotionalism
> Saving Face
In the event that you cause someone to lose face, or someone is embarrassed by
circumstances that arise, the best recourse is to appropriate blame for
problems that arise. For example:
- Appropriating blame for problems that arise:
- "Perhaps I didn’t explain myself clearly."
- "Oh that kind of thing happens in our country too."
- "I have done the same thing myself."
"Guanxi" –
Connections/Relationships
Most Taiwanese business is conducted among friends, friends of friends, and
family. Such connections, or "guanxi" (pronounced gwan-she) are
developed with people at your own level or of a higher status in both business
and social situations. "Guanxi" opens doors, smoothes out problems,
and leads to even more connections.
Location:Eastern
Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea,
and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of
China.
Capital:Taipei
Flag:
Climate: tropical;
marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is
persistent and extensive all year.
Ethnic
Make-up:Taiwanese
(including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions:mixture
of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Government:multiparty
democracy
Language in
Taiwan:The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin
Chinese, but because many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Min-nan
(the Southern Min dialect, or Holo) is also widely spoken. The smaller groups
of Hakka people and aborigines have also preserved their own languages. Many
elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese
education before Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule in 1945 after the Japanese
occupation which lasted for half a century. The most popular foreign language
in Taiwan is English, which is part of the regular school curriculum.
