Developing a Culture That Belongs to Taiwan

After the nativist literary debate, the development of externalization led to social reforms, adjustments in the power structure, and the discovery of emerging social problems. The period from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s saw much civil unrest, including a Tangwai or "outside the party" movement (which later developed into a formal opposition party), the Formosa Incident, labor and student movements, street demonstrations, and incessant conflict in the national legislature. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the government enacted major domestic policy changes: abolishment of the Emergency Decree and the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion, easing of restrictions on newspaper licensing and publishing, and allowing veteran soldiers to visit relatives on the Chinese mainland. In addition, the government gradually carried out comprehensive legislative elections. In the 1990s, important reforms included the popular election of the president and the Taiwan provincial governor, amendments to the Constitution, and a streamlining of the Taiwan Provincial Government. In this period of reform, the government has undergone reorganization, the meaning of government authority has been redefined, and the ideals of democratization gradually brought into fruition.

In this new environment, the ROC government has changed its view of itself being the successor and reviver of orthodox Chinese culture. Instead, it strives to gradually foster Taiwan's native culture to create new cultural expectations.

Thus, history textbooks have been rewritten to begin with Taiwan as a center and gradually extending to Chinese and world history. Teaching materials have been added to enable students to better understand Taiwan. The government advocates making Taiwan a new locus for cultural development, encouraging the growth of a new Taiwanese people. Courses on the Three Principles of the People and Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Thoughts are being phased out, with greater attention on the art, culture, and history of Taiwan. In addition, the Chinese Cultural Renaissance Movement Promotion Committee has been reorganized into the National Cultural Association. In time, local communities will be encouraged to develop their own cultural characteristics through a policy of "comprehensive community construction."

The forces of "political democratization" and "cultural nativism" supplement each other. Through constitutional amendments and direct presidential elections, the government maintains that although its sovereignty and territory still cover the Chinese mainland, its jurisdiction is only effective within the area of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. Therefore, Taiwan and the Chinese mainland are two equal political entities, which, under this framework, have proceeded with cultural exchanges. As already mentioned, Taiwan no longer considers itself the standard-bearer of orthodox Chinese culture, but rather regards the Chinese mainland as the motherland and source of Chinese culture. Thus, Taiwan continues to receive traditional Chinese culture from the mainland. It is widely believed that Taiwan, because of its unique historical and geographical location, has developed a cultural tradition that is distinct from that of the mainland. In addition, achievements in modernization and democratization are also reflected in Taiwan's culture. Therefore, Taiwanese culture is on an equal, not subordinate, position with that of the mainland.

The increasing importance of nativist culture made Taiwan a center for educational policies and textbooks, with teachers and students learning more about the island's history, geography, and humanities. The picture shows primary school teachers visiting a temple to study its architecture.
(Courtesy of Taipei Municipal Yungchi Elementary School) 		 The increasing importance of nativist culture made Taiwan a center for educational policies and textbooks, with teachers and students learning more about the island's history, geography, and humanities. The picture shows primary school teachers visiting a temple to study its architecture.

The political state of mind of these two areas are sometimes parallel, sometimes interfere with each other, sometimes make adjustments to each other, and sometimes resist the other. The political culture on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has become extremely complex over the past decade.

In cross-strait cultural exchanges, the Taiwanese have made more than ten million visits thus far to the mainland, with more than 200,000 visits from the mainland to Taiwan. The number of correspondences (letters, telephone, etc.) between the two sides has reached 100 million.

In the past, mainland publications imported to Taiwan were mainly for the purpose of research. Many types of publications, films, broadcast programs and videotapes from the mainland were allowed to enter the Taiwan after passing customs inspection, and after obtaining approval from the competent authorities, be printed, published, produced, viewed, or disseminated in Taiwan. After the gradual lifting of restrictions, all films and written, audio, and video publications from the mainland can enter Taiwan and be exhibited or viewed at special activities. Through an application process, these works can also be published, shown, broadcast, or disseminated in Taiwan. Local cable TV stations can also apply to relay satellite programs from the mainland.

In April 1989, the ROC government began to allow members of Taiwan's mass media to conduct interviews and make films and programs on the Chinese mainland. Other restrictions on producing programs on the mainland were later lifted, as well as bans on producing films on the mainland and restrictions on the number of mainland screenwriters or directors participating in Taiwan productions. 

In 1990, the ROC government allowed schools, institutions, and groups to send people to the mainland for visits. With the exception of those who have jobs involving national security, any organization or individual can now go to the mainland for cultural exchange activities. Even government employees are dispatched or permitted to visit the mainland for such exchanges. 

Between 1992 and 1993, the government issued regulations on the exhibition in Taiwan of antiquities, fossils, and works of art from the Chinese mainland.

The ROC government's lifting of the ban on cultural exchanges with the Chinese mainland has resulted in a flood of exhibitions, such as this exhibit of Chin terra cotta warriors in Taiwan. The ROC government's lifting of the ban on cultural exchanges with the Chinese mainland has resulted in a flood of exhibitions, such as this exhibit of Chin terra cotta warriors in Taiwan. 
(China Times file photo) 

The range of cross-strait exchange activities has been extended gradually from academics to art, culture, science, technology, sports, and the mass media. The depth of these exchanges has also expanded from visits and seminars to the exchange of publications, cooperative research, learning opportunities, and teaching and training. Visitors from the Chinese mainland now include professionals and officials from cultural and educational fields, members of the mass media, and those in religious circles. Experts in the fields of science and technology are allowed to visit for research, and those engaged in Chinese art and folk art are permitted to teach. 

Cross-strait exchanges have continuously expanded to include academic, art and literature, science and technology, mass media, and sports exchanges. Seen here is a Chinese mainland table tennis team participating in a demonstration tournament in Taiwan.  Cross-strait exchanges have continuously expanded to include academic, art and literature, science and technology, mass media, and sports exchanges. Seen here is a Chinese mainland table tennis team participating in a demonstration tournament in Taiwan.

The government also encourages people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, and various cultural and educational institutions have subsidized private groups for such activities. In addition, the Mainland Affairs Council, in January 1994, established the only institute that subsidizes cross-strait exchanges, the Chinese Development Fund, which provides financial aid from the interest the fund generates. Support has also been provided for visits by outstanding individuals, research by graduate students, lectures or research by scholars, and for publishing works by mainland scholars.

Since the beginning of cross-strait exchanges, a wide variety of traditional Chinese art has been introduced to Taiwan from the mainland. This has included archaeological relics, artifacts and paintings, Peking opera and Kun opera, folk art, martial arts, Chinese medicine, and folk music. Many from Taiwan have also gone to the mainland for learning. The images of Chinese history and culture have left a deep impression on the people of Taiwan through mainland films, documentaries about the mainland, or from visits by Taiwan's residents to ancestral hometowns or to see relatives. 

Chinese mainland professional groups participating in cultural exchanges often apply to attend seminars in Taiwan. Representatives from the mainland's mass media are seen here visiting Taiwan's Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station. Chinese mainland professional groups participating in cultural exchanges often apply to attend seminars in Taiwan. Representatives from the mainland's mass media are seen here visiting Taiwan's Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station. 

One reason why people in Taiwan have been interested in these exchanges, is after a long period of rapid modernization they feel a lack of understanding of traditional Chinese culture. Through contact with the mainland, they hope to strengthen their appreciation of Chinese history and culture. Because the two sides have not had contact for several decades, people in Taiwan learned about the mainland only through preconceived ideas or publications, not through personal experience. In addition, the Chinese mainland, different from Taiwan, has long been a closed society exuding a sense of mystery. People in Taiwan have naturally been curious to explore this unusual place. Consequently, from the Chinese mainland have come numerous reports, documentaries, films, art works, historic relics, folk customs, and stories of interest from different regions. 

From this standpoint, Taiwan has certainly gained much from this contact with the mainland. However, in history and culture, Taiwan also has much to introduce to the mainland. 

To further encourage cross-strait cultural exchanges, the ROC government established the Chinese Development Fund to promote cross-strait exchange activities, such as the Taiwanese Chu Percussion Group's tour of the Chinese mainland.
(Courtesy of the Chu Percussion Group Foundation)		 To further encourage cross-strait cultural exchanges, the ROC government established the Chinese Development Fund to promote cross-strait exchange activities, such as the Taiwanese Chu Percussion Groupe's tour of the Chinese mainland.

For example, in the decades following the Cultural Revolution and the movement to denounce Confucius, the Chinese mainland has continued to revere the ideology of Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism. With the opening of society and a reform policy, the mainland authorities have quickly changed their attitude toward Confucian thought. More attention has been paid to the development of the New Confucianism in Taiwan. Its interpretation of tradition and the relationship between Confucian thought and modernization are seen as indispensable for the revival of Confucianism on the Chinese mainland. Thus, the New Confucianism of Hong Kong and Taiwan has become an important topic of research for mainland academic circles. In fact, mainland research into this area now exceeds that of Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Another important contribution has been in the area of religion. Originally, the Chinese mainland followed an official atheistic policy by attacking religions, destroying temples, suppressing clergy and believers, and controlling churches. Consequently, traditional religion on the mainland is inferior to Taiwan in many respects, such as in doctrine and practice, continuity of religious rites, religious organization rules and systems, and the construction of temples. Since the opening of cross-strait exchanges, Taiwan's religious groups have contributed greatly to the rejuvenation of religion on the mainland, such as providing religious scriptures, donating capital, assisting in temple repair, re-establishing places for Taoist or Buddhist rites, and sending people to do missionary work or religious training.

Religious exchanges between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have become more frequent. In this picture, followers of Matsu from the Chenlan Temple in Tachia are making their annual pilgrimage to Meizhou on the Chinese mainland. Religious exchanges between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have become more frequent. In this picture, followers of Matsu from the Chenlan Temple in Tachia are making their annual pilgrimage to Meizhou on the Chinese mainland.

It is thus evident that in the aspect of cultural exchange, the mainland's cultural contribution to Taiwan is mainly in traditional artistic skills and in exhibitions of objets d'art, while Taiwan's cultural contribution to the mainland is largely in the area of thinking. The two effectively supplement each other.

It is in the area of modernization where Taiwan can make its greatest contribution to the mainland. Examples include a modern educational system and ideas, methods of cultural production, music, dance, and painting, as well as mass entertainment such as film, television, music, and fashion. Taiwan is in a strong position to provide guidance to the mainland in these areas, and already there has been considerable unity, as Taiwan's entertainment circles often travel to the mainland for performances, and vice versa. Cooperation between the two sides has become increasingly common.

To deal with cross-strait cultural exchanges, the government established the Mainland Affairs Council under the Executive Yuan in 1991 to establish concrete plans for expanding and adjusting the scope of exchanges and a system for implementing exchanges. In the same year, the government also set up the Straits Exchange Foundation, which represents the government in handling cross-strait matters such as authentication of documents, joint law enforcement, and protection of intellectual property rights.

The speed and range of cross-strait exchanges have greatly exceeded the government's estimates. Although the policy has not yet officially allowed people from Taiwan to tour the mainland (except for visiting relatives and other exchanges), more than a million visits are made each year for sightseeing. The government has not liberalized its policy on allowing Taiwanese to study in the mainland, yet many have gone to learn traditional Chinese medicine and the arts. The influence of these activities on Taiwan's cultural development is difficult to estimate.

While proceeding with cross-strait exchanges, Taiwan is also promoting modernization through international exchanges. The Council for Cultural Affairs has established a mechanism to assist art and culture groups in going abroad. It also assists counties and cities in organizing small-scale international cultural activities, and has guided and assisted art groups in participating in art festivals, such as the renowned Avignon Festival and Venice Biennial. Undoubtedly, such international exchange activities are effective in enhancing Taiwan's modernization.

To further promote international cultural exchanges, the ROC government not only hosts international cultural exhibits and performances, but also subsidizes art and literary groups participating in international activities, such as the National Kuo Kuang Chinese Opera Company's performance of The Monkey King at the Avignon Festival in France. To further promote international cultural exchanges, the ROC government not only hosts international cultural exhibits and performances, but also subsidizes art and literary groups participating in international activities, such as the National Kuo Kuang Chinese Opera Company's performance of The Monkey King at the Avignon Festival in France.
(Photo by Li Ming-hsun, courtesy of the National Kuo Kuang Chinese Opera Company)

These exchanges are opportunities for Taiwan to display its achievements in cultural and educational modernization and clarify differences with the Chinese mainland. Taiwan is also able to explain its historical identity and establish a cultural relationship that is on a level of equality. This special situation has advanced the development of cultural nativism.