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The cultural heritage of Taiwan encompasses a plethora of unique values. During your journey to Taiwan, you'll have the opportunity to visit numerous places and interact with the local people. Understanding the local culture will make your trip more enjoyable and convenient. Let's delve into what makes it so fascinating!
The beauty of Taiwan's cultural heritage in customs and traditions
Taiwanese culture is primarily influenced by Confucianism, much like Vietnam. They use both lunar and solar calendars. On special occasions such as lunar new year, ancestral commemorations, they uphold traditions like burning incense and gold offerings. This cultural heritage of Taiwan reflects remembrance and gratitude towards their roots.
Generations in a family often live together. For instance, grandparents, parents, and grandchildren cohabit. The eldest son typically bears the responsibility of caring for the parents and ancestral worship. Therefore, the position of the eldest son is crucial for the family.
Taiwan holds numerous distinctive cultural values (Image Source: Collected)
Taiwanese individuals are also known for their patience, diligence, and resilience. Their cultural life is incredibly diverse. Many people here enjoy drinking hot tea in small cups. When they drink, they often pour the tea into two cups, a tall cup to savor the aroma, and a shorter cup to drink from. A pot of tea is usually brewed repeatedly until it becomes diluted.
Some men in Taiwan enjoy chewing betel nuts. If you observe, along the roadsides, there are often small stalls selling betel nuts. The vendors are usually young girls. This distinct cultural trait fascinates many foreign tourists when they learn about it.
The culinary charm of Taiwan's cultural heritage
Speaking of Taiwan's cultural heritage in cuisine, the locals here enjoy rice, bread, and steamed buns. Or even pastries made from wheat flour with fillings inside. Their meals are often oily and they prefer cooking soups, chicken soups, hot pots... They rarely eat boiled dishes and their taste buds lean towards spicy flavors.
Taiwanese dishes are often seasoned with soy sauce, dried chili peppers. Some dishes are even infused with Chinese medicinal herbs, giving them a very distinctive flavor. Stinky tofu is a very famous snack in Taiwan but if you're not used to it, you'll find it hard to eat. However, once you acquire the taste, you'll find them irresistibly appealing.
Taiwanese culinary culture is one of the things that captivate tourists (Image Source: Collected)
In general, Taiwanese cuisine isn't drastically different from ours. For breakfast, they often opt for simple dishes that can be eaten quickly. Lunch and dinner feature more abundant and diverse meal options. Taiwanese people are hospitable, evident in their lavish feasts with delicious foods.
During meals, don't hesitate to make noise. To Taiwanese, it's a sign that the guest enjoys the food. Understanding this, you'll realize that their culinary culture is remarkably unique and has its own distinct flavor.
The cultural beauty of Taiwan's customs in language
Regarding Taiwan's cultural heritage in language, Taiwanese people use various languages. Among them, the most common are Mandarin and Hokkien. Nowadays, most young people here are educated in Mandarin, so it's widely used in daily communication.
You can use translation software to communicate with the locals here (Image Source: Collected)
However, older individuals tend to use Hokkien more. A few natives still use Southern Min, Hakka dialect, or Aboriginal languages. The majority of young people in Taiwan are quite proficient in English. So, you don't need to worry too much if you plan to travel to Taiwan.
The cultural beauty of Taiwan's customs in attire
Taiwan's cultural heritage is also something that receives a lot of attention. The locals here pay great attention to dressing. Therefore, if you dress neatly and politely, you'll easily make a favorable impression. Their fashion style is diverse and varies by age. And the fashion trends of the young generation in Taiwan are almost always up-to-date.
Depending on the situation, they will choose appropriate attire for themselves. However, revealing clothing is not a common choice here. Especially for women, clothing is considered very important. Because dressing casually is often seen as outdated.
Don't forget to prepare yourself some beautiful outfits when exploring Taiwan! (Image Source: Collected)
There's one point to note when choosing daily attire: they avoid black, red, and white colors. According to the Taiwanese perspective, white and black represent mourning. Red symbolizes joy, so it's not worn on regular days.
The cultural beauty of Taiwan's customs in communication and behavior
In daily communication and behavior, there are many things for you to pay attention to. These tips will make your travel journey easier and help you communicate confidently with the locals.
1. Workplace Etiquette
Taiwan's cultural heritage in the workplace offers many valuable lessons. Most Taiwanese people are diligent, hardworking, and possess many other good qualities.
The work ethic of Taiwanese people is admired by many (Image Source: Collected)
- Always follow the instructions of superiors or managers.
- Avoid complaining about work, even if it's challenging. They are always ready to complete tasks when asked and accept working overtime. Overtime work in Taiwan is considered quite normal.
- They don't have the habit of lying or being lazy to avoid work but always cooperate to complete tasks as quickly as possible.
- Managers, superiors, and bosses also work like ordinary people.
2. Greeting Culture
Taiwan's cultural heritage in communication is also something you should pay attention to. They highly value politeness in communication, so they don't address each other directly by name when conversing, except in cases where they are already familiar.
A common way of addressing in Taiwan that you can use is title + last name. Taiwanese people often nod instead of saying hello. If shaking hands, it should not be too firm or too loose but should maintain an appropriate grip. This is the minimum etiquette you should note.
Understanding these things will make your trip more enjoyable (Image Source: Collected)
When greeting, greet the person with the highest authority first, then women. When introducing or talking about someone, do not point directly at the other person with your finger. This will make others feel disrespected. It's best to use your whole hand when introducing someone to maintain politeness.
3. Negotiation Habits
If you are in business and have Taiwanese partners, pay attention to this. Understanding Taiwan's cultural customs in negotiation will increase your success rate. These negotiations often last for many days, sometimes months. They are usually prolonged banquets without mention of work until the end of the session.
Those networking events will be opportunities for you to change the situation for the better. However, if reaching a common agreement isn't possible, maintain a cheerful attitude and avoid getting upset. And don't forget to demonstrate willingness to achieve a common voice. Usually, after a few days, there will be positive responses.
Understanding negotiation secrets will bring you closer to success (Image Source: Collected)
During negotiations, you should provide them with detailed information. If the negotiation takes place in a meeting room, the head of the delegation will enter first. Pay attention to this because otherwise, Taiwanese businessmen may misunderstand. Once the negotiation starts, they will immediately delve into the main topic when they feel comfortable.
4. Principles of Making Acquaintances
Taiwanese people are renowned for their hospitality, enthusiasm, and keenness to make new friends. During interactions, you can inquire about the other person's personal matters, such as family or even salary. However, if asked in return, you must not evade.
Furthermore, topics of conversation can range from sports to soccer... But absolutely do not touch upon the country's political issues. This is one of the rather delicate matters that you should steer clear of. And under no circumstances should you utter any criticisms.
5. Attention When Exchanging Business Cards
Taiwanese cultural customs conceal many interesting aspects. Most Taiwanese people have the habit of carrying business cards with them. Because they are friendly individuals who always seek to create more networking and collaboration opportunities. Hence, you may have the chance to receive business cards when visiting this place.
Exchanging business cards plays a crucial role in work endeavors (Image Source: Collection)
When receiving a business card, remember to accept it with both hands and read it before putting it away! So, don't forget to bring your own business cards as well. When presenting yours, turn the text towards the recipient and offer it with both hands. This gesture demonstrates your respect for the other party.
6. Avoidance of the Number 4
Numbers often hold significant meanings in the spiritual life of Taiwanese people. Besides lucky numbers like 8, there's also a number greatly avoided by the locals: the number 4. In their language, the pronunciation of 4 closely resembles the word 'death,' carrying a morbid connotation.
For Taiwanese people, the number 4 is considered unlucky (Image Source: Collection)
Therefore, the number 4 is often seen as unlucky, overshadowing good fortune. Especially in matters related to life and health. So, pay attention to this aspect of Taiwanese cultural customs and avoid giving gifts related to the number 4!
The beauty of Taiwanese cultural customs in gift-giving
In Taiwanese cultural customs, gift-giving is a highly valued activity. Without proper understanding, you might unintentionally offend the recipient. Knowing the rules of gift-giving will enhance your experiences. Some typical guidelines include:
- When giving a gift to someone older than you, present it with both hands.
- Avoid giving gifts to others when in the middle of a crowd.
- Don't give gifts immediately upon meeting someone for the first time. It may come across as opportunistic.
Gifting holds special significance for Taiwanese people (Image Source: Collection)
In addition to the above principles, be mindful of gift selection. Similar to clothing, avoid colors like white, black, and red. Also, steer clear of items such as clocks, handkerchiefs, straw sandals, etc. These are considered unlucky in Taiwan. If you're the gift recipient, never unwrap the gift in front of the giver!
The beauty of Taiwanese cultural customs - Some other unique customs
As mentioned, Taiwanese culture is heavily influenced by China. Therefore, customs here may bear some similarities to those in Vietnam. Below are some traditions related to wedding proposals, lucky money at Lunar New Year, etc. that Mytour wants to share with you.
1. Lucky money tradition at Lunar New Year
For Taiwanese people, Lunar New Year is one of the largest and most significant festivals of the year. This period usually lasts from the 1st to the 15th day of the lunar calendar. During this time, people often visit relatives' homes to exchange New Year's greetings and wish each other well. It's also a time when houses are cleaned and decorated neatly, and red couplets are pasted everywhere.
Red envelopes symbolize good luck during the Lunar New Year (Image Source: Collection)
Children often look forward to this occasion because they get to wear new clothes. Those who work far from home also have the opportunity to return, reunite with family. On the first day of the year, children at home will receive red envelopes to celebrate the new age. This cultural tradition in Taiwan is not much different from our country.
2. Wedding customs
The wedding customs in Taiwan embody sacred and meaningful values. Marriage is a significant event in one's life, so this tradition is highly regarded. Traditional Taiwanese weddings are heavily influenced by China. Therefore, almost all weddings are arranged by the groom's family and follow six main rituals.
However, with modern life progressing, there have been gradual changes. To avoid complexity, the engagement ceremony has been simplified. Now, there are only three main rituals. Despite this, the beautiful meanings of wedding customs remain intact.
With the insights shared above, surely you've gained some understanding of the diverse cultural customs in Taiwan. Armed with this knowledge, you can explore the beautiful landscapes of Taiwan with confidence. The island nation boasts breathtaking scenery awaiting your discovery. To book a tour to Taiwan, contact the Mytour hotline provided by Mytour today!
