Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sports
Despite their propensity for work and study, Taiwanese are a sports-loving people. Bas-
ketball and baseball are the most popular organised spectator sports: both have their own
leagues in Taiwan and games are popular with local audiences, especially baseball. In
fact, Taiwanese baseball players regularly make it to the big leagues in Japan (which in-
troduced the sport to Taiwan in 1906) and America, with players like Chien-Ming Wang
now household names around the world.
Taiwanese are also quick to embrace athletes such as pro-basketball star Jeremy Lin,
born in the US to Taiwanese parents, as one of their own. And with the ascension of Yani
Tseng and Lu Yen-hsun, golf and tennis are seeing a resurgence of interest.
When the five-day (more or less) workweek was established in 2001, Taiwanese began
to take up biking, hiking, surfing and travel in record numbers. Today, a sporting and
leisure society mentality is well entrenched, something that often confounds visitors from
mainland China.
As with most activities, Taiwanese localise some aspects of their sports. Hikers always
get up pre-dawn, for example, to watch the sunrise (a chi enhancing activity), while cyc-
lists can't bear to be seen outside without the latest flashy gear and clothing.
TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS
In addition to scores of local cultural holidays and events, Taiwanese celebrate the
big traditional Chinese festivals such as Lunar New Year. These are mostly family
affairs but it's good to know a little about them as they are integral parts of local
culture, and you might find yourself invited along at some point. For aboriginal fest-
ivals,
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.
CChiinese L
w Yearr(Chūnjié) Celebrated for two weeks (people get four to
nine days public holidays) in January or February, this is the most cherished holi-
day of the year. Activities include a thorough clean of the house; decorating door-
ways with couplets expressing good fortune; and a family reunion dinner on New
Year's Eve. On the second day of New Years, married daughters return to their par-
ents' home. The last days of the public holidays are for visiting friends and travel-
ling. The 15th, or final day, is the Lantern Festival (
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), which in Taiwan is
celebrated with a number of exceptional activities.
Tomb Sw
e Luunar Ne
r New Y
g Day(Qīngmíng Jié) Ancestor worship is among the most import-
ant features of Taiwanese culture, and on this day (Gregorian calendar, 5th April)
families return to tend to their ancestral graves (though many now are interned in a
columbarium).
mb Sweepiing D
