Refracted Modernity

7. Taiwaneseness in Japanese Period Architecture in Taiwan

chao-ching fu 7 Taiwaneseness in Japanese Period Architecture in Taiwan The island of Taiwan is situated off the southeast coast of the Chinese mainland. Ever since it was named “Ilha Formosa” (Beautiful Island) by the Portuguese as they sailed down the west coast of the island in the sixteenth century, Taiwan’s history has been marked by a series of colonizations that created a complex and dynamic sociocultural environment. In this ever-changing context, the identity of the Taiwanese people has always been strongly influenced by various tangible and intangible factors. During different periods, people in Taiwan identified themselves by way of languages, beliefs, architecture, and other cultural features. Such cultural consciousness can be defined as “Taiwaneseness.” Generally speaking, the concept of Taiwaneseness was developed through four different phases of Taiwan’s history. The first is the Ming– Qing period (1661–1895). In this early phase, immigrants from the Chinese mainland identified themselves as Chinese, and the concept of Taiwaneseness was restricted to the distinctiveness of kinship communities and loyalty to them. The second phase is the Japanese period (1895–1945). Before the assimilation policy was adopted in the late 1920s, the colonial government suppressed Taiwaneseness. Traditional customs were treated as bad habits and banned. Temples were forced to exchange indigenous deities for Japanese gods. The change of Chinese surnames into Japanese ones was encouraged. In order not to stimulate or provoke the Japanese police, Taiwaneseness was therefore treated by many Taiwanese people as a taboo, for the sake of personal safety. It was also during this period, however, that Taiwaneseness spread and was consciously strengthened by intellectuals. For the first time, Taiwan was treated as a cultural entity by the Japanese colonial government—as a provincial Other within the Japanese culture. The third phase is the martial-law period (1945–1987). This period was 170 | chao-ching fu dominated by the ideology of Chinese legitimacy enforced by the Nationalist Government from the Chinese mainland. Traditional Taiwanese culture was discouraged to prevent the Taiwanese Independence Movement fromflourishing.Manyintellectualswerekilledintheuprisingof February 28,1947,andanumberofpeoplewereimprisonedfortheiranti-Nationalist stance. Nonetheless, Taiwaneseness developed further and became a significant way by which native Taiwanese people distinguished themselves from both the mainland Chinese people and the Nationalist Government from the Chinese mainland. The final phase is the post-martial-law period (1988 onwards). Martial law was lifted in July 1987. The concept of Taiwaneseness has been redefined and developed into the so-called “New-Taiwaneseness ” to counter the increasing political and cultural threat of China. In 2000 Chen Shuibian was elected president of Taiwan, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) replaced the Kuomintang [Guomindang] (KMT) as the ruling party in Taiwan. The DPP has been directing the nation with the ever-strengthened ideas of Taiwaneseness as a major party policy. In recent years the issue of Taiwaneseness has provoked discussions and been one of the most prominent topics in political and literary fields. For example, in Taiwan jiushi Taiwan (Let Taiwan be Taiwan), Marc Cohen and Emma Teng discuss the status and identity of Taiwan through an analysis of international documents. Focusing on cultural and political issues , in Taiwan yishi yu Taiwan wenhua (Taiwaneseness and Taiwanese Culture) Huang Chun-chien [Huang Junjie] has clarified the difference between Chineseness and Taiwaneseness and offered a historical review of Taiwaneseness.1 The clearest definition of Taiwaneseness, however, is that given by former President Lee Teng-huei [Li Denghui] in a speech made on October 24, 1999. Today, we grow and live together on this land. Aborigines, immigrants who arrived four hundred years ago, and those who came decades ago are Taiwanese and the landlords of Taiwan. We have contributed to the development of Taiwan in the past and will share the responsibility in the future. Manifestation of our love for Taiwan and the emotion of its people, promotion of greater development of Taiwan, and creation of a vision for future generations, are a responsibility no New-Taiwanese may shirk.2 President Lee’s other speeches and articles have been collected in Taiwan de zhuzhang (Taiwan’s Advocacy), which has raised intensive debate on whether Taiwan is a cultural and political entity. Lee’s advocacy of Taiwaneseness was echoed by a Japanese cartoonist and writer Kobayashi Yoshinori. The publication of his Taiwan ron (On Taiwan) was fiercely attacked by pro-China politicians and groups, and caused political turmoil Taiwaneseness in Japanese Period Architecture in Taiwan | 171 in Taipei.3...