HOLIDAYS

Some holidays in Taiwan are marked by the traditional lunar calendar. Official holidays are celebrated according to the western calendar. The Chinese lunar holidays include Chinese New Year's Eve and the Chinese New Year.

The Taiwanese have a deep reverence for their ancestors and elders. Some families have altars in their homes to honour their ancestors.

Dressing up in new clothing on New Year's Day symbolizes a fresh start for the coming year. People give gifts and red envelopes, hung-bao, with money in them.

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the first full moon of the lunar calendar. Legend says that spirits are seen in early March by the light of the first moon. In order to increase visibility long ago, torches were lit. Eventually lanterns were used instead. The Taipei Lantern Festival features ceremonial processions, folk arts demonstrations and thousands of colourful lanterns.

The Tomb-Sweeping Festival is a time to remember ancestors. The entire family usually visits and tidies up the grave sites of their ancestors. Offerings of flowers, food and incense are made.

Ghost month is held in the seventh lunar month. During this month many Taiwanese refrain from marrying, moving or making important purchases. It is believed that during this month the spirits of the underworld return to earth. Taiwanese families will set out offerings and burn symbolic money to keep the ghosts from haunting them.

In addition to these holidays, there are many Taiwanese religious festivals called pai-pai, held in honour of local city gods and deities. There are over 100 popular city gods in Taiwan. Both their birthdays and their deaths are commemorated with offerings of food and wine.

Did you know?

Official holidays are often based on the achievements of people and are celebrated to remember specific events that were important. These holidays include the Founding Day of the Republic of China on January 1; Women's Day; Children's Day; Youth Day; the birthday of Confucius, also known as Teachers' Day; Constitution Day; Taiwan's Restoration Day; and Double Tenth National Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the revolution that led to the overthrow of the Ching Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China.