英文摘要 |
From the end of the 19th century to mid-20th century, Taiwan changed from being a frontier province of the Qing Dynasty into a colony of Imperial Japan. Following the transformation of sovereignty and to strengthen its colonial rule, the Japan Empire imposed prevalent westernization on Taiwan, thus posing a significant impact on the traditional culture and everyday life of Taiwanese. Taking the new year celebration for instance, while Taiwanese had all along followed the lunar calendar and celebrated the Lunar New Year, the colonial government introduced the Gregorian New Year, which symbolized the modernity. Beside of difference in timing, the two new years were also distinct in their traditions and ceremonial observance. This article focuses on how Taiwanese gradually adjusted or adapted to changes in new year celebration promoted and imposed by the Japanese government and whether their strategies manifested a form or a spirit of resistance against colonial rule. With references to diaries, newspapers and related literature from late Qing rule to 1945, this article discusses the changes in ways how Taiwanese celebrated new year, the transformation of festival observance in Taiwan, the integration of traditional and modern cultural elements, as well as the background and reasons behind the preservation or abolition of cultural practices. |