Taiwanese society is in the midst of an immense, exciting effort to define itself, seeking to erect a contemporary identity upon the foundation of a highly distinctive history. This book provides a thorough overview of Taiwanese cultural life. The introduction familiarizes students and interested readers with the island's key geographical and demographic features, and provides a chronological summary of Taiwanese history. In the following chapters, Davison and Reed reveal the uniqueness of Taiwan, and do not present it simply as the laboratory of traditional Chinese culture that some anthropologists of the 1950s through the 1970s sought when mainland China was not accessible. The authors examine how religious devotion in Taiwan is different from China in that the selected deities are those most relevant to the needs of the Taiwanese people. Literature and art, particularly of the 20th century, reflect the Taiwanese quest for identity more than the grand Chinese tradition. The Taiwanese architecture, festivals and leisure activities, music and dance, cuisine and fashion, are also highlighted topics. The final chapter presents the most recent information regarding children and education, and explores the importance of the Taiwanese family in the context of meaningful relationships amongst acquaintances, friends, and institutions that make up the social universe of the Taiwanese. This text is a lively treatment of one of the world's most dynamic societies.

This concise account of Taiwan's history makes a cogent, compelling argument for the right of the Taiwanese people to declare their nation independent, if they so choose. Davison's bold stand--unprecedented from a Western author--challenges the "one China" notion advanced in the Shanghai Communique of 1972 and states unequivocally that, should independence be proclaimed, it could only be taken away by force if the international community sides with contemporary might over historical right. He argues that the possible conflict could be sufficiently incendiary to induce a major military clash between the United States, the People's Republic of China, and other major powers. Davison lets the facts of Taiwanese history make the case for Taiwan's existence as a unique national entity. A historical overview details the circumstances under which the Qing dynasty made its 17th century claim on the island, the events that led to cession to Japan in 1895, the origins of the Guomindang occupation during the Chinese Civil War, and the dramatic election of March 2000 that brought the Democratic Progressive Party's Chen Shuibian to office, ending Guomindang domination. After centuries of outsider domination, and over a hundred years of disconnection from any government exercising power over all of mainland China, the Taiwanese people are in a position to make a decision for national independence based on solid historical evidence.