A Study of Taiwan’s History of Swimming during the Japanese Colonial Period

• Main Authors: Jen-Hao Cheng, 鄭人豪
• Other Authors: Chin-tang Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/55862948850114981250

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 歷史學系碩士班 === 97 === Swimming is a kind of survival technique developed along with human recreational and exercise activities. When Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule, not only was the ruling regime changed, but the Western concepts and modernization process were also introduced to Taiwan. Thus, modern sports became ingrained in Taiwan as a result of Japanese requirements and habits, which advanced Taiwan’s swimming from mere physical activity to a sports level. In the early stage of the Japanese colonial period, the “ordered” modern swimming sports model was a prelude to the Japanese orchestrated swimming development in Taiwan, through the establishment of sports organizations, and the installation of swimming pool facilities. Following a period of preliminary development, Taiwan Sports Association finally set up a swimming division in 1923, which officially equipped Taiwan’s swimming sports sector with the necessary competence to organize and coordinate sports events featuring the modern sports spirit. In conjunction with the establishment of Dongmen Swimming pool by Taipei Municipal Government in 1926, Taiwan had been included as a member of the Japanese “athletic swimming championship system”. On the other hand, as the sport of swimming had been developed in Taiwan society, physical education in schools had therefore taken shape and was included in primary education in 1922, and in secondary education in 1927 and 1931 respectively as a regular course. At that time, school swimming clubs and large scale swimming competitions had sprouted; both male and female students had spared no effort trying to win competitions for their schools. Nevertheless, after the war broke out, the increasingly popular swimming began to follow national policies which switched with the change of the war. Due to the request for national mobilization in order to support the war effort, the competitive character of swimming was wearing off, and instead, the function of fitness and survival techniques were emphasized. In terms of Taiwan’s attitude towards swimming in the course of Taiwan’s swimming development during the Japanese colonial period, this study roughly divides it into recreation and competition sports. Due to family and economic factors plus Taiwan’s traditional views of swimming, a particular complex for Taiwanese participation in swimming sports had been developed. In other words, Taiwan’s swimming sports during the Japanese colonial period had proceeded under the influence of the Japanese; ruled by the Japanese regime, Taiwan approached swimming sports via education. However, they did not develop them further into their own distinctive sports. All they could do was to wear the swim suit or the T-shaped pants as the Japanese did at the swimming pool built by the Japanese, follow the sports rules regulated by the Japanese, and enjoy the benefits of modern swimming sports along with the Japanese.