Contact, Colonization and Cultural Adoption: The changes of Taiwan Han Marriage Rites During Japanese Colonial Period

• Main Authors: Chang, Wei-Cheng, 張維正
• Other Authors: 蔡淵洯
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/31229401632593749872

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 台灣史研究所 === 100 === This thesis is about the progression of Taiwan Han wedding rites as an example to discuss the cultural changes in Taiwan society in general. The influences during the Japanese colonial period on marriage rites is a good indicator of greater cultural changes in Taiwan. Most of the changes are from simultaneous exposure to both Western and Japanese cultures.This paper also covers the steps of Taiwan Han progression in wedding rites that has not before been covered by historical academic research.By using anthropological culture complex - which is a group of smaller cultural items that are combined with one common trait - to examine the progression of Taiwan Han wedding culture we find that the marriage rites can be divided into three sections; betrothal, marriage, and post marriage ceremony. During the Japanese colonial period, Taiwan Han weddings changes can be split into two periods and 5 stages. It can be split due to characterization and features into the “Taiwan Han autonomy transition period” from 1895-1931 and the “Japanese Colonial government mandatory changes period” from 1931-1945. If using chronological distinction, the two periods can be divided into the early and late periods of the Japanese colonial administration of Taiwan. The first period of the Taiwan Han wedding rites is tied with the changes of the eras and is distinguishable into three stages. At any stage of changes in the marriage rites of Taiwan Han, these choices was autonomous. The earliest significant change was in 1911, Taiwanese began to reflect upon traditional customs and cultures while at the same time following customs from Western modern civilizations. This resulted in the emergence of the Wenming marriage or New Type marriage which was different from traditional Taiwanese marriages. After 1915 there began an increasing movement of improving upon older cultures by different local groups in Taiwan. These older generation Taiwan Han began borrowing cultural elements from Western and Japanese cultures. By and large they felt that borrowing from the other cultures could develop and modernize their own marriage rites, some of which contained elements deemed socially out-molded at the time. The defining feature of the New Type marriage was borrowing elements from Christian marriages. In the 1920’s, increasing numbers of new intellectuals formed the New Culture movement and Taiwan saw a boom in changes in wedding cultures. After 1931 the “Japanese Colonial government mandatory changes period” had two stages, but these two stages had similar changes in that both had the focus of reducing the cost of marriages. The difference between these two stages had largely to do with following popular trends around world. This period also included the phasing out of dowries and promoting Shinto influenced marriages. In conclusion, through the progression of Taiwan marriage rites we can examine what began the cultural evolution of Taiwan Han wedding rites. Older Taiwan Han were exposed to foreign cultures and this acted as a mechanism for cultural changes. The colonial government forced changes upon the culture. These two mechanisms were the greatest factors in affecting wedding rites in Taiwan and from that we can derive the greater social cultural changes in Taiwan society in general.