Republic Day / New Year’s Day
In Taiwan on the 1st of January, Republic Day is observed. This public holiday commemorates the foundation of the Republic of China on this date in 1912. This day also happens to be New Year’s Day, so it can be hard to determine where one holiday ends and the other begins.
On this day, it’s customary for couples to spend the day with the wife’s family, as New Year’s Eve is usually spent with the husband’s family. It’s also a day on which food plays an important part in the celebrations. Some of the foods enjoyed on this day include Beef Noodle Soup, Hot Pot, and Scallion Pancakes.
The History Of Republic Day In Taiwan
On October 10th, 1911, the Wuchang Uprising began the Xinhai Revolution. This revolution ended the Qing Dynasty, which had been established by the Manchus during the mid-17th century.
Although the revolution was the physical representation of the decline of the Qing Dynasty, its deterioration actually began during the 19th century when China succumbed to Western and Japanese influences.
This led to an uprising of nationalists under the leadership of Sun Yat-sen. The fall of the Manchus happened rapidly on January 1st, 1912, when the Republic of China was founded. The Provisional Government in Nanjing was then established, and Sun Yat-sen became the president of the new republic.
Observing Republic Day In Taiwan
Since the day before this holiday is New Year’s Eve, much of Taiwan is still recovering from the concerts, parties, and fireworks that happened the night before. So this day is more dedicated to family, although there are public events celebrated on this day as well.
Food is the centerpiece of most celebrations on this day, and the people of Taiwan enjoy a wide variety of different foods. Dishes can include Century Eggs, Xiao Long Bao, Aiyu Jelly, Pineapple Cake, Gua Bao, and Sticky Rice Dumplings.