Recreation culture in Taiwan

entertainment TV shows 電視娛樂節

亞

Taiwanese people have been known to be a hard working people. As such, they often suffer too much pressure either from their jobs or from the highly competitive schooling system. Consequently, everyone is seeking the best yet easiest way to relieve the tension. That is why there are so many "entertaining shows" in nighttime TV programming-exhausted people need lots of light entertainment. 

With so many entertainment shows, competition is keen and producers have to do their best to hold the audience. Unfortunately, lacking creativity, these programs eventually turn out to be nothing more than cheap imitations of Japanese TV shows. And when people get bored by these shows, producers would come up with all kinds of weird and extreme stuff for the program, including playing tricks on the special guests, or even trying to invade the privacy of celebrities. I remember one of the most disgusting episodes would place snakes and rats in a box and have the female entertainers guess what is in the box by reaching into it. And when those ladies scream out loud or even burst into tears, the programmers were happily embracing the increased ratings. 

Poor programming may attract sadistic audiences for a while, but such programs leave a deeper impact on the mentality of the people as a whole.

childhood recreation 童年時光

Ingrid

In my parents' age, children were always one with nature. They got along with animals all the time; climbing the trees, catching the sparrows, and digging for sweet yams were their favorite pastimes. They enjoyed playing a kind of big card, and whoever could use his own card to make others' cards turn around would win the game. Playing withh marbles and rubber bands were also popular games. As for adults, they loved to watch traditional Taiwanese opera or puppet plays performed on the outdoor stage. Everyone brought their own chairs and families gathered to see the road show, and sometimes an outdoor movie. 

In my own childhood, my life was filled with cartoons and comics. People were all occupied with TV programs and computer games. As such, recreation in Taiwan has become all the same with other countries in the world. Fortunately, culture dies hard. In fact, these days, more and more stores are bringing back old games and old toys. Perhaps, the good old childhood will return again. 

ktv stardom 短暫星途

堅

In the past, people used to think the KTV was a place for gang wars, smoking or even drug taking, and parents strictly forbade their children to go to the KTV. However, things have changed dramatically over these few years and we have seen a revolution of KTV's images. 

Nowadays, the magnificent decoration of the KTV and the high quality services of its staff make us feel safe to spend our leisure time there. Moreover, we can free ourselves from the pressures of daily life by just picking up and singing our hearts out into the mike. Or, you can even fancy you are a great singer and all your friends are your loyal audiences. You can then enjoy your three minutes of stardom while your song lasts. How wonderful it is! 

We only have to pay a small amount of money and our desire for showmanship can be satisfied. Best of all, pressure is lifted from our hearts-if only for a brief moment! No wonder business at the KTV is still booming during the economic recession these days. 

tea art 茶藝

On weekends after a busy week, Taiwanese people seek a change of pace and atmosphere. And many people visit one of the numerous traditional teahouses or "tea art" shops all over Taiwan. 

Chinese teahouses are a blend of contemplative serenity and lively conversations. A casual afternoon at a teahouse will bring one to the heart of the social, artistic, intellectual, and political activities brewing in Taiwan. Many of these teahouses are set in elegant cultured gardens, making them ideal hideaways for tea drinkers to relax while sampling a wide selection of first-class teas.

Tea drinking in Taiwan is akin to the high art of wine tasting in the west, and tea drinkers will gladly pay a few thousand NT dollars for a half kilogram of good tea leaves. Mountainside tea-art shops and restaurants offering open-air tea drinking, dining, and picturesque views have become favorite destinations for city-dwellers. Next time when you are drained by daily work, you can unwind yourself in a teahouse where you can indulge in the traditional culture of tea art.

recreation life 休閒生活

Taiwan offers many things to do on those rare days off. On weekends and holidays, many people prefer outdoor activities, such as playing tennis, playing golf, mountain climbing, bowling, and camping. In the coastal areas, swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and sail boarding are popular outdoor recreational activities. Sadly, according to a survey, Taiwan people spend most of their spare time watching television, reading, listening to music and radio broadcasts, visiting family and friends, and shopping. 

Even if you live in the city and complain about the lack of options in the urban area, Taiwan happens to have some of Asia's most dynamic and prosperous cities. Urban residents in Taiwan can enjoy international, experimental, or traditional theater; eat out at street stalls, night markets, or five-star hotels; dance at discos; go shopping at glamorous department stores; or have a quiet night at home watching videos. And every morning, Taiwan people also can do some recreational activities at numerous city parks, such as: aerobics, jogging, badminton, singing, kung fu and taking pet birds outdoors for some fresh air. It all depends on how you manage your recreation life.

Karaoke 卡拉ok

The word "karaoke" means, "empty orchestra" in Japanese. Karaoke is a type of entertainment that refers to singing along with music accompaniment while looking at the displayed lyrics. This form of recreation originates from Japan and is now quite popular throughout the world, especially in Taiwan. 

Anyone can become a singer in the karaoke and, with the new home karaoke machines, you can sing karaoke at any time, any place. In KTVs, you can use your nice singing voice to build up a friendship. In a wedding feast, you can sing a song to bless the newly wedded couple. On holiday you can take your family to the great outdoors and still be able to sing karaoke in your van. When you feel lonely, a lot of karaoke websites are waiting for you too. The only drawback is that you should remember to keep your voice down after 10pm. 

Taiwanese films 臺灣電影

潔

Taiwanese films have a long history that is full of ups and downs. The most admirable productions concentrated in the 1980s when a new generation of directors tried to use films to tell about the fast-changing Taiwanese society. These so-called New Taiwan Films have also won many awards at various film festivals. But now, judging from box office records and film rental figures, Taiwanese films seem to have lost their attraction. In the face of upcoming Western movies, Taiwanese films could barely resist the attack and thus dwindled rapidly. With the rise of Muiti-theaters and their need for high profits, lucrative foreign movies are always considered the mainstay of the lineup. In contrast, low-budget Taiwanese films can hardly find good theaters to play in. Even when they do, they only have one to two weeks to play. In the long run, the weaker Taiwanese films are, the stronger Western movies become. Last year, Taiwanese films' total revenue in box office occupies only 0.1 percent in the total revenues in box office. Although "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" caught everyone's eyes and brought in a lot of audience, if there are no continuous and comprehensive measures to keep the audience, Taiwanese films are likely to become history very soon.