For centuries, various ethnic groups have interwoven a rich bamboo culture on the land of Taiwan: the Taiwan Indigenous peoples created the myth of emergence from bamboo; the Hakka people in the foothill regions demonstrated a mastery of local bamboo materials and precision in bamboo weaving that were second to none compared to the Indigenous peoples; and the Hoklo people utilized fast-growing, durable, and sturdy bamboo to develop industries such as bamboo baskets, meeting the demands of numerous local markets. They even crafted bamboo-woven brooches and Christmas bells for export to Japan, Europe, and the United States, bringing enormous trading opportunities to Taiwan and introducing foreign capital to bamboo industry hubs like Zhushan. Operating under the model of "the living room as a factory," this supported countless families in central and southern Taiwan.
Neither grass nor tree by nature, bamboo shaped an indispensable part of our previous generation's daily life. The rise of the bamboo industry and its current need for transformation mirror the century-long struggle of Taiwan's other traditional industries, serving as a lifestyle guide shared by multiple generations of Taiwanese.
Through the book Bamboo: An Island Life Guide to What Is Neither Grass Nor Tree, we aim to explore how bamboo has transformed from the everyday culture of various ethnic groups into an industry connecting the people of Taiwan with the international community, drawing from a century of Taiwan's bamboo industry history. Ultimately, we hope to rediscover contemporary value and pathways for bamboo.
Publication Information
- Book title: Bamboo: An Island Life Guide to Something Neither Grass Nor Tree
- Publisher: Mata Taiwan, Taiwan Bamboo Society
- Publication date: September 2020
- Languages: Traditional Chinese, English
- List Price: NT$250 / Sale Price: NT$200
- ISBN：978-986-99516-0-9
- Binding: Paperback, hot-stamped Musha paper, snow-white illustration paper, white linen paper
