Dress and cultural identity

Cultural Dress

In the country of Taiwan, traditional dress is a very important part of the culture. Each region has unique pieces which are added to the traditional clothing of the larger population. Usually, the clothing will feature colors and symbols which are indicative of the area in which the outfit was made and also of the person who is wearing it. Also, class is illustrated in clothing; wealthy people will have beads and other luxuries sewn into their clothing while those of lower classes will have plainer clothes. However, there are pieces which almost every person in the country wears regardless of the region in which they live. Wearing the traditional Taiwanese clothing is a sign of respect for the country's ancient traditions and also allows the people to participate and take part in the community building of the country. There are traditional garbs which cover all parts of the body, with specific attention given to the head of the person, to the upper body, and also special costumes which are to be worn on special occasions like weddings.

Traditional headdresses are an important part of the cultural dress of Taiwan. Each tribe or region has specific colors or shapes in which they make their headdresses. One thing that is similar in almost all headdresses is that they are very ornate. They usually have a great deal of detail in them, even more than in the rest of a person's clothing. Often headdresses will be so large that they have to be reinforced in order for the person to hold their head up while wearing them.

As for the torso and the body of the person, there are three different traditional pieces of clothing which are worn in Taiwan: the pien-fu, chiang-piao, and the sheri although the sheri is far rarer today and is more associated with the past. Some outfits are for daily use; others are for special occasions and there may be a plain version or a dressy version of each of the three types listed above. Each of these is a type of outfit which has certain specific components. It is important that a person only wears the outfit in the right situation or it is considered inappropriate and cause embarrassment or worse based upon the setting and the seriousness of their error.

A pien-fu is like a tunic which extends to the person's knees. Usually pants are worn underneath. Women wear skirts under the pien-fu that are long enough that they cover a lady's ankles. People who wear the pien-fu almost always top the tunic and bottom with a circular hat called a pien which is worn on top of the person's hair. These are the most common form of traditional clothing and worn the most frequently by the people of Taiwan both in their everyday activities and on special occasions.