一、natives 
Gaoshan :
generally refers to the indigenous people who inhabit in the mountain area and the eastern plains,
with more than a dozen races.
Pepohoan :
the indigenous people who inhabit at the western plains are collectively called Pepohoan by the
Han nationality, and they are consisted of more than a dozen races.
二、Han nationality
(一) Origin:
The Han nationality in Taiwan is originated from the basin of Yellow River in China and constantly
migrated towards the south due to the war and population pressure, then crossed the sea into
Taiwan and cultivated the land after inhabiting in Fujian and Guangdong for hundreds of years due
to population expansion and livelihood difficulties. As the lineage of its culture is traced back to the
Han Dynasty (202BC ~ 220AD), hence it refers to itself as the Han nationality.
(二) Activities in Taiwan
The Han nationality has been coming to Taiwan successively to trade with the indigenous people
since the 13th century.
A significant number of Han nationality came to Taiwan successively to cultivate and settle down
since the 17th century.
| The particularity of Taiwanese ethnographic cultural relics |
In order to adapt to the living environment, each nation has its own distinctive way of survival, which includes “tangible lifestyle” and “intangible spiritual cogitation” where a variety of living utensils are produced including various tools, tableware, and furniture for the former, and tangible objects that transmit ideas including various sacrificial vessels and exorcism apparatuses are created for the latter.
They have specifically displayed the culture and living aspects of a nation. Taiwan, with relatively small area, contains especially abundant and diverse ethnological relics due to the convergence and surge of numerous cultures, which is a phenomenon rarely seen in other places of the world.
| Characteristics of ethnic cultural relics |
一、Gaoshan relics contain extreme primitive tensionThe Gaoshan group is bright, cheerful and unconstrained; they are weaving experts, and their living utensils or religious relics demonstrate vigorous primitive tension through simple and varied geometric shape along with bright colors.
二、The Han relics passed down from each generation are considered rareMost of the existing ancient civilization relics are excavated from underground as relics passed down from each generation are often destroyed during wars, hence the fact that the Han relics found in Taiwan are all “relics passed from each generation“ with relatively plentiful categories is truly precious.
The Han culture was naturally brought into Taiwan when the Han nationality entered the area. The Han culture with more than 2000 years of history consists of complex etiquettes and rules, strict transmission, and excellent craftsmanship, hence it has produced numerous exquisite and refined creation.
Although the Han culture is originated from China, its crafting skills have transformed into the style of Man nationality after the Da-qing Dynasty has ruled China for 268 years, whereas Taiwan’s crafting skills were not affected at all due to its location across the sea, which perfectly preserved the style of the Han nationality, hence the Han relics passed down from each generation are evidently rare and precious in the world.
三、The Pepohoan relics that integrated two cultural elements are extremely rareThe longer the inheritance, the more realistic and complex of a civilized society’s pursuit of arts is. Artworks in primitive society were relatively abstract due to the lack of sophisticated tools and craftsmanship. However, the artistic sparks surged from the convergence of prime and civilization are often remarkable and spectacular. Artworks that possess two cultural elements simultaneously are remarkable, and they usually consist of primitive elements captured by civilization such as Gauguin’s Tahiti painting series, whereas artworks are relatively more unique in Taiwan as they have primitively captured the characteristics of civilization, and such trait is only found in Pepohoan relics.
The Pepohoan utilize the crafting skills brought in by the Han nationality to eliminate complex carving lines to allow relics and utensils to possess cultural traits while also preserve the original simple, passionate, and vivacious style, making them highly valuable in artistic sense; in terms of ethnology and arts, the Pepohoan relics can be said as the common cultural treasure for all mankind.
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