AS TAIWAN STEPS into the 21st century, it faces undiminished external threats and enticements from China while also encountering an international economic slowdown.
Domestically, deficiencies in the Constitution have led to a political situation where the opposition parties bitterly oppose everything the president stands for. Moreover, a minority of "mainlanders" in Taiwan resist or try to trip up all policies of the new government in order to take back power, without a thought for Taiwan's future prospects as a country. If the national consciousness in Taiwan isn't raised, future prospects will surely grow darker rapidly.
The most important thing about national consciousness (
Apart from reforms in education and the media, Taiwan should take advantage of every method and course of action at its disposal in order to consolidate the "centripetal force" existing among the nation's people, thereby cultivating a national consciousness and producing a clear sense of national identity.
Taiwan is not only shaped like a yam, but like a whale, as well. Currently whale-watching is a popular activity. If we take pains to protect whales, however, we should do even more to protect Taiwan. Just as whales must have the sea in order to roam freely, Taiwan must establish an independent, sovereign nation -- and not allow itself to be stranded by China.
Taiwan has an area of 36,000 square kilometers. It has 293 mountain peaks over 3,000m, the tallest of these -- Jade Mountain (
Already, many of Taiwan's unique forms of wildlife have appeared on its currency, including national treasures such as the Formosan Landlocked Salmon (
In the past, to maintain its grip on power, the KMT created a whole language culture, in which the KMT's party anthem became the national anthem, and the party emblem -- the plum blossom -- became the national flower. In addition, the three pistils and five petals of the plum blossom were chosen to represent the Three Principles of the People (
Taiwanese identity points to an awareness felt by people living in Taiwan, in which shared life and historical experiences lead to the formation of a gemeinschaft. Recognition belongs to the community of people who live here -- on this land -- who are willing to dedicate themselves to build and protect their country. National identity means a willingness to build the nation, which evolves from collective recognition of the need to share weal and woe.
The chaotic state of Taiwan's national status and identity is a crisis that runs deep. If we want to establish a clearly defined national identity for the people of Taiwan, we can strengthen the connection and interaction between Taiwan's people and its land.
Only when the majority of people in Taiwan have cultivated a life philosophy that espouses an interdependent relationship with their land, can Taiwan be truly able to stand up and gain a foothold on the world stage.
Dai Pao-tsun is an associate professor at National Central University.
Translated by Scudder Smith
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