OPINION: In Defense of Dragon Boat Festival

The News Lens
Date: 2020/06/25
By: TJ Ting

This Dragon Boat Festival, we must remember not to conflate a cultural tradition with a nation, country, or government.

When Dragon Boat Festival has come around in recent years, it has been accompanied by the idea, popular in some circles in Taiwan, that we shouldn’t celebrate “Chinese” holidays. 

But if you ever try to prod into the reasons why celebrating Chinese holidays is controversial, you are often met with responses like, “It’s our right to celebrate what we want.” 

But this doesn’t address the heart of the matter. How should we approach the vestiges of Chinese culture in Taiwan?    [FULL  STORY]