From orthodox Chinese culture to Taiwanisation: an analysis of the Chinese Culture Renaissance Committee to the General Association of Chinese Culture in Taiwan

The Chinese Culture Renaissance Movement reflected a massive attempt of the Nationalistic Government in Taiwan to spread her political ideology over education and culture with the intention of strengthening the basis of her rule over the island. The philosophy behind the movement, simply put, is to boost up the spirit of the country through an attempt of cultural renaissance. This paper focuses on the study of the patron of the Chinese Culture Renaissance Committee and the General Association of Chinese Culture (hereafter as GACC) so as to include the period under the governance of President Tsai Ing-wen. Such an extension of time frame of this study is unique among all previous works done on this subject. This paper attempts to explain the historical background and mission of this movement. It seeks to explain the limitations of the prevailing interpreting frameworks such as “Sinicization” and “Re-Sinicization” and, argues for the shift from a specific understanding of the “orthodox Chinese culture” to a new emphasis of Taiwanisation in the development from the Chinese Renaissance Committee to the General Association of Chinese Culture. Modern Taiwan reveals a shift from authoritarian to democratic government. Yet, this paper argues that an authoritarian tendency runs through the development of the Chinese Culture Renaissance Movement to the GACC. Such an authoritarianism which emphasises on authority and uniformity, in many ways, contradicts the ideal of liberal education.