Course: 144 U0960
Japanese and Korean Musical Cultures from Their perspectives
January, 12, 2010
Music Change and its influence in Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial Period
Introduction
The reason why I chose this topic is that I believe it has meaning that I who is Japanese research and study about this period. There are many problems in Asia especially in the relationship among Mainland China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. These days there are more and more mainlanders are coming to Taiwan, therefore the relationship between mainland China and Taiwan is changing gradually in civil level. Moreover, there are less and less Pro-Japanese people in the government official level because more and more Taiwanese people have been to western countries to study abroad nowadays. I insist that we are on the point to think about the relationship between Taiwan and Japan more seriously. I think it is important to know and understand what happened in the past more.
History of Taiwan and Background of This Study
In order to clarify the complicated background of Taiwan, I firstly would like to talk about History of Taiwan in around 19C to 20C briefly. Taiwan was under Japanese colonization between 1895 and 1945. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century. After the Meiji restoration, Japan firstly tried to colonize Taiwan as a new territory. In those days Taiwan was a part of Qing dynasty but they didn’t focus on governing Taiwan because of conflicts with western countries. Therefore, as a result of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) which marked the defeat of the Manchu empire in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) Taiwan, Pongfu Islands and Liaodong peninsula were ceded to Japan in perpetuity on May 8, 1895. In 1951, Japan lost its sovereignty over Taiwan because of the San Francisco treaty. Therefore, on Aug 15, 1945 Japan surrendered unconditionally, and the 2nd world war was finished. Taiwan was governed by ROC after that. Thus, Taiwan was under Japanese jurisdiction for 50 years in the past so that Taiwanese older generation received Japanese education during the period.
According Liao Ping-hui, there are four stages of Japanese colonialism in Taiwan based on political analysis. As a Japanese colony Taiwan is arguably distinct in several ways. First of all, Taiwan was the first and also the last of Japan’s colonies. It underwent at least four stages of colonialism under Japanese rule; 1.) assimilation as the main policy from 1895 to 1919, 2.) integration from 1919 to 1930, 3.) differential incorporation and coercion from 1930 to 1937, and 4.) The subjugation (kominka, literally meaning “Japanization” or “imperial subjectification”) and mobilization of “imperial subjects” to participate in the “holy” war in Asia from 1937 to 1945 (Liao Ping-hui, 1993). However, in my research, I divide the fifty years into three stages; 1). From later Meiji era to early Taisho era. 2). From Later Taisho era to Showa era, and 3). From Showa era to the end of the Second World War.
Stage 1
This stage can be called as “seeking period in the field of music education and colonization for Japanese government”. From the early Mejia era, Japan started to accept western music (Okabe, 2007). According to Okabe, in 1881 (Meiji 14), Elementary school curriculum platform was enacted in Japan. Some songs were started to teach at elementary school from then on. In 1896 (Meiji 29), Japanese colonial government introduced music education to elementary schools in Taiwan. During that time, some songs were from western countries even though they were translated into Japanese, for example Hotaru no Hikari, Chouchou, and Niwa no Chigusa and so on. Other Japanese songs are like these; Kimigayo (Japanese national anthem), MikotoHoutou, Kazaguruma, ad Shiki no Tsuki etc. In 1914 (Taisho 4), First music text book was published in Taiwan (Okabe, 2007). During this stage, Music at school was deeply connected to “Japanese language education” in Taiwan. In other words, it was used as a tool to teach Japanese language to Taiwanese students. Okabe mentioned that it was used to train Taiwanese people’s Japanese language pronunciations which are easily mistaken; Da, Ra, Na lines, Ha, Ka lines and A, Wa, Ya lines.
Here, I have to mention about important and interesting characteristics of Japanese colonial government. What developed under Japanese rule was not a simple relationship of oppressive subjugator and the resisting subjugated, but rather a struggle by the Taiwanese people to form a Taiwanese identity while intentionally assimilating the Japanese ideology imposed upon the,. “Intentional assimilation” rather than a simplistic view of “oppression and resistance” (Fuji Shozo, 2006). Fujii's research indicates that by 1860 the nativization was well established in Taiwan. The Japanese government replaced the relatively thin veneer of classical Chinese education with a mass-based educational curriculum; by 1930, the Taiwanese had the second highest literacy rate in Asia, after Japan. Out of the active assimilation of the cultural policies imported from these successive foreign regimes, the Taiwanese people created a unique identity and a democratic nation-state (Liao Ping-hui, 2006). Thus, Japanese way to occupy Taiwan was different from other western countries. There were considerations for Taiwanese people. For example, according to Okabe, a lyric of songs which was used in Taiwan was easier than them used in Japan. Furthermore, Japanese colonial government eliminated Shintoistic colors from some songs intentionally to avoid Taiwanese people’s resistance.
Thus, during stage 1, Japanese colonial government tried to find the better way to colonize Taiwan and maybe other colonies. Music had a function and played an important role to colonize those places.
Stage 2
This stage can be called as “the golden age of Music in Taiwan”. From this stage, education level became higher in Taiwan (Okabe, 2007). Some Taiwanese Characteristics were put into lyrics from then on. That is, Japanese colonial government tried to promote to understand Taiwanese culture more than before. For example, there was a song; “Peh-Thau-khok” which was sung by Taiwanese people in elementary school in Taiwan. According to Maeda, “Peh-Thau-khok” is a small bird’s name in Taiwanese language, which exists mostly in Taiwan, A Light-vented Bulbul in English. This is a picture of the bird.
(Picture 1)
During this stage, transition of music style was also occurred. It can be called westernization of music, in other words, music style was changed from Meiji style to western style. Western music was new for Japanese and also Taiwanese people those days. It was a symbol of Modern civilization (Okabe, 2007). Western music’s characteristic is diatonic scale, Auftakt, 3/4time and 6/8time and so on. When I look at the lyrics of Peh-thau-khok, it was more Mother Goose rhyme using some onomatopoeia in it, so that we can see the music became “Art” rather than “tool” in this period.
Here, I would like to take two songs as examples. First one is “The Dance Age”, and the other one is “The Embracing the Spring Breese”. This is the lyrics of “The Dance Age”; I’m a cultured woman, traveling freely about footloose and fancy free. I’m happy to be on my own. I’m not up on the affairs of the world. I’m only known that in the age of civilization. Social life should be open. Couples are together. Cued in lines. I’m a fool for the foxtrot. Old styles or new styles, I can’t be bothered. I just know that free flowers. Must bear free blossoms. What’s in store for the future. Happily obvious. Neither cares nor troubles. The fox-trotting life is for me… (#Viva Tonal [The Dance Age], 2003). They are both sung in Taiwanese language but both lyrics are about “restoration of the world and freedom of Love”. It refers to the progressiveness of the Taiwanese society those days. There are some Chinese old traditions or antiquated practices in Taiwan such as Pig tales and foot bindings until then. According to Okabe, there were a lot of Taiwanese students had been to Japan to study music but no one had been to Europe in this stage. That is, Japan was a bridge to the Western music or westernization for Taiwanese people at that time.
Stage 3
There is a word which was said by Koike Tetsutarou during the period; “In contemporary society, creation of New Japanese culture plays a role when establish a High level secure country.” Thus, Kominka had a big influence to people’s life those days. Education system was renewed for Kominka also. Music also became quite different from previous two stages. According to a Taiwanese movie; The Puppetmaster, three years after the Japanese military government appointed a new Governor on the island, all outdoor performances of plays were banned and thousands of puppeteers lose their livelihood. Times were hard and commodities were rationed for the Taiwanese. A man; Li Tien-lu who was a puppet master was forced by economic realities to put on puppet shows for a Japanese propaganda troupe in Taipei. Since Taiwanese Puppet was a part of important Taiwanese culture, and there were some Taiwanese traditional songs in the puppet theater. We could see Taiwanese people who have lost their own ways and are seeking to regain their cultural identity. Through Japanese government’s oppression to Taiwanese language especially during the third stage, Taiwan has inherited a legacy of influences from Japanese culture.
Here is my translation of its lyrics;
3. I sure go with you anywhere you go, I will be your follower.
4. Go, go, attack at once and crush the demons’ island.
5. It’s so much fun, we kill them all, take plunders back to our village.
6. Hurray! Hurray! Dog monkey and pheasant, they push the car which filled with plunders strongly.
訪問(Interview)
1.請問您小時候，受到日本的教育嗎？
(When you were little, have you taken Japanese education in Taiwan？)
2.您還記得在學校唱過什麽樣的歌嗎？歌名是什麽？
(Do you still remember what kind of songs did you sing in school? Can you tell me the title?)
3.如果您記得歌詞的話，請您把它寫下來。
(If you still remember the lyrics, please write them down.)
4.在日本統治時代，您在家，或是跟朋友玩的時候常常唱歌是什麽？
(During the Japanese colonial period, what kind of songs did you sing outside of school?)
5.在日本統治時代，您們可以講臺語嗎？
(During the Japanese colonial period, have you been allowed to speak in Taiwanese language?)
6.如果在外面，或是在學校說台語的話，有什麽問題嗎？
(If you talked in Taiwanese in public like school, have you had any problems?)
7.您小時候，如果要聼音樂怎麽聼呢？
(When you were a child, how did you listen to music?)
8.家裏有沒有留聲機還是電唱機？
(Did your family have phonograph or record player at home?)
9. 如果您家裏有那種機器，請問那是大家都有的東西嗎？
(Was it normal to have those machines those days?)
10. 您在日本統治時代，學過什麽樂器嗎？
(Have you learned to play any musical instruments during the Japanese occupation?)
11. 請問，那時代，您對日本這個國家有什麽感覺或是想法？
(During the Japanese occupation, how did you feel or think about “Japan”?)
12.您現在對日本有什麽樣的看法？
(How do you think about Japan now?)
I will put their answers as a reference at the end of this essay.
However, I could only find three Taiwanese old people, who answer my questionnaire, and two of them didn’t really take the Japanese education during the period. Now, I guess that most of the old people’s impression to Japan is based on things happened in this third stage. I believe that Music has a power and connects to people’s memories easily because when we listen or sing a song in a particular mood or period repeatedly or even several times, it reminds us the feeling or what happened at that time. Therefore, it was quite interesting that all of them have positive impression to Japan at that time and also still now.
In the third stage, the “Perfect Pitch” and “Chord Sense” was also trained (Okabe, 2007). According to Mochizuki Soutaro, Music and National defense is closely related. That is, if you had the perfect pitch and good chord sense, you would be able to notice some little troubles of airplane or submarine (Okabe, 2007). Thus, Music was functionalized as well as the first stage in this stage too, but its function was quite different from the first stage. It was all for Kominka during this period.
Conclusion
Through this study, I can say music during the Japanese colonial period influenced to Taiwanese people’s identity defiantly. Also, it was used as propaganda by Japanese military government during the Second World War in order to control people’s minds. I divided the period into three stages; 1). “Seeking period in the field of music education and colonization for Japanese government”. In this stage, music was used as a tool to teach Japanese language to Taiwanese people. 2). “the golden age of Music in Taiwan”. In this stage, society was modernized and people were influenced by western cultures through Japan. 3). in this stage, everything was changed to do “Kominka”. Music was functionalized and it became a tool to brainwash people and justify the Japanese military government during this period.
It was quite interesting that Taiwanese people’s attitude toward “assimilation” during the colonial period was relatively positive. We can see the Taiwanese people’s trial to accept modernity from Japan those days. In this research paper, I looked at the change of music mostly from the elementary school education. However, through the interview, I noticed that taking education was not normal thing as well as in contemporary Taiwan Society. Many of Taiwanese people had to work since they were very young those days.
Trough this research, I noticed that it is hard to study this period from colonist’s position. However, I really interested in this period, so I have more assignments for myself, such as the education system at and society in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period, interview more Taiwanese people and research more about influences to Taiwanese people’s identity, study the period more from various kinds of perspectives. Okabe said that in the Post Colonial Period, Taiwan adopted western music and developed them on their own way but still got a lot of influence from Japan (Okabe, 2007).
I have attended a Japan-Taiwan meeting in Zhengzhi University and had a chance to listen to Li-Denghui; previous Taiwanese president, these days. As I already mentioned in the introduction part, I insist that we are on the point to think about the relationship between Taiwan and Japan more seriously. I believe that this research helped me to understand Taiwan –Japan relationship more deeply.
訪問1
有，但是因為家裡小時候務農，所以只讀兩年沒有繼續就讀了。
2.您還記得在學校唱過什麽樣的歌嗎？歌名是什麽？
歌名已經不太記得了，亨的時候也聽不太懂。
3.如果您記得歌詞的話，請您把它寫下來。
No answer here.
4.在日本統治時代，您在家，或是跟朋友玩的時候常常唱歌是什麽？
桃太郎
5.在日本統治時代，您們可以講臺語嗎？
不行
6.如果在外面，或是在學校說台語的話，有什麽問題嗎？
有時候會說，但是有時候因為政策的關係不能說
7.您小時候，如果要聼音樂怎麽聼呢？
廣播較多
8.家裏有沒有留聲機還是電唱機？
沒有
9. 如果您家裏有那種機器，請問那是大家都有的東西嗎？
不是大家都有的，至少我沒有
10. 您在日本統治時代，學過什麽樂器嗎？
沒有
11. 請問，那時代，您對日本這個國家有什麽感覺或是想法？
沒什麼想法，能過日子就好了。
12.您現在對日本有什麽樣的看法？
聽到日本語會想起小時候的時光。
訪問2
我阿公是去桃園的公學堂，但是他只去了大概1學期，台灣就光復了。其實台灣在日據時期能夠受教育上學堂的台灣人很少，大部分的人都幫忙家裡工作沒去學校，或是只能偷偷跑去學堂旁聽人家上課。
2.您還記得在學校唱過什麽樣的歌嗎？歌名是什麽？
他是說升旗的時候是唱''紅紅的太陽''(他是用台語說的)，日文歌名並不清楚，但很可能是日本軍歌改編的。歌詞我阿公忘了，哼的也不太清楚，所以...(囧)
3.如果您記得歌詞的話，請您把它寫下來。
No answers here.
4.在日本統治時代，您在家，或是跟朋友玩的時候常常唱歌是什麽？
兒歌的話，像是”桃太郎”、”大象”大家都耳熟能詳。
5.在日本統治時代，您們可以講臺語嗎？
No answers here.
6.如果在外面，或是在學校說台語的話，有什麽問題嗎？
基本上公共場所都是不能說台語的，可是禁說台語的政策每個階段實施的標準都不一致，有時候管的嚴，到抗戰後期其實都不太管了。當然，私底下在家或是跟朋友還是會說台語。
7.您小時候，如果要聼音樂怎麽聼呢？
很多音樂多半是口耳相傳的，到抗戰的中後期才有收音機可以聽。
8.家裏有沒有留聲機還是電唱機?
No answers here.
9. 如果您家裏有那種機器，請問那是大家都有的東西嗎？
留聲機和唱盤要到台灣光復、民國40.50年代才有喔，日治時期還是靠收音機，而且收音機並不是家家戶戶都有，畢竟是從日本傳過來的，有收音機的大部分是有錢人。
10. 您在日本統治時代，學過什麽樂器嗎？
口琴
11. 請問，那時代，您對日本這個國家有什麽感覺或是想法？
其實他那個時候年紀還小，記憶也不太清楚，不過當時的台灣人大部分都忙著賺錢餬口，我阿公小時候也一直打工。教育對當時的台灣人而言，真的是很奢侈的東西，所以大部分的人也沒去上學，有能力上課的都不是很認真，可能念一兩學期就休學的大有人在。
12.您現在對日本有什麽樣的看法？
基本上老人家對於"日本"的感覺，常常拿來和早期的國民黨政府比較。他們覺得雖然日本人把台灣當成次等公民，但是還是很用心在經營台灣，像環保啦鐵路啦水壩啦，甚至連現在的財產登記制都是沿用日治時期的，好像真的把台灣當國土的延伸。相較之下，國民政府剛來台灣感覺反而很隨便，好像台灣有或沒有都沒差，外省人也自以為比較高尚。人的心態都是愛比較的，相對之下，當然是比較親日本。
P.s.我阿公是深綠的，而且超愛李登輝(李登輝超級親日)，所以他雖然只受過短暫的日本教育，但其他的日文都是自學的。此外，我阿公的媽媽(我阿祖)以前是在新竹州桃園部的總督府，幫忙煮菜，基本上我阿公一家都還蠻親日的。
日治時期的台灣人，其實日文並沒有想像中的好喔，大部分是聽得懂日常會話，口說只會基本的寒暄，精通日語的人畢竟還是少數，因為能受教育的人很有限。
還有阿，我外婆的爸爸(外曾祖父)在日治時期也常去一些聲色場所，像是”藝閣”(聽說裡頭會有藝妓)，裡頭也會表演一些日本的段子、曲子。
訪問3
是的，有受過日本教育。
2.您還記得在學校唱過什麽樣的歌嗎？歌名是什麽？
在學校有唱過日本軍歌，愛國行政歌，桃太郎等
3.如果您記得歌詞的話，請您把它寫下來。
記得怎麼哼，但歌詞忘記了。
(可以去找桃太郎的歌詞寫進去XD)
4.在日本統治時代，您在家，或是跟朋友玩的時候常常唱歌是什麽？
桃太郎、鳥仔歌(看著許多小鳥一起玩的時候唱)
5.在日本統治時代，您們可以講臺語嗎？
不可以
6.如果在外面，或是在學校說台語的話，有什麽問題嗎？
在學校被老師聽到會被訓話。
外面的話，會被大人訓。
7.您小時候，如果要聼音樂怎麽聼呢？
Radio(日文？)
8.家裏有沒有留聲機還是電唱機？
有電唱機，有唱盤，但現在都沒有了。
9. 如果您家裏有那種機器，請問那是大家都有的東西嗎？
不是，要有電的地方才有，而且需要家庭小康才會有。
10. 您在日本統治時代，學過什麽樂器嗎？
吹鎖吶、二胡，但都是玩玩而己、多在幫忙家裡種田工作，沒時間學才藝。
11. 請問，那時代，您對日本這個國家有什麽感覺或是想法？
日據時代，鄉鎮的治安很好，可以夜不閉戶，但念書很嚴格。
12.您現在對日本有什麽樣的看法？
現在的科技進步，街道很乾淨，民族意識很強、合群。
時代變遷，日據時代有腳踏車就是很有錢的人，現在到處都是車了。
References
Leo T. S. Ching., (2001). Becoming “Japanese”: Colonial Taiwan and the Politics of Identity Formation, University of California Press, Retrieved December 22, 2009, from,
http://www.jaas.or.jp/pdf/53-2/p95-99.pdf
Fei yu yun bao music group., (unknown). Taiwan indigenous people’s music. Retrieved December 22, 2009, from,
http://eastasia.cside.ne.jp/concert_tobiuo.htm
Unknown., (2007). Police songs in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. Retrieved December 22, 2009, from,
http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/tatyoshi/renshusho001.pdf
Memory of old melody. Retrieved December 23, 2009, from,
http://www.geocities.jp/abm168/index.html
Old Japanese songs. Retrieved December 24, 2009, from,
http://www.mahoroba.ne.jp/~gonbe007/hog/shouka/00_songs.html
Osaka-c education., (unknown). Change of elementary school curriculum in Japan. Retrieved December 24, 2009, from,
http://www.osaka-c.ed.jp/kak/karikenweb/webpdf/webcur/wc05onga/wc0502.pdf
Mizuhara., (unknown). Modern Japan’s school curriculum. Retrieved December 25, 2009, from,
http://www.sed.tohoku.ac.jp/~mizuhara/kindai-keturon.htm
Okabe, Y., (2007). Music education in elementary school in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. Akashi Books Co, Inc.
Maeda, H., (unkown). Taiwanese Language in the text books under the Japanese jurisdiction in Taiwan. Retrieved December 25, 2009, from,
http://www.ntcu.edu.tw/taiwanese/ogawa100/a/tsuliau/16.前田均-講義.pdf
Chiang, W., (2007). The King of Taiwanese Puppet Theater: Huang Hai-tai. Retrieved January 3, 2010, from,
http://www.culture.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=323&Itemid=157
Liao, B., & Wang, D., (2006). Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, 1895-1945: history, culture, memory. Retrieved January 4, 2010, from,
http://books.google.com/books?id=i3acYUmOW-oC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=Liao+and+wang+eds.,+The+japanese+Colonial+State+and+Its+Form+of+Konwledge+in+Taiwan&source=bl&ots=NN2JGKb9Bc&sig=w3HzTBrpWEpNxTw0kG_mnFe9hgc&hl=ja&ei=dbFES9PvLMuHkQWEnon1Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Kumamoto., (unknown). Change of Japanese music after Meiji era. Retrieved January 6, 2010, from,
http://page.freett.com/alfuuhp/3-1.htm
Peh-thau-khok picture and song. Retrieved January 7, 2010, from,
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.geocities.jp/abm168/Doyo/Doyo_IMG/petako_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geocities.jp/abm168/Doyo/petako.html&h=372&w=411&sz=16&tbnid=dkgbgq9M62oo7M:&tbnh=113&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpetako&usg=__8UHstZyidx3fbpFbN6Y2nV6XZnw=&ei=FBtGS9mKE9GIkAWw-PyCAw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CBIQ9QEwAw
Movie;
#Viva Tonal [The Dance Age] (Chien wei-ssu[Jian Weisi] and Kuo Chen-ti[Guo Zhendi], 2003,104’)
The Puppetmaster (Hou Hsiao-hsien[Hou Xiaoxian],1993,142’)
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