Well, here it is Ten-Ten Day again. If you’ve read this blog over the years you know that it’s a day we always celebrate. Last year was a good year because Megan and Mike got married on Ten-Ten Day, but it was kind of a bummer because it’s the first time we didn’t have Chinese food on Ten-Ten Day.
Anyhow, happy anniversary to Mike and Meghan and happy Ten-Ten Day to everyone else.
Ten-Ten Day is mainly celebrated in Taiwan — but also by supporters of the original Republic of China who fled to Hong Kong and lots of Chinatowns in the United States. To back up a bit, at the end of World War II, the government of the Republic of China lost control of mainland China and relocated to Taiwan (in 1949) bringing with them more than one and a half million refugees. Even today, the relocation is still the source of political debate and international struggle across both side of the Taiwan Strait.
Ten-Ten Day is a national holiday (mostly in Taiwan) to commemorate the Chinese Revolution of October 10, 1911. The revolt marked the end of the Ching, or Qing, Dynasty that had been established in 1644 by the Manchus. The revolt led to the founding of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912.
When the Chinese Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949, they established a government for all of China on the island. In fact, from 1949 until 1971, Taiwan was recognized as “China” in the United Nations. Mainland China’s position on Taiwan is that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China and the People’s Republic of China is waiting for reunification of the island and the mainland. Taiwan continues to claim independence as a distinct State.
Since 1971, the United States (along with most other countries) has not recognized Taiwan and Taiwan does not maintain an embassy in the US. The island maintains contact with the United States through two unofficial instrumentalities — American Institues in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. Taiwan is a member of the International Olympic Committee and sends its own team to the Olympic games, and issues globally recognized passports that allow its citizens to travel internationally. Taiwan continues to lobby for admission into the United Nations, but mainland China opposes admission, continuing to claim Taiwan as its province.
But no matter — today Taiwanese are celebrating it as Taiwan’s birthday — and we are going to have Chinese food. Happy Birthday Taiwan!
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