Taiwanese Toys
Toys in the old old time...
Popular Toy for Girl Were made in Taiwan ď Š
Old time toys cost a lot nowadays……
Rural Era (before 1940s) Handiwork Era (after 1940s to 1950s) Industrial Era (1960s to1990s) Electronic Era (1990s to present)
The Rural Era (before 1940s) Before or right after the WWII, Prior to the transition to an industrialized economy, most Taiwanese families led agrarian lives. This was a time period where adults and Taiwanese families had to work really hard. Taiwanese parents were so busy that they had minimal time to spend with their children. After school, most children had to help the adults do farm work. After school homework and farm work were done, the children had some leisure time of their own. During their leisure, their most favorite activity was to play as a group, usually carrying out their activities on an open ground. Although material life was not bountiful in those days, children of that era had more opportunity to have contacts with nature, and with their imagination. There were few toys, and few that the children could afford. So they invented their own toys, most of them were constructed out of discarded objects. These makeshift toys brought just as much pleasure as purchased toys. The characteristics of toys during this period were the ingenuity and the utilization of rubbish. To children of this period, there was no trash, only “material whose use had not been found yet.” There were very few plastic or synthetic materials. Their raw materials were largely taken from nature – fields and other natural environments, or materials that one encountered everyday. Except for a few toys that used animal products like leather or bones, most materials came from “Five Elements.” (Earth, fire, water, and air). Children used their imagination to give these raw materials new lives as toys. In a way, it was the kind of challenges they faced in their lives in those days: To make something out of virtually nothing.
The Bamboo Dragonfly ď‚Ą Among all bamboo toys, bamboo dragonfly probably is the simplest and the most ingenious toy. From scientific point of view, it is the first workable model helicopter, albeit it is not practical to build a full-scale cargo or personnel carrier. It incorporates sophisticated aerodynamic principles, yet it is so easy to make. Take a small bamboo sheet, around six inch long, half an inch wide, and 1/8 of an inch thick. Use gentle fire to soften the middle section to twist it into a propeller. Drill a hole in the middle and insert a bamboo stick both as a handle and a stabilizer. Put the stick between palms and twist-turn it. It immediately takes off and flies upwards! The stick stabilizes the spinning propeller, so that it does not tumble. For a brief moment, it hovers in air like a dragonfly, hence the name. As the spinning of the propeller slows down, it gradually sinks back to the ground.
The Pinwheel Since antiquity man had learned how to use windmills to harness wind power. Children also discovered, by putting a pair of square shaped paper on the tip of one of a leg of a three legged caldron used for incense burning, a miniature windmill, or pinwheel, as it is called for children’s version, resulted. This is the most common type of wind powered toy. Do not underestimate this simple toy. Since Song Dynasty (960-1278 AD) it had been popular as a simple toy over the entire China. To make a more durable pinwheel, one can use wood or bamboo to make pinwheels. Whether a pinwheel is made from a piece of paper, or from wood or bamboo plates, they offer the same joy to children. Pinwheel toy will never go out of fashion.
The Shuttlecock Foot shuttlecock (also known as foot battledore) is an ancient foot skill game. It has been a popular game. The general opinion is, it was derived from an ancient Chinese soccer game called “Chu Ju,” kicking balls. During rural agrarian times, during festivities a common festive food then, even now, is either chicken or duck, usually bought live and slaughtered in the family kitchen. No parts of these fowls were wasted. Even feathers were collected for processing into downs or for making dusters. Children of course would not give up this excellent opportunity to acquire some long feathers, usually from the tail end. Affixing the long feathers onto copper or iron plates (such as heavy coins), voila, a foot shuttlecock is made. However, even scrap cloth strips or even paper strips can be used as substitutes for feather. Foot shuttlecocks are very portable.
Shuttlecock Continued Foot shuttlecocks are played by kicking them up and down. It is an excellent device to train body balance and eye-limb coordination. There are many ways to play, but can be classified into two broad categories: Static and dynamic plays. In static plays, only one foot is involved in kicking, and the other foot stays on the ground. This is the most basic way to play. In dynamic plays (also called jump-kick plays), both feet must jump up to the air to kick the shuttlecock. Static play and dynamic play can be combined. In addition to kicking the shuttlecock up and down by feet, it is possible to use the shoulder, one or both hands, and even the chin and the forehead to kick the shuttlecock up and down. In addition to individual plays, shuttlecock can be played by a group – competition, and relay kicking. Foot shuttlecock can be played gently or vigorously, so it is suitable for all ages as well as for both sexes. It is a national Chinese popular game. Children enjoy playing in groups while singing their favorite songs. Even adults like to play in groups. Many graying adults as well as young children enjoy this game. Can children match the skill of adults who have played this game all their lives?
Glass Beads/Marbles In small grocery stores, a popular drink is He Sung soda. In candy and miscellaneous merchandise stores, there was another kind of popular soda: Marble lemon soda. The seal on the bottle was a glass marble pressed by the compressed carbon dioxide against a rubber seal. Children were often tempted to break the bottle after the soda was finished to extract the marble as playthings. Merchants quickly picked up this business opportunity and they began manufacturing glass marbles. In addition to marbles of different sizes and colors, patterns were molded inside the marbles, and they gave such marbles the fancy name “rainbow marbles.” Children collected these marbles, used them for trading, or as playthings. Almost every child grew up with his/her marble collections.
Glass Beads/Marbles Continued
ď‚Ą The most popular marble game is as follows. The ground is marked with a circle. Every player places a marble inside the circle. They then take turn to throw a marble into the circle. Any marble that is struck out of the circle belongs to the player. Some skilled players end up with large jars of marbles as loots.
Hadiwork Era (1940s-1950s) Taiwan after war underwent a period of convalescence and recuperation from the tortures of war, during which the island economy was gradually making the transformation from a largely agrarian society into one with light industries and Hadiworks. During this period farmlands were developed for industrial use, and factories as well as buildings mushroomed. National economy began to take off. During this period, printing technology improved, and children’s toys evolved from improvisation into planned design and production. Raw materials were no longer limited to natural sources. Sophisticated industrial products, such as cardboards made specifically for the manufacturing of toys, as well as metal and plastics became popular in the manufacturing of toys. The improved printing technology enables the production of paper masks and personality cards (called Ongzai Biao in Mingnan dialect), and a game of chance, drawing lots (called Chou Dang in Mingnan dialect) came into being. In the beginning personality cards – similar to baseball cards in the West – were printed with images of movie stars or other well-known personalities, but later images from cartoon were added. Children enjoyed collecting them, playing games with them, telling stories to each other, as well trading them, just baseball cards in the West. The images printed on these personality cards tell us much about the popular culture among children during that time. The first television station in Taiwan began broadcasting during October 1961. From that time on, the leisure activities of people underwent drastic changes, and the activities of children during their leisure time gradually changed from the healthier outdoors to indoors, mostly laying down on a soft sofa facing a big box.
Waving Drum ď‚Ą The Waving Drums is a typical tool for promotion the food for sale in early time in Taiwan. You can easily hear the waving sounds of Snack selling, decoration selling and recycling of stuff on streets. ď‚Ą Also called the Welling Drum (The drum produced a quick succession of sounds like that of welling waves) Welling Drums were the longest lasting advertising devices used by peddlers, who used different types of melodic and rhythmic drum sounds to attract different types of prospective customers. They have been the most effective sound generating devices to attract the attention of children, especially to infants. Their sound is entertaining, and can build up the sense of rhythm and melody of children. Older children use them as musical instruments. It is an instrument for all ages, with an enviably long history.
Sun Moon Ball Sun Moon Ball is actually a combination of two toys, “Cup Ball” and “Sword Ball.” Both challenge the hand skill of adults as well as children, to their pleasure. The kind of Sun Moon Ball seen in Taiwan is a more mature type. One end of a machined handle is fitted with a pointed “sword,” and the other end is fitted with a concave “cup.” In the middle there is a horizontal bar, whose both ends are fitted with two more cups. Then a ball with a hole drilled fitted with a thread is attached to the handle. Thus this toy has one sword, three cups, and one ball.
Sun Moon Ball ď‚Ą The Sun Moon Ball is played as follows. Hold the handle with one hand and use the wrist to toss the ball up, and catch the ball on the cups, or the body of the sword, or use the tip of the sword to catch the ball in its hole. This is a rather challenging game. Players could spend hours practicing different tricks. This toy trains concentration, dexterity of the wrist, and the coordination between the eye and the hand. No wonder it is a popular toy in different civilizations of the world. It is now gaining popularity in many parts of the world.
Spin Top
Tops had been invented centuries ago, and were among the most favorite children’s games. The earliest tops were handcrafted from wood. Some were even made from paper. Later as they became commercially available, they were made on lathes. Some large tops might weight several tens of pounds.
There were many ways to play tops, and usually the ways boys play are different from the ways girls play. The most common way to make a top to spin is as follows. A piece of thread is tightly wound around the top. The player holds the thread with one or two fingers while the top is tossed. As the thread unwinds, the top begins to spin. With a good skill, the top can be made to spin rather fast. The top can also made to spin by whipping it with a sort of whip. There are many competing games, some of which are sort of violent. Players can compete by tossing the top into a particular goal area, or can compete on the length of time a top is kept on spinning. However, some games are quite violent, like hitting another spinning top with the sharp tip of his / her top, and the one toppled over loses. Some even made the point of the top sharp enough to split the opponent’s top.
Paper Magic Scepter ď‚Ą Before the single reflex camera became popular, older cameras used large format negatives, like 120 (which has become rare now). This type of negative has another characteristic: The film is rolled in a protective layer of waxed black paper roll. After the film is developed, the paper roll is discarded. Children then use this scrap to make a toy: Paper Magic Scepter. Place the paper roll in the hand and use the other hand to pull the innermost paper quickly, and the paper roll becomes a scepter. Children call the extended paper roll magic scepter. ď‚Ą However, this is not all. Some naughty children glue a chopstick to the center of the paper roll, and loosely wind the paper roll. By tossing the chopstick towards any direction, the paper roll will extend to become a paper rod. They use this kind of simple toy to scare their friends, or even adults. Merchants get the idea and they manufacture this device into commercial toys. It is popular in parties, as well as toys.
The Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope utilizes the optical principle of glancing angle reflection. Looking through an observation hole, the three equilaterally placed glass plates can produce dazzling multiple reflections of small glass objects placed at the other end of the kaleidoscope tube, and these multiple reflected patterns are usually very beautiful and exquisite.
In 1960’s, there was a kind of handmade optical toy called “rainbow tube.” Three identical glass plates were glued together to form an equilateral triangular cylinder. The cylinder was then filled with clear water and sealed at both ends. Looking through this type of primitive prism, almost everything will exhibit rainbow color. However, the sealants in 1960’s were somewhat imperfect and the seals usually failed after only a few weeks, or even a few days. Children then used the equilateral triangular glass cylinder to make their own kaleidoscopes. By enclosing the glass cylinder in cardboards (with appropriate windows at both ends for light to enter as well as for viewing) and placing small objects such as glass chips or even rice and small beans at one end, when viewed at a light source, these objects would exhibit multireflected images of infinite varieties.
The Kaleidoscope Continued ď‚Ą Naturally very soon merchants followed suit and manufactured kaleidoscopes were on sale. Dazzling multi-reflected images of colored glass chips were seen through these better made kaleidoscopes. The images were truly dazzling, almost like the paintings in a modern art museum.
Industrial Era (1960s-1990s) In 1971, Republic of China suffered the setback after she was expelled from the United Nations (replaced by People’s Republic of China). Nevertheless, economical developments in Taiwan continued. The victories of Taiwan youth baseball teams, winning a series of world championships, had produced a baseball fever among children. This excitement dampened the depression that followed the withdrawal from the United Nations, as well increased the selfconfidence of Taiwanese people in the roles that they would play in the stage of the world. It was during this period that batteries and electronic motors began to be incorporated into toys in large quantities. The improvised toys of the 1950’s now gave way to manufactured toys, and this change greatly affected the leisure lives of children. Toys were no longer home made, and the pleasant memories of the past faded away. When factory manufactured toys become popular, this industry prospered and at one time Taiwan was referred to as the King of Toy Manufacturing. On the other hand, TV had taken over many leisure activities. Following the extension of the period of compulsory education from six to nine years, graduates of primary schools no longer had to suffer the torture of entrance examinations to middle schools. Through the advancement of education levels and the economical levels of the general populace, children had more opportunities to be exposed to locally published books published in Taiwan as well as to international books and magazines. Their cultural levels increased, and they have become an important element in the ever increasing economical and technological levels in Taiwan.
The Model Airplane ď‚Ą The simplest model airplane is to fold a piece of paper into an airplane. After finishing folding, it can be launched by hand to glide in air. A more complex and more advanced way is to make a three dimensional model airplane. These model airplanes, be they gliders or airplanes powered by propellers, are largely constructed out of light wood (usually balsa wood) or bamboo strips in the frames, and the exterior is pasted with paper. Most small model airplanes use twisted rubber bands to power the propeller. ď‚Ą Later the process of model airplane making is simplified. Manufacturers began to flood the market with airplanes made from Styrofoam, polyethylene, or cardboards. The individual components are already cut. Be it a glider launched as a projectile or rubber band powered propeller airplanes, the assembly process is usually quite simple. Children can easily enjoy flying (at least flying model airplanes).
The Flapping Bird Other than the model airplanes, there is another special type. It is powered by rubber bands, and through a series of connecting rods and curved axle, a flapping motion of the wings is created which propelled the airplane. This type of model airplane is called “flapping wing airplane.” The principle of flying is drastically different from that of fixed wings. It imitates the flying of birds. It is a technological achievement because it has to overcome the air drag due to upward motion of the flapping wings, yet leaving enough lift force to keep the model airplane afloat as well as to propel the airplane forward. It is a rather sophisticated design. Toy manufacturers apply the principle of flapping wing airplanes to make model birds, which can fly like real birds. These types of models are usually manufactured. First wind a rubber band until it is tight. Then release the bird to the air. It will flap wings and fly like live birds. It brings a further joy for flying.
The Mechanical Model Robot Just prior to the introduction of hard plastic toys, there was a kind of rubber toy. Because rubber is highly flexible, they have been used to cover joints of mechanized dolls or figures. Most these toys are based on human figures. The most well known models are Da Tung Baby and the Invincible Iron King Kong. The former was introduced by Da Tung Company as a promotion too for their other products, as well as to induce customers to buy Taiwanese home made products. This kind of doll also serves as a piggy bank. They were not sold in markets, but were used as gifts to customers. The dolls were even marked with the manufacturing dates, making them highly collectable items. The other, the Invincible Iron King Kong can be regarded as a typical TV cartoon toy. Invincible Iron King Kong was a character in a Japanese made cartoons series for children in 1970’s. Because of the popularity of this series, manufacturers quickly introduced components which could be assembled into Invincible Iron King Kong, with moving arms, legs, heads, and so on. Different components are interchangeable, so once the first set was purchased, children would demand parents to buy additional components. Children would play mock science fiction style fights, mimicking those mechanized sounds heard in the TV series. Now every cartoon series come with its own mechanized toys. It is an additional path to more profits.
The Clockwork Fishing Pool During rural era, even children living in cities had opportunities to play in rivers, creeks, or even water ditches. During that time, there were no pollution due to insecticides, and water creatures were plentiful. Children could enjoy themselves through fishing, digging clams, netting small shrimps, and catch eels. When urbanization began, creeks were soon filled up to become roads, and water ditches were covered. From that time on, children living in cities no longer have contact with these recreation water resources. Instead they buy gold fish and other water creatures from markets. To satisfy their urge to fish, they created games of land fishing – they make improvised fishing rods with magnet as “hooks,” and use paper fish with paper clips attached, and play fishing. It was not long before enterprising merchants invented a kind of fishing toy to satisfy children’s urge to fish. The top of this toy is a circular plate with many large holes. Underneath this plate is an undulating track, on which plastic fish move. The movement of the fish is powered by a wound up spring or an electric motor. As the fish move on the undulating track, their mouths open and shut, just like live fish. A small piece of iron is attached to the mouth of each fish. As the fish undulate, it can be “hooked” with a fishing rod whose hook is a magnet. It seems easy to fish this way, but the movement of the fish is rather fast, so some skill is needed. Children often compete against each other. Even adults sometimes join in to compete against their children!
The Clockwork Fishing Pool It was not long before enterprising merchants invented a kind of fishing toy to satisfy children’s urge to fish. The top of this toy is a circular plate with many large holes. Underneath this plate is an undulating track, on which plastic fish move. The movement of the fish is powered by a wound up spring or an electric motor. As the fish move on the undulating track, their mouths open and shut, just like live fish. A small piece of iron is attached to the mouth of each fish. As the fish undulate, it can be “hooked” with a fishing rod whose hook is a magnet. It seems easy to fish this way, but the movement of the fish is rather fast, so some skill is needed. Children often compete against each other. Even adults sometimes join in to compete against their children!
The Motor Driven Toy ď‚Ą When the battery and electric motor technology became more mature, together with a sharp price drop, many different types of electric motor driven toys found their place in the markets. A new element also creeps in, and this is electronics. In addition to being just able to move around, make turns, and change shapes, sound and light effects are added, thus increasing sensual excitements. ď‚Ą If new technologies are included, such as remote controls, the player can at the same control the operation of these electronic toys, such as movement of the limbs, the direction of motions, etc. Human beings are now part of the operation of these types of toys. This adds another dimension to electronic toys. On the other hand, some electronic toys are designed so that they are to be assembled by the players. In fact, the players can even design their own toys. There are many types of this kind of toys, including racing cars, aviation, boating, railroads, robots as well as vehicles used for construction, such as tractors and cranes. These toys, which are designed to be assembled by the players, implicitly train children to become young engineers and scientists. Not only can they design and create, the finished products also deliver a kind of pride and self-confidence.
Electronic Era (1990s-Present) ď‚Ą The knowledge Economy is coming with the global trend of digital revolution with electronic technology. Everyone can interact with the world by computers via Internet. The multimedia technology makes the world and light bright with colors and diversifications. ď‚Ą Children in the electronic era are surrounded by the multimedia effects of visual entertainment. The toys are being changed from traditional formats to some modern and high-tech products such as computers, TV Games and Electronic Pet, etc. ď‚Ą The value of digital content has become a main trend in the present day. When our children are seeking to excite and entertain themselves by visual illusions, we must not forget the essence of cultural life and try to be a master of digital revolution.
The Electronic Pet  Have you ever considered raising a pet to accompany with you in your daily life? Since the dream is not easily come true, why don’t you think about an electronic pet? There are a number of electronic pets on market such as Computer Virtual Pet, Palm Pet and Robot Pet, etc. Players can enjoy the interactive behavior between human and electronic pet by the modern technology of artificial intelligence. You will find that an electronic pet also needs your love and wholeday-care.
The Electronic Pet The electronic pet does not take too much space in our life. People who host he electronic pet will enjoy a clean raising environment and gain lots of fun. The invention of electronic pet also brings another viewpoint of life. How do people respect the meaning of true life instead of artificial life? Electronic Pets will die, but certainly they can also be reborn by the technology of copy and crone. The morality in discussion of electronic pet’s life will be an important topic in the humanism territory. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrYQGZMWYAg
The Large Gaming Machine
The large-scale Game Box is also known as one the earliest products in Game Industry. During the 80’s and 90’s years in Taiwan, the large-scale Game Box is the first choice of toy to children in their entertainment life. It was built inside a table tennis game in the first beginning, and gradually become a multimedia game box from time to time. With the trend of home-box service and computer technology, the large-scale Game Box is facing out bit by bit. Now the large-scale Game Box only exists in some department stores, exhibition shows or amusement playgrounds.
The game rule of large-scale Game Box is playing by round-counting system. Players take an average of 20 minutes for one round. They use rockers and buttons to simulate the virtual reality in games by racing with cars, shooting and surrounding stereo effects in the large-scale Game Box. It is an interactive game for players and users who must exercise their fingers and body and thinking strategy at the same time.
Internet Games ď‚Ą
The Internet World connects people virtually and also keeps distance from people on earth.
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The Internet Online Game is a cyber space dedicated for players who love to play fighting games or treasure-hunting games together with competitors at the same time. Internet games build a community for players who love to take adventures for fun, it is also a good way of entertainment to make worldwide friends.
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The most remarkable part of Internet Online Game is the splendid and gorgeous stereo and multimedia effects of 2D and 3D and interactivity between players. This will bring you a sense of being involved the battle field of game. The Internet Online Game is currently a MMORPG type for a variety of different players under in line with the same story structure and story character in game. It has become the most popular entertainment tool in our life.
Palm Games ď‚Ą The Palm Game Box has been revised from its monochromatic screen and simple buttons in the first-version to a colorful screen and input connector of touch-screen and voice-recognition technology in modern type of Game Box. The Palm Game Box is a portable entertainment tool, you can enjoy the multimedia and stereo at your end easily. ď‚Ą The multiple input-interface makes the Palm Game Box more interactive, you can adopt wireless module to fight online with a bunch of friends, also, you can enjoy watching movies and listening to the music any time with Palm Game Box.
Handheld PC ď‚Ą The multimedia era with mobility is coming. Everyone owns a cellular phone with multiple functions such as PDA, MP3, ebooks, etc. The Cross-MediaPlatform Handheld PC is the base of mobile games with innovative creations and entertainment funs. ď‚Ą The popularization of highresolution and colorful-screen on cellular phone with wireless technology and 3G broadband connects a series of functions, taking pictures, recording movie and playing music, games, etc online. Cross-Media-Platform Handheld PC is a new experience in modern life.
Your assignment... Interview your parents or grandparents, ask them what were their favorite toys when they were kids. Create a PPT or movie to introduce two of your parents or grandparents’ favorite toys when they were in Taiwan. Find movie clips from YouTube about the toys that you are going to introduce. Copy and paste the link at the end of your PPT, or embed the movie into your presentation.
Criteria for the PPT:
1. At lease 12 slides for the PPT file (Prezi, Keynote, or iMovie). 2. At least 2 movie clips in your presentation (or URL links). 3. Your Chinese and English names and the name of the city should be on the first slide of your presentation. Submit the presentation to the FASCA training website.
Information Extracted From: 1. Barbie (Mattel) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7HrovalQJw 2. Toys from the ancient Chinese painting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VldiRY--ryc&list=PL3C03EAED75C7BFD4 紙毽子： http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TGdyq5kbXw&list=PL3C03EAED75C7BFD4 推棗磨： http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGb566R-c18 3. Toys in the ancient Chinese paintings: http://idatp.moe.edu.tw/web/art/index.html 4. Taiwanese Toys: http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/local/taiwan_toy/ 5. http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/local/taiwan_toy/e_menu.htm