Double Ten Isn't Taiwan's Birthday

It's often a mistake for people to think that Double Ten is Taiwanese independence day. Actually, it was December 7, 1949, which was when Taipei became the capital of Taiwan. Instead, the real history of Double Ten can be

From the Taiwanese Community Center, we can read this interesting tidbit about Double Ten and why it still matters for Taiwan:

So what is this holiday all about?
October 10th is Taiwan National Day, but it is not Taiwan’s birthday.
Instead, it commemorates October 10, 1911, which was the start of an event called the Wuchang Uprising in China. This uprising led to the Xinhai Revolution which brought about the fall of the Qing (Ching) Dynasty, the end of the Chinese dynasties, and the founding of the Republic of China in 1912.
At this time, Taiwan had been under the rule of the Empire of Japan since 1895, and it was not until the end of World War Two in 1945 that Japan was forced to relinquish control of the island to the Republic of China.
Meanwhile, back on the Mainland, things were not going so well for the government of the Republic of China. They were fighting the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War on and off between 1927 and 1949. Eventually, the government of the Republic of China lost control of the mainland and retreated to the island of Taiwan.
October 10th is still observed on the Mainland by the People’s Republic of China as the Anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution, but in Taiwan, it has become National Day — a day where pride in Taiwanese identity is celebrated across the island.

Hare are more details on the Wuchang Uprising and the Xinhai Revolution from OFTaiwan:

Wuchang uprising marks the start of the end of the Chinese dynasties. Unhappy with the Manchu controlled Qing dynasty, revolutionaries in China were gathering to overthrow the Qing dynasty. Amongst these revolutionaries was Dr. Sun Yet-Sen, who helped found the Tongmenghui (同盟會.) Sun Yet-Sen spent much of his time overseas trying to get funding for the uprising. This was also because Sun was exiled from China since a previous Guangzhou uprising (1895.)
After many provinces ceded from the Qing Dynasty, Sun returned to China and was elected the first president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China on Jan 1, 1912.
The end of the Qing Dynasty was finalized with the last emperor Puyi abdicating his throne on Feb 12, 1912.

The Taiwanese were celebrating the end of the corrupt Qing Dynasty instead of liberation from the Communist Party of China (CPC). The theme of the fall of the Qing Dynasty may be a popular theme in Taiwanese entertainment and Chinese entertainment. It's akin to how Filipinos celebrate June 12 as liberation from Spain day. I guess the Taiwanese have more sentimental value to the fall of the Qing than the fall of the Empire of Japan or independence from the Chinese government.

Learning About Jose Rizal's Chinese Ancestry (and Blood) Back in High School (and College)

JoseRizal.com Today is Rizal Day, and I found myself admiring him. I don't have his level of genius. Some people often joked that they practiced the Rizal hairstyle. He was only 5.28 feet, which may have been considered tall at that time compared to today's standards. This takes me back in time when my Filipino teacher (forgot her full name) asked, "Do you have to be born a Filipino to be truly Filipino. If we must accept it, Rizal's blood was Chinese." Rizal would be a Chinese mestizo. Look into his history. Rizal's great-great-grandfather was a Chinese immigrant . Those questions forever shook my mind slowly but surely. I'm Chinese by blood, but I was born in the Philippines to Filipino citizen parents, even if my great-grandparents were mostly from China. Concerning Rizal's ancestor, this is an interesting detail: Domingo Lamco: A Beacon of Resilience Domingo Lamco, also known by his Chinese name Cua Yi-Lam (“Ke Yi-Nan” in Mandarin), was a trailbla...

Filipinos Calling Indians as "Bumbay"

The song "Dayang Dayang" was given a parody cover called "Dayang Daya". Oftentimes, the song "Dayang Dayang" is thought to be Indian. Instead, it's arguably said to be from Muslim Mindanao or was brought in either from Malaysia or Indonesia. Historically, some of the settlers in the Philippines were Malaysians and Indonesians. So, it's probably safe to say that most Filipinos of brown skin descent are mixed Malay and Indonesian. I was even reminded how I mistook a Malaysian woman for a Filipino woman. Back on topic, the parody song has an introduction that says, "Kami Bumbay galing sa India..." (We're Bombay coming from India). I even tend to refer to Indians as Bombay--something I ended up tactlessly saying during my first trip to Singapore. Many times, Filipinos tend to use Bumbay not as a racial slur but to simply refer to an Indian. Some Filipino-Indians don't even mind being called Bumbay for a reason. I guess they got accust...

The Three Drug Mules Executed in China Last March 30, 2011

Al Jazeera Today is March 30, 2026. It has been 15 years since the execution of the three drug mules. Their names are Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, Ramon Credo (who was cremated in China shortly after his execution), and Elizabeth Batain (whose face was never revealed, perhaps due to the loved ones requesting more privacy). Contrary to what one might think, the three drug mules weren't a trio. Instead, they were three separate cases that just happened to be scheduled to die on the same day. They weren't a trio. They had a temporary reprieve when former vice president Jejomar Binay tried to save them . Villanueva, together with Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain, was scheduled to be executed last month but got a reprieve after Vice President Jejomar Binay traveled to China and personally appealed to Chinese authorities. BBC News even gave such a short news report, that I felt compelled to copy/paste the whole time as a reference here: Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Bin...

Ifugao OFWs in Taiwan and Discovering More About One's Common Austronesian Roots

I was doing some research on Taiwan finding out that the natives are indeed Austronesians . It seems that Indonesians and Malaysians may have also settled in Taiwan aside from the Philippines. A look at Mt. Alishan and Banaue Rice Terraces have a similarity. Taiwan has its famous tea terraces. Banaue has its famous rice terraces. Both are cultural heritages that must be preserved! I soon found an article which Ifugao OFWs in Taiwan. Not surprisingly, these Ifugao OFWs can point out several things that are pretty similar. An article called " A Gotad Picnic With Ifugaos Living in Taiwan " would tell of Armand Camhol, an Ifugao OFW, who met with other Ifugaos in Taiwan. Gotad is a thanksgiving festival for the Ifugaos. The News Lens International Edition What was noted by Armand at the end of the article is: The people of Ifugao value hospitality, and as a symbol of friendship, they shared their holiday with their invited guests, who, in return, sang, joined the dances, and made...

A Critical Review of "The Flor Contemplacion Story"

VIVA Films uploaded The Flor Contemplacion Story on YouTube last February 13, 2024, at 9:00 A.M.. Yes, I didn't notice it since I saw it before, and it was one incredibly awful film. The film has been remastered into HD to fit with the times. However, in the age of social media and the like, any old piece of truthful information can be later revealed. It's not about the age of the information but the truthfulness of it. In this information age, one can easily upload any undiscovered truth in the past. That also includes that one of Cebu's bad boys in the past, Francisco Juan "Paco" G. Larrañaga, was innocent of the crime involving the Chiong sisters. In 2018, VIVA Films also released a movie called Jacqueline Comes Home which I may watch and review. Though I've already seen Give Up Tomorrow, which has been more objective since there was evidence that Paco was indeed in Manila and that real perpetrators haven't been found. Normally, the best way to rev...

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