Once a tenant farmer whose income depended on the generosity of a landlord, he is now owner of a four-acre farm. When he retires, his son will be sole owner. Lai's change of status from tenant farmer to owner came about as a result of the 1949 land reform program, which first reduced rents and then redistributed the land to the tiller.
Ownership spurred Lai to take greater interest in better farming methods. This, in turn, resulted in increased production and higher income. The rice crop on Lai's four acres is 8,500 kilograms per year.
Lai has spent more than 60 per cent of his augmented income on agricultural improvements. The rest goes toward improved living conditions for his family.
He has traded in his ox-driven hand plow for a small Taiwan-made power tiller. In addition to the labor saved, the power tiller can be attached to a cart for transportation. The tiller thus serves the triple purpose of helping in the fields, providing the mobility to reach markets and permitting the recreation of visits to town and neighbors.
Another innovation on the Lai farm is an automatic sprayer. With chemical mixture in a container on his back and hose in hand, Lai's son can spray insecticides efficiently with little more involved than a walk around the farm. Insect pests are no longer the danger they were.
Industrial progress in Taiwan also has made its contribution to lighten Lai's work load. A booming fertilizer industry has brought its crucially important product well within Lai's budget.
For Mrs. Lai and her daughter-in-law, chores have been lightened. New purchases for the home are a manual sewing machine and handsome radio, both locally produced.
The Sino-American Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction has had a hand in improving the Lais' home life. Their roving home economics advisors have given Mrs. Lai many labor-saving tips for homemaking. JCRR personnel also have taught the Lai women the importance of sanitation and a balanced diet.
The Lai grandchildren attend primary school. Grandfather is considering the possibility of middle school and even university for the third generation, He knows that one or more of his grandchildren probably will take up a life in the city. That, too, is a Taiwan tendency.
Before school starts in the morning and in the evening, the Lai youngsters share in farm life. The three pigs and few chickens in the backyard are their special responsibility. They take joy in the fact that the once-a-year profit from selling the pigs is a result of their faithful daily care. The Lais don't sell their chickens. They keep them for the eggs and their own table.
Along with economic security and a better way of life, the Lai family has developed more interest in community affairs. They go to the polls on national and local election days. The elder Lai is an active member of the Farmers' Association. He served as one of the directors of his township association for a three-year term.
Surveys conducted jointly by JCRR and the College of Agriculture of the National Taiwan University show that the Lais are typical except for family size.
The surveys covered 350 families in northern, central and southern Taiwan. They showed dramatic changes in rural Taiwan during the last 15 years.
Smaller Families
The evolutionary process has involved size and structure of the family, family relationships, occupations, education and such material aspects as clothing, food, income, housing conditions and other facilities.
Rural families are generally much smaller than they were 15 years ago. Most families would prefer to be smaller still.
There are three types of families in rural Taiwan; the traditional "extended" family, the "semi-simplified" single line family and the modern "conjugal" family.
In the extended family, all generations—including aunts, uncles and cousins—live together. This type of horizontal expansion is not favored among modern farm families. Economically, they say, it is unmanageable. Socially, intra-family bickering and quarreling make for tension and unhappiness. Interviews showed that although less than one per cent of farm families thought this type of household desirable, 45 per cent of those surveyed still belonged to such an establishment. The trend, however, is toward the smaller family. Preference and reality will be brought closer together in the near future.
The semi-simplified family includes three generations: grandparents, parents and unmarried children. Most farm families in Taiwan belong to this category. Even the very young prefer to have grandparents living with them. Sentiment and affection are factors. Parents also view grandparents as a big help in taking care of young children. If the grandparents are cared for too, that is all to the good.
In the modern conjugal family, only parents and unmarried children live together. This type of western-style household is usually preferred by very progressive young couples. Opponents regard it as a product of the West and contrary to the traditional Chinese concept of filial piety.
Population Problem
The swing away from the traditional extended family also accounts for the tendency toward fewer children.
The population problem is impacting on rural people as child mortality rates drop. Economically, the small family is more feasible. It is also more congenial. Young people especially are realizing the advantages of having fewer children.
Despite the trend and the desire, medium-sized and large families with five or more children make up more than 77 per cent of the families studied.
Birth control is not widespread. Field workers of JCRR and the Family Planning Association disseminate information, but practice is limited.
Another reason may be the relative prosperity of Taiwan's farmer in recent years. Land reform has brought ownership to the tiller. Rural reconstruction has given the farmer higher yields and better crops. Industrial development and universal education have provided more opportunities for non-farm employment for his sons. Young people, who previously faced economic obstacles to marriage, now need not wait so long.
The simpler family structure is accompanied by easier relationships among its members. Marriage through free courtship rather than arrangements by parents also accounts for increased amiability in the home.
Only a few rural people still hold that marriage should be entirely in the hands of the parents. But neither do they feel that young people should be completely free in their choice. More than 90 per cent feel that marriage should require parental approval. The most widely accepted practice is for matches to be initiated by parents and approved by the young people or vice versa.
Together with a semi-free choice of mate goes an easier husband-wife relationship. More than 93 per cent of rural families interviewed feel that husband-wife relationships are more comfortable and that the position of the wife has been improved.
Parent-child relationships also are more relaxed. In the family of even 15 years ago, parent-child relations were characterized by authority and submission, dictatorship and obedience. There was unreasonable expectation on part of the father and nervous tension on the part of the son. Today, more than 67 per cent of the farm families interviewed believe that father and son are more intimate. Respect and veneration of the father still exist, but sons no longer fear their fathers. Barely two per cent still speak of relationships full of remoteness, fear and resentment.
Educational Gains
Sibling relationships are easier though not necessarily closer. More than 33 per cent of the families interviewed saw changes in fraternal relationships. However, they say not all changes are for the better. More democratic and equal treatment is on the credit side. Less fraternal warmth, preoccupation with private rather than communal affairs, decreased cooperation for mutual benefit and earlier departure from the family are listed as being on the debit side.
Intra-familial relationships are generally tending toward the breakdown of traditional patterns. Most feel the changes are for the better. Some fear departure from the old ways is a western phenomenon that eventually will bring about destruction of the family.
Two other changes in the rural family are closely connected: increased education has resulted in diversification of occupation.
Primary school attendance in small villages, formerly indifferent to learning, has risen to 95 per cent. Every township has a primary school which is within easy reach of all. Formerly, education was considered so unimportant that parents had to be intimidated into sending their children to school. Now parents take the initiative and press for admission even when children are too young. Many have feelings of shame if their children do not go on to secondary school.
Ninety per cent of farm families interviewed said they think higher education is desirable. The main reason cited was social. But both parents and children also feel that the higher the level of education, the better will be employment possibilities.
Boys and girls have equal opportunities for education. No longer do parents cling to the traditional attitude that education is for the male sex only. However, at higher levels, girls are only one-seventh as numerous as boys.
New vistas of occupation have opened for rural youth. Development of industry and commerce also has contributed to wider diversification. Expansion of provincial and local organizations have made more public service positions available.
The most striking changes have been in material living conditions, including diet, clothing and housing.
Income of most farm families has increased. In 1952, a survey conducted by JCRR showed average gross income of a farm family was NT$12,500 annually. In 10 years, the figure soared 162.28 per cent to NT$32,785 (US$819).
For a true picture, depreciation of the currency must be taken into consideration. When that is done, farm income still is up by 30.44 per cent.
Also significant is the farm family's own feelings about its income. About 75 per cent feel their income has increased markedly.
Farm families attribute such increase to larger agricultural production made possible by technological advance.
Food consumption is universally acknowledged to be up sharply. Families mention eating more rice and meat. Quality and variety also have improved. Farm people give attention to nutrition and have been taught better judgment in selection. Many have learned to eat bread, noodles and other wheat flour products instead of the exclusive rice diet.
Most improvements can be attributed to increased income, but also involved are community programs to teach home economics to rural womenfolk. Agricultural extension and other rural community development programs have encouraged sanitation, nutritional and more appetizing preparation of foods, fuel economy and use of low-cost local products.
In dress, most farmers and their families believe appearance, quality and quantity of clothes have improved.
Traditional dark cotton materials have been abandoned for colorful materials of modern design. Factory-made textiles are usual. Ragged garments are not seen. Shirts made of feed bags are of the past.
Dress Clothes
Many farm folk have dress clothes as well as working apparel. More than 21 per cent reported possession of two Sunday suits and nearly 34 per cent have three.
Drawings by Lin Yu-shan
Changes in housing have been significant. Building and remodeling have been extensive. Most of these changes took place after implementation of the land reform program. Former tenant farmers and small cultivators have been able to save money since the farm rent reduction program. The JCRR survey showed that many used initial savings for house improvement.
Forty-four per cent of rural families reported construction of new houses in the last 15 years. Most new buildings use modern materials—red brick and roofing tiles. Another 36 per cent reported remodeling and repair of existing houses.
Many farmhouses have whitewashed walls, screened windows and doors, cement floors and such modern furniture as armchairs and beds.
While 91 per cent of farm households have electric lights, running water is less common. In smaller villages, only about 26 per cent have tap water. Other families use public water taps or village wells.
Many farm families have electric fans, phonographs and radios. Radios are found in 53 per cent of the houses. Most have been acquired within the last six years.
It is not difficult to see the direction in which the farm family of Taiwan is heading.
The farm family will continue to grow smaller and will become more simplified. Family relationships will continue to ease. Higher education will be more common among young people. More will leave the farms to seek work in public service, industry and commerce. Income will continue to rise, bringing increased prosperity and more material conveniences.
The gap between urban good living and rural life has closed considerably in the last 15 years. The time will come, as in the United States and Western Europe, when the difference between city and country will have become insignificant.