Taiwan Travelogue — CHAPTER VI

1. 1. The Tainan County First High School for Girls, a prominent institution, focused on nurturing students into well-mannered, multitalented individuals of excellence.
2. 2. A social division existed between the 'First' and 'Second' Girls' Schools in Tainan, with the latter primarily serving Islander students.
3. 3. The term 'lí-ya,' originally a crude Taiwanese address, evolved into a derogatory slur primarily used against Islanders by Mainlanders.
4. 4. A specific incident at the First Girls' School involved a Mainlander student calling an Islander student 'lí-ya,' which the school dismissed as an 'inside joke'.
5. 5. Chi-chan expertly deduced the 'mythical dimension' lavatory rumor was a clever cover for a secret meeting between the two students.
6. 6. The slur 'lí-ya' was reappropriated between Ōzawa and Tân, becoming an endearing term within their complex, private relationship.
7. 7. Cultural biases were evident in the contrasting perceptions of 'Islander' and 'Mainlander' elements, often framed as 'dirty' versus 'pure'.