In the old agricultural period, the chirps “Ji-Ji-Ji” that cicadas make was very loud and clear during the summer time in Taiwan. People living in villages could sometimes hear the chirps all day. Consequently, the residents invented a children’s folk game. The loud sound which the toy makes is similar to the cicada chirps, therefore the villagers called it “bamboo cicada.” It was and still is a very typical and popular toy in Taiwan.



     In old times, cultivated lands and bamboo forests were everywhere. Therefore, materials for making bamboo cicadas were easy to find and very eco-friendly as well. For example, the body of the bamboo cicada is made from a bamboo tube. The steps to making this toy are as followed:

     First, find a bamboo tube; decorate the tube by pasting on wings and eyes to make it look like a cicada.
Second, poke a small hole on the bottom of the tube to allow the nylon thread go through.

     Third, pass one side of the nylon thread (which is inside of the tube) through a small piece of bamboo and tie a knot. Pull the thread to tightly hold the piece of bamboo.
Next, find a thin bamboo pole with rosin and tie it to the top side of the nylon thread.

     Finally, take the bamboo pole and twirl the bamboo cicada quickly to make the sound.

     You may wonder: How can we make the sound of cicada by only twirling the bamboo pole? Well, the principle relies on the frictional force and the vibration between the nylon thread and the rosin. In other words, the more powerfully and quickly you twirl the bamboo pole, the louder sound the bamboo cicada will make. In fact, the structure of a bamboo tube is similar to an amplifier which controls the magnitude and makes a loud sound.

     There were many types of Taiwan children’s folk toys invented in early times, thanks to the ingenuity of our Taiwanese ancestors. If you want to know more about Taiwanese folk games, you can visit the Toy Museum in Banqiao District, New Taipei City to see various folk games and traditional grocery stores. You can also participate in the DIY areas outdoors. Just relax and have fun experiencing the life of the old days in Taiwan!