ABSTRACT
In small towns in Taiwan, traditional public spaces have been tightly connected with everyday life and social relations within the community, as well as gender politics in the society. For example, the temple plaza, which has always been the space where most public affairs and activities took place, has been a typical gathering place for men. Men typically occupy the physical heart of a small settlement. On the other hand, the everyday life of women usually takes place in the markets or on the farms. They rarely claim legitimate occupation of these important public spaces despite being a major labor force in the local economy. As the social life in the community goes on, the symbolic meanings of those spaces remain, along with the power relation that lies beneath those spaces.
