ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on data from a larger undertaking that includes an extensive survey of two village communities where out-migration has been notable. It examines the process of migration at the community, family, and individual levels and considers its causes and consequences for rural women in Taiwan. Impressions of the city are also formed through the news media. Among the cities familiar to villagers, Taipei appears to be the best known —mainly through friends and relatives who have already moved there. Work is easily available in Taipei in various urban services and factories, often requiring only a primary school education. On public holidays one can see buses going south from Taipei packed with people from the villages, and visits are more frequent to villages close to Taipei. Rural women's participation in the labor force has grown not only because of the demand for their labor but also because of their rising education and aspirations.
