Currently, there are few studies involving in the evolution of wedding custom of Han Taiwanese in early Japanese Occupation Period. Because most studies in the past focused on the new intellectuals and their initiatives regarding the reform of wedding custom. However, the cultural evolution is a long procedure of accumulation, so only by studying the wedding evolution, we can thoroughly understand the change of the wedding of Han Taiwanese in Japanese Occupation Period. In early Japanese Occupation Period, Taiwanese started to reflect the disadvantage of traditional wedding custom in order to change it. They upheld “Civilization”as the slogan and goal, encouraging the public to step into modern society. Hence, this study re–constructed the situation of the evolution of traditional wedding custom of Han Taiwanese from early Japanese Occupation Period to 1920. In the meanwhile, the relationship between “civilization” and reform of wedding custom was explored. Though in 1905, some people in Taiwan called for reform, only few responded. Until the custom reform movement in 1915, wedding custom was significantly reformed. In the meanwhile, the concept of “civilization” initiated by change makers was reflected, the superstitious factors and complicated etiquettes were gradually reduced in the wedding ceremony. Overall speaking, in late 1910, the wedding ceremony of Han Taiwanese was significantly changed. Because there was no uniformed custom, the weddings of Han Taiwanese were quite various in the early Japanese Occupation Period. In the material respect, western music, auto vehicles, suits etc. new utensils had replaced traditional ones; in the respect of wedding ceremony, many complicated and superstitious elements were given up, simple and standard new wedding ceremonies were adopted; furthermore, the wedding places are even more various, besides home, some people also selected assembly halls, schools, memorials etc. to hold their wedding ceremonies. So the reform of wedding custom in early Japanese Occupation Period is regarded as the modernization of traditional custom. In addition, this study also found out that comparing with other ritual elements with more stable cultural structure, reform of tangible cultural elements had less obstacles, so they could easily replace traditional utensils and vice versa.

civilization；civilized wedding；custom reform movement；new types of wedding ceremony