;Comparison between the Minnanese and the Hakkanese in the Definition of “Seniority” and Retirement Planning Abstract The technological advancement has contributed to sharper medical health skills. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of the Interior, the average life span of Taiwanese is around 80. In other words, a Taiwanese would spend post-retirement life of 20 to 30 years as an elderly person. During the period of time, he/she needs to face the problems caused by an aging body and the financial pressure caused by retirement and must plan his/her space and time. According to the Ministry of Education’s regulations concerning the retirement of school teachers, the elementary and secondary school teachers aged 50 or above have the qualification of retirement. Therefore, the female elementary school teachers aged from 45 to 50 in their retirement were taken as the subjects of this study. Based on the research objectives, the interview was held to find out how the respondents, in their middle age, viewed their post-retirement life. According to the original ethnic group, the subjects were divided into two groups -- Minnanese (6) and Hakkanese (6). The results of the interview are as follows: 1. About 80% of the respondents refused to define themselves as an elderly person after they retired at the age of 65. 2. In terms of financial planning, the respondents felt little financial pressure because they received pension. The number of children mattered more than the factor of ethnic group in moving to a health village suitable for a retirement life. 3. There was no difference between the two ethnic groups in preservation and health care; the Minnanese respondents shared the same concept of health. 4. The Minnanese respondents showed strong social participation and were willing to work as volunteers after retirement Only in terms of interest learning did the Hakkanese respondents outnumber their Minnanese counterparts by 20%, saying that they were willing to return to schools for further education. 5. On the whole, the participation in religious activities was related to the type of religious faith rather than to the Hakkanese group. In terms of the post-retirement participation in religious activities, the Catholic and Christian respondents accounted for a larger proportion than those with faith in Buddhism or other common ones. Keywords: definition of seniority, planning of retirement, comparison between the Minnanese and the Hakkanese
