During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, rice was always in short supply since it was expropriated by the Japanese government; sweet potatoes mixed with some rice became the staple of most people on Taiwan. The poor would eat slices of sweet potato three times a day, until they couldn't stand the taste.
日據時代，台灣稻米被日本人搜刮一空，貧苦的農家三餐全吃甘薯簽，吃得倒盡胃口。