Over time, the uses of bamboo in Taiwan have evolved from making utensils for daily use to the field of arts and crafts. In March and April of 2024, Taiwan hosted the Bamboo Expo and World Bamboo Forum, with major exhibition areas in Hsinchu, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Hualien. Building on this, in this issue we have articles on bamboo-related lifestyles, crafting with bamboo, forest therapy in bamboo groves, and the connections between Taiwan’s indigenous peoples and bamboo. We explore the boundless potential of Taiwan’s bamboo resources, and showcase Taiwan’s bamboo culture and industry to the international community.
The recent Paris Olympics featured not only intense competition between the world’s elite athletes, but also an exciting series of activities held for the Cultural Olympiad. What arts troupes represented Taiwan at this brilliant spectacle? How did they introduce Taiwan’s culture to foreigners? Our report on the Cultural Olympiad will immerse you in Taiwanese style.
Another source of cultural enrichment is the eight-day Wangye Festival in Donggang, Pingtung County, which begins on September 28. For this month’s issue we interviewed experts and scholars including Pan Qingshi, chairman of Donglong Temple’s board of directors; Hsieh Kuo-hsing, director of the Institute of Taiwan History at the Academia Sinica; and Su Huangwen, founder of the Donggang Cultural and Historical Space. Our reports cover the rituals surrounding the burning of the Kings’ Boat, the procession of deities in palanquins, and zhentou (performance troupe) culture. They also describe how the residents of Donggang are working together to preserve and transmit Pingtung’s Wangye culture.
Equally classic is Keelung’s Midsummer Ghost Festival, the largest event of its kind in Taiwan, and one that is recognized as an important part of our cultural heritage. We take an in-depth look at this religious activity, which has been running continuously for 170 years.
Besides these stories on historical culture and rituals, this month we also bring you articles about startup companies in the fields of finance and agriculture. Meanwhile this issue’s Readers’ Photos feature, on the theme of “Wandering among Trees: The Beauty of Taiwan’s Woodlands” highlights Taiwan’s beautiful mountain and forest scenery. We hope that our reports will not only offer a feast for the eyes, but also impart knowledge in an interesting way. Even more, we hope they can build emotional links between people. We also welcome more people to browse our website and interact with us on social media, as we explore Taiwan’s unique local culture together.
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