今年6月7日,在纽约ICF(The Intelligent Community Forum)年会的颁奖会场,来自七个城市的首长、行政官员和信息长坐立难安的等待着,看谁是今年智慧城市首奖的得主。他们来自欧洲、亚洲及北美洲,和其它与会者一同参加ICF的年度盛会。在黑莓机的创始者麦可‧拉萨里迪斯(Michael Lazaridis)的演讲後,作为最后压轴的智慧城市首奖终於揭晓了。那个引领群雄的城市便是台中市,一个港口都市与拥有二百七十万人口的台湾城市。
进入决赛的七个城市,我们称作是「全球七大智慧城市」(Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year),含括不同的城市规模。包括大型城市,象是加拿大的多伦多和同样来自台湾的桃园;也有中型的城市,例如美国俄亥俄州的哥伦布、芬兰的奥卢、爱沙尼亚的塔林,和最小规模的加拿大安大略省的斯特拉特福,人口仅有三万二千人。
Treasure Hill (宝藏岩), located in the Gongguan Commercial District (公馆商圈), is a unique historical landscape where artists take part in a residency programs and large numbers of visitors explore the village-like enclave on weekends and holidays. Work on a new facility, the Treasure Hill Eco Corridor (宝藏岩生态廊道), mapped out by the city’s Department of Urban Development (台北市政府都市发展局), was completed in July and now on Treasure Hill you can enjoy not only culture, but nature as well.
The eco corridor, which has an area of 2,500 square meters, is located on the south side of Treasure Hill in Yongfu Park (永福公园), straddling Wansheng Stream (万盛溪), beside its confluence with the Xindian River (新店溪). The Department of Urban Development has covered the slopes of the bio-friendly corridor with grass, created a dragonfly-friendly habitat along the stream’s banks, and planted floating primrose, small shellflower, and other hydrophilic plants. Thus an urban Shangri-la of interwoven greens and bright colors has been given life.
Many are curious as to how Treasure Hill happens to be home to such a rich natural eco-treasure. The Department of Urban Development says that squirrels, kingfishers, and dragonflies are common on Treasure Hill, and that it hopes to add to the bio-friendly corridor and dragonfly habitat in the future with the reintroduction of such indicator species as the little egret, common moorhen, Eiffinger’s tree frog, grey treepie, and red-bellied tree squirrel, presenting even more Treasure Hill treasures for visitors to enjoy.
The department has been fastidious in its methods to enrich the local ecology. For example, it has used water-permeable materials, debris caging (instead of rock berms), and planted high grass in the top part of the site to merge into the original tree cover. To increase the wetland area and create a habitat for dragonflies, a new strip about 1.5 meters wide featuring hydrophilic plants such as floating primrose and red hot polygonum was created along the land/water exchange zone.
Next time you visit Treasure Hill, in addition to enjoying the distinctive architecture of the local homes and the many attractive works by its resident artists, don’t forget to take a stroll through the eco corridor, which has brought to the area a wonderful balance of culture and ecology, art and nature.
Information
Treasure Hill Eco Corridor 宝藏岩生态廊道
Add: The south side of Treasure Hill Artist Village (2, Aly. 14, Ln. 230, Sec. 3, Tingzhou Rd. 汀州路3段230巷14弄2号)
Transportation: Take Exit 1 at MRT Gongguan Station, walk approximately 10 minutes along Tingzhou Road. For bicyclists riding along Xindian River, Treasure Hill is immediately off the bike path.
Have you ever fantasized about being transformed into an anime character, even being the star of an exhibition, launching a follow-your-dream adventure? As of August 1st it has all become possible – just head to Taipei Expo Park’s Action@Pavilion of Dreams (花博公园行动梦想馆), where you’ll find that, as incredible as it may seem, all you need is a smartphone.
The Action@Pavilion of Dreams, originally built for the Taipei International Flora Exposition (花博会), dazzled expo visitors with its high-tech video, sound, and light and interactive sensor technology. The pavilion in its new form is the result of a collaborative effort by the eminent Taiwan enterprises Asus (华硕计算机), Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group (鸿海集团), and Epson (台湾爱普生). They have created the country’s first mobilized intelligent pavilion. Using the dedicated smartphone, the Dream Time Machine (梦想时光仪), visitors become heroes and heroines of A Dream Journey in Taipei (台北奇幻之旅). Proceeding in tandem with the storyline, the Dream Time Machine becomes a multimedia fluorescent stick with multiple functions.
In the Grand Hall: the Island of Dreams (序厅:梦想之岛), you are invited to follow a small dewdrop of legend harboring a grand dream of becoming a rainbow and soar toward places unknown. Dozens of 60-inch large-screen LCD monitors have been joined together in the expansive exhibition space to create Dream Pillars (梦想之柱), which are harmonized with peripheral mirrors to create a kaleidoscopic 3D viewing space. The imagery of the various pillars can be intertwined, presenting little dewdrop’s dream adventure with striking visuals.
In Gallery One: the Square of Aspiration (一厅:志向广场), you’ll find a city crafted from dreams – in which another you lives, striving to fulfill your childhood dreams! Via The Dream Time Machine’s augmented reality (AR) technology, you see yourself in anime form, and can walk in amongst your piled-up dreams and aspirations, which are transformed into words with light sculpture. Wishes of all sorts float through the streets, creating a wonderfully touching ambience.
Step into Gallery Two: the Hall of Cooperation (二厅:合作殿堂) and surround yourself with a crystal palace with an air of mystery, a resplendent crystal thicket at its center. Under the guidance of a crystal fairy, visitors must cooperate to carry out a special task. Using the Dream Time Machine, which automatically transforms into a multimedia fluorescent stick, you put on a dream play together, which unlocks the crystal’s hundred-year seal and enables you to move on to the next station.
In Gallery Three: the Station of Courage (三厅:勇气能量站) is a 360° circular-screen theater, operated in cooperation with the Taipei City Government’s YouBike public bike-rental program. Visitors form teams and head out on cycling adventures. On the giant screen are images of magical realism, integrating Taipei’s iconic city images with majestic rice paddy, mountain, and ocean landscapes. The gallery is also outfitted with high-tech special-effects equipment that simulates strong winds, lightning, and a range of scents, immersing you in a lifelike environment.
The destination of your journey is Gallery Four: the Terminal of Action (四厅:行动航站), where you take flight amidst the sound of 100 children expressing their dreams, traveling to a brand-new tomorrow. The gallery has been built to look like the cabin of a spaceship with a “space floating machine” (浮空机台) in it. After using The Dream Time machine to transmit the details of your adventure to the past, you print out your exclusive boarding pass, embarking on the flight of your choice and heading out on a new voyage. Which surprise celebrity will accompany you on your journey to the future? There’s only one way to find out – you have to come in person to explore the Action@Pavilion of Dreams.
Your journey may be ended, but the fun is not over yet. In the Theater Hall: the Music Box of Dreams (剧厅:梦想音乐盒), enjoy the music of the “unmanned band” (无人大乐队) that gives voice to the sound of dreams – a suite composed by well-known Taiwan musician Chen Chien Chi (陈建骐) played with automated xylophones, drums, and guitars.
Information
A Dream Journey in Taipei: Action@Pavilion of Dreams
台北奇幻之旅:行动@梦想馆
Time: Until 2014/8/31; 09:00~17:00,
Sat/Sun to 20:00 (closed Mon)
Venue: Xinsheng Park Area, Taipei Expo Park (花博公园新生园区)
Traveling the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Beitou to Zhuzihu Route
The cool of autumn is prime time for travelling, and a special bit of travel news that you’ll want to know about is that the No. 9 Minibus (小9巴士), which travels between Beitou (北投) and Zhuzihu, has been added to the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (台湾好行) network. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle system, administered by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, features numerous bus routes that link popular tourist attractions. The No. 9 Minibus route has now become the system’s “Beitou – Zhuzihu Route” (北投竹子湖线), enabling travelers to comfortably explore what is oft called “Taipei’s backyard garden”. From the hot springs of Beitou to the natural heritage of Zhuzihu, the many scenic spots that this route connects are now even more accessible, due to the convenient on-board audio guide service provided.
Route:
MRT Xinbeitou Station (by metro) → Beitou Park (Beitou Hot Spring Museum, Plum Garden, Thermal Valley, Su Jia Shimian Maifu) → Mituo Temple (Liuhuang (Sulfur) Valley) → Yangming Park Visitor Center (Yangming Park & Flower Clock) → Yangmingshan Parking Garage (Grass Mountain Chateau) → Yangmingshuwu → Zhuzihu → Beitou Park (Penglai Restaurant)
A Hot-Springs Enclave with a Rich Japanese Ambience — Beitou
In the morning, take the Taipei Metro to Xinbeitou Station (新北投站). Directly ahead of the station is Beitou Park (北投公园), 100 years old this year. A natural hot spring stream winds through the park, babbling quietly and throwing up curling mists, helping to paint this hot-spring sanctuary’s unique canvas. Head up gently sloping Zhongshan Road (中山路), and you’ll quickly come to Beitou Hot Spring Museum (北投温泉博物馆) on the right. Housed in what was once a public bath (opened in the early 20th century) the original large bathing pools remain intact. The arched columns and stained glass further evoke the refined bathing culture of the Japanese colonial period.
Next to the museum is another site of historical significance, Plum Garden (梅庭), formerly the summer home of Yu Youren (于右任), famed calligrapher and one-time director of the Control Yuan (监察院). The characters for “Plum Garden,” written in Yu’s own hand, are inscribed at the entrance. After your visit, continue along Zhongshan Road and you’ll soon come to one of Beitou’s most venerable tourist sites: Thermal Valley (地热谷). The large, bubbling pool and streams here constantly emit thick sulfurous steam, giving rise to popular names such as Hell Valley (地狱谷) and Ghost Valley (鬼谷). After exploring these sites, it’s time for a lunch break, and a fine local choice is Su Jia Shimian Maifu (粟家食面埋伏), near Beitou Park. The restaurant placed in the top 10 in the office-worker category in the 2011 Taipei International Beef Noodle Festival. Especially recommended are the curry beef noodles, a house signature specialty.
Street-corner Encounters with Artistic Beauty
After exploring Beitou, catch the Beitou – Zhuzihu Route bus at the Beitou Park stop to explore the many splendid sights up on Yangmingshan. Get off at Mitou Temple (弥陀寺), walk ahead a bit, and you’ll come to Liuhuang (Sulfur) Valley (硫磺谷), which endlessly spits and spews sulfurous vapors. This was a major site for sulfur mining during the Japanese era (1895-1945), and is the source of the white-sulfur waters that supply the prosperous Xinbeitou hot-spring hotel area down below. After enjoying the rugged grandeur of this area, hop on the next bus and ride to the Yangming Park Visitor Center. Take the path to the left of the center into Yangming Park, laid out in the style of a classical Chinese-style garden. Enjoy the blossoms of the many Taiwan cherry, Japanese cherry, plum, and azalea trees, and the famous giant Flower Clock (花钟), made of a profusion of bright flowers, with soft, comforting grass beneath your feet.
Apart from offering an opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty, Yangmingshan also offers trips back into an earlier era at a number of heritage buildings of historical significance. Get off the bus at Yangmingshan Parking Garage (阳明山三維停车场), and beside it is Grass Mountain Chateau (草山行馆). This mansion was once a summer getaway villa for former President Chiang Kai-shek(蒋中正), who also entertained VIP guests here. Renovated after a serious fire, the chateau now has an exhibit hall and restaurant, and has been reborn as an art salon. Next, take the bus to the Yangmingshuwu (阳明书屋) stop. The interior of Yangmingshuwu, just a few steps away to the left, still looks as it did when Chiang Kai-shek and Madame Chiang resided here.
White Curling Mist, and Flowers for All Seasons — Zhuzihu
Ride the bus deeper and higher into Yangmingshan, to the last stop: Zhuzihu. Long, long ago, this was the site of a natural barrier lake formed as a result of volcanic activity. The water eventually drained away, leaving a fertile valley. In earlier times arrow bamboo and moso bamboo grew here, giving rise to the “Zhuzihu” (竹子湖Bamboo Lake) name.
Thick fog often collects in this mountain depression, and often while the sun is shining brightly down below in the city, this area is shrouded in ethereal mists. Adding lovely color to the mist-framed setting is the parade of legions of flowers that bloom from spring through autumn. Follow the Bamboo Lake Circular Trail (湖底环状步道) into an oasis of flower fields, which each year from February through May are alive with swaying calla lilies. Colorful hydrangeas take the stage from mid-May through June, sunflowers are the stars of the show from late July through mid-August, while oceans of flowering silver grass own the autumn, swaying in the breeze.
After this grand day-long tour, head back down on the bus to the Beitou Park stop, and replenish your energy with dinner at Penglai Restaurant (蓬莱餐厅), not far from the stop on the left. This restaurant specializes in authentic traditional Beitou's tavern dishes. The crispy fried pork and “Buddha jumps over the wall”(佛跳墙) are most popular with aficionados, presenting you with a splendid taste-bud journey that is the perfect way to cap the most pleasant of outings.
Notes on the Beitou – Zhuzihu Route Buses
The Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism (台北市政府观光传播局) has arranged three separate types of bus for this route, with “Hot Springs”, “Nature, and “Touring” themes. Each has different ring-pulls, headrest covers, and music. In addition, eco-writer Liu Kexiang (刘克襄), a long-time nature observer who is keen on using public transport to get to and from walks and hikes, has been invited to record an audio-guide explaining scenic sights along the route, providing interesting culture and nature tales for passengers to listen to during the ride. Buses run every 20~50 minutes on the route; please check the schedule when planning an outing.
Tel: (02)2893-7723
Bus Schedule Website:
www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Schedule/
1. Thermal Valley, a place of thick sulfurous steam, has long been a Beitou tourist draw.
2. A Taiwan Tourist Shuttle “Beitou – Zhuzihu Route” bus.
3. Original Japanese-era elements preserved at the Beitou Hot Spring Museum include archways and mosaic stained glass.
4. Exhibit display area inside the Plum Garden heritage residence.
5. Verdant Beitou Park, through which a bubbling, boiling hot-spring stream snakes.
6. Curry beef noodles, a signature dish at Su Jia Shimian Maifu.
7. Yangmingshan’s iconic Flower Clock, a tapestry of colorful flowers.
8. Liuhuang (Sulfur) Valley, a major Japanese-era site for sulfur collection.
9. Enjoy the heritage architecture and afternoon tea in the Grass Mountain Chateau restaurant.
10. Things have been left as they were in Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek’s day at Yangmingshuwu.
11. Walk the Bamboo Lake Circular Trail, deep into an oasis of flower fields.
12. Different Beitou-Zhuzihu Route buses have different covers on ring-pulls.
13. A Penglai Restaurant specialty, crispy fried pork.
It’s September, autumn is coming and it’s the perfect time for outdoor activities. A superb lineup of large-scale Taipei events is being rolled out starting at the end of September, including the Taipei Confucius Temple Culture Festival (台北孔庙文化季), Beitou Hot Spring Museum Centennial Celebration (北投温泉博物馆百年庆), Taipei Season of Hot Spring (台北温泉季), Dream Community Dream Carnival (奇幻农村梦想嘉年华), and Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival (台北客家义民嘉年华). They highlight the culture, sightseeing, creativity, and folk customs in Taipei. Don’t miss out on all the fun!
Taipei Confucius Temple Culture Festival – A Fascinating exploration of Confucian Culture
Each year on September 29th the Confucius Ceremony (释奠典礼) is held at the Taipei Confucius Temple to commemorate the Great Sage on his birthday. Many local and foreign tourists attend, as do Confucianism research groups. As always, this year’s ceremony will take place from 6 to 7 am.
The Confucius Ceremony is a complete and faithful display of the ancient national-grade Three Consecrations (三献) rites. The traditional Eight Tones Musical Instruments (八音乐器) are used to play the elegant Dacheng Suite (大成乐章) from the Song Dynasty (宋朝) presented in rites to honor Confucius, and the Yayue Yi Dance (雅乐佾舞), which had its birth in palace performances of the Ming Dynasty (明代), is also presented. The ceremony features 37 distinct rites, including Opening the Gates (启扉), Welcoming the Spirit (迎神), Presenting the Sacrificial Feast (进馔), Offering Incense (上香), Three Offerings (三献礼), and Escorting the Spirit (送神). After the ceremony, Taipei Mayor Hau Lungbin (台北市市长郝龙斌) will pass out Wisdom Cakes (智慧糕) and event souvenirs to attendees.
In recent years the Taipei Confucius Temple has expanded the event into the Taipei Confucius Temple Culture Festival with the addition of a range of activities. The “Storytelling under the Confucius Temple Trees” (孔庙树下讲古) is slated in October and November, in which culture and history experts talk about the story of Confucius and of the temple itself. For details on festival activities, visit the official Taipei Confucius Temple website. After an enlightening temple tour, be sure to explore other attractions in the surrounding Dalongtong area, notably Baoan Temple (保安宫), Linsheng Garden (邻圣苑), and Dalong St. Night Market (大龙夜市).
2013 Dream Carnival – A Boldly Creative and Colorful Art Parade
The Dream Community Culture and Education Development Foundation (梦想社区文教发展基金会) has been staging the Dream Carnival (梦想嘉年华) since 2002. On a scale with well-known overseas carnivals, its wonderful and whimsical grand street-art parade has become a highlight of autumn in Taipei. The parade this year is on October 19th, and will set out from Liberty Square at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正纪念堂自由广场). In addition to the many exuberant local troupes, there will also be artists and troupes from Nice, New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, Asakusa, Bali, and other faraway places. You’re also warmly invited to sign up your own team to join in the raucous fun.
The Dream Community Culture and Education Development Foundation has long been involved in community development, and seeks to blend the art of festivities, fun and play, creativity, courage, and warm-hearted enthusiasm into everyday life. The Foundation’s goal is to instill hope and expectations of ever better days into the residents, and to encourage one and all to follow their dreams. The foundation plants the seeds of art in Taiwan’s rural villages and urban communities, and travels the world to learn from the distinctive carnival celebrations in other countries, bringing their unique elements back home to stimulate local creativity.
The carnival festivities are divided into two sections, unfolding with a parade from 2 to 6 pm, which, after leaving Liberty Square, will proceed along Zhongshan South Road (中山南路) to the Jingfu Gate (景福门) traffic circle, along Sec. 1 of Ren’ai Road (仁爱路一段) to Linsen South Road (林森南路), and back along Ren’ai to Ketagalan Boulevard (凯达格兰大道). An evening celebration party will then be held on the boulevard starting at 6 pm. Want to show the world just what makes you so unique? Come on out and dive into the Dream Carnival creative whirlwind!
Beitou Hot Spring Museum Centennial Celebration – A Taste of Old Beitou
This year is the centennial of Beitou Park and the Beitou Hot Spring Museum or more precisely, the Beitou Public Baths (北投温泉公共浴场), where the museum is today housed. The Taipei City Government is staging the Beitou Hot Spring Museum Centennial Celebration, making this year’s Taipei Season of Hot Spring (2013台北温泉季) bigger than ever.
The centennial celebration, which has already started, includes the “Century of Springs” (百年泉涌) special exhibit at the museum, in which displays and interactive installations take visitors back to the Japanese era via Japanese documentary-film footage. Visitors may also listen to lyrical Beitou ballads and learn about the changes seen over the museum building’s history, as well as the culture of Beitou hot spring. Take in the 2013 Taiwan Moon Lute Folk Music Festival (2013台湾月琴民谣祭) in September, which will feature painted yueqin (月琴; also known as moon lute); nearly a hundred decoratively painted moon lutes will grace the hot spring museum as installation art, there will be moon-lute lectures and music concerts on weekends, and “Tradition, Incense, Sentiment between Generations” (传承、香火、世代情) Taiwan folk-ballad parties on the lawn outside the hot spring museum on September 28th and 29th. This grand music-party blast will feature such well-known musicians as Chen Mingchang (陈明章), Lin Shengxiang (林生祥), and Li Binghui (李炳辉).
The museum centennial activities reach their peak from the middle of October through November. “Voices of the People down Beitou Alleys” (北投巷弄传唱人声) gatherings are being held on October 5th and 12th, featuring local Beitou chorus and nakashi (那卡西) talent singing Beitou ballads. November 4th boasts “Elegance Eternal: Beitou Arts One Hundred” (风华永现 • 北投艺百), a parade carnival of decorated floats. Be in Beitou this autumn, and be part of something special.
2013 Taipei Season of Hot Spring – A Feast of Song in Beitou
Beitou, which enjoys three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Taiwan tourist guidebook, is blessed with many ecological and cultural resources. The area was originally inhabited by members of the plains-dwelling Ketagalan tribe (凯达格兰族), who called the area “Patauw,” meaning witch or sorceress – and origin of the Chinese “Beitou.” You’ll thus see many witch figures at Taipei Season of Hot Spring events, such as the “Witches Singing Concert” (女巫欢唱会), and you can also buy attractive witch-theme merchandise.
This year’s activities are spread over four days, from October 11th to 14th. There will be a “Love Beitou” (爱心北投) cultural-creative market with nostalgic kid-themed merchandise, “Beitou Elegance” (北投风华) photography exhibit, Beitou District Office (北投区公所) cultural-creative merchandise DIY sessions, and more. The area’s distinctive nakashi culture will be integrated into the various festival activities, and there will be a song-on-demand experience during the Witches Singing Concert on the opening day. Members of the public can request whichever songs they desire – Japanese enka (ballads), old Taipei songs, Mandarin love songs, whatever they like – and belt them out to their heart’s content.
A highlight of the October 12th parade will be the presence of a grand clockwork mechanism and deity palanquin associated with Japan’s famed Dogo Onsen hot-spring resort. On the evening of October 13th the Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera (明华园歌仔戏) troupe will give an outdoor performance, and on the evening of October 14th the Beitou Outdoor Cinema will replicate scenes of old-time Beitou where the public would gather out of doors to watch plays and films.
“Beitou Hot Spring Tour Shuttles” (温泉专车游北投) will ply the district on October 12th and 13th, bringing visitors to the Ketagalan Culture Center (凯达格兰文化馆), Beitou Hot Spring Museum, Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch (台北市立图书馆北投分馆), Beitou Public Assembly Hall (北投公民会馆), Plum Garden (梅庭), Thermal Valley (地热谷), and other well-known Beitou attractions, making moving around the area easy and comfortable.
Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival – A Grand Folk Event
“Yimin Ye” (义民爷), often translated as “Lords of the Righteous,” are Qing Dynasty (清朝) Hakka ancestors who sacrificed their lives defending Hakka settlements from bandits and other enemies. Over time they came to be revered and worshiped by the Hakka community, and the annual Yimin Festival (义民爷祭典), held in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, has become a key celebration for the Taiwan Hakka ethnic group. This will be the 26th year for the Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival (台北客家义民嘉年华), the core concept of which being “Holy Incense Procession - Bless and Protect the People” (圣香遶境、福佑万民). The festival ties together the Hakka communities of the greater Taipei area, Hsinchu County (新竹县), Miaoli County (苗栗县) and other counties in Taiwan, and the Lords of the Righteous from 26 Yimin Temples around Taiwan are being invited to the grand rites and festivities.
On October 18th at 3:30 pm, after the 26 Lords of the Righteous icons from around Taiwan have arrived in Taipei, a procession will proceed from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to Yongkang Street. This will be followed by “Taipei Hakka Night” (台北客家之夜), featuring unique performances representative of Taipei City welcoming the members from all Hakka communities – especially Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Pingtung County (屏东县) - to come to celebrate with citizens of Taipei, regaling them with a masterly parade-formation competition.
The highlight of the festival is “greeting the spirits procession” (迎神遶境) on October 19th, which will depart from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall at 8:30 am and move along Sec. 1 of Roosevelt Road (罗斯福路一段), Nanhai Road (南海路), Nanchang Road (南昌路), Sec. 3 of Roosevelt Road (罗斯福路三段), Xinhai Road (辛亥路), and Sec. 3 of Tingzhou Road (汀州路三段), winding up at Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park (台北市客家文化主题公园). Incense burner tables will be set up along the way for devotees to make offerings, and troupes from the various Yimin temples will put on lively traditional temple-fair zhentou (阵头) or “battle-array formation” performances. The grand Settling of the Positive Energies of the Righteous Lords (义民爷安座) ceremony will be carried out at the Hakka cultural park.
On October 20th at 8 am is the unusual Carrying-Pole Rice Presentation to the Gods (挑担奉饭). This custom, over a century old, arose from the practice of Hakka women carrying supplies to the front lines when Hakka braves were away defending the community. It has become a highlight in the Yimin Festival. The poles of the hauling teams are loaded down with rich offerings of food, fruit, flowers, and other items. Both poles and carriers are decked in gorgeously resplendent Hakka-theme decorations. This year’s army of carrying-pole teams is looking to be the largest ever.
The carrying-pole teams will go from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall all the way to the Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park, and a parade will be staged at the same time. The combined activities will feature six creative teams that will showcase the following themes: “Hundred Foot Poles” (百尺竿头) or Hakka carrying poles; “Hundred Flowers in Bloom” (百花齐放) or Hakka oil-paper umbrellas; “Hundred Drum Crescendo” (百鼓齐鸣) or Hakka flower drums (客家花鼓); “A Hundred Years of Elegance” (百年风华) or Hakka floral fabrics; “A Hundred Expressions, a Thousand Poses” (百态千姿) or Hakka tea-picking dance; and “A Hundred Banners Fluttering” (百幡飘扬) or Hakka command flags. The creative clothing, physical movement and language you’ll witness are intrinsic elements that make the Hakka unique.
At 11 am that same morning a solemn ceremony will be staged at the Hakka cultural park in which thanks is given to the Yimin for their bravery and sacrifice in defending their brethren, expressing the spirit of reverence with which the Hakka hold their ancestors. On October 21st at 9 am will be the grand Sending Off of the Deities (送神大典) ceremony for the visiting gods, in which time-honored rituals are exactly followed and blessing prayers expressing gratitude to the deities are read aloud, bringing the Yimin Festival to a fulfilling conclusion.
1. Each year the Confucius Ceremony is held at Taipei Confucius Temple to commemorate the Great Sage on his birthday, attracting many locals and foreigners.
2. The Confucius Ceremony is a complete and faithful display of the ancient national-grade Three Consecrations rites.
3. After the Confucius Ceremony Taipei Mayor Hau Lungbin right cuts and passes out Wisdom Cakes to attendees.
4-6. The Dream Carnival is a highlight of the Taipei fall season; on a scale with well-known overseas carnivals, and artist troupes from overseas participate.
7. The Beitou Hot Spring Museum will have yueqin discussion and music sessions in September.
8. The Beitou Hot Spring Museum’s centennial celebration includes the Century of Springs special exhibit.
9. “Voices of the People Down Beitou Alleys” celebrate the Beitou ballad-singing tradition.
10-12. The busy and diverse Beitou Hot Spring Season program includes a Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera performance, a street parade, and the Love Beitou cultural-creative market.
13. A Beitou Hot Spring Season highlight will be the inclusion of a grand clockwork mechanism and deity palanquin from Japan.
14. The Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival’s “greeting the spirits procession.”
15. Dancing dragon performance at the main ceremony.
16. Traditional temple-fair zhentou or “battle-array formation” troupes from Yimin temples around the country will participate.
17. The Carrying-Pole Rice Presentation to the Gods, honoring the Righteous Lords, is a festival highlight.
2013 Taipei Confucius Temple Culture Festival 2013台北孔庙文化季
Time: 9/28, 06:00~ 07:00
Venue: Taipei Confucius Temple (台北市孔庙)
Tel: (02)2592-3934
Website: www.ct.taipei.gov.tw
Confucius Ceremony
(advance ticket request required)
Venue Entry:
9/28, 05:30~06:00 (ticket required for entry, nofurther admission once ceremony underway)
Individual Ticket Request:
9/12~ 9/15 , 09:00~12:00 and 14:00~17:00, limit of 400 tickets (2 tickets per person)
Ticket Request on Day of Ceremony:
9/28, 05:30~06:00, at temple’s Hong Gate office, 100 tickets available
2013 Dream Community Dream Carnival
2013奇幻农村梦想嘉年华
Time: 10/19
Venue: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall→Ketagalan Blvd. (中正纪念堂→凯达格兰大道)
Tel: (02)2695-9393
Website: dreamcommunity.org.tw
Beitou Hot Spring Museum Centennial Celebration 北投温泉博物馆百年庆
Time: Until 11/4
Venue: 2 Zhongshan Rd. (中山路2号)
Tel: (02)2893-9981
Website: beitoumuseum.taipei.gov.tw
2013 Taipei Season of Hot Spring
2013台北温泉季
Time: 10/11~10/14
Venue: MRT Xinbeitou Station Plaza, Qixing Park across road on station’s south side (新北投捷运站广场及南侧道路七星公园)
Tel: (02)2895-5418
Website: www.taipeisprings.org.tw
2013 Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival
2013台北客家义民嘉年华
Time: 10/18~10/21
Venue: Hakka Cultural Park, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (客家文化主题公园、中正纪念堂)
As Taipei bids for World Design Capital in 2016, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs is hosting a variety of design exhibitions. Focused on the city’s residents, and emphasizing the idea that everyone is a designer, the 2013 Taiwan Design Expo X Taipei Design & City Exhibition (2013台湾设计展暨台北设计城市展) will run to September 29th at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文创园区). Winding up on September 30th is the 2013 Meet Taipei: Design (2013台北街角遇见设计) event, which is being staged in the city’s East District (城东), Zhongshan-Shuanglian (中山双连) area, Neihu District, and Wenshan District (文山区). Creativity is brought into everyday life via workshops, lectures, exhibits, artistic performances, and self-guided initiatives, sprouting pleasant surprises at many street corners.
2013 Taiwan Design Expo X Taipei Design & City Exhibition: Design – Inspiring a Wave of Social Design
A city’s forward momentum is supported by its citizens, and to encourage urban renewal and public participation, the interactive community website Change Taipei (changetaipei.net) went online in July. The 2013 Taiwan Design Expo X Taipei Design & City Exhibition is also up and running at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, with the hope of promoting social design through a design-driven civilian population. Public suggestions and ideas for the city have also been integrated into the event.
The display in Warehouse No. 4 (4号仓库) concentrates on Taipei urban-development issues, introducing the public to the challenges faced by the city and the role design can play in resolving them. Warehouse No. 5 (5号仓库) is a platform for the public to make changes. One and all are invited to join the “Stir Project” (搅动计划) and “Design District” (设计街区) initiatives in every corner of the city, which embody the “social design” (社会设计) spirit of Taipei City in the face of urban-development issues.
This is the first year the Taipei Design & City Exhibition is being staged together with the Taiwan Design Expo, hosted by the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (经济部工业局), creating a synergistic experience for all visitors. In conjunction with the city's bid for World Design Capital in 2016, the theme for this year's expo is "Adaptive City" (不断提升的城市), and everyone is invited to explore their creativity, using design to make the city ever more attractive.
2013 Meet Taipei: Design Opening Up a City of Imagination
2013 Meet Taipei: Design (2013台北街角遇见设计) begins with the concept of “Creative Corners, Big Connections” (街角创意大串联). Many different shops in the four city neighborhoods have transformed themselves by creatively decorating their facades or interiors, adding surprises and a sense of anticipation to our life.
From August 1st to September 30th, flash performances will spring up on street corners, and physical theater workshops will teach you how to move with the rhythms of the city. Urban creative actions are being independently planned and carried out for the Big Connections initiative by stores and businesses from different fields, design firms, and arts groups, bringing something fresh to our daily routine. Explore the lanes and alleys and feast your eyes on outstanding works from the annual Young Designers’ Exhibition (新一代设计展). You may also dive into the splendid diversity of exhibits, workshops, lectures, and open houses featuring a wide range of urban issues. Through exploration of the city’s colors and sounds, and via observation and experience, citizens will discover this city’s many beauties and the joys of design.
The wide spectrum of exciting design exhibitions aims to make Taipei renowned to the world as a place of pride and vitality. So come on out and join this grand design-concept movement!
Information
2013 Taiwan Design Expo X Taipei Design & City Exhibition
2013台湾设计展暨台北设计城市展
Time: Until 9/29
Venue: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文创园区)