In response to such issues as an aging population and low birthrates, the Executive Yuan has declared 2019 “year one” of its regional revitalization policy, hoping to recharge local economies through development strategies that integrate community development, local industries and the cultural and creative industries.
In this month’s Cover Story, we look at regional revitalization efforts in townships across Taiwan. We visit “co-living communities” to explore the transition from “living together” to “co-living.” We examine how locally rooted Taberu magazines integrate food, agriculture, arts and travel to stimulate urban‡rural exchanges and revive local economies. And we go to the little town of Zhushan, which is turning around its local industries and attracting young people to return home, creating a new recipe for renewal that has even been exported overseas.
The most beautiful things in Taiwan are based on goodheartedness. The mothers of the group “Parks and Playgrounds for Children by Children” mobilize through social media to influence the renovation of playground equipment by government agencies. We also tell the story of “Super-Doctor” Hsu Chao-pin, who used to travel over 1000 kilometers a week to watch over the health of remote communities in southern Taitung County.
On the Penghu Islands, O2 Lab fashions marine debris into artworks, while on Taiwan proper the group RE-THINK promotes beach cleaning islandwide. Taiwanese people’s unique enthusiasm is also expressed in Wanjin’s Madonna procession, which incorporates local culture into Christian worship and was officially designated a cultural asset in 2012. In 2018 the procession was held in conjunction with an event at a nearby Taoist temple, bringing together the Virgin Mary and Mazu and providing further evidence of the diversity and inclusiveness of Taiwanese society.
In the Indian epic poem the Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman travels with Rama to battle the demon king Ravana. In Southeast Asia, heroic Hanuman is a household name. Some scholars say the monkey king Sun Wukong in Journey to the West is based on Hanuman. Others even argue that Momotaro, the “peach boy” of Japanese folklore, is derived from him. We visit this monkey god at the Children’s Creative Center of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum, and see how he teaches children about diverse elements of Asian culture.
We also report on the commemorative activities for the late Kung Te-cheng, senior lineal descendant of Confucius. These stories take us on surprising and enriching journeys into Taiwan’s culture. Thanks to your support, we are not alone on this path of bringing the beauty of Taiwan to light.
