The platform looks out over the Tamsui River banks and stretches from Dihua Sports Park to Huanhe North Road (環河北路), connecting with Dunhuang Wharf (敦煌碼頭). The platform copies the approach taken by the city with the large-scale cross-dike platform at the Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park. Walk along the sports park’s rose-pattern promenade and look up at the threestory platform landscape. White is the primary color, punctuated with special semi-circular hanging cables, and the circular entrance arch symbolizes the old Taipei walled city. Its protruding riverside location has made it a prominent new Taipei-entryway landmark.

The platform ties together a string of key city attractions, including the Taipei Confucius Temple (臺北孔廟), Dalongdong Baoan Temple (大龍峒保安宮), Dalong Street Night Market (大龍街夜市), Taipei Expo Park (花博公園), and Taipei Fine Arts Museum (臺北市立美術館). It also provides panoramic views over the Tamsui River and its riverside-park areas. Yao Wen-cheng (姚文成), head of the Dihua Sewage Treatment Plant (迪化污水處理廠), states that the viewing platform can accommodate approximately 3,000 people, and that it has family water-play facilities as well as a stage area where outdoor performances, shows, and various other activities will be periodically put on for the enjoyment of visitors. At night the platform’s circular arch is lit up in radiant purplish-red, the glass screens continually change color, reflected in the nearby surface waters, to add extra scenic value. As one can well imagine, this is an especially good spot for sweethearts when night falls.

One lazy afternoon soon, take a breezy bike ride to the viewing platform and take in one of its outdoor shows, then revel in the lovely nightly sunset show over the river, enjoying leisurely living, the Taipei way!

]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=7ED3ECFCFCCA8DE4Have you noticed anything different about the streets of Taipei when you're outside? Bright colors have begun to appear on the formerly drab cement walls, on the streets, on the pillars of elevated bridges, or on some corner walls.

Taipei became the 5th World Design Capital on the 19th of October 2014, and actively began a series of urban remodeling activities, among which “Creating a City with Design Vision” is a core plan. To this end, Taipei City Government has invited many artists and designers to engage in inter-disciplinary cooperation, and make Taipei's urban scenery more varied and interesting by beautifying and changing streetscapes.

Color Paintings on Transformers and Walls: Creating Surprises on the Streets

The creative remodeling of outdoor units has been a rising international trend over the last ten years, most commonly by painting transformer boxes. There are thousands of these boxes in Taipei, and Dalongdong is the pilot area in which boxes have been painted. Local residents, artists and designers have worked together, fusing Dalongdong's culture and rich history and creating brilliant work connected to the environment and displaying local characteristics. At present, 28 transformers in 12 areas have been painted. For example, the artist Chen Duol-ong (陳多龍) transformed a transformer box near Dalongdong Baoan Temple (大龍峒保安宮) into a roadside guardian by using the themes of dragons playing with pearls and stone lions.

Other districts, including Zhongzheng District and Zhongshan District have also highlighted the community's character through art and creativity, led by local figures. For example, local elders were invited to recount history in Zhongzheng District, and cooperated with art groups to depict history in wall paintings. Furthermore, famous artists such as Xu Kuang-kuang (許匡匡) and Juju were invited to attend last year's “Street Fun, Fun Street” Community Art Festival (「街大歡囍」社區藝術節), with the assistance of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, for four consecutive years. An impressionistic painting of Chifeng Street (赤峰街) was created on the street's walls, turning it into one of Taipei's new cultural strongholds.

Elevated Bridge Pillar Paintings – Combining the Environment and Childish Curiosity

Aside from this, color paintings on the pillars of elevated bridges in two districts of Taipei were completed in 2014, including Xinsheng (新生) and MRT Huzhou Station (捷運葫洲站) elevated bridges. Young artists were invited to paint on the pillars of Xinsheng Elevated Bridge at the intersection of Nanjing East Road (南京東路) and Changchun Road (長春路) through cooperation between the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government (臺北市政府文化局) and university departments related to design, combining the environment, surrounding structures, and unique local scenery to create characterful, varied works of art. Animals popular with kids, including Formosan black bears, Taipei green tree frogs, koalas, and pandas, can be seen in the paintings. The paintings on the pillars of MRT Huzhou Station elevated bridge, situated in Neihu, combine the art and the environment in a similar way, via a modularized design which uses simple, well-executed lines to present the technological, cultural and artistic characteristics of Neihu District.

Old streets have been given new meaning through creative art and design, and alley culture has been passed on through art, making a more artistic city. When you're wandering the city’s streets – perhaps you'll run into a painting that will make you smile!

]]>Tue, 28 Apr 2015 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=029BDA849C6C07BBThis year is the 130th anniversary of this city's founding. You'll find a comprehensive array of architectural styles spread throughout the neighborhoods of this sprawling metropolis, and each heritage structure has its own special tale to contribute to the story of Taipei. Each also contributes to the city's cultural nourishment, and is a window into the special beauty of its history. Two prime examples are the Futai Street Mansion (撫臺街洋樓) and Kishu An (紀州庵), both official city heritage sites, where the photography and literary arts are combined to reproduce the elegance of the past and showcase the beauty of the old walled city.

Futai Street Mansion – A New Base for Photographic Art

Futai Street Mansion was built in 1910 for use as a store. Wood and stone are prominent structural features, and there are also numerous unique architectural motifs and symbols, such as the ground-level four-pillared, three-section arcade, a steeply slanted roof on the façade side, and dormer windows that let both natural light and fresh air flow in. The building has continued to stand tall and proud through the later years of the Japanese era and the modern Republic of China era, and was declared a city heritage site in 1997. Today the mansion's primary role is to serve as “Taipei Photography Center” (臺北攝影中心), staging photography-related exhibitions, activities, and talks. Photography art is used to present Taipei’s culture, and the photos act as a bridge between the past and present.

The facility's first exhibit in this role, “A Photo Exhibition of Taipei City in the 1940s” (臺北城風情特展), is focused on Japanese-era Taiwanese photographer Li Huozeng (李火增). Photos he took between 1938 and 1942 vividly depict local life in that era. Curator Jian Yongbin (簡永彬) has filled the exhibit space with photography books, magazines, and exhibition posters collected by the photography planning and research studio Sunnygate Phototimes (夏門攝影企劃研究室). Another interesting space at the mansion is the rooftop terrace at the rear, where architecture professor He Junxian (何俊賢) has created a small urban farm as a model promoting “urban granary” ecology and green concepts.

Kishu An – Creating a “Forest of Literature”

Built in 1917, Kishu An was a typical Japanesestyle dormitory residence, comprising a main building, secondary building, and annex. Unfortunately, the main building and annex suffered two separate fires a decade or so ago, leaving only the long secondary structure intact. This facility was originally used for upscale banquets, and one can imagine the grandiosity. To give people a clearer glimpse of the past, the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government (臺北市政府文化局), restored this heritage structure, and on May 25th this year held a grand “Municipal Heritage Site – Kishu An” reopening ceremony. Integrated with the Kishu An Forest of Literature (紀州庵文學森林), a new building constructed in 2011, the duo present a brand-new look at history.

Located in the city's south, this was once a favorite meeting place for the literati as well as for publishing and books tore profes s ional s . For thi s reason a literary theme has been chosen for the site, and the architecture has been allowed to tell its own story. In combination with the Kishu An Forest of Literature, an attractive venue of static exhibitions and lecture events has been created. There are also cross-culture activities such as stage theater, puppet theater, and traditional nanguan (南管) musical performances, as well as teaarts talks, new book launches, and children's story-house presentations. Interweaving traditional aesthetics and literature, the old and new architectural facilities at this attraction have been transformed into a multi-diverse bastion of the arts.

Walk through Taipei's old walled city area and surroundings and you’ll feel that you can “read” a little bit more of the city’s story with each venerable structure you encounter. The addition of a cultural-arts focus brings even more dynamism to selected revitalized buildings, highlighting their unique heritage character and helping us delve deeper into Taipei’s history, better grasping a historical tale told nowhere else.

Taipei Songshan Airport is going through a renaissance of sorts, reimagining itself and taking on new functions and a new look. It remains a key island hub for business travelers, and now a little fun is being added to the airport experience with an observation deck that gives great views of the surrounding cityscape. The old airport of the past 40 years is no more; instead, with the opening of new observation deck, it has recast itself as a tourist destination in its own right.

The deck, on the roof of Terminal 2, is the only observation deck in Taiwan specially designed for watching aircraft taking-off and landing. The observation space is large, measuring about 1,800 square meters, and can accommodate 500 to 600 people comfortably. It is set up like a lounge, has been designed for comfort, and has attractive wood flooring and comfy chairs. The environment is clean, neatly arranged, and safe, and features seating from the celebrated Twig series, imported from Spain. Created by Alexander Lotersztain (who has been called one of the world's ten most influential designers) the modular seats double as sculptures, and are visually very pleasing. At night they radiate a wonderful soft glow that adds even more to their chic look and feel.

The deck also has an area for light foods and drinks, and sitting down with a nice cup of coffee while taking-in the 180-degree panorama is a fine way to wile away the time. The view encompasses the Miramar Entertainment Park with its rooftop Ferris wheel, Dajia Riverside Park, and the Grand Hotel, all backed by the majestic Datun Mountain Range. As night falls, the colorful lights of the city are lit, adding an air of romance and making this a popular spot for sweethearts.

Another new and interesting attraction at Songshan Airport is the special display wall that has been set up on the third floor of Terminal 2, showing all the various types of aircraft flown by airlines operating out of the airport. You'll find this a great help when heading back up to the deck for a round of plane-spotting. Whatever time of day you come — in the bright afternoon, as dusk arrives, or during the twinkling night hours — your outlook on Taipei will change. Why not come at several different times, and get to know the international city of Taipei in all its moods!

Near Taipei's MRT Jiantan Station is the famous Shilin Night Market , a must-experience site for travelers to Taipei from overseas. Soon another facility sure to become a tourist icon will open nearby— the Taipei Performing Arts Center , another sterling stage for presentation of the best in arts and culture in this city.

Impressive Design Innovation

Seeking to foster the development of local artistic talent, the city govt. announced its Taipei Performing Arts Center initiative in 1997. The site for the facility—one to be of novel type and function—near the MRT station and renowned night market was chosen in 2007.

A total of 136 architectural outfits from 24 countries submitted competition proposals to win the right to lead the TPAC building project. On a visit to the United States in 2008, Taipei City Mayor Hau Lungbin invited Mohsen Mostafavi, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, to head the TPAC selection committee, on which sat an illustrious who's who of architectural scholars, master architects,and experts from the theatrical world. From among the international competition's many brilliant designs,OMA's design emerged atop. Its design evoked the idea of a “magic cube,”with all theatrical facilities contained within the cube and the audience seating outside of it, in extensions to the four sides.

There is to be one large theatre, seating 1,500,and two smaller theatres that each seat 800, one a semi-circular proscenium theatre and the other a multi-functional theat re in a square shape. Though al l three wi l l funct ion independent ly,combinations can be effected to create a“super theatre”seating 2,300 and more. The flexibility of the stage accommodations are intended to cultivate maximum creative experimentation and innovation. Another progressive design element will be to clad the cube in corrugated glass, allowing those without to see within; the intent is that those passing by will be intrigued by the action inside and will be attracted to attend the stage happenings. A public trajectory inside the cube allows those inside to see parts of the backstage areas that are hidden in the typical theatre, allowing precious glimpses into the magic of the theatrical world.

Inspired by the Taiwan Night Market

Rem Koolhaas was the leader of the OMA design team. Among his many, many celebrated accomplishments have been the Netherlands Dance Theater, Kunsthal in Rotterdam, and Casa da Musica in Porto, Portugal. OMA partner David Gianotten says that a major source of the inspiration for the OMA submission was, of all things, the Taiwan night-market tempura stand. Design team members were in town searching for ideas, and marvelled how the stand could produce so many food options using such a small space. The secret was compartmentalizing the space, cutting it up for maximum efficiency.

The team was seeking to create an adaptive multifunctional facility that could accommodate both traditional and modern productions as well as warehouse-style capacity to handle special works of unusual dimension.“We decided we'd try a new way of building theatre never attempted before,”he says, following the idea that the theatre experience is not just what is presented to the audience by the players on stage, but the entire production process, which should as much as possible be exposed to theatregoers.“Designing TPAC was remarkably challenging,and remarkably rewarding.”

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The station is an advanced multi-function building that has 31 floors above ground and five below. It has a steel structure, and all transfer facilities are located on the first level. Department-store outlets are found from the second underground level to the 7th floor, and hotels are located from the 8th right up to the 31st floor. Go to the 2nd floor and you'll be able to enjoy an outdoor platform with attractive plants and water landscaping, giving the building and surroundings the look and feel of an urban oasis. The station is at the moment serving 14 inter-city bus companies offering 19 routes, bringing all of these companies' stations, formerly all located within 500 meters of the new station, under one roof. Whatever your transport needs, this facility will accommodate them—bus service, MRT trains, buses to other counties and cities, even express buses to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport ,hooking you up with cities around the world. This is a transit center of broad ambition, operating on the largest of scales.

Beyond its key role in shouldering transit traffic, another key function of the new facility is to serve as a portal to the Xinyi commercial district. In this area of concentrated premium-quality business enterprise, you will find a collection of five-star international hotels, four large-scale Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department-store outlets, the eslite bookstore flagship outlet, Taipei 101, and the Vieshow Cinemas complex.The attractions are myriad, the reasons why shoppers and people on business stream into the enclave obvious.

Not too far down the road, in October, another reason will come online at the very top of the station, the Uni-President Hankyu Department Store positioning itself as an OL (Office Lady) women's fashion department store. The newopening news will then keep on coming, with two more five-star international hotels scheduled to throw open their doors at the end of the year: the W Hotel Taipei will be located right inside the City Hall Bus Station on the 8th through 31st floors, and Le Meridien Taipei will open nearby. The two are sure to draw even more daytrippers and travelers to the district.

The reports on things new do not stop here,however. An underground pedestrian pathway now connects the new bus station, MRT City Hall Station, and Taipei City Hall. It stretches more than 300 meters, running between Zhongxiao E. Rd. and Songgao Rd. . The north end is linked with the MRT station, the south with Taipei City Hall and President Enterprise Corporation Tower . Movement through the area to handle affairs with government offices,attend events in the plaza fronting City Hall, or head off a bit further above-ground for shopping and entertainment is now even faster and more comfortable, with the hot sun, wind, and rain no
longer a bother. In the future, shops will line both sides of the tunnel, with business hours matching the operating hours of the MRT system, 5 am to 1 am each day. This city is systematically making the life of the pedestrian more pleasant, and this is one more example.

]]>Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=0B0E8837D4A9AE51

MRT Jiantan Station is an imposing, intricate public-art installation situated in Shilin along the Tamsui Line, standing proudlyagainst the wind. The striking architectural design, sleek and modern, yet encapsulating a nod to cultural tradition, has made it a public favorite, considered one of the most appealing landmarks in the city's north.

Work on this station was statrted in October, 1990. The prestigious firm T.Y. Lin Taiwan Consulting Engineers was behindthe vision and the construction. The virtual curtain was lifted on the completed masterpiece three years and eight months later, thefinal cost totalling NT$1.14 billion, and the complex went into formal operation in March, 1997. The sleek, sweeping structure at first glance seems to follow the rules of classic Chinese architecture, but there were complications that have been ingeniously overcome-the“flying”station, designed in the distinctive shape of the traditional Chinese dragon boat, straddles the busy 40-meter-wide road belowwithout dropping any traffic-impeding support pillars. Its massive roof, suspended from high-tension steel cables, is designed to withstand the impact of the most severe typhoon.

The metal covering plates have been creatively rendered to resemble the green-tile glazing of traditional architecture, and theoverall effect is of a massive white dragon boat slicing through the city. At night, the long necklaces of lanterns strung from head to tail look like floating pearls, the effect bedazzling. This is a one-of-a-kind public-transport station that is an unique artwork, and when you step inside the sense of thrill continues, for the open, unobstructed lines allow superb vistas of the emerald-green Yangmingshan, the majestic Grand Hotel to flow in. Your travel experience becomes an aesthetic feast of the senses.

Early on in the planning process, the Taipei City Government recognized the potential for using the station at Jiantan as a modelfor the city's sleek look and new approach to people circulation. The station is located on the old railway line to the port of Tamsui, meaning clear views of the enticing scenic surroundings. With the result that clearly pleased the public, this wondrous architectural expression was recognized with a prestigious award for excellence by Architect magazine in 1997. The station has itself established a reputation as a tourist destination, and you will always see travelers from the island milling about and snapping photos. It makes for the perfect postcard shot-an outstanding design by mankind in the foreground, and more outstanding mountainous design by Mother Nature, serving as backdrop. The night-time shots are equally superlative, a sleek craft sailing through the night, lit up against the inky darkness by a sparkling pearl-lantern necklace.

You may find it hard to believe that this place used to be the Shilin District No. 5 Wholesale Meat Market. This, however, was merely the role of the chrysalis, and after a magical transformation, it does duty today as an upscale art space. The spankingnew Digital Art Center Taipei opened in June, 2009. This digital-media center is the direct result from the Cyber City initiative launched by the city government in 2004. The project completely overhauled the abandoned warehouse, a process that consumed six years and NT$25 million. In the same spirit as seen in Manhattan's famed Meatpacking District, new life has been brought to a former distribution center as a unique space for commercial/artistic originality and entrepreneurship, a fine new scenic landmark for tourists to explore in the thriving Taipei world of the arts.

The exterior expresses the quality of the center's progressive, leading-edge role-a sleek, post-modern look and feel in compelling bright yellow hue. The interior design, in turn, utilizes the digital arts in a fresh fusion of space for path-breaking innovation and the community environment. The first floor is an interactive space bringing together related arts departments at domestic schools and digital-arts creators of film/ video and other digital artworks, with an exhibit space provided to showcase the results. The use of the space integrates community resources, creating a boundaryfree relationship between creativity and space. Visitors will find that they themselves have been ingeniously made part of the display, making the DAC not just a venue for a display of a static collection but a place that brings its own inimitable style to the mix that stimulates communication and artistic composition.

The second floor is dedicated to experimentation in the digital arts; there are multimedia artists in residence here from Taiwan and overseas, engaged in innovative projects. This department is also responsible for staging the annual Taipei Digital Art Festival, and serves as a display showcase for the festival's winning works. The center's outdoor area has been set up to encourage the public to come and try their own hands on creating digital-arts; the enclosure wall has become a long-term exhibit showcase of the results, resplendent with projected imagery—the reason it has been given its“Digital Wall” moniker.

You're in for quite a thrill this October, when the center stages an enticing program called the“Magic Animation Video Festival,” to run from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25. The best and most renowned works by local and overseas talent will be shown in a unique presentation space magically sealed off from the outside world. The works are on a wildly diverse array of themes, and will be played consecutively in order to let audiences take in the maximum number of artworks in the shortest time. And perhaps best of all, it's free! What better fun could be had than such a free-wheeling shuttle between reality and illusion as this!? Come to the wonder-full DAC for a brand-new taste of magic and art.

]]>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=08BE1F23572648CE

To listen to the music of the best talent from around the world, whether it's an aural and visual extravaganza of the senses you seek or something a little cooler, quieter, and calmer under blue or night skies before an alfresco stage, you'd best get to know some personal things about the city's finest music-performance venues.

Taipei Arena will be the main sporting venue for the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics, and thus the main showcase venue for some of the world's finest athletes to show off their world-beating skills.

The facility has two levels underground and five above. The main hall can seat over 15,000 spectators, and the stage can be arranged in three configurations to accommodate different needs – in essence, a long, medium, and up-close-and-intimate small version. Since the arena's opening in 2005, the venue has been used for large-scale concerts, performances, exhibitions, and various other events. The floor of the main hall has been designed so that it's temperature can be lowered over a 4-5 day period and with water spread on the surface, it transforms into a sheet of ice for ice hockey. On the second level, there is a flat concourse that is obstaclefree and fully accessible to the physically impaired and their companions. The spectator stands for the Annex ice-skating facility has a capacity of 800 people, and the skating surface is able to handle 400 skaters. The arena has precision temperature and humidity controls, ensuring comfort for both athletes and onlookers.

Many of local and international showbiz and music stars have to date strutted their stuff on the Taipei Arena stage, including big-time names such as Taiwan songstress A-mei, Hong Kong star Andy Lau, England's crossover soprano Sarah Brightman and so on.

National Concert Hall – Classical Pedigree, International Caliber

If you talk about the classic“music palace”of Taiwan, you cannot but think of the elegant National Concert Hall. Gracing the expansive grounds of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in the city's central area with its classical Chinese palace-style twin, the National Theater, the two form the bedrock foundation of the performing arts in Taiwan.

The seating at the concert hall is arranged in three stepped tiers, with 2,070 plush seats. The large stage can accommodate 150 to 200 players. The magnificent pipe organ, a hand-crafted masterpiece, was brought in from Holland. At the time of the inauguration for the twin palaces, this was the largest pipe organ in all Asia; it is such a complex instrument that it took two full years to manufacture and install it.

The concert hall also has a smaller performance facility, the Recital Hall, appropriate for gatherings such as recitals and chamber music, on the first belowground level. The space is also frequently used for music symposiums, info meetings, and other events that allow aficionados personal contact with their favorite players. This hall has a sterling reputation with these players, beloved for its superior acoustics; on one occasion when the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra was in town, four of its marquee players gave a special free performance here just so they could enjoy the facility. The grand plaza that separates the National Concert Hall and Theater often becomes the venue for outdoor concerts or broadcasts, a citizen favorite. On one notable occasion, over 60,000 music lovers came for a festivallike broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic, still one of the highlights of the city's history of musical experiences.

The quality of the National Concert Hall has made it an attractive venue for the great talents of the musical world, through the years drawing such creative genius as the Three Tenors, Yo-Yo Ma, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Munich Symphony Orchestra, and the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. The National Theater and Concert Hall have, appropriately, been called“the eyes of Taiwan,”a portal of the spirit projecting the soul and culture of the nation onto the world stage, encouraging creativity internally and representing Taiwan internationally.

Let the Notes of Vibrant Musicality Dance through the Outdoors – The Daan Park Amphitheater and Huashan1914.Creative Park

If swaying to the music out in the fresh air while being swished by gentle breezes, two city spots notably meet your highest expectations – the Daan Park Amphitheater and Huashan1914.Creative Park.

Daan Park was formally opened to the public in 1994. The carefully selected plants and trees have since grown to maturity, creating a luxuriant forest and garden oasis in the middle of the busy urban environment. The amphitheater unobtrusively blends right in to the secret-garden ambiance. Its tapered roof is covered in attractive metallic tubing, naturally sloping in such a way that there is no sense of visual framing of the stage. The field of vision is wide open, the overall effect sleek, natural, and ultra-modern in feel. Over 900 can be accommodated in a venue surrounded with soothing, tension-dissipating flowers and plants. You'll feel that the rhythms of the music have been synchronized with the pulses of nature.

A number of structures are located on the site of Huashan1914.Creative Park, a heritage site that once served as a brewery site for the old Taiwan Wine and Tobacco Monopoly Bureau. To broaden the park's cultural and artistic range, the original brickbuilt workspaces, tower, administrative building, and four adjoining buildings have been seamlessly blended into the creative cultural industries showcase with flexible indoor spaces. The ambience of the place evokes that of Avignon, that justly famed French locale for refined, avant-garde performances.

There are a number of outdoor facilities, including the Huashan Theater , Forest Theater, and ebulliently named“Thousand Layer Wild Stage”, allowing for wide-ranging choice that meets most every need. The park was host to the 2009 Urban Simple Life Festival this spring, with events staged at 16 locations around the facility, including four dedicated music stages, an area for music-related symposiums, and a carnival of temporary shops and stalls selling nifty commercial items. Lovers of the musical arts thrilled at the manysplendored stimulations this festival event brought.

In 1966, after having lived elsewhere around the globe, Lin made the decision to settle down up on Yangmingshan to enjoy his golden years. The multi-talented man drew up the plans for his new home himself and asked respected local architect Wang Da-hong to carry them out. As you'll see when you visit, the theme is a bright and energizing pattern of alternating blue and white, the look and feel distinctively Mediterranean. Lin had lived here for 10 years, and after his passing away, Taipei City Government decided to honor his literary accomplishments and his fulfilling life by opening the residence to the public. Each year in spring, the eclectic“Popia Festival” is held, featuring a series of arts and culture lectures, bringing people up the mountain in numbers for fun and learning. Lin was passionate about popia , a type of spring roll ; “popia”is the Taiwanese pronunciation,“runbing”the Mandarin.

As the saying goes,“People reflect their residences, and residences reflect their owners”. In this home, Lin mixed the traditional Eastern courtyard-house architectural style with Western aesthetics. You'll see Asian glazed indigo roof tiling, European-style curving covered galleries, and spiralling columns brought together into a seamless whole, China and Spain living in perfect, elegant harmony. At the same time, a modern feel is happily married with classical aesthetics. Chinese and Western, the new and the old—these attributes both encapsulate Lin's home and the goals this modern renaissance man pursued in his literary life.

The Lin Yutang House is exactly as it was when Lin graced the premises. As you pass through the blue-tiled, white-stucco front gate, your first sight is of the courtyard. He loved nature's gifts, especially bamboo and stone, and in one corner you'll spy a lovely little bamboo-shaded and rock-set landscaped pond. One of Lin's fondest pastimes, as he'd say, was to sit on a poolside rock and“watch the fish with pole in hand”, meditating and joyfully wiling the time away. Heading down the courtyard's right-side gallery, you'll come to the study, bedroom, and living/dining room area. As a true renaissance man, Lin was of course obliged to be an inventor as well, and in the exhibit area, you'll see models, photos, design blueprints, and patent applications for his Chinese Fast Typewriter, Automatic Toothbrush, Automatic Bridge Playing Machine, Automatic Door Lock, and English Typing Keyboard. From these displays, Lin's scientific creativity and ingenuity are clear, along with his vanguard role in the“synthesis of East and West”.

The You-Bu-Wei-Zhai cafe occupies what once were the family's dining and living rooms. Lin in fact called his study“You Bu Wei Zhai,”translating as his“study for doing nothing in particular,”a humble reference to his avoidance of trying to play the great man in life. Light meals, teas, and coffees are available, and there are few better places to have a meal, sip a hot drink, and peruse a fine work of literature than the Spanish-style veranda, as Lin himself loved to do, looking out over Yangmingshan above and Tianmu below.

Lin once described his Yangmingshan oasis in this way:“Garden within a house, house within a garden, courtyard among rooms, trees among courtyard, sky above trees, moon in sky, is this not happiness?”. It would be a fine thing for each of us to see the world just as Lin Yutang saw it, and what better way can you think of than to sit in the very spots he did and look out over the very sights he loved, wiling away a sunny blue afternoon waiting for the sunset he so enjoyed, soaking in the Lin sense of humor and aesthetics?

The types of artifacts are many and the number is jaw-dropping—over 700,000 pieces. Only a portion displayed at any one time, with the majority stored in massive cooled vaults dug right into the mountainside behind the museum. The core of the treasury today remains the imperial collection, but the trove now also includes priceless works from the cultures of other peoples beyond China's, including those of Taiwan. In terms of exhibit facilities, the museum has an immense main hall and a Library Building, completely refurbished in recent years, and the magnificent Zhishan Garden , an expansive oasis that allows you to step directly into the Song Dynasty world of ornamental landscaping. Sprawled in tightly controlled fashion over 5,000 ping (1 ping equals 36 sq. ft.), after stepping back in time and into such a visually fragrant mini-universe, you may well be less than eager to hurry back.

After touring the museum's display facilities, many folk look to continue in their quest for cultural enlightenment and refinement by repairing to the imperial-style San-hsi-t'ang tea room on the main hall's 4th level, where classical-style teas and foods are served in classical fashion. Your sense of the elegant past will be heightened on Saturday afternoons from 13:30 to 15:30, when a classical Chinese-music ensemble takes the floor, and the timeless Chinese zither the star attraction.

Beyond its many permanent exhibitions, with those displaying the imperial collection arranged in easy-to-follow, chronologically ordered by dynasty, there are also numerous dazzling temporary exhibits. Themes are original and eclectic, and many are loan exhibits from the world's leading cultural institutions. From the vast permanent collection, the people have chosen the“Mao-kung Ting”(a sacrificial bronze tripod vessel),“Jadeite Cabbage with Insects”, and“Meat-shaped Stone” as their favorite cultural icons, and come in terrific numbers to enjoy them. Collectively they've been dubbed the“NPM's three treasures”. Note, however, that there is still competition for placement in the big three, and some will tell you that the Mao-kung Ting must be replaced with the painting“Along the River during the Qingming Festival”. Guess you'll just have to get up there and decide for yourself. Whatever your opinion, it's clear that the Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-shaped Stone, both remarkably vivid and lifelike, top the lists, as evidenced by the enthusiastic, marvelling crowds that constantly surround them. So be patient, and you shall be rewarded—trust us.

Beyond this, we specially recommend you make time for Wang Xi-zhi's “Timely Clearing after Snowfall”, Fan Kuan's “Travelers among Mountains and Streams”, and Ming Cheng-hua's “Doucai Cup with Chicken Design”, all works that will leave you spellbound and marvelling at how very high human creativity can soar.

To satisfy popular demand, the museum brings out a constant stream of new publications and souvenir items. Each month, both a magazine and an academic journal roll off the presses, and there is also a photographic collection, allowing museum fans to“bring the NPM treasures home.”The souvenirs come in splendid variety, including attractive replicas and miniatures of the famous artworks, and this year, the museum is specially rolling out a series of cute commercial items with the Jadeite Cabbage as the theme. And don't think they're just for kids—take a gander during a visit to the souvenir shop and we promise you won't be leaving empty-handed.

Also extremely popular is the clever series of upscale-dining dishes at the museum's high-end Silk Palace restaurant, which opened in June, 2008. Eight art masterpieces from the museum that cannot be, of course, eaten or even touched – such as the Jadeite Cabbage, Meat-shaped Stone, and“White jade branch of elegant lychee” (or White Jade Bitter Gourd) – are brought to your table as delicious chef-prepared dishes. Well, not the actual artworks, of course, but farm-fresh variants you can actually sink your teeth into.

Another special treat that is bringing visitors substantial aesthetic and intellectual satisfaction is the current“Green: Longquan Celadon of the Ming Dynasty”exhibit, which launched Jan. 25 and will close Oct. 15. The Longquan kilns of Longquan County in the southwest of China's Zhejiang Province began producing celadon wares of renown during the Song Dynasty. Their traditions were faithfully passed down through the Yuan and Ming dynasties before the craftsmanship began to pale. It was during the Ming that Europeans learned of the wares, soon becoming passionately enamored with them, and the adoring name“celadon”was bestowed, meaning“beautiful lad,”reference to Celadon, an Arcadian-type shepherd character in Honore d'Urfe's French romance L'Astree (1627).

By the Song Dynasty, artisans had established the Longquan glaze's signature glossy, greenish color. Sophisticates have long admired both the elegant thin body and ethereal, bluish-green glaze of the Song-era wares, and the thick, vigorous, larger-sized Yuan Dynasty wares. However, this exhibition focuses on Ming pieces--their use in court and unique role in tributary and trade relations between the empire and other nations. Among the Ming creations, those with glossy, rich, green glazes in yellowish or milky tones gained the greatest favor. They usually came in neat, orderly shape and were fully carved with intricate patterns, similar to those of Jingdezhen official wares for the imperial household, clear signs of meticulous and superior workmanship.

However, the significance of the Ming celadon was long little known. Only recently have archaeologists unearthed kiln sites with dated shards, verifying historical documents recording Longquan kilns as supplier for and supervised by the early Ming court. Even today, traces of Ming Dynasty Longquan wares often appear in archaeological sites and court collections in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The National Palace Museum is one of Taiwan's top attractions, and one of the world's top museums. If you're in Taiwan on a voyage of discovery into Asian culture, well, then, how is it possible that you don't give yourself at least a day with the greatest Chineseculture treasure extant? See you there.

As soon as you step inside the grounds, you'll see the blackand-green painted parking facility once used by former President Chiang Kai-shek. Continuing on, you next arrive at the open-air music venue, constructed in 1998. Free concerts are given here, and the impressive surroundings have made this a popular spot for music lovers. Right before the concert facility stands Mt. Fu, in fact a hillock easily climbed (so climb it!) that is topped by the twostory Ciyun Pavilion . Built by the Generalissimo in memory of his beloved mother, it is reached via three flights of stone steps. From the pavilion you can look west to Shezidao and the Tamsui River, and romantics arrive toward sunset to take in the pretty show over Mt. Guanyin. Directly to the north looms the mighty Yangmingshan massif, and you can easily pick out the peaks of its tallest beauties, majestic Mt. Datun and Mt. Qixing. When the former President Chiang Kai-shek was a resident here, security in the area was tight, for safety reasons, local buildings and renovations were strictly controlled. For this same reason, original facilities within the grounds are low, few, and unobtrusive, giving full play to the delights of the natural mountain-base scenery. While strolling the grounds, the thrills of the big city melt away, replaced by colorful butterflies and hopping squirrels busy at their never-ending work tasks. Flitting birds regale you with songs just to make sure you've relaxed completely.

The place has exquisite landscaping. Among the highlights of the outer gardens are greenhouses luxuriant with bonsai and lovely rose gardens. The big yearly rose bloom occurs from February through May, as 20 types and 3,000 individual stems working in unison to create a vision of splendor you won't soon forget. The rose, for reasons you'll clearly see for yourself when you go, is the iconic plant that defines Shilin Presidential Residence for the city's people. The rose plays the central role in nature's play here because Soong Mei-ling, the former first lady, was partial to them. Her husband was partial to a colorful beauty more central to traditional Chinese culture, the plum blossom, and you'll see more than 100 types showing off for you along the walkways. The plum blossoms growing amidst the rose gardens here symbolize the interdependence of the first couple. The main building, deepest within the grounds, was the couple's home, and the axis of the layout of the complex. The residence is for the time being not open for public visits, but the interested can get a view of the exterior through the gate enclosure. The north-side entrance area can most plainly be seen; this was the reception area for distinguished guests, of which there were many, including US then-President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, to name a few.

In spring when the sun begins to spray dabbles of light over the plants of the Shilin Presidential Residence, there is a burst of activity and, soon, a tidal wave of rainbow colors. Gentle breezes waft over strollers as they become intoxicated with the chorus of fragrances. Roses dance dreamily, suspended from their supporting frames. The enchantments of nature surround and caress you in a place that also makes you ponder the whims and puzzles of this land's history and culture.

]]>Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=F1B9184566CA3B51Chen SuHo and his wife spent half a century in Taiwan after making it their home. Chen was the founder and guiding light of Chang Chuen Cotton Paper Plant. Unfortunately, in Oct. 1990, the loving couple passed away in a plane crash in China’s Guangdong Province. To honor their father, his children brought life to one of his unfulfilled dreams with the establishment of the SuHo Memorial Paper Museum, opening after five years of planning, in Oct. 1995.

The facility is an expansive 160 ping (1 ping = 36 sq. ft.) stretched over four floors. The emphasis is on educational activities, effected through lively displays and tours. Topics addressed are the history of paper, systematic archiving and conservation of paper relics; innovation in paper art and handicrafts, and in paperdesign transformation for use in daily life; live demos of the traditional paper-making process, restoration of damaged and yel lowed paper, and creative uses for di scarded was te paper. The many achievements in the realm of paper are explored—art , creativity, design, technique, and other facets—that are being used to bring the world of traditional hand-crafted paper into the world of modern life, giving the culture of paper a place in the unique rich world of the cultural creative industry. Meanwhile, the standards and breadth of the vision of Taiwan’s hand-crafted paper producers are heightened with the introduction of the latest innovations from the international scene.

In 1999, the SuHo International Paper Art Exhibition was staged for the first time. The promotional efforts have since continued without let-up, with related shows and exhibits on all imaginable paper creativity themes hosted in cooperation with domestic and overseas art centers and other groups. In 2005, after laborious research and complicated preparation, art, culture, and state-of-the-art technology were wonderfully brought together in creating the brand new type of paper named “Cloud Gate Dance Paper”, a pioneering accomplishment for creating interest in paper art and creativity on the international stage, astounding people with the ingenious and unlimited array of compelling aesthetic uses to which paper can be put. The SuHo crew’s efforts on creative transnational, boundary-breaking experiments have also been legion, both big and small in scale. Perhaps the model of radical innovations in this group has been the invitation of Japanese artist Kobayashi Junko, who worked with Taiwan architect Jian Xue-yi on a two-piece luminous arc wall placed before an obstetrics and gynaecology medical facility in Zhongshan District. The creation, 10 meters high and 3 meters wide, is a lovely synthesis of paper and light, a compelling example of paper adding value to architectural aesthetics, and a transfixing sight that startles unsuspecting and soon smiling passersby.

Unlike the approach that China takes regarding production, which quantity production is engaged to keep prices low, SuHo and Chang Chuen Cot ton Paper Plant focus both on quality and eco-friendliness. By only using raw mater ial s that are both recyclable and non-polluting in the production process, and with such deep knowledge of the properties and characteristics of fibers, myriad types of handmade and machine-made papers are developed. Working with a business consortium ten years ago with a focus on the preservation of paper relics, Chang Chuen developed a superior type of new acid-free, neutral paper that is far lighter than before. The earlier type was 25g/㎡, but this new type is as thin as a cicada’s wings, weighing in at just 5g/㎡. Its extremely slow deterioration suits perfectly for relics repair, and each relic has its customized paper needs. The group will continue in its efforts to promote Taiwan culture in general, and promote Taiwan’s paper culture in particular.

Information

SuHo Memorial Paper Museum Tel: (02) 2507-5535 Add: 68, Sec. 2, Changan E. Rd. Website: http://www.suhopaper.org.tw/en/en_index.html

Right now the SuHo Memorial Paper Museum is staging a celebration of Taiwan’s young generation of paper-cutting artists in its “Cutting Happy Flowers—Lin Wen-zhen, Qiu Yuwen, and Liu Yun-zhu Paper-Cut Work Joint Exhibition”, which will stretch through the Lunar New Year (Nov. 29, 2008 to Feb. 9, 2009). In the itinerary of pure unadulterated fun are papercutting, poetry, and fairytales. Each work displays supreme originality, and a reflection of each author’s life of richness and cultivation. Admirers of the beautiful will come away feeling both inspired and moved.

The museum is constantly collecting and adding new pieces to its expansive collection of representative treasures. The trove already includes traditional and modern Taiwan Jinguang (Golden Light) theatre puppets, marionette puppets, stage props, puppets from China and Southeast Asia, shadow puppets, and a fantabulous haul of both masks and performance scripts from Africa and South America. This amazing collection contains 5200-plus pieces in total! The museum’s unique approach and unmatched collection has quickly gained itself a measure of fame in overseas quarters. There is a constant stream of visitors from faraway lands that comes knocking on their doors.

Information

Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum Tel: (02) 2556-8909 Add: 79, Xining N. Rd. Hours: 10:00-17:00 (closed on Mon) Website: www.taipeipuppet.com/english/ Transportation: Take the MRT Tamsui (Red) Line to Shuanglian Station and transfer to the Red 33 bus headed towards Dadaocheng Wharf Admission: Adults NT$120 / Children NT$80 Package ticket (museum and Nadou Theatre): Adults NT$200 / Children NT$180

This museum is in no way a place of static and motionless displays. This museum is “alive”. In just the DIY interactive area, you have puppet shows, hand-puppet shows, in the rooftop garden Vietnamese water puppets, and a heck of a lot more too. The method for manipulating each type of puppet is quite different, and visitors are encouraged to try and get a feel for the tremendous skill that puppet-masters bring to the art. On the first floor, you can visit the workshop of Chen Xi-huang, a renowned authority on traditional Taiwanese puppetry, where not only can you take in wonderful live demonstrations, but also watch Master Chen and his apprentices carving new puppets. On the second floor are the special exhibits, and on the third floor are the permanent displays. On these two levels, you can spend hours checking out the fascinating materials explaining the widely varied puppetry traditions of different countries, including Cambodian shadow puppet theatre, Indian human puppets, human puppets from Burma, and Vietnamese water puppets. The fourth floor houses an exciting dedicated display on Vietnamese water puppetry.

The director of the museum is Dr. Robin Ruizendaal, an academic expert and passionate lover of puppetry from the Netherlands, who is fluent in Chinese. He oversees both the in-house Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company and the Nadou Theatre Company. The signature play of the Taiyuan troupe is “Marco Polo,” presented as a “West meets East” love story, presented by using traditional Taiwanese glove-puppet, with some clever Taiwanese and Italian narration sprinkled into the action for innovative fun. The play has become a favorite with both local and overseas theater devotees.

Beyond all this, the energetic and creative museum team plans all sorts of intriguing puppetry exhibits, puppet-carving workshops, puppet-master demonstration shows, DIY puppet theatre, traditional puppetry skills sessions, and other types of fun and educational programs. Interest is sustained and feverish, and the troupe master, Chen Ying-cun, often brings up the story of a Chinese-puppetry worshiper who came all the way from France to study the production and performance technique for a full year at the museum, showing amazing commitment.

In this splendid cultural space, you get deep thoughts explained in simple, easy to follow designs and displays, and whatever your origins—male, female, nationality, skin color—everyone will enjoy tremendously when exploring the many delightful contributions to the art from the puppetry cultures in lands around our planet. Adding to the sense of joyous play are the many different types of plays and shows staged each weekend. And if you’ve got your own group of 20 or more, you can even book your own shows and see whatever it is that you like best!

The tower, inspirationally designed by the internationally acclaimed architect C.Y. Lee, began its constructions in 1998. Pay close attention and you’ll see that the number 8 figures prominently as a design motif, for 8 is pronunced “ba” and sounds like “fa”, as in “to send out/ create wealth,” meaning continuous good luck and prosperity. The tower’s structure is divided into 8 sections from the 27th through 90th levels—64 floors clearly divided into segments each 8 floors. Each segment slants outward at a 7-degree angle as it moves upward, the cumulative exterior visual effect being resemblance to a bamboo stalk, a symbol of strength, durability, and ceaseless growth, in Chinese traditional culture.

This is the first skyscraper in history to incorporate the nodal concept . This approach also ingeniously serves to suppress the natural proclivity of tall buildings to create strong downward-spiralling winds that whip toward the ground. Greenery-planted partition areas also ensure the safety and comfort of pedestrians. Non-reflective, high - tran sparency , energy - saving, high-heat-insulation curtain glass makes it possible for people inside to comfortably look out over the Taipei skyline.

High-tech materials and innovative illumination create a sense of visual space and depth, with the manmade and natural surrounding environments seamlessly fused. All of this adds up to a redefinition of the art of crafting international-class skyscrapers. Here is a rundown of the internal facilities. Levels B5 through B2 are for parking, with a capacity for 1,800 vehicles. B1 through level 4 is a world of trendy, upscale shopping and dining, with the lovely French Garden capping off the relaxed atmosphere on level 4, an open European-style garden space with scenic natural landscaping spanning 40 meters. The fifth level is a financial center. Floors 9 through 84 are taken up by offices, and the 35th and 59th floors are locations for elevator exchange lobbies. On level 85, you can choose from two upscale theme restaurants, both of which offer stunning views. Level 89 is the location of a veritable window to the future, with the world’s highest observation deck; buy your take for just NT$400 on the fifth floor and zoom up on the fastest—Guinness-approved—pressurecontrolled elevators in the world. They move at a lightning-fast 1,010 meters per minute, though you won’t feel a thing, and your ears won’t pop.

Information

Taipei 101 Observatory Hours: 10:00 - 22:00 Add: 89F, No. 7, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd. Tel: (02) 8101-8898 Website: www.taipei-101.com.tw Taipei 101 Mall Hours: 11:00 - 22:00 Add: No. 7, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd. Tel: (02) 8101-8898 Website: http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/index_en.htm

In just 37 seconds, you will be at the 382-meter-high observatory on the 89th floor. Beyond the tremendous views in all directions, you can also look towards the tower center at the tremendously heavy tuned mass damper, another world-best at 660 metric tons. Other treats include super-powerful telescopes, a canteen, free audio guides in 7 languages (Mandarin, Taiwanese, English, German, Japanese, Korean, and Cantonese), plus spiffy souvenir-sales service. Visitors can also make their way along the “sound and light” corridor on level 88 to the tuned mass damper area, have a closer look at the heart of 101, and make their way to an outdoor observation deck for some wind-in-your-hair spectacular views of this grand city.

Since 2004, the tower has been site for the massive New Year’s fireworks celebration, an event that has quickly become a right of passage for citizens. As the fireworks escalate up the tower during the final countdown, so do the cheers from Civic Plaza nearby Taipei City Hall below, with the bombs bursting in air and another New Year arriving with a roar.

]]>Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=F89AA5666F9D0990The magnificent sloping turf roof preserves humidity and moisture build-up and drains water to rainwater recycling troughs. The recycled water is used to water plants and flush toilets, playing a key role in the facility’s greenification and reducing water - resource was tage. Roof top photovoltaic cells are also in place to capture solar energy, capable of generating an impressive 16 kilowatts.

In addition, deep balcony coverings and perpendicular wood window latticing reduces the entry of thermal radiation into the interior, lowering energy consumption and enhancing energy-saving efficiency.

In addition, a monitoring system for photovoltaic cells has been positioned on the wall of the first floor, which gives clear indication of the amount of electricity being generated by the solar-cell bank. The many eco-friendly approaches here described led to the library being awarded first prize in the coveted 2007 Architecture Awards.

Information

Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch Hours: Tues-Sat 8:30am-9:00pm / Sun-Mon 9:00am-5:00pm; closed first Thursday each month Tel: (02) 2897-7682 Address: 251, Guangming Rd., Beitou District

The facility sports three levels, one below ground and two above. The two above-ground floors have balcony extensions that create a reading space which blends seamlessly with the surrounding natural environments, overflowing with the airs of a rural idyll. Inside lovers of the printed word—perhaps we should say “the printed character” here—can explore a newspaper and periodicals section, reference section, computer-search section, locality documentation section, Chinese-language books area, open-air reading balconies, special-collections section, and much more that will stimulate.

The diversified seating and 110-cm display shelving lend a sense of openness and soaring height to the interior. The oppressive sense of cut-up and cut-off space evident in most libraries by high, large-block shelving is avoided. Liberal use of wall glass allows full viewing of the parkland on the south and running stream on the north sides, and also allows natural sunlight to stream inside, creating beauty, brightness, and invigorating sensory stimulation. What has been created here is a place where one and all can take full advantage of the right and the privilege to read within a space providing a woven tapestry of green shade and a secluded oasis of solitude and contemplation.

So why don’t you hop on the MRT’s Danshui line right now, then head down the short Xin Beitou branch line, to get yourself to a place that is physically close yet so very far away from the regular din of the city, enveloping yourself in the fascinatingly fragrant world of the written word!

]]>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=923D1383A71FC27D It was once the official residence of the American ambassador-a place with a resplendent past, but one long washed over and forgotten in the tides of history. Declaring it as Historical Relic of the Third Grade ten years ago, Taipei City's Cultural Affairs Department entrusted management to the Taiwan Film and Culture Association, which transformed the complex into the Taipei House, dedicated to film art and service as a renaissance space, combining the historical allure with film art in the formally renamed SPOT-Taipei Film House, a place of creative interchange.

SPOT-Taipei's simple, pure-white facade gives it an aura of refined distinctiveness. The interior is arranged around a central staircase, in the style of the antebellum US south. The Western-style second level uses round columns as structural supports. The entrance portal faces north, and the east side has a gallery that can provide cover, an architectural display of classical Greek influence. So steeped in history, SPOT-Taipei's blending of architectural styles from different periods is apt.

In this one-of-a-kind cultural space, you can sit quietly and enjoy high-quality foreign and local art films in a wonderful theatre of just 88 seats. These include entries in prestigious international competitions, award-winning works, and films selected for special qualities in a laborious review process. On a normal day six films are shown, noon through midnight. Now that's value for ticket money!

Beyond this, Eslite “City Lights Bookstore Branch”here has a “City Theme” section that seems to break the space-time continuum. Different areas have different ambiances, evoking London, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei, and other cities, instantly transporting readers among 24 different cultures. In the “Movie Theme” section are works on movie production and famous festivals/competitions, and along the periphery is film and music merchandise. All's here that is needed to throw yourself into a boundless sea of movie-world enjoyment. After nourishing mind and spirit to the full, some fine food and drink to nourish the body would be perfect, wouldn't it？! The SPOT Caf'e Lumiere on the first floor serves light foods and coffees/teas, in a cozy space of voguish chic. SPOT Le Ballon Rouge on the second level, evoking lounge-bar overtones, has an open-air balcony from which one can enjoy the tree-shaded avenue beyond and the lovely courtyard below. The total is one more refined cultural landmark for the city.

]]>Sun, 11 May 2008 16:00:00 GMThttps://english.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=96870FBF0C35AC0A&s=9E53A93645A602DESituated where the old walled city's west wall once ran, what was originally called the Taipei Assembly Hall was opened in 1936. Originally scheduled for a 1931 opening, to celebrate the ascension of Japan's Emperor Hirohito and provide needed civil-event space (the Japanese ruled Taiwan between 1895-1945), the blueprints came from the hand of the official Japanese colonial govt. designer, IdeKaoru. The results, in terms of scale and design, compare favorably with the best of the great cities of Japan during the period. This was where the Taiwan government once received foreign dignitaries, including former US President Nixon. In 1945, after Taiwan Retrocession (return to Chinese rule), the facility was renamed Zhongshan Hall, using Sun Yat-sen's honorific name.

In 1992 the govt. declared it as Historical Relic of the Second Grade, and since then the expansive, stately facility has become a favorite stage for live-performance artists.

Always an official govt. site, Zhongshan Hall reflects the march of time and events. In the grand plaza is a plaque commemorating victory in the Sino- Japanese War. There is also a grand bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, itself declared as historical relic by the city, the base of which alone is five meters high. On it is inscribed “Zhongshan Hall”in Chinese, bordered by cut ceramic pieces in Moorish style.

The plaza and monument complement each other in a perfectlybalanced two-to-one ratio. On weekends the plaza, stretching from the imposing main portal to the Yongsui St. sidewalk, teems with skateboarders, rendezvousing sweethearts, and other relaxing Taipei folk.

The peaceful coffee stand in the archway downstairs, and the lively Fortress Cafe upstairs, has earned this heritage site an intimate place in Taipeiers' lives. The Fortress Cafe offers educational sessions each week: Want to know how to dance in Beijing-opera style? Study Chinese knotwork? The ins and outs of ancient exercise/breathing/meditation regimens? Come to Zhongshan Hall to get started!

Information

Taipei Zhongshan Hall Tel: (02)2381-3137　　　　　Address: 98, Yanping S. Rd.