Taiwan Today

A total of 11 preservationists and two historic buildings received the National Cultural Heritage Conservation Award for maintenance, preservation and promotion of Taiwan’s cultural resources in Taipei City Sept. 14. “Winners of the awards are a microcosm of Taiwan’s cultural assets, and their contributions deserve our recognition,” ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said at the ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Culture. Cultural assets reflect a nation’s civilization, the president said, and this generation must do its best to preserve the wisdom and experience of former generations through effective conservation efforts. “The riches of the past are irretrievable once destroyed,” he stressed. The awards cover tangible and intangible cultural heritage and were given to winners in five categories. The Taipei Branch of the old Nippon Kangyo Bank, dating from 1933 and part of today’s National Taiwan Museum, and the Tsung Yeh Sugar Factory, built in 1907 and now hosting a major arts and cultural center in Tainan City, are testimony to local efforts in preserving and revitalizing historic buildings, the MOC said. Archaeologist Lien Chao-mei, Italian missionary and Lang Yang Dance Troupe founder Gian Carlo Michelini, and archivist Wu Ji-rui were given the award for their achievements in heritage preservation. Puppet master Chen Xi-huang, Taiwanese opera actress Liao Chiung-chih and the Beiguan orchestra of the Changhua-based Lichun Club, which hosts several traditional music ensembles, were credited for their efforts in passing down traditional arts. Folklorist Lin Heng-dao (1915-1997) and archaeologist Chang Kwang-chih (1931-2001) were remembered for their invaluable professional contributions, while ethnologist Chen Chi-lu, architect Han Pao-teh and archaeologist Sung Wen-hsun received lifelong achievement awards. (THN)