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Cloud Gate’s Cheng Tsung-lung—Drawing Inspiration from WanhuaPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Cloud Gate’s Cheng Tsung-lung—Drawing Inspiration from Wanhua

In 2020, on Cheng Tsung-lung’s sixth day as artistic director of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the company set off on a tour of Europe to perform its 2019 work 13 Tongues. That same year Cheng choreographed Sounding Light, a challenging work in which the performers dance while producing sounds, either synchronizing both elements or playing out a tug of war between them. One critic praised it as “a beautifully crafted work and one that will bear repeated viewings.”

The New Sea Powers—King Chou and Sun Rise Cast Their Nets WidePhotos - New Southbound Policy
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The New Sea Powers—King Chou and Sun Rise Cast Their Nets Wide

According to figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, around 1980 only 9% of the aquatic products consumed by humans came from aquaculture, but that figure rose to 20% in the 1990s and stood at 44% in 2010. It is estimated that by 2030, aquaculture will supply a majority of the world’s seafood. As the planet faces the exhaustion of ocean resources, net-cage aqua­culture may take the place of marine fisheries.

A New Medium for Old Crafts: Taiwanese Stop-Motion AnimationPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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A New Medium for Old Crafts: Taiwanese Stop-Motion Animation

“Stop-motion animation links animated film with live-action film,” explains stop-­motion animator Huang Yun-sian.
More lifelike than 2D animation, but more amenable to flights of fancy than live-action cine­ma­tography, stop-motion lends itself to artistry and experimentation. But the technique’s barriers to entry are high, even though the principles underlying it are simple.

Taking Everyday Products to a New Level—Taiwan’s Hand Tool IndustryPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Taking Everyday Products to a New Level—Taiwan’s Hand Tool Industry

Taiwan is one of the top five hand-tool manufacturing countries in the world. About 70% of its hand-tool makers are concentrated in Taichung, Changhua and Nantou, and this unique industrial cluster has become a major purchasing center for international brands.
Taiwan’s hand-tool industry has left behind the era of low-price competition and moved toward high-end manufacturing. They are doing remarkable things with these seemingly mundane products.

Ten Years Honing a Single Sword: A Tale of Pears and StrawberriesPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Ten Years Honing a Single Sword: A Tale of Pears and Strawberries

When people think of Asian pears, they tend to associate them with high-elevation temperate-zone growing areas. Taiwanese pear farmer Liu Shenquan spent 20 years developing the ‘Baodao Ganlu’ Asian pear, a Taiwanese cultivar that can be grown in the lowlands and in the tropics.

Taiwan Takes the Lead—A New Era in Display TechnologyPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Taiwan Takes the Lead—A New Era in Display Technology

Display devices are the most common and most direct form of man–­machine inter­face. Taiwan not only ranks second worldwide in display production, it is also home to the world’s first micro LED production line. In fact, along with semiconductors, the display sector is one of the industries that best represent Taiwan’s industrial strength.

Moveable Feats: Taiwan’s Heartwarming Mobile ServicesPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Moveable Feats: Taiwan’s Heartwarming Mobile Services

“Screen window and screen door repair, glass replacement!” The sounds of trucks driven by craftspeople advertising the goods and services they provide are a familiar part of community soundscapes. Responding to local needs, many people have added to these a spirit of creativity and service and now there are vehicles offering films and books, or even bathing services for disabled people. From the mountains to the sea, they have become a heartwarming sight on our streets.

Reading the Leaves: Tea Identification by Soil Nutrient AnalysisPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Reading the Leaves: Tea Identification by Soil Nutrient Analysis

Every tea leaf grown in Taiwan is affected by its local terroir, and each sip of tea reveals the tea maker’s craftsmanship..

Low-Carbon Worship: Changing Times for Joss Paper and IncensePhotos - New Southbound Policy
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Low-Carbon Worship: Changing Times for Joss Paper and Incense

In Taiwanese temples, it is common to see people lighting incense and making prayers amidst the smoke. They then burn joss paper as a symbol of their offering, completing their prayer. These practices are a part of many belief systems, including veneration of Mazu, which is recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The use of joss paper and incense as a means of communication with the divine is an essential part of the material foundation of these traditional beliefs.

In the Footsteps of Yang Mu—A Literary Tour of HualienPhotos - New Southbound Policy
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In the Footsteps of Yang Mu—A Literary Tour of Hualien

“All I know is that every wave starts from Hualien.”
—Yang Mu, ‘Manuscript in a Bottle’