It was a great honor to have Mr. Lee Ying-ping, CEO of the Taiwan Good Culture Foundation, give a speech. He shared the foundation's work in local communities over the past decade, with its core mission being "to enrich the tourism industry based on township culture"—what is now known as local revitalization. The foundation was established in response to the observation that the rapid concentration of township populations in large cities after the establishment of the six municipalities, coupled with declining birth rates and changes in population structure, led to rural hollowing out. The foundation hopes to use its methods—"culture and arts"—to allow local residents to be proud of their hometowns and to let Taiwanese people and visitors experience "Taiwan's scenery, the scent of the land, kind people, ingrained culture, and warm power." The foundation promotes township revitalization through "on-site learning," working with local residents for mutual benefit and prosperity, because only the locals truly understand their lives and the needs of the land. Their core competency is culture and arts, with the goal of transforming "rural life" into "rural cultural life." In Chishang, Taitung, the foundation's work is centered on art, closely integrating art with the land. Chishang's primary agricultural industry is rice cultivation, with two harvests a year. Therefore, the foundation launched the "Chishang in Four Seasons" program: 1. Spring Planting: A picnic and music festival is held on the banks of Dapo Pond, combining poets, writers, and musicians to emphasize "lifestyle aesthetics." The first picnic event reversed the local debate on "development" versus "preservation." 2. Autumn Harvest: Inspired by farmers' suggestions, a concert is held in the golden rice paddies. Chishang boasts a unique natural theater, a harmonious blend of nature and humanity. This event propelled Chishang onto the international stage; its photograph was selected by Time magazine as one of the most beautiful photos in the world, allowing locals to understand that "most local" is also "most international." 3. Winter Rest: While the land rests and recuperates, arts and cultural lectures and educational resources are provided to local residents, bridging the urban-rural gap. In addition, the foundation restored a 60-year-old public grain warehouse, transforming it into the Chishang Grain Warehouse Art Museum, serving as an important cultural landmark and arts education resource. Chaozhou, Pingtung, is a large town with a population of over 50,000. Historically, it was a crucial transit hub and distribution center for north-south, east-west, and north-south trade, earning it the title of "a town with a century-long history." Chaozhou experienced commercial prosperity in the 1960s and 70s, becoming a major banana producer in Taiwan. It was once considered the "birthplace of Taiwanese opera," boasting hundreds of opera troupes and eight cinemas. The foundation hopes to awaken the pride and confidence of Chaozhou people in their hometown by exploring this history. Starting with education, the foundation is bringing innovative educational resources to schools in Chaozhou and its surrounding areas, establishing the Chaozhou Academy, and inviting cultural figures such as Lung Ying-tai and Chiang Hsun to serve as local educational resources. After 2020, it launched locally co-created brand festivals, such as the Spring Morning Market. These activities, through components like the Morning Street, Morning Market, Morning Voice, and Spring Morning Lecture Hall, promote local residents' participation and identification with public affairs. The CEO emphasized that local revitalization must be based on the local historical context, needs, and imagination. Successful projects require extensive on-site learning, observation, visits, integration, and participation. As a driving force for local transformation, culture and art require long-term investment in people (villagers, artists, and entrepreneurs) and time, because the benefits of culture are long-lasting and sustainable.

Implemented by Center for Teaching and Learning Development
Date: 2025/11/19