DISCOVER TAIPEI Jan/Feb 2014 Vol.99
Welcome the Year of the Horse
with a Feast of Traditional Culture in Taipei
This issue of Discover Taipei coincides with Chinese New Year, Taiwan’s most important traditional festival. A key custom of Taipei’s distinctive religious culture at this time of year is to go to a temple and ask the gods’ favor in ensuring all goes smoothly during the year to come.
Our theme this issue is “Touring Taipei’s Traditional Religious Culture.” We explore Taipei’s religious life, its best temple architecture, and the delicious snack foods sold at its temple-mouth vendors. We also explain unique Chinese New Year customs, including what are called “sweep out the old, bring in the new” preparations and the tradition of shopping for classic New Year necessities. In our Mapping the Taipei Lifestyle section we serve as your guide and jump straight into the Taipei Lunar New Year Festival, introducing the best market areas where locals come to shop for New Year goodies, soaking in the festive New Year atmosphere. According to age-old folk custom, the holiday season is brought to a close with the Lantern Festival, and Taipei City throws a tremendous and wonderfully colorful party with the Taipei Lantern Festival, with a sea of decorative lanterns coloring the night, capping the foreign visitor’s New Year experience with the perfect ending.
Taipei is known for the preservation of a rich traditional culture – a source of great pride as it strides onto the international stage. In our Taipei New Images section, we report on all the activities going on as part of the Taipei Zoo’s centennial celebrations, and some of the outstanding entrants in the 2013 LivCom Awards (International Awards for Liveable Communities) and Old Building New Life Awards. After two years of dedicated effort, on November 19th last year the city was designated as the 2016 World Design Capital, the best of presents in the 130th year since it is founding. We report on how Taipei plans to serve as the 5th World Design Capital, giving a taste of the charisma that defines this adaptive city.
In this season of happy, joyous celebration, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, and the National Palace Museum are all celebrating the fresh year with all-new exhibitions, ringing in 2014 with a rich spiritual and cultural feast.
The Year of the Horse is set to come galloping in with thunder and pomp. Join the crowds of Taipei folk heading to the temples to respectfully pray for peace and good fortune, and spend the Chinese New Year in the classic Taipei way. Happy New Year to you – may fortune and success come racing your way!
with a Feast of Traditional Culture in Taipei
This issue of Discover Taipei coincides with Chinese New Year, Taiwan’s most important traditional festival. A key custom of Taipei’s distinctive religious culture at this time of year is to go to a temple and ask the gods’ favor in ensuring all goes smoothly during the year to come.
Our theme this issue is “Touring Taipei’s Traditional Religious Culture.” We explore Taipei’s religious life, its best temple architecture, and the delicious snack foods sold at its temple-mouth vendors. We also explain unique Chinese New Year customs, including what are called “sweep out the old, bring in the new” preparations and the tradition of shopping for classic New Year necessities. In our Mapping the Taipei Lifestyle section we serve as your guide and jump straight into the Taipei Lunar New Year Festival, introducing the best market areas where locals come to shop for New Year goodies, soaking in the festive New Year atmosphere. According to age-old folk custom, the holiday season is brought to a close with the Lantern Festival, and Taipei City throws a tremendous and wonderfully colorful party with the Taipei Lantern Festival, with a sea of decorative lanterns coloring the night, capping the foreign visitor’s New Year experience with the perfect ending.
Taipei is known for the preservation of a rich traditional culture – a source of great pride as it strides onto the international stage. In our Taipei New Images section, we report on all the activities going on as part of the Taipei Zoo’s centennial celebrations, and some of the outstanding entrants in the 2013 LivCom Awards (International Awards for Liveable Communities) and Old Building New Life Awards. After two years of dedicated effort, on November 19th last year the city was designated as the 2016 World Design Capital, the best of presents in the 130th year since it is founding. We report on how Taipei plans to serve as the 5th World Design Capital, giving a taste of the charisma that defines this adaptive city.
In this season of happy, joyous celebration, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, and the National Palace Museum are all celebrating the fresh year with all-new exhibitions, ringing in 2014 with a rich spiritual and cultural feast.
The Year of the Horse is set to come galloping in with thunder and pomp. Join the crowds of Taipei folk heading to the temples to respectfully pray for peace and good fortune, and spend the Chinese New Year in the classic Taipei way. Happy New Year to you – may fortune and success come racing your way!