Introduction
Lion dance performers come to Taishan Township in the annual cultural festival to express this traditional art and promote the local tourism by working with communities and school performers. This year's event aims at international participation and promoting this beautiful, traditional art to the audience.
Content of Activities:
1. "Night of the Lion King" Performance
International groups join to give grand performances that best depict their own cultures -- something that is rare to see and should not be missed!
2.Community Festival and Special Dance Competitions
The traditional art of lion dance is given new, modern elements to form new dance moves.
3.Market and Family Activities on the Theme of Lion King
The activities in Taishan Township include communities and school performances, sales of products and goods, games, and DIY
activities for the purpose of promoting interactions, attracting visitors, and stimulating local tourism.
4.DIY Handicrafts
Children participating in the event get to paint their own "lion heads" and wear them as necklaces.
5.Creative Products on the Theme of Lion King
The award-winning product in the "2008 Competition of Creative Products of the Lion King Culture" will be mass-produced as a souvenir and the local specialty.
6.Design of Lion King Puppets
The competition invites everyone to design a mascot on the theme of the lion king, and the selected mascot will be made into toys or
featured in related theme songs or maybe even theater plays.
7.Handicraft Experiences
These activities preserve and promote our culture by passing on the traditional arts and developing local tourism.
8. Show Taishan — Innovative Lion King Crafts
The Lion King Craft Show promotes our lion art and culture internationally through words, photographs, and public participation.
9.Taishan Hiking
Besides the rich history and culture, Taishan still enjoys beautiful nature despite its development. Through the tour guide service, families can plan their trips and enjoy music and nature and being free from earthly worries.
10.Birthday of Xianying God
Elementary students in our township will form the largest "lion king" parade team to celebrate the birthday of Xianying God.
Purpose
This event promotes the lion king performance to the world, passes the traditional art to the locals, attracts more visitors, creates new souvenirs, stimulates economic growth, and creates a unique cultural image to Taishan. This event will have tour guide services that introduce the visitors, including overseas Chinese invited by OCAC, to experience different faces of Taishan.
Local Attractions
Creator of the Largest Flower Lion Head in Taiwan
Handmade by world-class artist Shi Shun-Rong, the diameter of this lion head is 152cm or 340cm when including its whiskers. It is the largest of its kind in Taiwan and also the symbol of Taishan Township.
Third-class Historical Site ─Ding-tai-shan-yan
This temple of southern-Chinese style has five gates at the front, and a south and north corridor in the rear section. This solemn temple houses Xianying God, and the east and west sections house Bodhisattva, Guanyin, Wenchang Emperor, the God of Wealth, and Fu-de-zheng God. This popular temple was incorporated in 1968 and became a third-class historical site in 1985.
Mingzhi Academy
Known as the first academy in northern Taiwan, Mingzhi Academy on 276, Sec. 2 of Mingzhi Rd. is one of the most important
cultural and historical sites in northern Taiwan. It was founded 80 years earlier than Xuehai Academy in Taipei City, and after which Mingzhi Rd., Mingzhi Elementary School, and Mingzhi University of Technology are named.
Qitou Trail
Da-qi-tou is the steep hill around Nanya Plant, and Qi-zai-jiao is at the bottom of the former. Qitou Trail links these two locations and still has large gravel on its surface that got washed down by the old Shimen River. Walking on the old trail will trigger people’s emotions to remember the old days and our ancestors.
