TECHNO-DANCING THIRD PRINCE
A Taiwanese religious folk icon, the Third Prince (三太子哪吒), who can be seen at temple festivals and street parades, has become a trailblazing figure in promoting the nation internationally.
Known as a divine prince with a playful and rebellious spirit, the Taoist deity has in recent years been modernized as the “Techno-Dancing Third Prince” (電音三太子) to provide exuberant entertainment at cultural events in Taiwan and overseas.
It has always been part of Taiwan’s folk culture for deities to go on a walk-about to protect local residents.
Compared with traditional lion and dragon dances, it is easier to learn the Third Prince’s dance moves and the music is more lively. It is also a suitable dance to go with the big international hit Gangnam Style. The dancing can cause excitement in the crowd.
The Third Prince successfully combines Taiwanese temple culture and techno music, so it is both traditional and modern.
Known as a divine prince with a playful and rebellious spirit, the Taoist deity has in recent years been modernized as the “Techno-Dancing Third Prince” (電音三太子) to provide exuberant entertainment at cultural events in Taiwan and overseas.
It has always been part of Taiwan’s folk culture for deities to go on a walk-about to protect local residents.
Compared with traditional lion and dragon dances, it is easier to learn the Third Prince’s dance moves and the music is more lively. It is also a suitable dance to go with the big international hit Gangnam Style. The dancing can cause excitement in the crowd.
The Third Prince successfully combines Taiwanese temple culture and techno music, so it is both traditional and modern.
OILED PAPER UMBRELLA
The oiled paper umbrellas from Hakka village of Meinung of Kaohsiung city are one of the most famous cultural treasures in Taiwan. The umbrellas are handcrafted by using Meng Zong bamboo and tung oil, which are designed for both durable and waterproof in a bad weather in the past. They are traditionally used in wedding for the most part. More importantly, many of umbrellas craftsmen also draw beautiful images onto the umbrellas to enhance the beauty of the umbrellas. Nowadays, the umbrellas are not used in daily life anymore; instead, they become artistic work for collection and decoration purposes.
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NATIVE TAIWANESE OUTFITS
Taiwan’s aborigines, the original inhabitants, have fourteen tribes and are approximately consisted of two percent of Taiwan’s total population. Each tribe has different languages and cultures; therefore, they have vitally been contributing to Taiwan’s cultural development and become an essential cultural asset for Taiwan. The traditional dances and songs of Taiwan’s aborigines are rightfully famous, letting alone their unique outfits. If you are interested in Taiwan’s aborigines’ cultures, you don’t want to miss out this great opportunity. So, what are you waiting for? Come to Taiwan night market festival to learn more about it.
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GLOVE PUPPETRY
Taiwan’s glove puppetry is one of the major traditions of the nation. In the past, it was a major show in temple’s ceremony. In the ceremony, people sat in front of a special puppet stage and watched the show in a huge crowd. Most of the contents for the puppet shows perform about fairy tale or historical stories. Thinking about a kung fu master, made by wooden puppet, flying through the stage and defeating his enemy is a typical scene of the traditional puppet shows. In its later development, the puppet shows introduce modern technologies into their performance and start to show on the TV. The lighting effect, the music sound track, and the improvement of puppet outfits have transformed the traditional puppet show into a modern style.
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