• 2020-10-12

In order to enable overseas scholars to enjoy Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival culture, on 25 September, the National Central Library held a Mid-Autumn Festival event at the Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Participants included the recipients of this year's National Central Library Scholarship for Overseas Scholars Studying Sinology, and of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs’ Taiwan Scholarships. The event allowed these overseas scholars—who still support Taiwan studies despite the severe global pandemic—to experience the beauty of Taiwan's exquisite culture.

This activity was hosted by Director-General Tseng of the National Central Library and Center for Chinese Studies. Dr. Klement Ruey-Sheng Gu, Director of the Research and Design Association of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, and Yu Wen, Deputy Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of New Taipei City were invited to attend and deliver remarks. The National Central Library has long promoted international exchanges. Since 1989 it has hosted over 1500 scholars for research purposes from more than 48 countries around the world.

Because of the impact of the pandemic this year, international exchanges are not easy, and it is all the more rare to be able to come to Taiwan from overseas. These scholars, who have been in Taiwan for several months, are therefore not only experienced in Taiwan's epidemic prevention and political and economic development, but are also witnesses to Taiwan's demonstration to the international community of the beauty of culture. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, with the assistance of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of New Taipei City Government, the National Central Library arranged for about 40 scholars from 22 countries to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations at the Lin Family Mansion and Garden, the most typical traditional garden in Taiwan. The scholars came from Canada, the United States, Peru, Nicaragua, Brazil, France, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Latvia, Russia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, and South Africa.

Arrangement was made not only for the overseas scholars to roam in the classical garden and experience the interlacing of past and present, but also to carry out traditional handcraft activities, such as imperial decree rubbing, while listening to performances of such musical instruments as the guqin, erhu and flute in the antique buildings. In the evening, the guests enjoyed the Sleepless Under the Flower Moon light sculpture show arranged by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of New Taipei City, which thrilled the overseas scholars with its combination of tradition and innovation.This activity enabled the scholars to experience a combination of Taiwan's traditional and technological culture, and also shone an international spotlight on an image of Taiwan.