Taipei is mixing Confucianism with soap opera and gourmet food in the hopes of attracting independent Chinese tourists, government officials said yesterday.
Confucianism, an ethical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (孔子), is considered a quasi-religious philosophy that has influenced the culture and history of East Asia.
Through a modern interpretation of Confucianism, Taipei can present to Chinese tourists a traditional culture that was largely demolished in China during the Cultural Revolution, but which is still well-kept in Taiwan, city officials said.
“Confucius is a great cultural icon cherished by every tourist,” said Chao Hsin-ping (趙心屏), -commissioner of the city’s Department of Information and Tourism.
“What we are doing is giving a little bit of background to let tourists experience Confucianism themselves,” Chao said.
In its latest tourism promotion campaign on Confucianism, the department launched a film production in which a couple falls in love because of their common passion for Confucius’ teachings. The story starts with a light quarrel, with the boy and the girl disagreeing on the manner of drinking coffee.
It is a refreshing way to illustrate how Confucian principles dictate not only how the dishes are cooked, but also the order in which they are brought out, project supervisor Su Yu-chin said.
Since the characters in the film were based on the different -personalities of Confucius’ disciples, Su said the love story makes the educational material accessible for Chinese tourists who want to pursue in-depth travel in Taiwan.
Besides the short film, the city also offers Confucian cuisine, which reflects Confucianism by following strict rules governing different classes of banquets according to the status of attendees and the specific event.
Prepared with specific -nutrition, flavor, color and aroma under Confucian rules, all the dishes are named after great people in Chinese history, including revered poets.
“We want to succeed in making a name for Taipei as a source of Confucius’ legacy,” Chao said.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about