Canadian environmentalist and musician Matthew Lien and Taiwanese English teacher Liu Kuan-yu (劉冠余) tied the knot at a traditional Aboriginal wedding in Hsitou (溪頭), Nantou County, on Saturday.
Despite the cold weather and light rain, the ceremony took place at an outdoor theater at Hsitou Forest Recreation Park.
The wedding started with a traditional Bunun ritual to pray for blessings, followed by Aboriginal songs performed by Bunun students from Xinyi Junior High School in Nantou County.
With the Aboriginal music and the natural scenery as a backdrop, the couple recited their wedding vows, promising to support each other and share their love of Taiwan no matter what difficulties may arise.
Liu and Lien said getting married surrounded by nature, along with the sounds of birds and the students’ singing, was very meaningful for them.
Lien hoped the traditional ritual would bring good fortune to the people of Taiwan.
During the wedding, Lien performed an improvisation on a Native American flute and played the guitar, while singing a song of love to Liu and Mother Nature.
Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) and his wife attended the wedding reception to congratulate the couple.
A spokesperson for the Lemidi Hotel (溪頭米堤飯店), where the reception was held, said that Lien would perform at a charity concert for the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families at Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall in Taipei on Mar. 28 to raise awareness about helping children from economically disadvantaged families.
Lien is an internationally active environmental activist and musician.
Liu did her master’s degree in education in the US.
Liu’s father is a board member of the Chunghwa Post Co and her uncle is Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hong (劉政鴻).
The couple are expecting a child in two months.
When Shanghai-based designer Guo Qingshan posted a vacation photo on Valentine’s Day and captioned it “Puppy Mountain,” it became a sensation in China and even created a tourist destination. Guo had gone on a hike while visiting his hometown of Yichang in central China’s Hubei Province late last month. When reviewing the photographs, he saw something he had not noticed before: A mountain shaped like a dog’s head rested on the ground next to the Yangtze River, its snout perched at the water’s edge. “It was so magical and cute. I was so excited and happy when I discovered it,” Guo said.
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