With the height of summer upon us, Taiwan’s athletes are preparing to shine like the sun at the Taipei Universiade. Taiwan Panorama has invited an array of experts to provide readers with a broader view of this year’s games, an event that will introduce many visitors from abroad to Taiwan’s boundless capabilities.
We have done so in pursuit of Taiwanese perspectives that engage with the larger world, and of an athletic spirit which transforms mutual respect into friendship and the further pursuit of excellence. Our cover feature also includes a story on the innovative approaches to holding this year’s Universiade, information on some of the competing athletes, and veteran sports administrator Wu Ching-kuo’s assessment of Taiwan’s prospects in international competition.
Everyone has had their own personal experience of suffering, and still carries those wounds in their heart. In our Television and Film section, we introduce A Boy Named Flora A, a darkly comedic TV show that explores those wounds and has enjoyed a whirlwind of popularity in Taiwan. The brilliant performances of the show’s cast, which includes singer Crowd Lu and veteran actor Tsai Chen-nan, as well as Long Shao-hua, Ko Shu-yuan and Kang Kang, have whetted appetites for more Taiwanese-style programming.
The vegan trend sweeping the globe ties together a number of environmental issues. Taiwan has been an active participant in the trend, the long-term promotion of which by NGOs such as Meat Free Monday Taiwan and the Wilderness Foundation Formosa has drawn international attention to our vegan and green revolutions.
This month’s Artists and Artisans section features a story on Kuo Chin-chih, a sculptor who has spent his career pioneering the field of modern Taiwanese sculpture by combining concrete and abstract elements in innovative ways. Meanwhile, Urban Spaces takes readers through the Lightbox Photo Library, an adventurous experiment in library design that turns the staid stereotype of the library on its head. In addition to enabling visitors to read or study on their own, the library provides photography enthusiasts with a space to meet and talk, encouraging Taiwan’s photography community to be both more self-aware and more self-determining.
Taiwan’s many points of pride are familiar to all who live here, and influence how foreign visitors understand this place. This issue of Taiwan Panorama illuminates our island through a variety of lenses, from sports and television to veganism, sculpture, and design. Taiwan’s inclusiveness and willingness to embrace others, no matter the language they speak, is part of what makes it special.
The summer heat may be sweltering, but the passion of Taiwan’s people is hotter still.