On Dec. 28, the Ministry of Culture held an award ceremony to honor Nanguan (南管) artist Chen Yen-chu (陳嬿朱), recognizing her as an important preserver of traditional performing arts. The ceremony was attended by Minister of Culture Li Yuan and other distinguished guests.
Originating in the Tang and Song dynasties, Nanguan is a form of traditional Chinese music that remains popular in Taiwan, Quanzhou (泉州) in China, and parts of Southeast Asia. Known for its elegance, Nanguan is not only an important part of Taiwanese culture, but also an intangible cultural heritage shared with the world.
A student of Nanguan masters Chang Hung-ming (張鴻明) and Wu Tao-hung (吳道宏), Chen is proficient in all styles of Nanguan music, namely Chi (指), Pho (譜), and Khiok (曲), as well as a variety of instruments such as pipa (琵琶), erxian (二弦), and sanxian (三弦). She served as Chang’s teaching assistant for several years, mainly teaching in Kaohsiung and Tainan.
In her acceptance speech, Chen emphasized the importance of preserving Nanguan, adding that she will work hard to safeguard the art form and pass it on to future generations.
Minister Li Yuan noted that Chen is the second Nanguan artist to be recognized as an important preserver of the art in 14 years, following her mentor Chang Hung-ming, who received the honor in 2010.
Since 2009, the MOC has honored important preservers of traditional performing arts, also known as “living national treasures,” in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. To date, the MOC has recognized 31 artists and groups across 19 different types of arts as important preservers.
