The 42nd National Cultural Award awards ceremony was held at the Taipei Zhongshan Hall on May 31, where Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) presented the Medal of Culture to the winners of the National Cultural Award, Taiwan's highest cultural accolade presented by the government. The recipients are violinist Li Shu-de (李淑德), master puppeteer Toshio Huang (黃俊雄), and theater performance arts educator Wu Jing-jyi (吳靜吉).

The three winners hold distinct positions in the fields of music education, traditional arts, and performing arts. They have made significant efforts in grooming succeeding generations and have greatly contributed to the preservation and advancement of Taiwan's cultural heritage.

Addressing the ceremony on behalf of Premier Chen, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) stated that the National Cultural Award represents the government's commitment to culture. He pointed out that the winners share similar characteristics - they value cultural equality, are dedicated to making culture accessible, and view cultural education as their lifelong mission.

Two of the winners, Li and Huang, were unable to attend the awards ceremony in person due to health-related reasons, therefore Minister Shih specially visited them at their homes prior to the ceremony to present the medal and certificate on behalf of the Executive Yuan.

Minister Shih noted that 93 people have been awarded the National Cultural Award since its inception in 1981. The diverse and unique nature of Taiwan's culture is a result of the combined efforts of many respected individuals in various cultural and artistic domains. He emphasized that the process of award review is open, fair, and righteous. This year, 40 individuals were nominated by various sectors across the country. Following the initial paper review, 24 candidates proceeded to the final round of review. Eventually, Li Shu-de, Toshio Huang, and Wu Jing-jyi were selected as this year’s winners, with the approval of over three-fourths of the 13 jury members.