On August 8th and 9th, a two-day cultural workshop was held at the Culture Center of Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in San Francisco (Milpitas). The workshop featured several classes, which included Lugang Crafts, Sanyi Wood, Yuanli Rush Weaving, Hualien/Taiwan Jade, Shenkeng/Daxi Dried Tofu, Tianwei Flower Township, and Huwei Paper Cutting. Over sixty people participated in the classes.
Lead teacher Liling Chen explained that the event was part of the Taiwan Local Culture series, now in its second year. “Last year, we designed the courses around the cultural characteristics of different cities. The timeline of history is combined with geographical components to leave a deeper impression. When these students return to Taiwan in the future, they can also further understand these places and cultural characteristics”. She hopes to promote not only Taiwanese tourism, but also the humanistic characteristics and intangible cultural assets of various places. In the future, the teachers also hope to launch advanced courses such as wood carving and jade.
The courses were designed to cater to individuals of varying ages and Mandarin levels. In particular, members of the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors (FASCA) have increasingly participated in events like this in recent years. Some young people do not get as much exposure to Taiwanese culture, so the teachers try to introduce the topics in an easy-to-understand format. FASCA member Chi-Hsia Sharleen Ho just joined FASCA this summer and shared that she originally didn’t think too much about tofu, but gradually started enjoying the process of making it with her team by hand during the class. “We were worried that the tofu wouldn’t form together, and laughing when we spilled what we called ‘bean juice’ on the floor … there I was, standing in the TECO room with my hands covered in that exact ‘bean juice’ in the process of making it myself. Something that had always been ordinary suddenly felt a little less ordinary … That was the exact moment I realized that culture can be hidden in the most ordinary things”.
Rush is a plant that is grown, harvested, sun-dried, and processed carefully before it can be used for weaving. Each step requires attention and patience, with the final product being a physical representation of hard work. The rush weaving class on this day taught students a lot about slowing down and being present to stay focused on the task at hand. One small mistake could affect the end product.
Who knew such simple things, such as woven hats and tofu, could inspire such unique classes!
