12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
About the Program
Did you know that renowned writer Huang Chun-ming is also nicknamed the “Poo-poo Teacher”? He teaches Taiwanese using fun jingles and nursery rhymes, bringing smiles to every child’s face.
Did you know that Taiwan also has a Turtle Island? He captures the iconic island with torn-paper paintings and his words.
The preservation of language is crucial for understanding and appreciating one's own culture. This is a significant topic of discussion for both Taiwan and Canada. Taiwanese, a language passed down through generations, serves as a bridge connecting history and modernity, narrating contemporary daily life and the customs and people of Taiwan.
For Huang Chun-ming, who experienced both Japanese and Kuomintang rule, Taiwanese literature became a medium to rediscover himself. His works are filled with love and respect for the Taiwanese language, reflecting a deep emotional connection to the island and its people. His writing, like a series of vivid paintings, skillfully uses this local language to portray every corner of Taiwanese life.
In addition to his literary works, Huang Chun-ming began creating torn-paper paintings on a whim. He has since accumulated hundreds of works. Besides children's storybooks and fictional essays, he’s also penned lesser-known “Poetry and Paintings” featuring themes such as Turtle Island, cockscomb flowers, and sunflowers. These works blend modern poetry and visual art, showcasing his love for the land, his contemplation of life, and his analysis of his own creative process.TAIWANfest presents a special "Poetry and Paintings" exhibition, highlighting Huang Chun-ming's unique integration of contemporary poetry, torn-paper paintings, and calligraphy. Huang Chun-ming will also share the charm and depth of the Taiwanese language through a virtual presentation, allowing audiences to experience his profound connection to Taiwan's local culture, language, and humanity.
Turtle Island
Author: Huang Chun-Ming
Translation: becky tu
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang take the train out of the plains
When they look out the window and see you
They can never tell if the melancholy in the air
is yours, or their own
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang are away from home
Their sleepless nights are filled with too many dreams
They dream of Zhuoshui River
They dream of Typhoon Pamela and Bess
They dream of you, Turtle Island
The doctors here abroad tell them to count sheep
One sheep, two sheep, three sheep
four Zhuoshui Rivers, five Typhoons, six Turtle Islands
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang take the train home
When they look out the window and see you
They can never tell if the joy in the air
is yours, or their own
Huang Chun-ming, a master of contemporary Taiwanese local literature, has a wide range of artistic creations, including novels, essays, poetry, children's literature, drama, torn-paper paintings, and oil paintings. His works have been translated into various languages such as Japanese, Korean, English, French, and German. With diverse themes, his works have won numerous important literary awards and have been adapted into films. He is deeply invested in the local Taiwanese culture and engages with a rich array of cultural and social issues.
From the Curating Team
Experience the impacts of culture, history, and visual art in TAIWANfest exhibitions featuring a pilgrimage in Spain, Taiwanese poetry, and more.
About the Program
Did you know that renowned writer Huang Chun-ming is also nicknamed the “Poo-poo Teacher”? He teaches Taiwanese using fun jingles and nursery rhymes, bringing smiles to every child’s face.
Did you know that Taiwan also has a Turtle Island? He captures the iconic island with torn-paper paintings and his words.
The preservation of language is crucial for understanding and appreciating one's own culture. This is a significant topic of discussion for both Taiwan and Canada. Taiwanese, a language passed down through generations, serves as a bridge connecting history and modernity, narrating contemporary daily life and the customs and people of Taiwan.
For Huang Chun-ming, who experienced both Japanese and Kuomintang rule, Taiwanese literature became a medium to rediscover himself. His works are filled with love and respect for the Taiwanese language, reflecting a deep emotional connection to the island and its people. His writing, like a series of vivid paintings, skillfully uses this local language to portray every corner of Taiwanese life.
In addition to his literary works, Huang Chun-ming began creating torn-paper paintings on a whim. He has since accumulated hundreds of works. Besides children's storybooks and fictional essays, he’s also penned lesser-known “Poetry and Paintings” featuring themes such as Turtle Island, cockscomb flowers, and sunflowers. These works blend modern poetry and visual art, showcasing his love for the land, his contemplation of life, and his analysis of his own creative process.TAIWANfest presents a special "Poetry and Paintings" exhibition, highlighting Huang Chun-ming's unique integration of contemporary poetry, torn-paper paintings, and calligraphy. Huang Chun-ming will also share the charm and depth of the Taiwanese language through a virtual presentation, allowing audiences to experience his profound connection to Taiwan's local culture, language, and humanity.
Turtle Island
Author: Huang Chun-Ming
Translation: becky tu
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang take the train out of the plains
When they look out the window and see you
They can never tell if the melancholy in the air
is yours, or their own
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang are away from home
Their sleepless nights are filled with too many dreams
They dream of Zhuoshui River
They dream of Typhoon Pamela and Bess
They dream of you, Turtle Island
The doctors here abroad tell them to count sheep
One sheep, two sheep, three sheep
four Zhuoshui Rivers, five Typhoons, six Turtle Islands
Turtle Island
Whenever the children of Lanyang take the train home
When they look out the window and see you
They can never tell if the joy in the air
is yours, or their own
Huang Chun-ming, a master of contemporary Taiwanese local literature, has a wide range of artistic creations, including novels, essays, poetry, children's literature, drama, torn-paper paintings, and oil paintings. His works have been translated into various languages such as Japanese, Korean, English, French, and German. With diverse themes, his works have won numerous important literary awards and have been adapted into films. He is deeply invested in the local Taiwanese culture and engages with a rich array of cultural and social issues.
Community Association
Community Association
From the Curating Team
Experience the impacts of culture, history, and visual art in TAIWANfest exhibitions featuring a pilgrimage in Spain, Taiwanese poetry, and more.
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Performance / Vendor / Sponsorship Opportunities
TAIWANfest Vancouver is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered here, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples of this land while we engage in meaningful conversations of culture and reconciliation.