A Ritual of Gratitude Before the Temple

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In Taiwan, the temple courtyard—miao cheng—is more than just a space for worship. It is the spiritual heart of a community, where gratitude, blessings, and cultural memories are passed down across generations. Despite a landscape shaped by mountains, monsoons, and earthquakes, Taiwanese people have long gathered in these temple spaces to offer thanks to the heavens and the gods, honoring both nature and tradition.

This performance transforms the timeless ritual of giving thanks into a moving piece of stage art. Through evocative music and symbolic storytelling, we bring the spirit of Taiwan to the world stage. It is not merely a show, but a heartfelt expression of cultural continuity and shared human emotion.

We invite you to experience the warmth, reverence, and resilience of the Taiwanese people. Let the voices of the island transcend borders and resonate deeply within your heart—a celebration of faith, gratitude, and enduring cultural spirit.

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Creative Team

Artistic Director｜TU Shih-Hue

Shih-Hue works in the theatre as a director, performer and writer since 1997. Many of her works have been produced and three were published. Her work, A Voyage to The Island ~ A Solo Operetta debuted in 2003 and were also performed in Avignon Off 2010 and A l’Est du Nouveau 2012. Her book Solo Performance (2008) is the only book on this particular subject inMandarin speaking countries to date. She is currently an associate professor of the　Department of Theatre Arts at National Sun Yat-Sen University.

Music Director｜JUO Shr-Yau

JUO Shr-Yau is the founder and artistic director of Our Space Music Studio. A graduate of the Composition Program at the Department of Music, National Sun Yat-sen University, he has been active in the field for over a decade. With a spirit of continuous innovation, he collaborates with a wide range of performing arts groups and creators, spanning theatrical sound design, pop music production, film and television scoring, video game music, and audiobook publishing. His works have received multiple nominations at the Golden Melody Awards, Golden Bell Awards, and Golden Indie Music Awards.

Ritual of Blessings: A Traditional Puppet Show

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This performance by Shinergy Puppet Show begins with the traditional Taiwanese Ban Xian Xi (a ritual theater performance in which puppets portray divine figures to honor the gods), opening the stage with a ritual to invite the gods. Guided by skilled puppeteers, Golden Light Puppets appear on stage in radiant divine forms, blessing the audience with joy and fortune. This symbolizes the heartfelt gratitude of the Taiwanese people toward heaven and earth.

Combining puppetry, music, and interactive elements, the show conveys blessings and warmth from the island through ritual and tradition.

Director｜ZHU Xiang-Pu
Puppeteers｜WANG Ying-Chun, HSIAO Meng-Jan、YANG Chih-Hao

Creative Team

Shinergy Puppet Show

Founded in 1996 in Fengyuan, Taichung, Shinergy Puppet Show is committed to an experimental spirit and cultural heritage, merging traditional opera with modern media. In 2018, they pioneered "projection mapping puppetry," transforming the stage into dynamic visual landscapes, depicting rain, snow, and falling petals, enhancing martial arts action with stunning visuals. Additionally, multilingual subtitles were introduced to make the performances accessible to non-Taiwanese-speaking audiences.

Shinergy Puppet Show continues to explore new possibilities, preserving and innovating Taiwan’s treasured puppetry tradition for future generations.

Great Lord Parade: Divine Generals Guarding the Island

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Uni Percussion
Artistic director HSUEH Yung-Chih of Uni Percussion blends contemporary percussion with traditional Beiguan music, the immersive sounds of temple processions, electronic soundscapes, and field recordings from temple plazas to construct an “invisible temple” through sound. This performance presents an adaptation of the original work, focusing on the section about Nezha the Crown Prince, a revered deity in Taiwanese folk belief.

Performer｜HSUEH Yung-Chih
Production Support｜TSO Han-Chieh

Piànn-tiûnn
Piànn-tiûnn’s the Electric Divine Generals takes Taiwan’s modern democratic history as the core narrative thread of its performance. Characters such as the Electric Clairvoyant, Electric Keen Hearing, Electric Generals Hsieh and Fan, the Millennial Courtesan, and the Goddess-Priestess are infused with newly imagined contemporary symbolism. Through this, we witness how, on this island, the people of Taiwan have crossed through years of silence, adrift in darkness, seeking the sacred light of freedom. We also see how the gods of Taiwan have passed through cycles of sacrifice and rebirth, becoming the light for the people of Taiwan. Ultimately, the work becomes a shared blessing between humans and gods, a prayer that across the sea, between two nations and two islands, both people and deities may thrive together.

Electric Divine Generals & Visual Artist｜LI Yu-Shen
Electric Clairvoyant｜ TSAI Kuei-Cheng
Electric Keen Hearing｜HO Chi-Ling

Creative Team

Uni Percussion

Founded by percussionist and sound artist HSUEH Yung-Chih, Uni Percussion is grounded in classical and contemporary music training. The ensemble brings together professional practices in percussion, sound art, and theatrical arts, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across diverse fields. It gathers creative talents from Taiwan and abroad to explore new possibilities for inclusive artistic environments and public engagement. In recent years, Uni Percussion has continued to collaborate with installation artists, dancers, and puppeteers. Through performances, artistic curation, site-specific works, and community workshops, it seeks to forge connections between various art forms and society. Representative works include: Temple of Echoes, A One-Man Festival, Between Two Breaths, Plato’s Cave, and Ear Monster’s Sonic Jungle Hideout.

Piànn-tiûnn

Piànn-tiûnn brings together a cross-disciplinary group of creators—including contemporary artists, choreographers, music producers, bands, costume and fashion designers, architects, comic artists, and writers. Through collaborative creation, they transform historical events from Taiwan into works that can be read and felt in the present, using creation as a pathway to redefine the Taiwanese perspective on history.

A Blessing from the Ancients: A Tribute to Heaven and Earth

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SANGPUY

SANGPUY infuses modern works with his soulfulness. Through a new way of arrangement and interpretation with songs in different languages and light instrumentation, different from those in his past concerts, he hopes to lead the audience to experience the city, the forests, the ocean, and the close connection between humans and natural lives. With his voice, he would also like to invite everyone to embrace the land, and to reflect, love, and feel the environment and culture, so as to gain consolation, strength, and blessing.

Puzangalan Children's Choir

"A Beautiful Gathering"

This is a beautiful gathering—

Children on the hillside,

Listen! Ualjaiyui, that glorious melody of life, flows from you.

The songs of the Paiwan people

Are the music of human life,

The language of cultural vitality,

And the resonance of life between heaven and earth.

Children on the hillside,

Sing Heiyuin—discover yourself through the songs.

Through rituals, ceremonies, and everyday life,

Express your attitude toward life through singing.

Leader｜TSAI I-Fang

Conductor｜WU Sheng-Ying

Members｜LAFAWUSI DALIMALAO-BAZIGELE, CHUNG Tzu-Hsuan, LIOU Fei, YE Xin, CHUANG Tsai-Chien, TSAI Chi-En, KUEI En-Ni、TU Jo-Ting, HUANG Yu-Shih, HAN Yen-Hsi, Pa Zin-Cian, KAN Yu-Ning, SUN Ting-Yue

Creative Team

SANGPUY

SANGPUY, a singer with an old soul from the Pinuyumayan’s Katratripulr in Taitung, where mountains meet the ocean, is dedicated to passing down his culture. His captivating voice, rooted in ancient tradition, transports listeners to deep forests, where nature and heritage intertwine. In his performances and recordings, Sangpuy blends modern arrangements and diverse languages with a timeless spirituality, guiding audiences to experience the city, forest, and ocean — and to feel the profound connections between humans and the world. Through music, he invites listeners to embrace the land, reflect, and find strength and blessings. Sangpuy has released four albums and earned three GMA Best Indigenous Singer Awards and two GMA Best Album of the Year Awards, making him a pivotal voice in preserving and sharing the beauty of indigenous culture.

Puzangalan Children's Choir

In the Paiwan language “PUZANGALAN” means “hope.” Formed by Paiwan children, the Puzangalan Children's Choir is made up of young voices full of dreams and determination. They love to sing, they work hard, and they believe in creating a different future for themselves. Through their songs, they wish to share blessings and joy with everyone—and to sing their way toward a hopeful tomorrow.

Orchestrated by Fate: Puah-Pue (Excerpt)

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Pua̍h-Pue / Divination Blocks | A dance of listening to one’s own thoughts in front of Buddha.
Pua̍h-Pue(Divination Blocks) seems like seeking Buddha’s answer through casting Divination blocks to me, a journey of self-reflection. The parabola of their movement represents the journey of listening to one’s heart. How much power do I truly possess? In their rise and fall, I become aware of the inherent power of choice that I hold.

Choreographer｜KUO Chueh-Kai
Dancers｜HSU Li-En, CHEN Yu-Chi

Creative Team

wenshyangdance

wenshyangdance has been recognized for 18 consecutive years as an Outstanding Performing Arts Group in Chiayi County. The company is dedicated to dance education and promotion, focusing on three core missions: preserving local culture, developing innovative dance styles, and integrating the arts into everyday life. Through deep engagement with schools and communities, the company fosters accessibility to the arts. Their “One Township, One Character” series draws inspiration from the cultural richness of Chiayi’s 18 townships, presenting distinctive local features through dance. The Chiayi New Dance Movement platform supports young choreographers and promotes contemporary dance in southern Taiwan. wenshyangdance continues to break new ground, embodying diverse artistic energy and profound cultural emotion.

The Words We Speak: A Mother's Voice

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CHANG Ya-Chun
CHANG Ya-Chun’s music is rooted in the richness of traditional melodies and folk songs, shaped by years of lived experiences and stories from the land. In this performance, she presents a reinterpretation of the Taiwanese folk tune “Sū-Siang-Ki” using the yueqin (moon lute), expressing the beauty and strength of Taiwan’s landscapes, as well as the warmth and kindness of its people.

HSIEH Ming-Yu
HSIEH Ming-Yu's musical creations are like a microcosm of Taiwanese history—tracing the island’s humanity, landscapes, and emotions. In this performance, he presents his original song “By the Five Harbors,” evoking the leisurely sweetness of southern Taiwan through local scenery and stories. His lyrics portray the unique rhythms of Taiwanese life and enduring centers of faith. With a voice weathered yet unwavering, and melodies rooted deeply in the land, HSIEH sings with honesty and warmth—an authentic expression of the Taiwanese spirit.

CHIU Shu
Raised amidst the language and land of a mountain town, CHIU Shu brings to the performance a rendition of Pai Mong-Ling’s song “Thinking of My Placenta Scar.” Through her voice and mother tongue, she participates in this act of reverence for heaven and earth—responding to the deep interconnections between language, land, and faith.

Artist｜CHIU Shu
Artist Manager｜LAN
Artist Agency｜GreenRoom Studio

Creative Team

CHANG Ya-Chun

Born in Taipei, Chang Ya Chun studied chant-song under national treasure Yang Xiu-Qing and also trained in Nanguan music. While preserving the traditional chant-song heritage, she also creates new folk music using the yueqin. She collaborated with sculptor Li Yu-Shen on "Piànn-tiûnn." In 2020, she released her debut album and has since focused on the creation and performance of contemporary chant-song.

HSIEH Ming-Yu

A veteran musician from Tainan, HSIEH Ming-Yu is one of Taiwan’s most significant singer-songwriters, with works spanning the Mandarin pop music scene. Honored with multiple music awards, he has evolved from a love song lyricist to a voice for the elderly, for Tainan, and for Taiwan itself—embedding the life and stories of his hometown into his lyrics and melodies. He founded the “Van Band,” bringing music to elder care institutions through volunteer performances, and co-founded the “South Howl Music Festival” with local friends and residents to celebrate life in his hometown.

CHIU Shu

A Hakka artist from Miaoli, Taiwan, CHIU Shu works across both theater and music. Known for her clear and ethereal voice that resonates like a built-in effects pedal, she blends folk guitar with Hakka-language songwriting, creating a captivating balance between stillness and motion.
Her debut album “Waiting Roads” won Best Folk Album at the Golden Indie Music Awards and was nominated for the Golden Melody Awards. With her ability to build emotional bridges through song, she draws listeners into her uniquely expressive soundscape where music and storytelling intertwine.

The Grand Harmony of Sound: Dancing to the Same Song

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Through music, we express the soul of Taiwan and unite the world—gathering blessings from the gods of the universe into one powerful harmony. All performers will join together on stage for this collective performance.

A Ritual of Gratitude Before the Temple Performance

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A Ritual of Gratitude Before the Temple
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