A beam-laying ceremony was held on June 5 for the southern branch of the National Palace Museum, which is currently under construction. Vice President Wu Den-yih and local officials attended the ceremony, offering incense and praying for the construction project to go smoothly. The words “Golden cup of eternal stability; the jade candle holder burns forever” were inscribed on the primary steel beam. The inscription refers to the nation being protected throughout the ages and overall hopes for favorable conditions. The branch is set to have its soft opening at the end of December next year, says museum director Fung Ming-chu.
The branch project, located in Chiayi County’s Taibao City, was originally set when the Democratic Progressive Party government was still in power. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has continued pushing the project forward and despite the occasional setback construction began on Feb. 6 last year. The total budget for construction is NT$7.9 billion (US$263 million).
Wu, Executive Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Hsiao Chia-chi, Chiayi County Commissioner Helen Chang, Chiayi City Mayor Huang Min-hui, construction company officials and local personalities were all in attendance at the ceremony.
Photo: Wu Shih-tsung, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者吳世聰
After the attendees offered incense during prayers for good fortune, fastened bolts ceremoniously and gave their autographs, the primary beam was lifted up as firecrackers went off around it and was safely placed on the main structure, all without a hitch.
Fung says that she envisions the branch becoming an internationally renowned museum for Asian art and culture — a bright shining star alongside the main Taipei branch helping to promote cultural tourism in Taiwan.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
Photo: Wu Shih-tsung, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者吳世聰
故宮南院博物館建築工程,六月五日舉行上樑典禮,副總統吳敦義及地方人士齊聚,上香祈求工程進行順利,主鋼樑題句「金甌永固,玉燭長調」,是保佑國家千秋萬代、風調雨順之意。故宮院長馮明珠表示,故宮南院在明年十二月底開館試營運。
座落於嘉義縣太保市的故宮南院是民進黨執政時代所核定,國民黨繼續推動,期間雖有波折,但還是在去年二月六日動土,工程總經費新台幣七十九億元(兩億六千三百萬美元)。
當天舉行的上樑典禮,副總統吳敦義、行政院副秘書長蕭家淇、嘉義縣長張花冠、嘉義市長黃敏惠、施工單位及地方人士參與。
與會人士上香祈福、栓螺絲及簽名之後,主鋼樑在鞭炮聲中吊起升空安放在結構上,過程順利。
馮明珠表示,故宮南院的願景是打造一座國際級的亞洲藝術文化博物館,與台北本院相輝映,創造「南北雙星」文化觀光雙亮點。
(自由時報記者吳世聰)
Huge stretches of coral reef around the world are turning a ghostly white this year amid record warm ocean temperatures. On April 15, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed the world’s fourth mass global bleaching event is underway — with serious consequences for marine life and for the people and economies that rely on reefs. WHAT ARE CORALS? Corals are invertebrates that live in colonies. Their calcium carbonate secretions form hard and protective scaffolding that serves as a home to many colorful species of single-celled algae. The two organisms have evolved over millennia to work together, with corals providing shelter to algae,
Taiwanese cuisine boasts a rich culture of thick soups, with various options available at street vendors or high-end restaurants. In English, this style of dish is typically called “thick soup.” Western cuisine typically uses flour, cream, or mashed vegetables to create a creamy consistency, while in Taiwan, thick soups are made by simply incorporating food starch into the soup and creating a smooth and silky texture. Tutuo fish in thick soup is such a soup with fried tutuo fish chunks, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and wood ears. 台灣羹品飲食文化豐富,無論是巷口小店或是高檔餐廳,都有提供羹料理。羹在英文稱作「濃湯」,西式濃湯是以麵粉、鮮奶油、蔬菜泥等達到濃稠的口感,台灣的羹湯用太白粉即能做出濃稠絲滑的湯頭。土魠魚羹就是在勾芡的羹湯中加入炸土魠魚塊、香菇、竹筍、木耳等食材的料理。 boast (v.) 擁有(令人驕傲的事物) consistency (n.) 濃稠度 chunk (n.) 厚塊,大塊 wood ear (n. ph.) 木耳 The star of this
In Taiwan, a quick stop at a local convenience store allows you to grab a hot dog whenever you want. But have you ever wondered how this popular snack got its unique name and became a leading light of American cuisine? First, the name “hot dog” is actually a combination of different ideas. Vendors called the sausages “red hot” to get customers to buy one fresh off their grills. As for the “dog” part, it’s a playful joke to compare the meat of the sausage to that of a dog—specifically , a dachshund. This small, long dog breed was
A: Also, police seized seven pornographic videos featuring minors that entertainer Mickey Huang purchased in his hard disc. B: That’s just outrageous! A: His ex-girlfriend entertainer Little S and some others are calling for a legal amendment to increase the penalty. B: The buyers and sellers should both be punished heavily. A: But the porn sellers’ Web sites are mostly overseas, so they are hard to catch. A: 此外警方也在黃子佼的硬碟裡,查到7部他買的未成年色情片。 B: 真是令人火大! A: 他的前女友小S等人,還呼籲修法,加重相關的罰則。 B: 購買者和販賣者雙方都該重罰。 A: 不過色情網站大多設在海外要抓也不容易吧。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)