Taichung’s Rainbow Village, created by amateur artist Huang Yung-fu (黃永阜), was one of two Taiwanese destinations listed in Lonely Planet’s Secret Marvels of the World guidebook last month.
The village, known for its vibrant colors, received international recognition from two other sources this year.
It ranked third in an online survey by Japanese travel agency H.I.S. asking Japanese netizens to rank photo-worthy destinations in Taiwan that they wanted to visit the most.
Photo: Su Meng-chuan, Taipei Times
British lifestyle Web site Culture Trip included the Rainbow Village in its “10 Most Instagrammable Spots in Taiwan.”
In response to his sudden rise to fame, 95-year-old veteran Huang, nicknamed the “Rainbow Grandfather,” said that he never imagined such a thing would happen, adding that he found it a little baffling.
“I am being watched by others, but I am watching others, too,” he said.
Huang said he enjoys other people’s company, especially the joy and laughter of his audience.
In 2008, Huang painted on the walls and floors of his self-built residence inside an old veterans’ village in Taichung’s Nantun District (南屯).
Two years later, when his house was listed for land readjustment by the government, Huang said the public started a campaign to save the Rainbow Village.
Letters flooded the mayor’s mailbox and the Taichung City Government made an exception allowing him to keep his house, he added.
Last year, more than 1.25 million people visited the Rainbow Village, the city government said.
Huang said that as long as his health allows, he almost always greets his visitors and that he still begins working at 4am almost every day.
The self-taught artist said he draws whatever comes to mind, including animals, puppets and even childhood memories.
He was hospitalized for a week early last month due to pneumonia after a cold, Huang said, adding that after checking out of hospital, he put his painting on pause to allow his body to rest and readjust.
He wanted to recover quickly so that he could continue painting, Huang said, adding that his energy has recovered and he has resumed painting.
“There are already a lot of images in my head and I want to paint all of them,” Huang said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS