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The Beginning

Back in the late sixties, the name ˇ§Taiwanˇ¨ sounded so unfamiliar to the Americans community.  A great deal of people easily mistook Taiwan as ˇ§Thailandˇ¨ when hearing it, while some would refer Taiwan as ˇ§Formosaˇ¨.  In a word, the name Taiwan sounded so foreign to them.  Perhaps some would find cheap merchandises in neighborhood discount stores with a sticker ˇ§Made in Taiwanˇ¨ on them.  ˇ§Made in Taiwanˇ¨ was identified as inferior goods one could find in lesser-known stores.  However, this is no longer the reality.  After several decades, Taiwan has received her name recognition on the world stage.  But just how much do people actually know about the island of Taiwan, the people, the heritage and culture?  Utilizing the Taiwanese Americans volunteerism and the support of the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, The Splendor of Taiwan Tour and Exhibition is a project to showcase Taiwan featuring her culture heritage and transformation of political democratization as well as economic miracle.  The project with a permanent exhibition is the first of its kind in the United States.

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The Project in the Making

In 2007, several Oversea Compatriot Affairs Commissioners had a vision to take advantage of the facility of the Culture Center to make it a tourist destination in the Houston Southwest Chinatown.  Then Minister Fu-Mei Chang of the Oversea Compatriot Affairs Commission and some of Taiwanese community leaders in Houston echoed this proposal.  Subsequently, the Promote Taiwan Team (PPT) was formed to work with the Culture Center to tackle this monumental task. Numerous intensive meetings have been held and coordination was called for.  In additions, the Culture Center went under renovation to set up the exhibition.  On November 30th of 2007, the Splendor of Taiwan Tour and Exhibition had its first trial-run tour with the John Cooper School and the Woodland Methodist Church.  There were seventy-five guests attending.  On April 22nd of 2008, Minister Chang, Congressman Al Green, State Representatives Hubert Vo and Jim Murphy, and officials from the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau officially opened the Splendor of Taiwan Tour and Exhibition to all Houstonians.

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The Details
The idea of the Splendor of Taiwan Tour and Exhibition is to present Taiwan to the mainstream American community.   The project is the latest addition to Asian Heritage Tours Program affiliated to that of the Chinese Community Centerˇ¦s Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is a tour to explore the rich and colorful past of the island and her transformation to a modern nation famous for the high-tech driven research and development. Upon arrival at the Culture Center, visitors will find a life size display of the Winnowing Machine, the Granite Stone Grinder, the Wooden Pestle with Mortar used by indigenous people and the Orchid Island Canoe, as well as a decorative facade of the old rural farming house. The display items include Taiwanese palm puppets, traditional indigenous clothing, handcrafts, paintings, old posters, antique pottery and much more. In the Audio Visual Room, there are posters of contemporary Taiwan on the surrounding walls.  Furthermore, the movie screen is eager to show the sight and sound of the modern and beautiful Taiwan.  Culture presentations such as tea ceremony, floral arrangement and puppet performance offer an in-dept look at the Taiwanese culture. Programs such as the lion dance and the art of paper folding (origami) provide a hands-on participation for the visitors.  Upon pre-arranged request, the Culture Center Tour can be tailored to meet the groupˇ¦s interest.
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Conclusion
In all, the Tour and Exhibition has a wealth of information about Taiwan to share. It would be a great pleasure to have you come for a visit.  The members of the PPT and I myself are looking forward to the opportunity to welcome you all.
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