Cultural Heritage Department of Taichung City

Culture in some ways represents one’s attitude towards life and the fostering of culture is a mission that takes time to fulfill; it cannot be achieved in just one or two days. Taichung City would not have earned the appellation of a cultural city if not for the wisdom passed down by the sages in ancient times. After the city-county consolidation, Mayor Jason Hu took culture and art as the focus for Taichung’s urban development, which has also successfully facilitated its economic expansion and defined for Taichung City its status in the international community. “Art/Culture, Low Carbon, and A City of Wisdom” signifies the pivotal ideals and vision for Taichung’s overall development.

Since cultural heritage preservation means preserving whatever comes down to us through the ancient sages’ wisdom and achievements, it is thus an integral aspect of cultural development. Mayor Hu places much stress on the missions related to the preservation of cultural heritage by promoting the establishment of Taiwan’s first regional cultural heritage management organization “Preparatory Office for the Cultural Heritage Administration Center of Taichung City” on February 4, 2010; the “Cultural Heritage Administration Center of Taichung City” was officially founded on December 25, 2010, after the city-county consolidation.

The Center is the secondary institution affiliated to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung City Government, with the responsibilities, in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, covering Taichung city’s “historic sites”, “historic structures and settlements”, “relics”, “cultural attractions”, “traditional arts” and “folk art, handicrafts and related artifacts,” six categories in total, for the preservation, maintenance, utilization, reuse, promotion and other related affairs of cultural heritages.