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Twenty students shortlisted for final of Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka Poetry Recitation Competition

Final to be held August 27 at Legislative Yuan

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The Flying Goblet Drunken Moon Pavilion in the Lin Family Garden
Competitors dressed up in costumes for the recital
Semi-final of the Chiang Wei-shui Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka Poetry Recitation Competitionin held in Taichung on July 23
Legislative Secretary General Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) speaking at the competition

  The Flying Goblet Drunken Moon Pavilion in the Lin Family Garden (Taiwan News photo)

Competitors dressed up in costumes for the recital (Taiwan News photo)

Semi-final of the Chiang Wei-shui Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka Poetry Recitation Competitionin held in Taichung on July 23 (CNA photo)

Legislative Secretary General Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) speaking at the competition (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A record number of applications were filed to take part in the Chiang Wei-shui Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka Poetry Recitation Competition, seeing 40 semi-finalists present evidence of Taiwan's language diversity at Taichung's Lin Family Garden Saturday (July 23).

This year saw the first time that Hakka poetry was added to the program in addition to Hokkien. Organized by I-Mei Foundation for Arts and Education, the competition attracted 133 high school and vocational school students in the preliminary round. Among them, 40 participants reached the semi-final, and 20 made it through to the shortlist, who will compete at the Legislative Yuan Aug. 27.

The semi-final took place in the Garden's Flying Goblet Drunken Moon Pavilion (飛觴醉月亭), where competitors spared no effort in mounting their recital in specially made costumes.

Legislative Secretary General Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) said that the competition this year was special in two senses. Not only had Hakka poetry been included in hopes of promoting Taiwan’s native languages, but also the choice of venue – with Lin Family Garden being the residence of the late democracy pioneer Lin Hsien-tang – deepened the participants’ understanding of Taiwan’s history and the contribution of antecedents. Lin expressed his hope that the next generation would preserve the people's mother tongues and make the Taiwanese spirit and culture shine.

I-Mei Foundation Senior Advisor Tsai Pao-lai said that she expects the competition to truly bring out the beauty of Taiwan's languages. She also expressed her wish to see indigenous and other languages included next to the newly added Hakka this year, stressing the diversity of Taiwan in both culture and nature.

Winners will be awarded prize money that goes from NT$10,000 (US$335) for an honorable mention to NT$200,000 for the championship title.