Lai Ching-te visits drum workshop, praises artisan spirit and cultural innovation

President Lai Ching-te visited the Xiang Ren He Drum Craft Workshop in New Taipei City's Xinzhuang District on the 27th of this month, accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party New Taipei City mayoral candidate Su Qiaohui. The two engaged in a warm conversation inside the workshop with master craftsman Wang Sikun and his son Wang Teng. President Lai praised the workshop on-site, stating, "This is the precious artisan spirit of Taiwan." This visit not only demonstrated the government's emphasis on traditional craftsmanship but also infused an element of cultural care into the upcoming local elections.

The Xiang Ren He Drum Craft Workshop was established many years ago and is renowned across Taiwan for making traditional drums. Master Wang Sikun inherited the family craft, focusing on the selection of drumhead leather, the woodcutting and manual carving of drum shells, and passing these skills down to his children and apprentices. In recent years, with the impact of modern music and electronic equipment, traditional drum-making has faced the crisis of a shortage of successors and the loss of skills. Master Wang and his son Wang Teng have persevered through these difficulties, continuing to host workshops and participate in campus teaching, dedicating themselves to helping the younger generation understand and experience drum making and performance, thereby laying the foundation for the preservation of this intangible cultural heritage.

President Lai's visit coincided with a critical moment as the government promotes the "Craftsmanship Spirit" policy. Since taking office, the Executive Yuan has successively announced multiple subsidy programs to assist traditional craftsmen in upgrading their skills, expanding markets, and encouraging schools to incorporate craft education into their curricula. In his speech at the workshop, President Lai specifically mentioned that the "artisan spirit" is not only the transmission of craftsmanship, but also a persistence in quality, innovation, and sustainability. He called on all sectors of society to jointly support these quietly diligent artisans so that Taiwan's cultural assets can maintain their uniqueness amid the wave of globalization.

Traditional craftsmanship in Taiwan is not only a cultural symbol but also possesses economic potential. In recent years, the government and the private sector have jointly launched "cultural tourism" routes, incorporating workshops for drum-making, woodcarving, ceramics, and other crafts into travel itineraries to attract domestic and foreign tourists for experiential visits. This model has not only increased the workshops' revenue but also allowed more people to understand the historical context and production spirit behind them. For the Xiang Ren He Drum Craft Workshop, receiving the President's recognition and exposure is expected to drive more orders and cooperation opportunities, further enhancing its visibility in domestic and international markets.

On the political front, the joint appearance of President Lai and Su Qiaohui was also interpreted as part of the Democratic Progressive Party's electoral strategy in New Taipei City. New Taipei is the country's largest metropolitan area, and its political race has always been fiercely contested. By visiting local cultural sites to demonstrate the government's care for grassroots industries and traditional culture, politicians can narrow the emotional distance with voters and secure broader support. This move simultaneously sends a message to other local candidates that the preservation and promotion of cultural assets are an indispensable part of local development and represent the soft power of political competition.

In summary, President Lai Ching-te's visit to the Xiang Ren He Drum Craft Workshop is not only recognition of the years of hard work by Master Wang Sikun and his son, but also a demonstration that concretizes the "artisan spirit" into policy and action. If education, tourism, and industry can continue to be integrated in the future to allow traditional craftsmanship to find room for survival and innovation in the new generation, Taiwan's cultural foundation will become even more solid, showcasing its unique soft power on the international stage. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)