Traditional Chinese folk games like
shuttlecock kicking, Chinese yoyo spinning, and rope skipping have gained their
popularity through the generations among Chinese communities worldwide. Thanks
to the Government’s promotional efforts, these folk games liven up students’
recesses between classes and their after school hours in primary and secondary
schools in Taiwan.
Folk games were later incorporated with
athletic activities both inside and outside of classrooms throughout the
country. This contributed to the evolution of folk game toys manufacturing, as
well as players’ creativity. Over the years, basic techniques have been
developed into elaborate performances executed by individuals, pairs, or groups.
Since 1988, winners of Chinese folk sports
competitions from elementary and intermediate schools in Taipei City have been
teamed up as the Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group to troupe in different cities
around the world annually. This year, 26 skillful students, aged 12 to 14, were
selected to perform in five cities in the United States, including Houston. These
children have been in constant practice throughout extracurricular activities,
school breaks, and vacations, including a one-month intensive training period
before the tour. Along with those popular folk sports, the performance also
includes folk music and dance, Chinese martial arts and folk games, and
Taiwanese aboriginal culture and Hakka folklore, making it one of the most
anticipated folk festivals in the international community.
Starting this February, the Education
Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston has been working
to find the most suitable venue for the show and has been organizing the event
to provide a one of a kind experience for people living in the Greater Houston
Area. Fort Bend County Judge Robert Herbert attended the event and delivered Texas
Governor Greg Abbott’s welcomed greetings and the Fort Bend County Proclamation
of appreciation for the group. A half-thousand people crowded the Grant Ballroom
of the Safari Texas Ranch the night of July 24th, and the success of
the performance was evident when it received a standing ovation.
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| PHOTO: Louis M. Huang, Director General of TECO in Houston; Robert Herbert, Fort Bend County Judge; and Chih-Min Tang, Commissioner of Taipei Education Department (standing in the back 7th, 10th and 11th from the right respectively) pose with the Folk Sports Group July 29, 2015 by Isabelle Chen Education Division Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston |