[Life] National Cultural Conference Central Region Forum: Cultural Translation Becomes Focus

The 4th and final Central Region forum of the "2026 National Cultural Conference" was held on the 16th at the Cultural Heritage Park of the Ministry of Culture. Facing globalization and the digital age, participants believe that cultural preservation should not merely be about retaining artifacts and historical materials, but more importantly, about how to reintroduce historical memories into contemporary life through cultural translation. Tom Shing-Rong, Chairman of瀚草文創 (Hanz) Creative, cited Korean pop culture as an example. He pointed out that after their military service, the K-pop group BTS reunited to release a dance album titled "Arirang" sung in English, incorporating traditional Korean dance elements into their world tour. This demonstrates that popular entertainment is not just a commercial product but can also be an important vehicle for cultural export. Tom believes that "cultural translation is always in life." The key is not to faithfully replicate history, but to find ways of expression that contemporary people can understand and accept, making culture content that is "approachable," "perceivable," and "transmissible." He also cited several recent Taiwanese works as examples. "Roseki" (茶金) made the history of Taiwan in the 1950s "approachable" through music, costumes, settings, and life details. "Us in That Photo" (那張照片裡的我們) deliberately downplayed historical events, focusing on a love story to make history a "perceivable" collective memory for the audience. "The Ghostly Tales of the North City" (北城百畫帖), which expanded from a comic to a TV series, blended fantasy and romance elements, showcasing how historical themes can continue to be "transmissible." Tom stated that in recent years, "Taiwan Wanderer" (臺灣漫遊錄), which rewrites Taiwanese history through literature, has gained international attention, proving that local culture can dialogue with the world if appropriate translation methods are found. He hopes that cultural workers will start from deep cultural cultivation, combine technology with diverse media, and create content that is both profound and popular, stating, "This is our mission." Cultural translation is not only found in film, television, and popular culture but also concerns the future of local culture and cultural heritage. Chang Ching-yeh, CEO of 鹿港囝仔文化事業 (Lukang Kids Cultural Enterprise), shared his experience of returning to his hometown, emphasizing that young people returning to their localities should not just accept subsidies but also cultivate the ability to respond to the market and engage in cultural translation, integrating local culture into daily life to form a sustainable new popular culture. Yang Fu-tzu, founder of "Island Escape" (離島出走), used Penghu's stone weirs as an example. She noted that when the Twin Heart Stone Weirs become a tourist landmark, the younger generation should consider new cultural governance methods, making the stone weirs not just a postcard but a "household registration of the sea" that truly enters the public consciousness, reconnecting cultural preservation with life. Regarding cultural heritage preservation, Rong Fang-chieh, Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources of National Tsing Hua University, stated directly, "The interpretation and presentation of the value of cultural heritage are the fundamental goals of preservation." If cultural heritage is reduced to mere restoration and reuse, understood only by experts and scholars, or cannot become part of life, then we must reconsider: "Why preserve? For whom to preserve? And how to build contemporary memory?" Cai Po-cheng, Artistic Director of B.DANCE, believes that Taiwan currently lacks no venues, art festivals, or creators, but it lacks cultural IPs and systematic accumulation that can be recognized by the world in the long term. He described, "Taiwan is like a blooming garden now." In the future, it should move from single-point export of works to a continuously accumulating cultural ecosystem, allowing the world to understand Taiwan anew through its culture. The Ministry of Culture announced that all 4 regional forums and 2 professional forums have been completed. A "Youth Session" will be held later, inviting the younger generation to participate in discussions from their own perspectives. All opinions will be compiled at the official plenary session of the National Cultural Conference on September 20th to forge a policy blueprint for the "future of culture."