New short film reveals secrets of a Taiwan goldsmith

2018/07/26

A short film on the work of a traditional Taiwan goldsmith premiered July 24 in Taipei City at an event hosted by The General Association of Chinese Culture.
 
 The five-minute documentary, which is part of a series produced by the Taipei-based nonprofit on Taiwan’s traditional crafts and practices, follows 75-year-old Chung Chun-chung as he sculpts a gold ornament by hand. Chung is the third-generation owner of a shop in Taipei’s Wanhua District that has been in business for over a century.
 
 At the premiere at Bopiliao Historic Block, Chung said he insists on handcrafting every piece, explaining that machines cannot replicate the personal touch. Also at the event, GACC Deputy Secretary-General Lee Hou-ching called Chung’s work objects of art, adding that the veteran goldsmith was a role model for other artisans.
 
 The short can be seen on GACC’s YouTube channel and will be available with English subtitles on Trending Taiwan, a Facebook page run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
 This is the 10th installment in GACC’s “The Soul of the Craftsman” series, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. Previous episodes featured drum-makers and movie sound effect artists. Upcoming films will look at artisans creating traditional movie posters and water lanterns.
 
 GACC, established in 1967 and headed by President Tsai Ing-wen, works to improve the understanding of local traditions, foster international exchanges and help develop Taiwan’s cultural and creative industries.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=18&post=138576)