Xingang Cultural and Educational Foundation Reading Room Introduction
Foundation's Establishment Looking back at Taiwan in the 1980s In the 1980s, Taiwan underwent significant social and political changes. The public was frantically seeking fortune-telling, worshiping stones, local deities, and water gods, everyone dreamed of getting rich overnight. The once-pure countryside fell into chaos, and Taiwan was enveloped in a wild craze for money, causing society to collectively lose its rationality, earning the label of the "Island of Greed," where everyone was caught up in madness. When Cloud Gate accompanied Lin Hwai-min back to his hometown Dr. Chen Jin-huang, who graduated from National Taiwan University College of Medicine and returned to practice in his hometown of Hsin-Kang, was the first professional doctor from NTU to work in his hometown. Witnessing this phenomenon, he became very anxious and wanted to organize cultural activities to engage the locals. In the spring of 1987, after consulting with his nephew Lin Hwai-min, he invited Cloud Gate Dance Theatre to Hsin-Kang. On June 14, Lin Hwai-min, born in Hsin-Kang and the founder of Cloud Gate, returned to his hometown to perform at the activity center of Hsin-Kang Junior High School. Despite the summer heat and the simplicity of the venue, that night, two to three thousand viewers flooded in, nearly overwhelming the space. At that time, Chiayi County and City did not have a cultural center, so people from nearby towns and cities visited, not just the residents of Hsin-Kang. It was remarkable that so many people were willing to attend a dance performance. During the curtain call, moved by the crowd of hometown folks, Lin Hwai-min presented a NT$150,000 check, expressing that as a native of Hsin-Kang, he hadn't contributed much back to his hometown, so he donated the performance fee back to his community. Dr. Chen Jin-huang accepted this check, and the heavy burden and responsibility began. Chen Jin-huang, burden and responsibility With Lin Hwai-min's NT$150,000 as the first donation, over NT$1 million was raised at the first preparatory meeting. The Hsin-Kang Cultural and Educational Foundation was established in October 1987, marking the first township-level foundation in Taiwan. Around the same time, on July 15, Taiwan announced the lifting of martial law. The society, previously bound by layers of regulations and controls, suddenly loosened up, censorship was lifted, and a vibrant new social landscape began to unfold.
