Department of Cultural Affairs

Anyone who wants to know more about Taiwan's cuisine and culture should not miss the Taipei Military Dependent Village Cultural Festival, an ongoing event that takes participants on a nostalgic tour back in the days.

The Taipei City Government officially launched the festival Friday, featuring a wide array of activities including free film showings, guided tours, a photo exhibit, an architectural exhibit and a concert, all centering on the past and present of the culture of military dependent villages in Taiwan. The festival runs through September 23.
"We've made some breakthroughs, and we guarantee this year will be extremely interesting," Lee Yong-ping, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs of Taipei City, said at Friday's press conference.

Military dependent villages were built in the late 1940s and the 1950s to serve as provisional housing for Nationalist soldiers and their dependents from China after the KMT retreated to Taiwan. Very few of them have been preserved over time.
To introduce the distinctive culture and architecture of the military dependent villages, the department has invited celebrity tour guides and will arrange tours on September 12 and September 13 to take visitors on four travel routes and explore the existing military dependent village buildings, including the Zhongxin Village in Beitou District, the only active military dependent village in Taipei City.

In addition to the guided tours, free film showings and seminars are being held until September 12, and a photo and architectural exhibit are on display at 44 South Village in Xinyi District from now until September 23. On September 19 a concert featuring big name singers from the 1950s and 1960s will be staged at the Youth Park.
The department is also hosting an online food site and poll aimed at acquainting fine food lovers with the most representative dishes from the military dependent communities. Participants who cast their votes on the website at http://militaryhousing.culture.gov.tw will have a chance to win discount food coupons.