Contact: Tourism Marketing Division, Culture & Tourism Bureau: Huang, Jing-qiao
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The Hakka Affairs Council is cooperating with Miaoli County Government to commission Paper Windmill Theater Taiwan to perform the stage play “Rain Horse,” a symbol of happiness and hope, to Miaoli County residents at the greenfield site of the Haikou branch of Zhunan Junior High School in Zhunan Town, Miaoli County. The play will be performed at 7:30 pm on September 16 and at 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 7:30 pm on September 17 and 18. The abridged version of the play and the static display of “Rain Horse” installation art will be presented for three days. Both the performance and display are free of charge. Parents and children are highly encouraged to come to the theater to watch the performance and view the installation art!
"Rain Horse" is based on the picture book written by Hsiao Yeh and is a brand-new Hakka parent-child stage play that the Hakka Affairs Council commissioned Paper Windmill Theater Taiwan to develop. It has been performed in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung City, with more than 10,000 attendees. The story of "Rain Horse" is inspirational. It reminds the public that the history of our land should be remembered and understood, so that people will have the strength to move forward toward the future. The entire play is performed alternately in both the Hakka and Chinese languages and is full of educational meaning. We hope that the performance will bring happiness and blessings to Miaoli and that all the children and residents can live like the flower and monkey tribes of Happy Monkey Island in the story, surviving and recovering from the pandemic to live a normal life again.
Zhong, Kong-shao, the Vice Chairman of the Hakka Affairs Council, stated that, when the premiere was held at Liberty Square in CKS Memorial Hall Taipei on March 12, 2021, thousands of people registered to obtain free tickets, and the spots were filled immediately. During the most severe time of the pandemic, more than 430,000 people watched its performance online, where it received a very positive response. This time, the Hakka Affairs Council and Miaoli County Government cooperated with Paper Windmill Theater Taiwan to perform "Rain Horse" in Miaoli, where children in the audience can walk into the theater, with the full blessings and hope delivered by the play, as well as be able to face new challenges in the new semester.
Magistrate, Xu, Yao-chang also expressed his gratitude to the Hakka Affairs Council for introducing "Rain Horse" to Miaoli. By watching the Hakka language play, children will not only be able to learn Hakka language from the performance, but can also experience the beauty of Hakka pronunciation. Phyllanthus emblica L., a fruit mentioned in "Rain Horse" and a native plant of Miaoli, has actually been planted in Taiwan for more than 300 years. In the 1940s and 1950s, it was a popular snack for the elderly, but was then gradually forgotten due to the development of the food processing industry. Due to its abundant vitamin C and antioxidants, it has become a legendary super fruit and once again popular.
Li Yuan, the Artistic Director of "Rain Horse," stated that "Rain Horse" represents the happiness coming after the rain. The play is dedicated to the children of Taiwan and all over the world, hoping that the blessings delivered by the play can spread out and that people can overcome the pandemic and return to their old, happy lives. We also ask the public to wear masks throughout the whole performance while maintaining social distance, sanitizing hands with alcohol, and taking necessary protective measures when watching the play to keep you and everyone else healthy.