The Classic Children's Play “The Legend of the New Moon” by Paper Windmill Comes to Wenshan Elementary School on October 12 for a Weekend of Family Fun
The "Miaoli County Art Seedling Project" has entered its second year, with the Paper Windmill Theatre's classic play The Legend of the New Moon set to be performed outdoors. At 7:00 pm on October 12, the tour will arrive at Wenshan Elementary School in Miaoli City. The county government held a promotional event at the first government building on October 1, where County Magistrate Chung Tung-chin and other guests warmly invited families to join the performance, enjoy the engaging storyline, and learn about Taiwan’s native black bears, all while raising awareness of wildlife conservation.
Since 2020, Miaoli County has been promoting the "Art Seedling Project" to bring the arts closer to the public and fulfill the vision of art in every village. Starting with Paper Windmill Theatre’s Norza: The Adventure to the Dragon Palace in September 2023, followed by performances from the "Coming True Fire Group" and the "Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe" in the Da-hu and Tong-luo regions in October and November, an artistic whirlwind swept the county. Magistrate Chung was touched by the children’s enthusiasm and promised to host more spectacular shows. He delivered on his commitment to the children with a carefully planned series of performances this year.
At the press conference for The Legend of the New Moon, the characters of the Polar Bear, Formosan Black Bear, Taiwan Serow, and Monkey entered energetically, exciting the children from Sesame Street Kindergarten. High-fives and applause filled the air, and cheers erupted during highlights of the performance. Not only were the children captivated by the lively animal characters, but Magistrate Chung and the guests were also curious, frequently asking the troupe for details about the plot until obtaining a summary of the story.
Director Lin Yan-fu of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, Miaoli County explained the "Art Seedling Project,” stating that this project, now in its second year, invites various performing troupes to different towns each year in order to bring art to rural areas. In addition to large-scale children’s plays like The Legend of the New Moon and Shun Feng Er’s New Incense Burner, Paper Windmill’s art truck is touring with small and medium-sized performances across the countryside. All shows are free with the aim of exposing children to diverse art elements and broadening their horizons.
The Director of the Paper Windmill Theatre, Ren Jian-cheng, shared that The Legend of the New Moon is one of their classic plays. In 2000, during its premiere, the show held the record for the most toured children’s play both domestically and internationally. The story begins with a young girl secretly raising a Formosan black bear that escaped from the zoo. In the first part, the bear longs for the moon, and the polar bear helps fulfill this wish. The second part is an original Taiwanese folktale explaining the origin of the white "V" marking on the black bear’s chest. Ren explained that the story incorporates familial bonds between animals and local elements and encourages wildlife conservation while also sparking children's imaginations.
Magistrate Chung expressed that recent large-scale performances in northern Miaoli have attracted enormous crowds, filling the venues nearly to capacity, with people showing great enthusiasm even in the rain. He encouraged southern Miaoli residents to attend upcoming performances in Gongguan, Yuanli, Zhuolan, and the large children’s play at Wenshan Elementary School on October 12, urging everyone to demonstrate their passion for the arts and not miss out on these exciting events.
Chung emphasized that The Legend of the New Moon is a classic children’s play that revolves around animal stories, making it particularly appealing to children. Given the play’s record-breaking number of performances and its uniquely intricate costumes, the production is sure to captivate the audience. He encouraged parents to bring their children to enjoy a fun-filled weekend that will enhance the next generation’s cultural literacy while boosting the hardworking performers’ morale.
Chung also thanked the co-organizers, including Legislator Chen Chao-ming, Legislator Qiu Zhen-jun's service office, Miaoli City Office, and Wenshan Elementary School for their support. He expressed gratitude to both CPC Corporation and Taipower for their generous sponsorship and acknowledged the efforts of the Culture and Tourism Bureau team in advancing the Art Seedling Project.