After the Executive Yuan completed the Ten Major Construction Projects in 1979 the decision was made to embark on Twelve Major Construction Projects. Nantou County realized that cultural projects had a significant influence on the prosperity of citizens so in July 1980 began the construction of the Nantou County Culture Center. This will serve as a base from which to promote cultural activities. The project involved the library, museum and performance hall, with construction completed two years later and the Center opened on December 25, 1982. It was also the first Culture Center to be commissioned in Taiwan. In May 1987 the Museum of Bamboo Art opened its doors and it was the first local specialty museum in Taiwan. In December 1987 the historical Wude Temple was restored to become a Culture Park. July 2000 saw the Center reorganized as the “Culture Bureau of Nantou County Government”. In October 2005, a new stand-alone library was established to service book-loving citizens and to create a new bastion of knowledge. December 2006 saw the completion of the Hushan Art Museum. Our Bureau has gone from strength to strength and our services have become increasingly comprehensive. We are now the center of development for art and culture in Nantou County and our reputation has spread far and wide.

The development of culture is by its nature intangible and the benefits discernible only in the future. Nantou County has always made the promotion of arts and culture, development of a book-loving society, nurturing of communities and the popularization of cultural industries a key focus. The County hopes to extend the reach of culture into all aspects of everyday life so that “life becomes art, art becomes life”. In this there have been successes already as evidenced by the increasing participation of the general public.

Nantou County is a mountainous region set in beautiful surroundings and home to many diverse cultures. This has resulted in its rich cultural foundations as well as the high level of artistry in its local Taiwanese culture. Its geography however places it in the heart of Taiwan, so it suffers from financial constraints caused by its relatively isolated location and agriculture based economy. Due to these factors, it takes even more courage and perseverance to overcome the many difficulties in order to help culture take root. In order to promote art and culture, the vibrant culture of Nantou County is needed to provide the driving force so that the local vernacular culture and heritage can be preserved and popularized, boosting Nantou County’s energy. It is the Culture Bureau’s mission to support these developments while taking into account the geography, environment, culture, traditions, special industries and related arts & cultural activities. We hope to create a culture unique to Nantou County’s people so that the people can understand and treasure Nantou.

•Enrich arts and humanities, welcome the coming of the leisure age 2.
• Organize the Nantou County Jade Mountain Literature Prize 3.
• Organize the Nantou County Jade Mountain Art Prize 4.
• Promote Nantou literature 5.
• Realize community building incentives and help make culture a grassroots movement 6.
• Market Nantou’s unique culture and generate business opportunities 7.
• Promote distinctive art and performances