SDG11
NCKU USR Teams Up with Zuozhen Lantern Festival to Create “Foothill DNA” Lantern Highlights
The 2026 Zuozhen Lantern Festival, themed “Foothill DNA,” officially opened with grandeur, featuring two works by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)’s Department of Industrial Design and Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering that combine bamboo craft and interactive technology, becoming highlights of the festival.
NCKU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) Badlands Collaborative Project has long been active in Taiwan’s foothill regions, including Zuozhen, Longqi, and Tianliao districts, maintaining strong, trusted relationships with local communities. The annual Zuozhen Lantern Festival was held from January 31 to March 8, 2026, at the historic Zhecheng Plaza. Unlike other lantern festivals, Zuozhen Lantern Festival is initiated by the local community and completed in collaboration with partner organizations, representing a new model of community-based creative development. The two works by NCKU’s Industrial Design and Computer Science departments were featured as festival highlights, earning widespread admiration from visitors.
The 2026 festival theme, “Foothill DNA,” was developed collaboratively by local curators Cheng-Ta Lai (賴政達) and Ching-Yu Wu (吳靜瑜), the NCKU USR team, and community partners. Bamboo was chosen as the primary material for the lanterns, symbolizing the festival’s commitment to sustainability and the integration of culture, while also serving as a defining feature of the local festival.
The festival officially launched on January 31, with the two NCKU works attracting significant attention from residents and visitors. “Echoes of This Voice,” created by Professor Wei-Chi Chien (簡瑋麒) of the Industrial Design Department along with graduate students and bamboo artisans, showcases bamboo weaving techniques and draws inspiration from the sugar-iron history of Zhecheng Park. Through technology, local sounds are recreated interactively near the old station site, engaging visitors. Local elders and children were also invited to contribute their voices, allowing the history of Zuozhen, Siraya culture, and the natural environment to be shared audibly while fostering a sense of historical identity for the community.
The second work, “Moon Rising over Dongshan,” created by Professor Zhong-Ping Yang (楊中平) of the Computer Science Department together with artisan collaborators, transforms the bamboo fish traps historically used by the Siraya people into the badlands terrain locally called “Haiyin Soil.” Using traditional local fabrics and bamboo weaving, the piece symbolizes the moon and sea of clouds, and its radiant display at night artistically expresses the poetic beauty of the badlands landscape.
Even before the festival opening, the event attracted widespread attention. The featured works were collaboratively produced by the local ZuoZhong and Gongguan communities, the curatorial team, Zuozhen Church, Zuozhen Junior High School, and other partners. Artists and institutions such as Zhao-Ching Lin (Chang Zai Cultural Creative), Zuozhen Bamboo Garden, New Bamboo Arts, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and Tainan National University of the Arts also participated. Government agencies involved included the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Tainan City Cultural Affairs Bureau, and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau.
The Zuozhen Lantern Festival is not only a local cultural event but also a significant outcome of new forms of community-driven creative development. Through long-term engagement and trusted relationships, the NCKU USR team co-created and exhibited the works with the local community, embodying the deeper meaning of learning together, creating together, and prospering together. The festival artworks will remain on display until March 8, inviting the public to explore Zuozhen and experience the unique charm of foothill culture.
NCKU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) Badlands Collaborative Project has long been active in Taiwan’s foothill regions, including Zuozhen, Longqi, and Tianliao districts, maintaining strong, trusted relationships with local communities. The annual Zuozhen Lantern Festival was held from January 31 to March 8, 2026, at the historic Zhecheng Plaza. Unlike other lantern festivals, Zuozhen Lantern Festival is initiated by the local community and completed in collaboration with partner organizations, representing a new model of community-based creative development. The two works by NCKU’s Industrial Design and Computer Science departments were featured as festival highlights, earning widespread admiration from visitors.
The 2026 festival theme, “Foothill DNA,” was developed collaboratively by local curators Cheng-Ta Lai (賴政達) and Ching-Yu Wu (吳靜瑜), the NCKU USR team, and community partners. Bamboo was chosen as the primary material for the lanterns, symbolizing the festival’s commitment to sustainability and the integration of culture, while also serving as a defining feature of the local festival.
The festival officially launched on January 31, with the two NCKU works attracting significant attention from residents and visitors. “Echoes of This Voice,” created by Professor Wei-Chi Chien (簡瑋麒) of the Industrial Design Department along with graduate students and bamboo artisans, showcases bamboo weaving techniques and draws inspiration from the sugar-iron history of Zhecheng Park. Through technology, local sounds are recreated interactively near the old station site, engaging visitors. Local elders and children were also invited to contribute their voices, allowing the history of Zuozhen, Siraya culture, and the natural environment to be shared audibly while fostering a sense of historical identity for the community.
The second work, “Moon Rising over Dongshan,” created by Professor Zhong-Ping Yang (楊中平) of the Computer Science Department together with artisan collaborators, transforms the bamboo fish traps historically used by the Siraya people into the badlands terrain locally called “Haiyin Soil.” Using traditional local fabrics and bamboo weaving, the piece symbolizes the moon and sea of clouds, and its radiant display at night artistically expresses the poetic beauty of the badlands landscape.
Even before the festival opening, the event attracted widespread attention. The featured works were collaboratively produced by the local ZuoZhong and Gongguan communities, the curatorial team, Zuozhen Church, Zuozhen Junior High School, and other partners. Artists and institutions such as Zhao-Ching Lin (Chang Zai Cultural Creative), Zuozhen Bamboo Garden, New Bamboo Arts, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and Tainan National University of the Arts also participated. Government agencies involved included the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Tainan City Cultural Affairs Bureau, and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau.
The Zuozhen Lantern Festival is not only a local cultural event but also a significant outcome of new forms of community-driven creative development. Through long-term engagement and trusted relationships, the NCKU USR team co-created and exhibited the works with the local community, embodying the deeper meaning of learning together, creating together, and prospering together. The festival artworks will remain on display until March 8, inviting the public to explore Zuozhen and experience the unique charm of foothill culture.
The work “Echoes of This Voice” features sounds such as a miniature train whistle, Siraya songs, and local elders’ storytelling, sparking lively discussions among community residents.
The work “Moon Rising over Dongshan” exuded a tranquil and poetic atmosphere on the eve of the festival’s opening, making it one of the most eye-catching pieces of the lantern festival.
Students from NCKU’s Department of Industrial Design went to Zuozhen to implement their works, and through the process of hands-on design, construction, and experiencing the final outcomes, they enhanced both their professional skills and social-practice competencies.
