The "Mapping Tainan - Ancient Map Special Exhibition: 400 years of Tainan" opens on Sep. 7 at Madou District Zongye Culture & Arts Center Red-brick Dining Hall. "We often say people have to connect with the land. As for ancient maps, they have to be connected with the people" remarked Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che during the opening ceremony. He expressed that this exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for our generation and the next to understand how our ancestors viewed and defined Tainan.
Huang then thanked Professor Hsieh Shih-yuan from National Cheng Kung University, SMC Publishing Inc. founder Wei De-wen, and Director-General of Cultural Affairs Bureau Jason Yeh for their efforts. This event gives the public an opportunity to view the world and Tainan through the eyes of our ancestors, providing more context for our understanding of history. Furthermore, the exhibition offers a lively interpretation of old maps, bringing old maps closer to the public. They are no longer just pieces of historical documents, but living records of our forefathers' footprints for us to follow.
Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage explained that this exhibition is mainly based upon the book Tainan's 400-year-old City Atlas which includes 165 ancient maps of Tainan City created by foreign and local people. Planned and designed by Professor Hsieh Shih-yuan and his team from National Cheng Kung University's Department of History, the exhibition presents five major display areas ("The Eye of the Maps", "The Hand of the Maps", “Landscapes and Ethnic Groups", "After the Maps", and "Our Maps") to present the diverse aspects of Tainan through ancient maps. From the initial planning to the actual design and production of the display spaces, the design team deconstructed and transformed ancient 2D maps into lively and infinite interpretations, creating an innovative experience for the visitors.
"Mapping Tainan - Ancient Map Special Exhibition: 400 years of Tainan" is open at the Zongye Culture & Arts Center Red-brick Dining Hall until Sep. 29, then will move to the National Cheng Kung University Museum of History from Oct. 4 to 25. Admissions at both venues are free. Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage also arranged seven lectures given by scholars, local history and literature experts, map collectors, and map studio owners to share the diverse meaning and interesting tidbits about maps with the public. For more information related to the special exhibition and lectures, please visit the Facebook fanpage for "Mapping Tainan - Ancient Map Special Exhibition: 400 years of Tainan".