Taipei Candidate Urges Integration of Cultural Heritage into Urban Life

Taipei City Councilor Hsu Shu-hua hosted a forum titled "Memory Warehouses. Cultural Creation: Taiwan's Cultural Power and International Dialogue," featuring Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang and Legislator Wu Pei-yi.

Shen Po-yang, who proposed the "Capital 2.0" initiative, stressed the importance of weaving historical narratives into the urban fabric to revitalize commercial areas and community centers. He argued that cultural heritage should not merely be preserved but actively integrated into daily life through interconnected historical sites, cultural pathways, and local activities. This approach, he believes, allows both citizens and international visitors to understand Taipei's stories through its urban spaces.

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Cultural assets, if they remain merely for viewing or reminiscing about the past, will struggle to sustain their future relevance; beyond preserving venues, there must be pathways, mechanisms, and subsequent investment to ensure the stories accumulated by local cultural and historical workers can be seen and understood.

The forum addressed the challenges of cultural asset preservation, including the high costs of renovating private old houses and balancing urban renewal with the preservation of local communities. Participants discussed the need for incentives for property owners and the integration of cultural needs into urban planning. Shen suggested that while connecting historical sites from different eras is a starting point, deeper development across various historical periods, from prehistoric times to the modern era, is necessary.

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The government's role is to build a matchmaking mechanism, allowing rich cultural and historical content to meet citizens willing to participate.

Legislator Wu Pei-yi criticized the current Taipei mayor's perceived inaction on cultural assets, labeling it "cultural asset躺平族" (slang for someone who is passive or inactive). She urged the city government to allocate and invest resources, shifting from a purely preventative management mindset to one that fosters long-term cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Shen also pointed out that while international cities' experiences in revitalizing historical corridors are often lauded, the resulting rise in property values can displace original residents. Therefore, cultural preservation, urban planning, and housing justice must be considered concurrently. He advocated for a flexible approach to cultural creation, avoiding rigid key performance indicators and allowing for diverse attempts and market integration to foster a sustainable cultural ecosystem.

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Cultural asset preservation is a race against time; restoration and revitalization require long-term investment, and central and local governments must bear this responsibility together.