DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Taipei's 'Cultural Small Tour' Criticized as 'Cigarette Butt Tour' Amidst Neglect

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Taipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chun criticized the city's "Cultural Small Tour" initiative, calling it a "cigarette butt tour" due to poor management.
  • She cited issues like unclear signage, scattered debris, lack of lighting, and overflowing ashtrays at various cultural sites.
  • The Commissioner of Cultural Affairs stated that relevant authorities will conduct quarterly inspections and maintenance, a commitment echoed by Mayor Chiang Wan-an.

Taipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chun has sharply criticized the city's "Cultural Small Tour" program, alleging that a lack of proper management has turned the initiative into a "cigarette butt tour." During a city council questioning on May 28, 2026, Chen pointed to several neglected cultural sites that are part of the 100-stop tour.

The cultural small tour sites have no progress. Signage is unclear, there are scattered items, lack of lighting at night, and some spots are neglected, with cigarette butts everywhere.

— Chen Yi-chunTaipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chun criticizing the condition of cultural tour sites.

Chen highlighted issues such as unclear signage, misplaced debris, inadequate nighttime lighting, and overflowing ashtrays, which she argued contradict Taipei's "smoke-free city" vision. She cited examples like the "Old Beidanshui Line Yuanshan Station Dormitory," where broken water pipes were concealed in "historic building" boxes and a discarded trolley marred the view of the underground brick arch structure. Another site, the "Three Graces Statue," was plunged into darkness at night due to poor lighting design, rendering it invisible.

The cultural small tour policy lacks maintenance. Many sites present bizarre scenes, leaving tourists greatly disappointed after visiting.

— Chen Yi-chunTaipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chun describing the poor state of cultural tour attractions.

Further examples included the "Old Tree by Yu Kwang-chung's Frequent Path," where traffic cones and accumulated trash, including hundreds of cigarette butts and empty beer cans, were found around red brick piles meant to display literary quotes. Chen accused the city government of lacking proactive maintenance, urging Mayor Chiang Wan-an not to simply promote the policy without ensuring its upkeep.

Mayor Chiang Wan-an has instructed that the relevant authorities must conduct inspection and maintenance reports every quarter.

— Tsai Ping-hsunTaipei Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Tsai Ping-hsun on planned maintenance for cultural sites.

In response, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Tsai Ping-hsun assured that Mayor Chiang had instructed relevant authorities to conduct quarterly inspections and maintenance reports for the cultural tour sites. Mayor Chiang also pledged to ensure these maintenance efforts are implemented.

We will implement the relevant maintenance.

— Chiang Wan-anTaipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's promise regarding the upkeep of cultural tour sites.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog