Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

To help raise fund for the victims of Typhoon Morakot, the Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera Troupe held a charity performance on August 21. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin attended the event and appeared on stage with the actors to encourage the audience to donate.

Appearing on stage with three actors dressed up as immortals, the mayor participated in executing a ritual of blessing, praying for the inhabitants of the disaster areas and asking the gods for a peaceful and bountiful year ahead. Hau also donated NT$60,000 to the fundraiser.

The mayor noted that Ming Hwa Yuan intended to hold the performance to celebrate the opening of the troupe’s practice center in the Taiwan Sugar Company Taipei Warehouse. However, after hearing the news about the floods in southern Taiwan, the group’s leader met with him a few days ago and asked to hold a charity performance to raise funds for the victims of the disaster.

He praised Ming Hwa Yuan’s Director Chen Sheng-fu for his willingness to help and the members of the troupe for their generosity in donating the income from the performance to those who need it most.

In addition to contributing one-day’s income from its members, Ming Hwa Yuan also donated 300 DVDs and 200 T-shirts for a charity sale. The Department of Cultural Affairs pointed out that all income from sales will be forwarded to the Child Welfare League Foundation, to help pay for the tuition fee and basic living expenses of students from disaster areas.