Taipei Ling-An Society Commended for Preserving Beiguan Music

A 153-year-old music group has been named an intangible cultural asset for its work helping to pass on the techniques of traditional Beiguan music.

Transcript

00:00 (upbeat music)

00:02 Members of the Taipei Ling An Association

00:07 are performing Beiguan.

00:08 It's a traditional style of music

00:10 using drums and gongs with reed and string instruments

00:14 that first became popular in Taiwan in the 17th century.

00:18 But today, it's rare to hear.

00:21 This group, however, has been around for 153 years

00:24 and it's teaching a new generation of musicians

00:27 the special art form.

00:28 (speaking in foreign language)

00:32 The group is now being recognized for its work.

00:50 This plaque, which says "Art Through the People,"

00:53 is being conferred by Taipei's Cultural Affairs Bureau.

00:56 They've named the ensemble an intangible cultural asset.

01:00 (speaking in foreign language)

01:04 The group hasn't always had the numbers

01:15 and musicians they needed in the past

01:17 and they struggled to keep teaching the music.

01:20 But through their persistence,

01:21 the group now has more than 100 members

01:24 and with their new recognition,

01:26 they hope the traditional sounds of Beiguan

01:28 will continue to be heard for generations to come.

01:32 Dolphin Chen and Laurel Stewart for Taiwan Plus.

01:35 (upbeat music)

01:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]