Taiwanese Show Tugs at Heartstrings

A torch lighted in Honolulu will be passed to Cupertino as part of the —a show that may bring fond memories of the birthplace of the region’s Taiwanese immigrants.

The April 2 show at the , called R.O.C. Centennial, features a touring group of Taiwanese performing artists, including famous comedians, singers and representatives of two folk dance groups.

The group was organized and sent by the Taiwanese government on a tour to remind emigrants of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China, which is Taiwan's official name.

The Republic of China (R.O.C.) used to represent the entire country of China after it replaced the Qing Dynasty, China's last monarchy, in 1912. But at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Communists established the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) to rule Mainland China. The R.O.C. kept only Taiwan and several small islands on the Taiwan Straight.

Although the R.O.C. lost most of its territory, and the international society generally just calls it Taiwan, it is still the oldest republic of Asia, standing through the test of a century.

To celebrate the R.O.C.'s 100th anniversary worldwide, the R.O.C. Centennial group performed in Osaka, Japan, on Saturday and is now heading to the United States. It will put on a show in Honolulu Tuesday before the Saturday performance at the Flint Center.

Preceding the R.O.C. Centennial show, a local group of Taiwanese American drummers will deliver a brief performance at the Flint Center around 6:30 p.m. to welcome the touring group from Taiwan.

Tickets for the show are from $10-$60. Parking will be free. 

For more information about the show, go to the Chinese sources of this article, the World Journal and the News for Chinese.