The Happy Art Season kicks off, with free admission to the Zhu Ming Museum during summer evenings

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

The Zhu Ming Museum’s 2011 “Happy Art Season” officially kicked off in July and will run for two months. The summer evening opening hours are every Saturday after 5:30 PM, when visitors can enter the museum for free. Due to the large number of visitors during these summer evening hours, the Zhu Ming Museum has arranged shuttle buses between the “Fagu Mountain Parking Lot.” Those who drive can park at Fagu Mountain Parking Lot and then transfer to the museum’s shuttle bus. For those using public transport, they can take the No. 1815 route of Kuo-Kuang Bus from Taipei to Fagu Mountain and get off at the Fagu Mountain Parking Lot.

The Zhu Ming Museum’s “Happy Art Season” features a series of activities focused on the five senses — sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. On July 9 (Saturday) and July 10 (Sunday), the event “Sensory Masters Talk: Touch Master – Bronze Gong Master Wu Zonglin” will be held. Wu Zonglin, a practitioner from Wulai Liuxianju, is one of the few remaining masters in Taiwan who still uses the traditional handcrafting technique for making bronze gongs. Master Wu will perform pieces such as “Post-Drinking Confessions” and “Descendants of the Dragon” using tonal gongs, introduce the bronze gong-making process, display various sizes of gongs, and allow the public to experience striking the impressive, nearly two-meter-wide “Wind Gong.”

Other upcoming sessions will feature demonstrations by Wooden Master Lin Renzheng, Plant Master Lin Zhimou, Wind Chime Master Wu Qiuying, and Vajra Master Liu Baicun. In addition, July 9 and 10 have been designated as “Exam Taker Days” at the Zhu Ming Museum, where students can enjoy free admission by presenting their current university entrance exam admission tickets.