Children's Day at the Forbidden City: Listen to stories, watch performances, and enjoy free entry to Aowanda

▲ Aowanda National Forest Park. (Photo / Courtesy of the Forestry Bureau official website)

Reporter Chen Ruizhong / Comprehensive report

To celebrate this year's Children's Day, national forest recreation areas, the Forbidden City, and the Southern Branch of the Forbidden City have all launched special events. In addition to free admission for children at Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area, the Forbidden City is also offering parent-child storytelling sessions and children's theater performances.

To encourage children to engage in outdoor recreational activities, the Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area, managed by the Nantou Forest District Office under the Forestry Bureau, along with other national forest recreation areas under the national forestry administration, will offer free admission to children under 12 years old from April 2 to April 5. Currently, Aowanda is in the transition between spring and summer, where visitors can enjoy azaleas and lush greenery. The public can also explore the waterfall trail area, which was just opened in February.

▲ Southern Branch of the Forbidden City. (Photo / Provided by the Forbidden City)

On April 3 and April 16 (Vietnamese Hung Kings Festival), the Southern Branch of the Forbidden City will host a “Getting More Fun – Hanuman Takes You to Vietnam in 2016” parent-child activity at the Children’s Creative Center, introducing the story of “Hung Kings,” the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. The event will not only cover how Vietnamese Children’s Day is celebrated, but also include hands-on experiences with Vietnamese toys and tastings of Vietnamese cuisine.

The Children’s Learning Center at the Taipei Branch of the Forbidden City will hold a “Forbidden City Monkey Fun” parent-child storytelling session on the morning of April 4. Based on cultural relics related to monkeys in the Forbidden City’s collection, and in conjunction with the upcoming exhibition of the Vietnamese blue-and-white Monkey King statue at the Taipei Branch starting May 3, the session will allow families to explore monkey-related myths from different cultures. On the same day, a live performance titled “National Treasure Adventure – The Lost National Treasure” will also take place. Through interactive games and theatrical connections to the exhibition, children will be guided to appreciate cultural artifacts. (Registration is now open on the Forbidden City’s official website.)

Aowanda Forest National Park
Address: No. 153, Da’an Road, Ren’ai Township, Nantou County
Taipei Branch of the Forbidden City
Address: No. 221, Section 2, Zhishan Road, Shilin District, Taipei City
Southern Branch of the Forbidden City
Address: No. 888, Forbidden City Boulevard, Taibao City, Chiayi County