YunTech Leads International Faculty and Students into the National Palace Museum to Explore Chiayi’s Local Culture

To help international faculty, students, and their families gain a deeper understanding of Taiwanese culture and to strengthen international cultural exchange, the Office of International Affairs at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (YunTech) organized the “National Palace Museum Southern Branch Visit” on February 7, 2026. The event invited international faculty and students to travel to Chiayi to visit the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum and local historical and cultural sites. Hosted by YunTech’s Office of International Affairs, the program integrated local cultural resources and, through professional guided tours and interactive experiences, enabled participants to explore Taiwan’s diverse history and cultural characteristics in a way closely connected to everyday life.

The day-long itinerary ran from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and was rich and diverse. The first stop was the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum, a museum that brings together Asian art and culture. In addition to showcasing valuable collections and cross-cultural exhibitions, its architecture, landscape design, and educational outreach symbolize balanced development and multicultural exchange between northern and southern Taiwan. Guided by professional docents, participants were able to appreciate the broader context of art and history and gain insight into the profound heritage of Taiwan’s cultural assets.

The group then visited Hinoki Village, a well-preserved cluster of Japanese-style wooden buildings that once served as official residences for Alishan forestry officers during the Japanese colonial period. The site bears witness to the early development of the forestry industry and daily life at that time. After restoration and revitalization, it has become an important space connecting history, everyday life, and cultural stories, allowing visitors to feel as if they had stepped back in time to memories from a century ago.

The final stop of the itinerary was the Chiayi Old Prison, a historic building constructed in 1922 that once functioned as one of Taiwan’s important prison institutions. It retains the distinctive radial architectural layout and historical remains from the Japanese colonial era. After restoration and transformation into a museum, exhibitions and guided tours help visitors understand Taiwan’s exploration and reflection on human rights, the judicial system, and social transformation from the past to the present, where history and the contemporary moment intersect and resonate.

In addition to the visits, the Office of International Affairs arranged a group short-video filming activity, encouraging participants to document the unique features of Chiayi’s cultural sites and their personal experiences. Students were encouraged to creatively present what they gained from the trip, and outstanding works will be selected for publication on YunTech’s international website for promotion and recruitment, making student creativity part of international cultural exchange. Participants also had free time to explore museums and cultural parks on their own and enjoy interactive cultural experiences. At the end of the day, everyone returned to campus enriched with knowledge and cherished memories, leaving a warm and unforgettable impression of this cultural journey to Chiayi.

Ye Huijing, Director of International Affairs at YunTech, stated that the office has long been committed to promoting local cultural experiences for international faculty and students. Through these efforts, international partners who come to Taiwan to study or work can not only acquire professional knowledge but also gain a deep understanding of Taiwan’s humanistic spirit and historical characteristics. In the future, the Office of International Affairs will continue to collaborate with local governments and cultural institutions to plan more international exchange activities that combine educational value with cultural depth, enabling international faculty and students to become the best ambassadors of Taiwanese culture through firsthand experience.

International students used the museum’s digital multimedia interactive walls to independently explore the transmission paths and historical backgrounds of artifacts from different periods, deepening their understanding of the connections between Taiwanese and Asian cultures through rich digital images and information.

Under the guidance of professional docents, international faculty and students closely viewed the Asian ceramics and artistic treasures housed at the National Palace Museum Southern Branch, transcending time through in-depth explanations to appreciate the profound historical heritage and cultural significance behind the craftsmanship.

The visiting group experienced in-museum digital interactive installations such as the “Asian Dressing Mirror,” where the integration of modern technology and traditional clothing culture allowed international faculty and students to explore Asia’s diverse aesthetics and folk traditions in a fun and engaging way.

Italian and Japanese international students were interviewed in fluent Chinese, sharing their motivations for choosing YunTech and their profound experiences from the Chiayi cultural visit.

The National Palace Museum visit concluded successfully, with international faculty and students joyfully taking group photos in front of the museum, cherishing this culturally enriching and emotionally memorable experience, and opening a new chapter for future cross-cultural dialogue.

Organizer: Office of International Affairs
Unit Head: Ye Huijing
Contact Person: Zhang Mingjun
Contact Number: (05) 534-2601 ext. 2393

 ※The above is an AI-generated translation and may not be 100% accurate. For reference only — please double-check any important details.