Tainan's Zuojhen Fossil Park Launches New Exhibition Reviving Pingpu Wedding Attire

(Central News Agency reporter Yang Sui-rui, Tainan, June 17) The new exhibition 'Weaving Zuojhen’s Past and Present' at the Story Hall of Tainan's Zuojhen Fossil Park will open on the 23rd, featuring the first public display of rare original Pingpu indigenous wedding attire. The exhibition revives the craftsmanship and lifestyle of Pingpu women over a century ago and offers an in-depth experience through digital interactive installations.

Huang Ya-ling, Director of the Tainan City Government's Bureau of Cultural Affairs, told the Central News Agency today that Tainan's Pingpu population exceeds 11,000. For this update of the Story Hall's exhibits, the bureau invited Duan Hong-kun, chairman of the Tainan City Siraya Tribe Development Promotion Association, to reinterpret historical artifacts such as Sinckan manuscripts and Siraya cultural relics. Guided by the core concept of 'making stories visible, audible, and memorable,' the exhibition space has been upgraded.

Huang stated that the integrated venue, combining cultural heritage, science education, and digital interactive experiences, allows visitors to explore not only fossils and the natural environment but also gain a deeper understanding of the human stories that shaped this land. One of the exhibition's highlights is the first-time public display of two rare original Pingpu wedding dresses.

These artifacts were collected and preserved in 1989 by Chen Chun-mu, affectionately known as the 'Fossil Grandpa,' bearing witness to the life memories and cultural context of the Pingpu people in the Zuojhen area. Visitors can closely appreciate the exquisite cross-stitch craftsmanship and the beauty of traditional attire, feeling the warmth of cultural heritage.

Ho Chiu-lian, Director of the Tainan City Museum, said the Story Hall's renovation aims to reconnect scattered fragments of history, allowing visitors to the fossil park to experience not only the science beneath the ground but also the cultural warmth above it.

The Story Hall has also introduced new digital interactive installations, motion-sensing projections, and an e-book system to create a more participatory and immersive exhibition environment, aiming to enable visitors of all ages to explore the content in an intuitive and engaging way. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150617