On Friday, 6 July 2012, Shuntak Association, Taiping, had the honour of hosting a visit by a group of university students from Taiwan. Most of them are majoring in landscape architecture and thus are very interested in restoration projects. They were led by Mr Teoh Chee Keong and apart from the visit to Shuntak Association, they will also carry out survey and studies on water related issues around the town of Taiping.
The students were given a briefing by Mr Teoh Chee Keong outside the Shuntak Association ancestral hall.
Chee Keong briefed the students on the short history of the building and the on-going restoration project.
The students were surprised and saddened to see the extent of damage that the building has undergone.
They moved into the interior of the building to see the beauty of the architectural work done by craftsmen in the past.
Hi-tea was served, with local cakes.
The students tasting some of the famous Taiping "nyonya kuih".
The students inspecting the model of the to-be-restored Shuntak Association Taiping ancestral hall
The next day, professor Day Tim from the Landscape and Architecture Department of Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan, paid a visit to our association.
It is hoped that the visit has create some awareness amongst the younger generation towards the importance of preserving our cultural heritage - both the tangible and intangible heritage. In fact, towards the end of the session, they heard stories of life in Taiping in the past, from one of our elderly members. She is indeed a living heritage, recalling and retelling the unwritten social history of the town from her personal experience.
