Well, it happened again. You promised yourself you wouldn't leave gift-shopping to the last minute; you convinced yourself that you'd pick something up when you ventured to the night market; you even made a mental note to buy some T-shirts at the National Palace Museum's gift shop, but now you've resigned yourself to the limited selection of over-priced goods at the airport's duty-free shop. If only you had one more day!
But wait--all is not lost. Welcome to the Chinese Handicraft Mart of the Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center, established in 1957 by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to promote handicrafts made in Taiwan and to create a place for the sale of these handicrafts at a set price. With over 20,000 different items, the 4-level store offers something for everyone--from the inevitable knickknacks found in most Chinatowns to mother of pearl inlayed furniture, jade and red coral jewelry, T-shirts, porcelain figures, key chains, and silk blouses to harder-to-find items like hand-made tablecloths and embroidered wall-hangings.
Just as diverse as the selection of goods there, visitors to the Chinese Handicraft Mart span the spectrum from backpackers to businesspersons and from students to heads of state. Foreigners, however, are not the only shoppers at the Chinese Handicraft Mart--many locals come to purchase gifts for visiting foreign guests, for trips abroad, and even for fellow Taiwanese.
In addition to its myriad of goods, the Chinese Handicraft Mart also offers services that appeal to foreigners--particularly those who do not speak Chinese. A multi-lingual staff (languages include Chinese, Japanese, and English), money exchange services, gift-wrapping, and shipping assistance all create a hassle-free shopping environment. If you love the challenge of bargaining, however, you would do better to save it for the night markets. The Chinese Handicraft Mart is a government sponsored non-profit organization with fixed and fair prices.
The Chinese Handicraft Mart also offers a one-month return with proof of purchase policy. Exceptions are sometimes made, however. Lin Jin-hung (ªLÀA§»), managing director of the Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center, recalls a special case when a Greek businessman returned to Taiwan three months after his former visit requesting an exchange. The man's wife, he explained, complained that he had purchased the wrong item.
Aboriginal Handicraft Exhibition
This year the Center is trying something new. For the first time, it is coordinating and hosting a large-scale exhibition at the Chinese Handicraft Mart. The Center worked together with the Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, the Medium and Small Business Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Aborigine Administration Bureau of the Taiwan Provincial Government to put on a month-long exhibition. The theme of the exhibition is Taiwan's Aboriginal Handicrafts, and it will feature works from all nine of the island's native ethnic groups: Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Tsou, and Yami.
The purpose of the exhibition, according to Lin, is to give all of Taiwan's aborigine groups the opportunity to take center stage at an exhibition and display their unique handicrafts. Without such an arrangement, you would have to travel throughout the island to get a comprehensive understanding of all nine group's’ handicrafts--a luxury few people can manage. The items on display have gone through two screenings and only those goods demonstrating the highest-quality workmanship and originality have been chosen for display. And the best part of all is that most items will also be for sale. Due to the limited display area, the availability of crafts varies depending on their size, workmanship, material, or any combination of the three. The items on display, with the exception of those for viewing purposes only, are available for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.
The exhibition includes objects made from bamboo, rattan, cloth, beads, clay, wood, leather, and even beans and grains. Beautifully hand-crafted baskets, hair ornaments, clothing, wall-hangings, pottery, and jewelry are all on display. All items are labeled with the name of the aboriginal tribe concerned, an explanation of the design, and, if it is for sale, its price. According to Lin, this exhibition comes at an opportune time. Due to the damage typhoon Herb wreaked on crops this July, many aborigines who make their living as farmers suffered significant losses. The opportunity to sell their handicrafts will help alleviate some of the economic hardship they face as a result.
A tea ceremony on October 1 marks the opening of the exhibit. The Center has printed a brochure highlighting the event and will publish a catalogue of the exhibition at the end of the year; but if you are in Taiwan during October, you have a rare opportunity to take in the exhibition personally while wrappin up your last-minute shopping .
The exhibit is located on the second floor of the Chinese Handicraft Mart, which is open to the public 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. year-round with the exception of Double Tenth Day (October 10) and both Western and Chinese New Years. The store is located on 1 Hsuchou Road and can be reached at (02) 321-7233 or (02) 393-3655. The fax number is (02) 393-7330.
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.