Wisdom Line of Heartful Craft — Rooted in the Philosophy of Slow Living
In 2024, as craft marks its 70th anniversary, the theme “Living Craft, Craft in Life” is proposed as the guiding spirit. Through the action of the “Craft Pilgrimage”, the project embodies the idea of being rooted in place. Craft returns to the living landscape — to the land and to the people. No longer confined to being observed, it reenters daily life as something to be used, touched, and experienced, gently weaving itself back into the fabric of everyday living.
In 2025, marking the 71st anniversary of craft, the Taiwan Craft Season embraces the theme “SLOHAS in Slow Living: Joyful Life in Practice”. By bringing together government and community initiatives, it fosters a dynamic network of “people on a pilgrimage”, reflecting the idea of craft deeply rooted in place. Through active participation and movement, craft becomes part of everyday life, connecting spaces and people and evolving into a shared cultural and lifestyle experience.
On October 1, 2025, through grassroots advocacy and a broad social consensus, Taiwan officially designated June 5 as “Crafts Day”, marking a new milestone in bringing craft into the nation’s official calendar. The date coincides with “World Environment Day” and the birthday of pioneering craftsperson Mr. Yen Shui-Lung, linking environmental awareness with Taiwan’s craft heritage. The holiday celebrates the shared “Craft Spirit”, i.e., “diligence and conscientiousness in work, kindness and sincerity toward others, creating objects that are both beautiful and functional, as well as upholding truth, goodness, and beauty in everyday life”. By living these principles, everyone becomes a craftsperson, making every day be a day of craft.
In 2026, building upon a people-centered and place-rooted foundation, the vision expands toward the formation of a “Craft Ecosystem”. Beginning with the philosophy of water — H₂O: Human Heart Over-all — and inspired by the spirit of “SLOHAS slow living”, the movement unfolds like ripples spreading across water. Each craftsperson is a spring emerging from the land. As these springs meet the currents of rivers, they gather into a vibrant “Lake of Living Craft”. From the lake, the waters flow outward toward the sea, forming a powerful circulation, where inner and outer currents converge, people inhabit craft as naturally as fish in water. Craft seeps softly into the fabric of everyday living, revealing its inclusiveness, warmth, and vitality. Together we move slowly, live joyfully, and dwell with ease. Like the island of Taiwan embraced by surrounding seas, where diverse species and cultures converge, a vibrant and ever-renewing field of energy is nurtured. In this living circulation, craft becomes a sustaining medium that connects people, land, and culture, carrying forward a rhythm of life that continues to flow.
