TANG

On behalf of the entire TANG leadership team, I am so delighted to welcome you to the TANG/TACEC 2025 Summer Conference. It’s wonderful to see so many faces, new and familiar, gathered here today. Our continued partnership with TACEC is something we deeply value, as it allows us to foster such rich connections across generations within our community. A huge thank you is also due to every volunteer, donor, and staff member whose dedication has brought this conference to life.

This year, we wanted to center our gathering around a feeling that many of us associate deeply with Taiwanese culture: 人情味 / Lîn-tsîng-bī.

What is Lîn-tsîng-bī? It’s a beautiful concept that’s a bit hard to translate directly, but it speaks to the inherent warmth found in human relationships, a genuine spirit of human kindness and connection. We chose this theme because we wanted to capture and celebrate that distinct emotional warmness often felt within communities in Taiwan.

Lîn-tsîng-bī manifests in countless acts of selflessness. It’s seen when a stranger goes out of their way to help you find the local supermarket, when a host welcomes guests with open arms and generosity, or when support is freely offered to someone in need simply because they are part of the community. You may have experienced it yourself – the small stall owner who adds a little extra to your order or the stranger who doesn't just give directions but takes the time to personally guide you to your destination. That is Lîn-tsîng-bī. It reflects a core value in Taiwanese culture, a strong emphasis on looking out for one another, building trust, and strengthening community bonds, even among strangers.

As we spend these next few days together, we invite you to embrace the spirit of Lîn-tsîng-bī. Let’s look out for each other, extend kindness freely, share stories, build new connections, and strengthen existing ones. We hope this TANG continues to be a space where everyone feels the warmth of this community.