The Graduate Institute of Technology Management hosted a series of orientation activities on September 8, 2025, to foster interaction between faculty and students. The event commenced with a lunch gathering at COCO Ichibanya in NTU. The welcome event was attended by Director Hsiao-Hui Chen, faculty members, and administrative staff. Associate Professor Roy Yeh led icebreaker activities. Approximately 40 students participated, including enthusiastic Taiwanese students alongside international students from Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as exchange students from Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany. After the host welcomed students to campus and encouraged everyone to fully embrace and enjoy their valuable time in graduate school, participants savored exquisite Japanese curry while introducing themselves to the class. After gaining a thorough understanding of the department's various courses, first-year graduate students Vita Liao and Alison Lee enthusiastically accepted the roles of class president and vice president. They will assist in planning future class activities and liaising with the department office.
    Following the meal, was a cultural exchange activity in Dadaocheng. Faculty and students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management took the MRT to meet their tour guide at Yongle Market in Dadaocheng. Although the market was closed that day, preventing everyone from experiencing its usual bustling atmosphere, a group photo was taken in the market square before embarking on the Dadaocheng tour with eager anticipation.

The Story of Yongle Market and the Century-Old Pharmacy
    During the tour, faculty and students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management learned together how the cultural heritage left by century-old pharmacies laid a crucial foundation for the present. Across from Yongle Market, the “Watsons Pharmacy” told a story even from its exterior. Unlike today's common chain pharmacies, it was established as a century-old Western medicine pharmacy after Taiwanese entrepreneurs secured the Hong Kong Watsons franchise rights in the early days. According to the tour guide, the building suffered a devastating fire in 1998. Through the tireless efforts of the founder's descendants to restore it, it now showcases its distinctive Min-style architectural features. The first floor sells cultural souvenirs and books, the second floor houses a cozy café, and the third floor serves as an arts and cultural exhibition space. This infusion of new life into the old pharmacy highlights how integrating innovative elements into the arts and cultural service industry underscores the importance of preserving traditional cultural assets.

The Core of Faith and Culture—Xiahai City God Temple
    Visiting the renowned Taipei Xiahai City God Temple, a Grade III historic site, provided an immersive cross-cultural experience for students of diverse nationalities. This bustling shrine attracts both locals and foreign tourists who come to seek the matchmaker god's blessing for good marriages. Such cultural practices fascinated the international students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management, who found the rituals of worship, offering incense oil, and lighting prayer lamps both novel and intriguing.

Architectural Diversity
    Subsequently, during the guided tour, faculty and students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management strolled through Dadaocheng's traditional-style architecture, discerning traces of historical transformation and cultural fusion from the streetscape's appearance. Most buildings along Dihua Street retain traditional arcades to withstand Taiwan's rainy climate, yet their exteriors feature extensive Western-inspired ornamentation. Elements like Baroque-style facades, arched windows, and gable decorations intertwine with red bricks, roof tiles, and wooden components, creating a distinctive fusion of Eastern and Western styles. Strolling along the street, one notices the narrow, deep shop houses lining both sides. The front sections served as retail spaces, while the rear connected to warehouses or additional storefronts. Courtyards or patios often separated shops, facilitating natural light and ventilation while showcasing the ingenuity of early commercial design. Walking through Dihua Street, it's easy to imagine the bustling prosperity of its heyday when tea, textiles, and Chinese herbs were traded in abundance.

A Melting Pot of Industry and Culture
    Strolling along Dihua Street, the air is filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs. The tour guide specifically introduced the dried mullet roe and sea cucumbers commonly sold by Dadaocheng shops to the international students, while also explaining the stationery items sold at the small stalls. The guide emphasized that this place is truly a melting pot: traditional industries, international cuisine restaurants, specialty coffee shops, and creative boutiques coexist here. Traditional and modern architecture form a striking contrast at either end of the street—a clash that somehow feels harmonious.

Riverfront Views and Datun Mountain Scenery
    At Dadaocheng Pier, once a bustling riverside street scene, a container market now gathers diverse food stalls and handmade crafts. As the sunset glows on the Tamsui River, the distant outline of Datun Mountain stands clear in the crisp weather, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and the perfect location for tourists to experience Dadaocheng's diverse charm.
From historic architecture and traditional streets to cultural shops and Dadaocheng Pier, this area demonstrates how innovation revitalizes traditional industries. After absorbing knowledge spanning past and present, East and West, and soaking in the cultural atmosphere of Dadaocheng, faculty and students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management concluded their enriching off-campus orientation exchange with smiles under the setting sun.

    After soaking up knowledge from ancient and modern times, East and West, and immersing themselves in the cultural atmosphere of Dadaocheng, everyone happily concluded this rewarding off-campus orientation exchange under the setting sun. This Dadaocheng walking tour revealed that the district is not merely a historic neighborhood but a living urban textbook, embodying the power of folk beliefs, the wisdom of architectural culture, the depth of traditional industries, and the infusion of modern creativity. International students, exchange students, and local students from The Graduate Institute of Technology Management thus sparked richer cross-cultural exchanges, setting a wonderful tone for the new academic year. 

Special thanks to the Office of International Affairs for sponsoring this event.
Event Content Writer: M11320005 Chen, Jou-Chung