Taiwanese choreographer makes Time's list of Asian heroes

This article was written by Cecilia Fanchiang and published by the Taiwan Journal on December 2, 2005. It reports that Lin Hwai-min, the Taiwanese choreographer who is best known as the founder of the highly acclaimed Cloud Gate Dance Theater, was one of 20 people who recently received awards fro Time Magazine for being named to Year 2005's list of Asia's heroes.

Time Magazine's Asian edition has been compiling the list of Asia's heroes every year since 2002, in order to recognize those people who make a positive difference on the continent. In Year 2005, the 20 people on the list were categorized into groups such as "the Tsunami", "role models", "iconoclasts", "activists", "change agents", "entertainers" and "educators". According to Time Magazine, these people inspire us to "appreciate what the human spirit can do at its very best".

Time Magazine placed Lin in the "iconoclasts" category. Lin was described as "Asia's synthesizing dance genius". But the modest artist simply said that he is "a nobody" when compared to other people who made it on the list. He also described his achievement as not so much a personal success as the result of teamwork, and insisted that the real glory should go to the Cloud Gate Dance Theater as a whole.

For Lin's achievements and those of other people on Time Magazine's list of Asian heroes, please check out this article.