The Ripped Sky Festival
Tien Chon Ngid, also known as the Ripped Sky Festival, is an important festival celebrated by the Hakka people on the 20th day of the first lunar month. According to legend, during ancient times the water deity Gonggong and fire deity Zhurong engaged in a fierce battle. In his defeat, Gonggong, filled with shame and anger, toppled the pillar that supported the heavens, creating a large hole in the sky. To prevent further calamities on Earth, the goddess Nüwa used the essence of heaven and earth to mend the sky with colorful stones. To show gratitude for Nüwa's assistance, the Hakka people observe Tien Chon Ngid each year. On this day, men refrain from farming, and women abstain from weaving. Instead, the community gathers together to sing folk songs and enjoy rice-based delicacies. The Hakka people have a saying, "No matter what one does or does not do, wait until the sky is repaired," reflecting the significance of Tien Chon Ngid. Nowadays, the festival embodies the importance of allowing the earth to rest and rejuvenate, showcasing the Hakka people's reverence for nature and the harmony between heaven and earth.
On Tien Chon Ngid, Hakka families welcome guests with a special treat called "fried niangao." These fried glutinous rice cakes are chewy, sticky, and vibrant in color, symbolizing the five-colored stones used by Nüwa to mend the sky. Sweet niangao is sometimes rolled into small round balls, deep-fried, and adorned with a needle and thread to create "oil dumplings" or "oil hammers," a ritual offering known as "Bu Tien Chon." Another customary practice on Tien Chon Ngid is the tradition of Hakka mothers taking their daughters to get their ears pierced. It is believed that piercing the ears on this auspicious day reduces the chances of infection and inflammation, and bestows Nüwa's beauty and obedience upon the child.
Each year, the Department of Hakka Affairs organizes the Tien Chon Ngid Ceremony in Taoyuan, reenacting the traditional "Three Offerings of Auspiciousness." Through live broadcasts, people can participate in the festival and join in on the prayers for a prosperous and peaceful year ahead. This cultural event has deep significance in preserving and passing on the Hakka heritage.
The Lupine Blooming Season
Longtan is known as the birthplace of lupine flowers as the earliest area in Taiwan to cultivate these beautiful blossoms. The Dabeikeng Leisure Agriculture Area located in the important tea-growing region of Longtan is renowned for its tea plantations and tea production. The area boasts breathtaking views of tea-covered hills, abundant natural ecosystems, and a rich Hakka rural culture. In recent years, it has attracted young people and aspiring farmers who have returned to their hometowns to pursue their passion. By utilizing their expertise and creativity, they have connected local industries, innovated tourism experiences, and brought the essence of the region's landscape and beauty to the world.
During the annual lupine blooming season from February to March, various activities are organized in areas such as Dabeikeng and Sanhe, including flower appreciation events, music banquets, fairs, and experiential tours. These events invite people to immerse themselves in the culture and natural beauty of the Longtan area through the delightful experience of viewing the flowers.
The Taoyuan Tung Blossom Festival
The Taoyuan Tung Blossom Festival revolves around the theme of "Exploring Ancient Trails and Cultivating the Tung Blossom Economy." With the objectives of cultivating culture, revitalizing industry, promoting tourism, and mobilizing Hakka villages, the festival showcases the harmonious integration of people, culture, land, scenery, and local products. Visitors and young people are attracted and encouraged to participate through cultural activities. Various products and services are introduced by combining local cultural heritage and community industries. The festival not only exemplifies the Hakka people's reverence for nature and heritage, but also utilizes the Tung blossom as a catalyst to foster the economic development of the Hakka community in Taoyuan.
Every year during the blooming season of Tung blossoms from April to May, the festival commences with a traditional ceremony to pay homage to the deities and pray for the prosperity and wellbeing of the nation. The opening ceremony of the Tung Blossom Festival marks the arrival of the flower season. Exciting experiential tours are also on offer, inviting individuals of all ages to visit Taoyuan and immerse themselves in the beauty of Tung blossoms and seize the opportunity to explore local culture and history, and appreciate the enchanting natural landscapes.
The Taoyuan Gods of Three Worlds Festival
The Sanjieye (Gods of Three Worlds) is a distinctive Hakka cultural practice in Taoyuan. There are currently 21 temples dedicated to Sanjieye in the Taoyuan area, making it the highest concentration of such temples in Taiwan, marking the significance of the Sanjieye belief in the region. The Sanjieye belief in Taoyuan is closely associated not only with the Hakka people's agricultural development, but also with the unique irrigation systems of ponds and canals in the area. Early settlers in the region had to store rainwater, stream water, and spring water to supplement irrigation for their farmlands. They built numerous ponds and canals, which became the main sources of irrigation. The allocation of water rights was organized through the San Guan Temple, an organization without physical temples. Early settlers established different San Guan deities for different canals within the San Guan system. The San Guan Temple played a role in water resource management and allocation, resembling a grassroots irrigation organization. This organizational characteristic is particularly prominent among the Hakka community and closely intertwined with the multicultural and inclusive social fabric.
The Hakka people's tradition of "receiving blessings from nature" is another unique aspect of the Sanjieye belief in Hakka villages. To rediscover the significance of Sanjieye in Taoyuan's Hakka culture, the city organizes a cultural festival, aiming to revive local traditional culture, promote the development of local Hakka communities, and integrate them with the distinct "Land of 1,000 Ponds" of Taoyuan. It showcases the Hakka people's environmental education spirit of "revering heaven, cherishing the earth, and conserving water."
Taoyuan Marine Hakka Culture Festival
Taoyuan Marine Hakka Culture Festival is the annual flagship event held at the Yongan Conch Cultural Experience Park, aiming to promote cultural heritage, learning through experience, local participation, and artistic performance. It strives to establish the Yongan Conch Cultural Experience Park as an educational hub for Hakka oceanic culture.
The festival features a wide range of Hakka oceanic cultural experiences, inviting local community associations and businesses to organize activities centered around the Taiwanese Beach Seine, building a stone fish weir, fish farming, conch blowing, upcycling of marine waste, indigo dyeing, and net mending. These themed activities allow participants to immerse themselves in the charm of traditional Hakka oceanic culture.
Furthermore, the Ocean Hakka Fair highlights local specialty itineraries, culinary delights, and agricultural products, promoting the concept of community wellbeing and the dissemination of Hakka cultural knowledge. Artistic performances showcase the talents of Hakka performance groups, along with interactive activities such as family challenges and flashmobs, providing opportunities for families and young people to engage and interact with the spirit and creativity of the Hakka culture.
The 1895 Yi-Wei Hakka War Cultural Festival
The Yi-Wei Hakka War Cultural Festival aims to increase public awareness of the significance of the Yi-Wei War and to commemorate the heroic spirit of our ancestors who defended their homeland. Centered around the 1895 Yi-Wei War Memorial Park, the festival features two main events:
Yi-Wei War Commemoration: A grand commemorative ceremony, including musical performances, poetry recitals, and floral tributes, is held. Participants pay homage and offer prayers to the ancestors who sacrificed their lives during the Yi-Wei War, while also inheriting the spirit of protecting their hometown and displaying bravery in battle.
Guided Tours of Four Major Battle Sites: Thoughtfully planned cultural tours guide participants through historically significant locations such as Dakekan Market Street, Dananwei, Longtan Pond, and Anping Zhuang. By visiting these sites, participants gain a deeper understanding of the local geography, history, and cultural stories associated with the war.
“Sheng Ji” Sending in Taoyuan
The virtues of "respect writings" and "conservation of paper" have long been cherished by Hakka ancestors. In the practice of "sending Sheng Ji" written paper is gathered, cleaned if damaged, then ceremoniously burned on specific days. The ashes of the burned paper are revered as "Sheng Ji". Through a solemn three-offering ritual, they are respectfully sent by the river god to the sea, embodying the act of "sending Sheng Ji."
From among over a hundred Sheng Ji pavilions nationwide, only Longtan and Meinong have held a Sheng Ji sending festival. Furthermore, it is only in Longtan, Taoyuan, that the Hakka Three-Offering ancient ritual is still fully practiced. Longtan's Sheng Ji Pavilion not only boasts the largest and complete three-courtyard structure among all pavilions in the country, but is the only place in northern Taiwan where the Sheng Ji sending ceremony is held annually in the eighth lunar month along with the Three-Offering ceremony.
Taoyuan has a total of six Sheng Ji pavilions, including the Longtan Sheng Ji Pavilion, Daxi Lianzuo Mountain Guanyin Temple Jingsheng Pavilion, Daxi Zhaiming Temple Xizi Pavilion, Zhongli Sheng Ji Pavilion, Guishan Pingding Dahu Fude Temple Sheng Ji Pavilion, and Luzhu Wufu Temple Jingzi Pavilion. These pavilions represent the Hakka community's reverence for culture and literature. The Taoyuan Sheng Ji Sending Festival symbolizes the Hakka community's appreciation for the written word and value of conserving paper. In the era of abundant resources today, paper is readily available but not often treasured. Through the Sheng Ji ceremony, the festival seeks to encourage people to cherish resources and promote environmental protection.