More Than 200,000 Visitors to Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival – Even “Qu Yuan” Wears Shades for Sunbathing

▲ A massive Monopoly-themed sand sculpture.

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Fulong

The Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival, held from May 2 to July 12, has attracted 200,000 visitors since its opening. In addition to the playful “Toy United Nations” theme this year, sand sculpting masters from around the world also competed with “Peace” as the central theme, making this year’s sculptures even more captivating. To coincide with the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, a sand sculpture artist created a piece themed around Qu Yuan today (June 11), and its adorable and lively design has caught the public’s attention.

▲ The on-site creation of Qu Yuan by a sand sculpture artist is quite amusing.

Fulong Beach is highly regarded by sand sculpting artists for its excellent sand quality and strong cohesiveness. Now in its 8th edition, the Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival brought together 27 sculptors from 13 countries to create nearly 50 large-scale works. In the Toy United Nations theme area, elements such as teddy bears, Barbie dolls, glove puppets, and Monopoly have been transformed into massive sand sculptures, making the artworks more relatable. Many adults were seen reminiscing about their childhood, while children were thoroughly entertained.

▲ In the Toy United Nations area, you can see many cute elements like robots and dolls.

Echoing the festive atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival, a sand sculpture artist created a timely piece on-site today. Watching the artist wield carving tools and hoses, slicing through the sand pile while blowing away excess sand, the lovely face of Qu Yuan gradually took shape, giving many onlookers an actual glimpse into the sand sculpture-making process.

Qu Yuan was depicted wearing sunglasses, lounging leisurely on a beach chair for sunbathing, with zongzi and refreshing drinks on the side table. Commenting on his work, the sand sculptor said, “This year, Qu Yuan isn’t rowing dragon boats!”

▲ The sand sculptor at work.

Aside from the fun sand sculptures, in the Peace-themed area there are also 10 thought-provoking works created by world-class competing artists. The first-place winner this year was Oscar Rodrigues Vila from Spain with his piece “Every Child Has Their Own World.”

▲ First-place winner “Every Child Has Their Own World”

The artist believes that every child has their own world and an innate purity. To him, these children are the future architects of a new world. World peace is also an attitude everyone should embrace, so he created a 360-degree sculpture that everyone can enjoy.

▲ Using the concepts of city walls, castles, and toy soldiers further highlights the Toy United Nations theme.

According to Fulong Fulfill Hotel, the early part of the event was affected by the plum rain season, but as the weather improved, it once again drew visitors to admire the sand art and enjoy the water, pushing the visitor count over 200,000. Additionally, a Facebook event offering free lodging coupons for photo-taking is also available, giving visitors a chance to win prizes while having fun.

▲ Video footage from the Fulong Sand Sculpture Art Festival.

2015 Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival
Location: Fulong Beach
Event Dates: May 2 ~ July 12
Visiting Hours: 08:30 ~ 18:00
Ticket Prices: General Admission NT$100, Group Ticket NT$90, Concession Ticket NT$80, Children’s Ticket NT$10