By MOOK Travel Life Network, reported by Chen Guanxin
Pintung County — For the second consecutive year, the “Wanjin Christmas Season” event has been held in conjunction with the Wanjin Basilica, making Wanjin Village in Wanluan Township at the foot of Dawu Mountain the place with the warmest and most festive Christmas atmosphere in all of Taiwan. This year’s Wanjin Christmas Season will kick off with a lighting ceremony on November 30 and run until December 25. For the first time, 3D landscape art installations will be introduced, along with roses symbolizing Catholicism, to showcase the romantic artistic charm of Taiwan’s oldest century-old church and this ancient Catholic town in the southernmost part of the country.
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The “Wanjin Christmas Season” in Wanjin Village, Pintung County, is an annual highlight for the locale. (Image provided by Pintung County-)
The large 3D landscape art mural at the “Holy Key Plaza” at the intersection in front of the basilica is 6 meters long and 4.5 meters wide, painted over three days by domestic 3D landscape art artist Liu Rensheng. The design was inspired by Psalm 23 from the Old Testament of the Bible: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Since roses are the most Catholic-associated flowers, and the rosary is considered the most beautiful form of prayer by Catholics, they have become the visual highlight of the Wanjin Christmas Season’s landscape art. The Tourism Bureau has also collaborated with the community to decorate key spots in Wanjin Village with roses, creating a rose art town.
This year’s Wanjin Christmas Season continues previous editions by incorporating the coffee industry of the Ulaljuc Tribe in Taiwu Township, planning nearly a month of colorful events. The lighting ceremony on November 30 will begin at 17:00, and after the lighting of an 8-meter-tall giant Christmas tree, a series of surprises will follow, including the Feast of the Immaculate Conception procession at the Wanjin Basilica on December 8, the presentation of results from the Pintung Indigenous Coffee Industry Development Program on December 14, the Pintung Coffee Tasting Competition and Grassland Starlight Coffee Music Feast on December 21 and 22, culminating in the Angels’ Voice Christmas Gala and the Taiwu Coffee Street event on December 24.
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The Wanjin Basilica in Pintung has a history of 150 years. (Image provided by Pintung County-)
Additionally, the Tourism Bureau has set up a special Wanjin Christmas Theme Pavilion in the village, displaying Christmas-related artifacts and cultural creative goods. During the Wanjin Christmas Season, there will also be a manger culture installation competition and an exhibition of Christmas decorations in Ulaljuc family houses, filling the area with a strong festive atmosphere that makes visitors feel as if they’ve stepped into another country. To allow visitors to more deeply experience the unique religious ambiance of Wanjin, the Tourism Bureau also recommends three themed mini-trips: a leisure journey along the mountain highway visiting Golden Stone Coffee Leisure Farm, KAIYUAN Farm, and Quan Garden to enjoy pastoral scenery; a Christmas journey centered around the Wanjin Basilica connecting Art & Sense Coffee, Ice BAR Café, Cabin Creative Kitchen, Eudora Creative Handmade Snacks, and Ulaljuc Tribal Coffee House for a taste of boutique cuisine; and a flavor journey through the Wanluan district highlighting the emerging cocoa industry in Wanluan and Neipu areas, as well as Southeast Asian-style vegetarian dishes at Anluan Villa.
Additionally, this year’s Wanjin Christmas Season includes thoughtful designs in its promotional materials. The limited-edition 1,000 Christmas Golden Lunch Boxes come with coupons from 8 local shops printed on the packaging, allowing you to enjoy discounts on coffee and meals. Each golden lunch box, worth over NT$80, is a great deal. The promotional leaflets also include coffee coupons, which can be picked up starting now at 7-Eleven convenience stores across Pintung, making it easy for visitors to plan their trip to the Wanjin Christmas Season.
● Further Reading:
Tainan Beimen White Christmas: Taiwan’s Most “Savory” Santa Claus
http://goo.gl/5BpZzi
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3D landscape art is featured for the first time at the Wanjin Christmas Season, becoming a major crowd attraction. (Image provided by Pintung County-)