The 12 Major Hakka Festivals Are Announced, Featuring the Newly Added “Noon Beating” Custom of Hsinchu

Text by / MOOK Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

 

The “2013 Twelve Major Hakka Festivals” have officially begun. Since its launch in 2009 (Year 98), this year’s program includes 18 festivals chosen from various Hakka regions nationwide, along with three major events hosted by the Council for Hakka Affairs: the “Six Districts Hakka Carnival,” “Hakka Tung Blossom Festival,” and “Hakka Traditional Opera Harvest Festival.” Together, these make up 21 festival events that will enliven Taiwan throughout the year starting January.

Huang Yuzhen, Chairman of the Council for Hakka Affairs, pointed out that based on the estimated 6 million visitors and over NT$20 billion in economic impact generated by the 2012 “Hakka Tung Blossom Festival,” the 2013 “Twelve Major Hakka Festivals” are projected to draw more than 10 million visitors to Hakka areas, generate over NT$30 billion in economic value, and create local job opportunities—definitely making a significant impact felt by fellow Hakka people.

 

In addition to continuing popular events such as the “Miaoli Fire Dragon Festival,” “Tian Chuan Day,” and “Tung Blossom Festival,” the 2013 “Twelve Major Hakka Festivals” will also feature, for the first time, the century-old “Noon Beating Culture Festival” from Baoshan Township in Hsinchu County. Chairman Huang explained that “Noon Beating” is a custom in Baoshan where, on the 14th and 15th days of the first lunar month during the divine parade, the designated village sets up food stalls offering their signature Hakka dishes for participants of the procession and fellow villagers. Everyone is encouraged to finish the food, symbolizing a prayer for a prosperous new year with the saying “eat it all clean, for a good new year.” Though this deeply Hakka tradition has gradually declined over the decades, the “Twelve Major Hakka Festivals” aim to revive and expand it. This allows older generations to relive childhood memories and helps younger people become more connected to their Hakka heritage.

The “Twelve Major Hakka Festivals” will host a series of Hakka-themed celebrations around Taiwan, including: in January, the “Hakka Preserved Vegetable Culture Festival” in Gongguan, Miaoli; in February, the “Miaoli Fire Dragon Festival,” “Baoshan Township Noon Beating Culture Festival,” “Pingtung Six Districts God of the Land Cultural Festival,” and “Dongshi New Ding Ji Festival”; in March, the “Tian Chuan Day” Hakka Mountain Song Competition in Hsinchu and the “Six Districts Hakka Carnival”; in April, the “Hakka Tung Blossom Festival”; in May, the “Toufen April 8 Hakka Culture Festival”; in June, the “Sanyi Cloud Fire Dragon Festival” and Taoyuan’s “Tung Boat Homecoming Culture Festival”; in July, Hualien’s “Joyful Gongs and Drums Filled with Hakka Spirit & Drum King Competition”; in August, the “Hsinchu Yuemin Culture Festival” and “Neiwan Comic Festival”; in September, Pingzhen’s “Kirin Welcoming Deities & Bestowing Peace” and Yunlin’s “Zhao’an Hakka Culture Festival”; in October, the “Hsinchu County International Drum Art Festival”; in November, “Guoxing Township Seizing Success” and Kaohsiung’s “Night Blooming Season”; in December, “Taitung Good Rice Harvest Festival” and the “Hakka Traditional Opera Harvest Festival.”

 

 

● Read more: Hsinchu Beipu Mazu Procession – Hakka “Noon Beating” Banquets for Peace

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