Night Tour in Houtong: Wear a Miner’s Hat to Explore the Cat Village’s Mining History

Written/Compiled and Reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network

 

The image of Houtong Cat Village is deeply engraved in the minds of modern youth, but first-time visitors to Houtong can hardly miss the giant “Produce Coal for National Prosperity” slogan behind the cats. In its early days, Houtong was renowned across Taiwan for its mining output. The lights-out night tour on August 25 will include community DIY activities at the coal mining park during the day, and in the evening, visitors will wear miner’s hats and stroll through Houtong with the dim light of headlamps to learn about the cat village’s mining history. The entire event is free to participate in.

This year marks the fourth edition of the Houtong Lights-Out Night Tour. Through community-guided tours, visitors can explore Houtong’s historical trajectory, unique landscapes, and experience its diversity. Starting at 10:00 AM on August 25, a community handicraft fair will be set up in front of the Vision Hall at the Houtong Coal Mining Park, featuring DIY lanterns and miner’s headlamps, as well as theater performances, guided community tours, and stamp-collecting raffles. In the evening, visitors will don miner’s hats to explore Houtong under the cover of darkness, experiencing the thrill of the lights-out tour, and enjoy a traditional dinner that brings the flavors of a time of material scarcity to life.

In the past, Houtong was known for its mining output, and the settlement flourished and declined along with it. Although mining has now stopped, the area still retains complete mining relics, preserving the memories of miners who once dug and transported coal in narrow, pitch-black tunnels just 75 cm high. Starting from the end of 2009, the lights-out night tour connected three neighborhoods in Houtong. Through spontaneous planning and execution by local residents, more people can deeply experience Houtong’s local culture at night, guided by the faint glow of miner’s helmets.

● Read More: Experience New Ways to Enjoy Taichung with DIY Taro Festivals and Rural Earthen Kilns

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