2016 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival – Forest Flower Viewing Across Taiwan

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team

The Hakka Tung Blossom Festival has been held annually since 2002 and is now in its 15th year. This year’s biggest innovation is the first-ever integration with landscape art—featuring installations inspired by tung blossoms. Under an “art curation” format, the installations were co-created by five artists: Japanese artist Junko Maruyama, and Taiwanese artists Chen Shu-yen, Chou Ling-chih, Duwak/Duyao, and Hsu Chiao-yen, with guidance from Hakka artist Hsieh Hsiao-te. Local elementary school students contributed to the project, which revolved around themes of tung blossoms, Hakka culture, and natural mountain forests. Six installations were created to highlight the richness of Hakka heritage, the wisdom of Hakka people in interacting with forests, and their humanistic care. This collaboration between landscape art and tung blossoms offers a fresh and unprecedented take on the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival.

In 2016, the Council for Hakka Affairs highlighted that this year’s series of Hakka Tung Blossom Festival events marked the first central-local government collaboration, uniting all 14 counties and cities across Taiwan. Local governments coordinated with townships (towns, cities, districts), public offices, community organizations, and integrated resources to showcase local characteristics and cultural arts. The festival was also promoted internationally to boost tourism highlights and economic benefits. Additionally, the Council partnered with over a hundred “Hakka Hospitality” merchant partners to offer a 10% discount promotion.

2016 Taoyuan Hakka Tung Blossom Festival – “Tung Feather Whirl ‘Peach Blossom Land’”