A Leisurely Holiday in the Ancient City of Hengchun: A Creative Culture Frenzy at the Market

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

 

With its rich cultural diversity and abundant local resources, Pingtung County has seen flourishing growth in crafts, food, and creative industries. From December 8 to December 16, the Pingtung County Government hosted the “2012 Happy Pingtung – Holiday Creative Market” over two consecutive weekends in Hengchun Township. The event gathered 46 local vendors offering food, crafts, and other creative goods, as well as 20 specialty shops along Hengchun Old Street for a joint exhibition and sale.

The creative market was planned by Pingnan Community College and the Qiongma Yuan Urban-Rural Cultural and Educational Development Foundation. It showcased a variety of items including food, crafts, clothing, fragrances, and paintings—all handmade products, local specialties, and agricultural goods from outstanding studios, artisans, and manufacturers across the county. These included coffee and herb plants from northern Pingtung, handmade soap, and pork trotter wontons; as well as harbor tea, pottery, folk music, and specialty foods from southern Pingtung. There were also 46 booths featuring Hakka crafts, foods, and Indigenous beadwork and leather carvings. The market also connected with 20 unique shops along Hengchun Old Street.

During the creative market event, there were also ethnic group dances, street performances, and creative DIY experiences, allowing the public to try activities such as plant-dyed fabric tying and dyeing, Hengchun-style pyrography, and fun brick carving. In addition, to boost consumer interest, the organizers launched the “Hengchun Gifts Double Giveaway” campaign. From now until December 25, consumers who spend over NT$2,000 in the townships of Hengchun Peninsula—including Shizi, Fangshan, Hengchun, Manzhou, and Mudan—or collect 10 “PapaGO Friendly Merchant” stamps from old street shops, can exchange their receipts or stamps for raffle tickets to participate in a double-draw lucky draw.

 

 

● Related reading: Pingtung Christmas Village – The Christmas Light Display Stretches 500 Meters

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