The Tainan Salt Sculpture Art Festival, using thousands of tons of refined salt, is truly a "hard" spectacle to behold.

By MOOK Travel Life Network’s Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

From wood carving and sand sculpture to tofu carving, now salt sculpture joins the ranks of sculptural art. Organized by the Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan Coastal National Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the "One Sight, Double Sculptures Art Festival" will kick off on June 2. In addition to the currently popular sand sculptures, the Qigu Salt Mountain will feature the first-ever large-scale salt sculptures exhibited nationwide. The entire series uses 1,000 tons of refined salt, with the largest piece standing 5 meters high and 9 meters wide. Sculpture enthusiasts should not miss this. Furthermore, at today’s press conference, Taiwan Salt BioTech showcased the "Salt as Jade" premium salt sculpture artworks. Chairman Hong Xiyao stated that after being shaped using unique Taiwanese technology, the "Salt as Jade" series has a hardness close to 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamonds, adding even more artistic value to salt, which already carries connotations of warding off evil.

The "2012 One Sight, Double Sculptures Art Festival" runs from June 2 to July 15. This edition invites artists from the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China to jointly participate in salt sculpture creation at the Qigu Salt Mountain. The total includes one large-scale, nine medium-sized, and eleven small-sized works. The largest piece, "Myths and Legends of Southern Taiwan," stands 5 meters high and 9 meters wide, setting a new record in Taiwan. Moreover, during nighttime exhibitions, thanks to the snow-white appearance of the salt sculptures and the colorful LED light art technology, the evening displays create a dazzling and fantastical scene, reminiscent of the "Harbin Ice and Snow World."

The recently renovated "Masago Coastal Recreation Area" in the Jianshou District, the only legal beach in southern Taiwan, offers water activities such as swimming, jet skiing, banana boat rides, and ATV adventures. During the same period, the "Masago Sand Sculpture" event will also be held, using a total of 700 tons of fine sand for 15 sculptures. These include "Koxinga’s Attack on Taiwan," "The Egyptian Pyramids," "The Grand Canyon," "Sand Hotel," "Terracotta Army," "Seafood and Meat Feast," as well as "SpongeBob, Mermaid, and Angry Birds." The display features one large sand sculpture, six medium-sized ones, and eight small ones.