The Sanyi Wood Sculpture Art Festival attracts exhibitors from eight countries

By Gao Wei-yi and Li Xin-yi, compiled and reported

The annual "Sanyi International Wood Sculpture Art Festival" is set to grandly open this Saturday (July 30) and will run until August 14. The event includes an international wood sculpture exchange exhibition, an international wood sculpture competition exhibition, wood sculpture street art displays, a giant entrance installation, as well as live carving demonstrations by master carvers every weekend and DIY woodcraft experiences. The Miaoli County Government has also arranged two free shuttle bus routes—one between Sanyi Railway Station, Shuimei Carving Street, and Longteng Broken Bridge, and another between Sanyi Railway Station and Liyutan Reservoir.

One of the series of events at the Sanyi International Wood Sculpture Art Festival, the "International Wood Sculpture Competition Exhibition," has attracted wood carving creators from eight countries including Japan, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Vietnam. Among them, the nine finalist works will have their rankings announced at the opening ceremony. This year’s theme for the International Wood Sculpture Art Exchange Exhibition is "Wood Art Innovation: Collective Excellence," which specially features works from Fujian, China, and Japan, offering a cross-cultural artistic experience that blends tradition with innovation. The International Wood Sculpture Competition Exhibition and Exchange Exhibition will be displayed at the Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum from July 20 to September 25, allowing visitors to appreciate exquisite wood carving craftsmanship and experience the beauty of traditional and innovative art.

This year, the organizers have partnered with the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation to hold the "Festival Blessing Tales" campaign. By donating just two receipts from purchases made in Miaoli, participants can have a chance to receive a specially made wooden blessing card, supporting charity while wishing for their dreams to come true. During the event period, the Miaoli County Government has also set up free shuttle buses to allow visitors to easily explore attractions such as Sanyi Shuimei Carving Street, Masters' Street, Shengxing Railway Station, Longteng Broken Bridge, Huoyanshan, and Liyutan Reservoir—taking in the full beauty of Sanyi and embarking on an in-depth artistic journey into the world of wood carving.