Festival-goers quite literally have to choose between rock and a hard place for the next two weekends as the Hualien Stone Festival and Yingko Ceramics Festival share their official openings.
Yingko is the capital of pottery for Taiwan and much of the rest of the world. A century ago, when river transportation was possible, the town flourished as a commercial ceramics center. In addition to the high-end Ming-styled vases, the town has exported toilet bowls, sinks and other pottery and ceramic vessels. Pottery and ceramics differ -- as we all know -- because pottery is fired at degrees under 1,250C and ceramics is fired over 1,260C. Pottery, subsequently, is some 5,000 years older.
The craft has been in Yingko since 1804. Over the years, the town has proven to be a kind of Mecca for some of the world's most skilled craftsmen and the trade's highest-paid ceramicists. You can see their works -- and maybe even catch one them at work -- from next Friday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Yingko Ceramics Festival.
Yingko's Old Pottery Street and the Yingko Ceramics Museum will host an array of craft exhibits, demonstrations, performances, workshops and other activities, many of which will take place on the grounds of a planned future ceramics park.
Organizers emphasize that this year's event will focus on three major areas: culture, the development of ceramics, and leisure -- which in layman's terms means it's a festival. This year's theme is "Ceramics and Dining" (which is probably more sensible than "Ceramics and Swimming," since it's autumn).
Hualien will also host its annual Stone Sculpture Festival starting next Saturday through Sunday, Oct. 20. Activities include exhibitions, competitions, demonstrations, and "Battle of the Spinning Tops," all of which will take place in the areas of the Hualien County Culture Park from 10am to 9pm weekdays and from 9am to 9pm on weekends.
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