With the white tung blossoms bursting into bloom starting this month, more than 106 Hakka communities from six counties in Taiwan invited the public to enjoy the lily-white drifts and experience the rich Hakka culture at a series of events nationwide.
The fourth annual Tung Blossom Festival, sponsored by the Council for Hakka Affairs to promote Hakka culture, promises to draw more visitors this year with a line-up of creative events and improved transportation services.
The white flowers and the sturdy trunks of the tung trees make them an excellent symbol of the Hakka people, representing the group's patience for hard work and the purity of their spirit, according to the council.
"The Tung Blossom Festival has become a successful model in the cultural industry by creating both cultural and economic values for the Hakka community," the council's acting chairman Lee Yung-de (
"With more exciting activities, such as tung blossom lighting shows at night, special train services and special tour guides for English and Japanese-speaking travelers, we hope to bring more visitors to experience the beauty of Hakka culture," Lee said.
The festival, which starts on April 16 with an opening ceremony at the Westlake Resortopia (
In addition, 21 "tung blossom sightseeing paths" have been created in the six counties hosing the festival. To make it more convenient for visitors to reach the destinations, the council will provide festival trains every weekend.
In an attempt to attract young people, the popular Taiwanese rock band Mayday will perform during the festival's opening ceremony.
"Japan has the famous cherry blossom festival each March and April. With the Tung Blossom Festival flourishing in Taiwan, we can enjoy the flower sightseeing, drinking lei-cha and listening to music without traveling far away," the band said.
Over 28 festival venues in the Hakka communities are encouraged to develop their own individual merchandise, such as pottery, with a tung-flower theme. Traditional Hakka snacks and food will also be featured in the festival.
Last year's festival generated NT$3 billion in revenues with a total of 2.7 million people attending, according to the council.
This year, the council invited travel agencies from Germany, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Japan to visit the festival, expecting them to bring foreign friends to experience the cultural event.
Tung trees have been valued as a source of lumber and for the water-resistant oil derived from their seeds. Although the trees are no longer as popular for industrial purposes as in previous decades, their wood is still used for carving and firewood.
Detailed information on the festival can be found on the Hakka council's official Web site at www.hakka.gov.tw.
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