People dreaming of experiencing life in a fishing village, enjoying fresh seafood and spending time on the beach under a blue sky, should visit Penghu, Penghu County Commissioner Wang Chien-fa (王乾發) said yesterday.
Wang issued the invitation at a press conference in Taipei promoting the upcoming Penghu Seafood Festival. The festival runs from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30.
Experienced local guides will provide tours and in-depth presentations of historic sites and local culture. Visitors are also able to catch fish by hand and harvest oysters for lunch, as well as take part in a popular night squid-fishing activity.
Wang gave some examples of unique Penghu culture — the use of shihu (石滬) while fishing and the singing of baoge (褒歌).
A shihu is a low enclosed structure with a small opening constructed by Penghu fishermen and placed on volcanic rocks on the shoreline. Fish swim inside when the tide is high and get trapped when the tide goes out.
Baoge (褒歌) are songs that are sung back and forth by a man and a woman in such a way as to form a “conversation,” using words that are made up on the spot that follow a rhyming scheme.
“It’s called a seafood festival, but it’s not just about seafood — it’s also about water activities and enjoying the unique landscape, culture and history of Penghu,” Wang told the press conference. “It’s not just about eating, it’s also about visitors exploring the fishing culture of Penghu, learning about fishing techniques used in the old days.”
More information about the festival can be found on the Web at
temp.penghu.gov.tw/2009fish/index.
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