News
Dance with Tung Blossom in the Winds of Spring; Let the Sound of Music Ring through Hakka villages
- Post Date:2010-04-07
The Hakka Tung Blossom Festival has already become Taiwan’s most renowned floral celebration for its incredible beauty and romance. This year marks the 9th anniversary of the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival, an important event that citizens have grown accustomed to. For many years, the Council for Hakka Affairs has used central planning, corporate franchising, local implementation and community shaping to enrich the contents of cultural activities across Taiwan and offer appropriate assistance in conjunction with tung flower merchandize development. These events have been tremendously successful and attracted more than 10 million visitors, generating vast business opportunities. The Hakka Tung Blossom Festival has not only become citizens’ preferred choice for spring recreational travel and cultural experience but has also brought prosperity to Hakka villages across Taiwan.
In this year’s Hakka Tung Blossom Festival, the Council for Hakka Affairs will continue to emphasize cultural enrichment while striving to make the event more exquisite, professional and artistic by fully integrating Hakka culture, relevant industries and tourism business operators based on the foundations established in the past. The Council for Hakka Affairs has chosen Dance with Tung Blossom in the Winds of Spring; Let the Sound of Music Ring through Hakka villages as the theme for this year’s event and will be working with municipal governments in Hualien, Yilan, Keelung, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin and Nantou to subsidize a total of 11 counties and cities, 36 townships and 81 organizations to host over 800 cultural and commercial events. By providing shuttle bus services at various spots for tung blossom appreciation, organizers can enhance the convenience of recreational activities and encourage people to take part in the event. The Council for Hakka Affairs has gone to great lengths to enrich the contents and essence of Hakka culture to demonstrate Hakka people’s creativity and energy. The record-breaking number of visitors at the event each year aptly reflects the council’s success in this area.
In addition, the Council for Hakka Affairs has developed hundreds of innovative tung flower products by infusing the image of tung flowers into 74 Hakka restaurants and over 106 locations vending tung flower products to launch a variety of promotions. One can enjoy special offers and discounts by producing the Hakka Card issued by the Council for Hakka Affairs or Tung Blossom Visitor Guide, Tung Blossom Pamphlet or discount coupons (available for download at the Council for Hakka Affairs’ tung flower theme site at http://tung.hakka.gov.tw/). By incorporating elements of culture, tourism, ecology and business, the Council for Hakka Affairs shall propel the exquisite development of Hakka culture through the annual floral celebration. In doing so, It shall establish a symbolic brand name for the cultural and creative industries and create business opportunities for Hakka cultural industries.
Hosting 18 Under the Tung Tree concerts (free admission):
(1) Tung Blossom dancing with spring breeze, the music extends far across the Hakka hometown: The Council for Hakka Affairs presents 4 large art and culture activities:
1. April 17 (Saturday) 14:00 Miaoli Shangrila Paradise
“2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony” Spring Tour Concert
The festival is opened with a ritual worship of heaven to devoutly pray to the Land, Mountain and Heaven Gods for a successful and peaceful Tung Blossom Festival. The ceremony expresses Hakka folk’s respect to heaven. Two famous emcees, Little Zhong and Song Jing-Ling, emcee the activity. Many well-known entertainers are invited to perform at the ceremony, including “Sun Son Theatre”, the Hakka singer Peng Jia-Hui and famous music producer Chen Guo-Hua with his new Tung Blossom song creations. Other popular performers and singers include the pop-song singer Ma Nian-Xian, Momo Sweet Peach and Jelly Sisters, Da-Miao-Li Acrobatics Group and I-Hakka Narrative and Musical Performance Group. Besides, the 2010 new Tung Blossom dance creations will be presented in the ceremony and the awarding of the prize for the winner of the “Tung Blossom Star” Singing Competition will come off on the same day. Local and foreign tourists can enjoy the beautiful Hakka culture here. A limited number of gifts are available for visitors free of charge.
2. April 24 (Saturday) 10:00 Hsinchu County Mystery Forest Resort
“2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” Forest Carnival
Many famous singers are invited for the festival, including the skilled singer Pin Guan, Hakka star Huang Lian-Li, Luo Si-Rong, Xu Jie-Ren of the Starlight Group and lively Hakka Lions, outstanding dance performance of “Zhumeng Dance Troupe”, Chai Found Music Workshop as well as the winners of the Tung Blossom Star Singing Competition. A limited number of gifts are available for visitors free of charge. The tourists who come to the activity can experience the joyful atmosphere of the carnival here.
3. April 25 (Sunday) 14:30 Taoyuan Kunlun Herb Plant Tourism Garden
“2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” Natural fragrance of Tung Blossoms
Express the decision to protect the forest and environment while walking along the Tung Blossom Path. Forum Music(十方打擊樂團), which was a candidate for the Best Traditional World Music Album of the Grammy Awards will perform in the festival. The President Band and singer Xie Yu-Wei are invited to present their new pop-song creations for Tung Blossom. In addition to the Little-Little Bin, a cute young boy who will recite Tung Blossom poetry, the winners of the Tung Blossom Star Signing Competition, Yu-Qun Dance, Dance Works and a diabolo-juggling group will perform in succession in the festival. A limited number of gifts are available for visitors free of charge.
4. May 01 (Saturday) 14:30 Taoyuan Ta Shee Blooming Oasis
“2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” Parents and Children in the Wonderland
Zhang Shan-Wai, or the Black-Skin Brother, will guide the parents and their children to play games together. Magicians and clowns, If Kids Theatre Company, Momo Sweet Peach and Jelly Sisters, Momo Caramel Brother, Vanilla Sister and Tung Blossom Figures are invited to perform in the festival. Tourists can also appreciate the youth’s recorder ensemble and various interactive learning activities of dancing and singing. Parents are encouraged to play with their children and appreciate Tung Blossoms together happily.
(2) 10 “concerts under Tung trees” (outdoors)
1. April 10 (Saturday) 15:00 Puli (Nantou) New Era Art Resort & SPA
Hsinchu Wind Orchestra “Tung dancing with spring breeze and music extending far across the Hakka hometown – attachment for Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” concert
2. April 18 (Sunday) 14:00 Miaoli Shangrila Paradise
National Chinese Orchestra “Hospitable Taiwanese, fragrant Tung Blossom on the ground” concert
3. April 18 (Sunday) 14:00 Sanyi (Miaoli) Sheng-Xing Train Station
Confederation of performers(藝能總工會) 2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival─ Hakka pop-song concert
4. April 23 (Friday) 14：00 Miaoli Nanzhuang Tourist Service Center
Nation Taiwan Symphony Orchestra “ Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” concert
5. April 24 (Saturday) 15: 00 Hsinchu County Mystery Forest Resort
Nation Taiwan Symphony Orchestra “ Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” concert
6. April 25 (Sunday) 13:30 Tongxiao (Miaoli) Shang Tian Café
Music Box Ensemble “Tung bamboo recorder and fun” concert
7. April 25 (Sunday) 14:00 Toufen (Miaoli) Lu Chu-Keng Tung Blossom Path
Confederation of performers(藝能總工會) 2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival─Hakka pop-song concert
8. May 01 (Saturday) 13:30 Guanxi (Hsichu) Jin-Jin Community’s Ci-Fu Park
Music Box Ensemble “Tung bamboo recorder and fun” concert
9. May 02 (Sunday) 15:00 Taoyuan (Near Shihmen Reservoir) Riparian Garden Restaurant
MoonString Chamber Orchestra “MoonString and Hakka hometown” 2010 Tung Blossom Festival Concert
10. May 02 (Sunday) 15:00 Hsinchu County Lion’s Head Mountain Scenic Area, Tourist Service Center
Hsinchu Wind Orchestra “Tung dancing with spring breeze and music extending far across the Hakka hometown – attachment for Hakka Tung Blossom Festival” concert
(3) 4 “concerts under Tung trees” (indoors)
1. April 16 (Friday) 19:00 Yuanlin Performance Hall, Changhua County
National Chinese Orchestra “Hospitable Taiwanese, fragrant Tung Blossom on the ground” concert
2. April 17 (Saturday) 19:00 Tongxiao Activity Center Performance Hall, Miaoli
National Chinese Orchestra “Hospitable Taiwanese, fragrant Tung Blossom on the ground” concert
3. April 26 (Monday) 14:00 Assembly Hall of Sanyi Junior High School, Miaoli
National Chinese Orchestra “Hospitable Taiwanese, fragrant Tung Blossoms on the ground” concert
4. April 27 (Tuesday)19:30 Performance Hall at Pingzheng Social Education and Culture Center, Taoyuan County
National Chinese Orchestra “Hospitable Taiwanese, fragrant Tung Blossoms on the ground” concert
III. Introducing the newly choreographed Tung Blossom Dance
The 2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival also marks the Council for Hakka Affairs’ invitation of renowned dance instructor Chang Sheng-Feng (personal dance instructor to Mandarin pop diva Jolin Tsai) to choreograph a brand new Tung Blossom Dance and host a total of 10 tour instructions at the municipalities organizing the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival from March 19 through 26 (refer to Appendix I for the schedule) so that the general populace can dance along with tung flowers in the winds of spring! The inclusion of the Tung Blossom Dance will not only enrich the event but also start a new trend of Hakka music and dance.。
IV. Organizing tung flower literature, photography and blog contests with cash and prizes valued over NT$ 1 million!
The first Tung Flower Literature Prize will be held in conjunction with the 2010 Hakka Tung Flower Festival to accept submissions of literary works on Hakka culture and the portrayal of tung flower imagery for writers to share their heart-touching moments while “Appreciating tung blossom and Visiting Hakka villages”. Submissions will be divided into four categories, namely new poems, notebooks, proses and novella. In an effort to encourage literary creation and promote writing while allowing more people to get to know Hakka culture and experience the beauty of tung blossom, the submission that wins first prize will receive a cash prize of NT$ 150,000. In addition, the Council for Hakka Affairs will also be organizing a tung flower photography contest and exhibitions on top of the blog contest, “the poll for the most popular sights”, “tung blossom viewing group invitation” and so forth available on the Tung Blossom website. Over NT$ 1 million worth of cash prizes and awards are available to encourage the general populace to take part, compose, visit or record their thoughts and feelings on tung blossoms.
In order to help the general public experience the atmosphere of spring, the Council for Hakka Affairs will also be hosting six tour events by the “Blossom Touring Choir” in Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli as the warm-up event for the 2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival (refer to Appendix II for the schedule). The Blossom Touring Choir will feature live-size tung flower mascots and MOMO TV hosts to perform a number of songs while dancing the Tung Blossom Dance. Not only that, the event will also feature exciting Hakka drums, percussion performance and recital of contemporary and traditional Hakka rhymes by the Firefly Hakka Performance Troupe. The performers will interact with the audience in the form of a Q&A session and introduce the 2010 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival in a casual and relaxed atmosphere during the performance.
An assortment of tung blossom information for your convenience
I. A rich online source of tung blossom information and “”
For those who wish to enjoy the magnificent views of tung blossom, it would be a good idea to check out the Council for Hakka Affairs’ official site for the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival at http://tung.hakka.gov.tw/ for the latest report on tung blossom status. 51 volunteers have gallantly offered their services as “flower watchers” on the website to publish the latest tung blossom news so that visitors can receive real time tung blossom information and plan their itineraries. Not only that, the website also offers loads of useful information such as numerous tours, event information, free gifts, music performance, art performance, tung flower souvenirs, recommended itineraries, tour queries, tung flower music, tung blossom dance, tung flower literature, tung blossom photography, tung flower research and so forth. The amount of information available on the website is simply astounding and the information you need is just a click away.
The 51 “flower waters” from 38 townships across Taiwan is unquestionably the best crew of observers for tung blossom to ever be assembled in Taiwan. They are not only entrusted with the task of monitoring tung blossoms but also bear witness to the vitality of Taiwan’s general populace, the cohesion of Hakka villages and Hakka folks’ passion for their homelands! In contrast to the recent announcement by Japan Meteorological Agency to end its Cherry Blossom Forecast (Sakura Zensen), the passion to protect their home and love for their homelands is demonstrated by these volunteers to observe tung blossom in Taiwan and further demonstrates the general public’s earnestness in their participation of the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival.
II. 200,000 copies of complimentary Tung Blossom Visitor Guide up for grabs!
In order to make spring excursions and tung blossom trips as easy and convenient as possible for the general public, the Council for Hakka Affairs has also produced 200,000 copies of Tung Blossom Visitor Guide and 20,000 copies of Tung Blossom Pamphlets (in both Mandarin and English) with contents covering tung blossom trails, features of various attractions, locations of tung flower vendors and special offers and so forth. The guides and pamphlets will be available at various MOTC Tourism Bureau Travel Service Centers, Highway Service Areas, Kuo-Kuang Bus Stops, Mos Burger Restaurants, ChinaTrust Commercial Bank branches, Star Travel branches, EVA Airways offices across Taiwan and Hi Life Convenient Stores in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli starting on April 10. These publications contain all the information you need to enjoy tung blossoms as you indulge in the embrace of spring.
With the gentle breezes of spring, the petals of tung oil flowers will fall like snowflakes, urging visitors to head for the mountain forests and savor the beautiful celebration of spring. So let us take brisk steps, hum an upbeat tune and invite friends and families to visit Hakka villages to enjoy authentic Hakka cuisines and the beautiful views of tung blossom; let us enjoy the romantic symphony of 2010’s tung blossoms.
Appendix III: Trivia on tung flower ◎ Profile of tung tree and flower: tung oil tree used to be one of Taiwan’s most important cash crop in early years and the trees come in two varieties: the Vernicia fordii (also known as “the three-year tung tree”) and Aleurites Montana (aka “the millennium tung tree”). Tung trees blossom in late spring like snow Tung oil trees belong to the family of Euphorbiaceae with a flowering period of 1 to three weeks. The flowers have five petals that are white in color with a slight reddish or yellowish hue. It is monoecious with individual flowers either male or female, but produced together in the inflorescences. The fruit contains 3 to 5 seeds; it is green in summer and turns brown in autumn when ripe. The seeds of tung are used to produce paints and in the making of furniture, wood sandals, toothpicks, matchsticks and so forth. The tree will shed all its leaves in winter.
1. As a cash crop: Most tung oil trees available in Taiwan are a species of tall trees known as Aleurites Montana and it constitutes over 90% of all tung oil trees cultivated in Taiwan. It is also the type of tung oil tree you will see in tung blossoms. Tung oil trees were introduced from Changjiang Drainage Area during the Japanese Colonial Period. The Japanese valued the tree for its high economical values (from the extraction of tung oil) and encouraged local farmers to chop down their acacia confuse trees and cultivate tung oil trees instead. Tung oil is an important ingredient in the production of paint. The famous Meinon Paper Umbrellas are made with tung oil to strengthen their resistance against water. Tung oil trees can also be used in the making of furniture, wooden sandals, toothpicks, matchsticks and so forth. The tree is cultivated in greatest abundance in the mountainous areas of Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and central Taiwan, including Tucheng, Shenkeng and Shiding (Taipei), Longtan and Daxi (Taoyuan), Qionglin and Emei (Hsinchu), Nanzhuang and Sanyi (Miaoli), Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin and so forth. However, the domestic tung oil industry in Taiwan has withered and tung oil trees have become a symbolic species that characterize Hakka areas. 。
2. Vernicia fordii and Aleurites Montana: Tung trees are straight growing Euphorbiaceaes. The genus is known for rapid growth and light, soft wood with palm/round shaded leaves and lobes. The dominant species of tung oil tree in Taiwan is the Aleurites Montana with a relatively longer lifespan. The number of Vernicia fordii in Taiwan is limited at best but both were introduced from Mainland China and their seeds could be used to extract tung oil.
Comparison of Vernicia fordii and Aleurites Montana: The Vernicia fordii was nicknamed “three-year tung tree” because it matures for harvest after three years. But due to its short lifespan, it is lower in terms of it economic value. The glands at the root of Vernicia fordii look like two bowls and since the fruit has a glossy and smooth surface, the tree is also known as “Gloss Tung”. On the other hand, the glands of Aleurites Montana resemble two wine glasses and as the fruit has a wrinkled surface, the tree is also known as “Wrinkled Tung”.
