The opening ceremony of the 2019 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival kicked off on April 13 at New Era Art Resort & Spa (牛耳藝術渡假村) in Puli Township, Nantou County. Accompanied by Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) Minister Lee Yung-de and other officials, President Tsai Ing-wen served as an officiant at the ceremony by following an ancient tradition and conducting a religious folk ritual to worship Bagong (伯公), the God of Earth. 

This marks the second time for President Tsai to officiate the ritual during the festival’s opening ceremony since 2017. Hakka elders and Bayin (eight notes) music troupes were invited to perform Hakka Bayin, a kind of music played by eight instruments, as the president completed the rite to express thanks to Bagong and pray for his blessings on behalf of Taiwan. 

President Tsai noted that since the first edition organized by HAC in 2002, the yearly celebration of Tung flowers is comparable to Japan’s cherry blossom festivals and has now become a major Taiwanese tourist attraction. Visitors in search of a romantic getaway can travel to Hakka villages from April to May for annual blossoms, or take a stroll along 14 historic trails recommended by HAC, she added. 

President Tsai stated that the central government puts considerable emphasis on Hakka affairs, citing for example the establishment of Hakka Radio, recognition of Hakka as a national language, and implementation of the “369” flagship projects — Taiwan Romantic Route 3, Beautiful Liudui, and Lively Provincial Highway 9. Those projects are aimed at integrating culture, industry, and tourism in Hakka settlements around Taiwan in order to promote Hakka charms to the world, she explained. 
 

HAC Minister Lee pointed out in his speech that the festival, one of the biggest celebratory events to be held for 18 years straight in Taiwan, has been hosted by 14 different county and city governments. 

More than one million international tourists visited Hakka villages for Tung blossom festival activities last year, and the average tourism revenue reached over NT$20 billion, he said, adding that the cultural industries and tourism development in Hakka communities were a huge success. 

He also introduced two concerts that will be taking place respectively on April 20 in Miaoli County and April 27 in Hsinchu County. Local and overseas visitors are all welcomed to appreciate the beauty of Tung flowers as well as Hakka music, declared Lee.
 

The 2019 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival is offering visitors three different ways to experience Hakka culture through blossom-viewing, concert-going, and food-savoring activities; find out more here. 

Reference: https://www.hakka.gov.tw/Content/Content?NodeID=463&PageID=41176&LanguageType=ENG