The 58th Liugdui Hakka Games kicked off at Wanluan Junior High School in Pingtung County on March 11. The sporting event was attended by Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Minister without Portfolio Lee Yung-te (李永得), lawmakers Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄), Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱), Liao Wan-ju (廖婉汝), Su Chen-Ching (蘇震清), as well as Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) Minister Yiong Con-ziin (楊長鎮) and 12 township/district mayors of the Liugdui area.

In addition to 19 competitions, there were also small trips and industry expositions during the Hakka Games to present the cultural diversity of the Liugdui region, allowing visitors to experience Wanluan’s hospitality and energy.。

(Director Ho Chin-liang of Hakka Culture Development Center introduced the special exhibition of the Liugdui Hakka Games)

This year is the 302nd anniversary of the establishment of the Liugdui Hakka settlement and is also the 58th edition of the Hakka Games. The organizer Wanluan Township Office not only called on Liugdui’s local residents but also invited fellow Hakkas from across Taiwan to participate in the Games, bringing members of the Hakka community together.

(Group photo of Vice President Lai Ching-te with excellent coaches and athletes)

(Vice President Lai Ching-te met with Liugdui athlete Hsu Mei-chiao)

At the opening ceremony, young flag bearers entered the venue holding the 10-meter-long Liugdui flag, showing the meaning of cultural inheritance. In addition, performances by Wanluan’s residents and students of elementary schools and kindergartens, along with the music composition written by Hakka singer Chen Yu-tsung (陳佑宗), brought a new artistic light to the Liugdui Games.

Together with other government officials, Vice President Lai took part in a ceremony devoted to Zhong Yung Gong (忠勇公).

(Vice President Lai Ching-te presented flowers on a plate to Liugdui’s deity Zhong Yung Gong (from right to left: Pingtung Deputy Magistrate Huang Kuo-jung, Minister without Portfolio Lee Yung-te, HAC Minister Yiong Con-zii, Liugdui Zhongyi Temple chairman Huang Wen-chih))

The Deity of Loyalty and Bravery. Moreover, Lai presented awards to local outstanding athletes, including Wu Yu-chieh (吳育傑), Chung Shao-yung (鍾少勇), and Hsu Mei-chiao (許美嬌), in recognition of their efforts and contribution.

(Group photo of Vice President with excellent coaches and athletes)

(Lin Kuo-shun, chairman of the Liugdui Hakka Games, presented the Liugdui flag to the Vice President, symbolizing the promotion of Liugdui culture)

Seeing all the representatives of the Liugdui area partake in the Games, the Vice President said he was moved by the solidarity demonstrated by the Liugdui Hakka community. On behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Lai conveyed his best wishes for the success of the 58th Liugdui Hakka Games.

According to HAC Minister Yiong, “Liugdui” refers to six combat teams organized by the Hakka ancestors of the region during the Qing Dynasty in the hope to defend their homeland in times of turbulence. The teams’ united spirit inspired the development of the Liugdui Hakka Games. With the concerted effort of HAC, local governments, and people from all walks of life, the sports culture exclusive to the Liugdui area can be kept alive, Yiong said, adding that, through the Game, athletes of the younger generation can learn about various sports techniques, which helps them become the main strength of the sporting event.

(Fun competition “carrying pig’s feet” allows people to experience traditional Hakka culture)

With its long history, the Liugdui Hakka Games is a must-go event for the people of Liugdui. Known as the "Mini-Olympics of the Dawu Mountain," it is hosted by the township/district offices on a rotational basis. Through sports, members of the Hakka community can be unified, train their bodies, and pass down the century-old tradition.

(Players from Linluo Junior High School performed tug-of-war.)

Apart from competitions people are familiar with, the Liugdui Hakka Games added new categories, such as breakdance, indoor climbing, the balance bike race, and road running, in order to keep pace with the international standard. Combining tradition and innovation, the Hakka Games shows its inclusiveness, passing down Liugdui’s cultural consciousness and spirit of hardiness to the next generation.