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Today (30th), the Hakka Cultural Development Center of the Hakka Affairs Council hosted a launch event at the Taiwan Hakka Culture Museum for the new book Tea-Picking Song to the Tune of Pa-yin: Cheng Rong-Hsing’s Lifelong Dedication to Preserving Hakka Music and Traditional Opera. Through the publication of this book, the Center intends to introduce more people to the remarkable journey of Principal Cheng Rom-Shing (hereinafter referred to as Principal Cheng) and his lifelong dedication to the preservation and promotion of Hakka Pa-yin music and traditional opera. The book further highlights his deep passion and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the Hakka cultural heritage.
Principal Cheng is a member of a distinguished family of Hakka opera performers. Immersed in the world of Hakka tea-picking opera and Pa-yin performances from an early age, he mastered his craft in his youth and successfully revitalized his family’s Pa-yin opera group during difficult times. Devoting his life to the promotion of traditional arts, Principal Cheng has consistently upheld the dual principles of “preservation and innovation,” striving to bring Hakka opera and music to the global stage. Like a living encyclopedia of Hakka performing arts, Principal Cheng’s life mirrors its pages—the first half is filled with the accumulation of traditional artistry through continuous dedication, and the latter is devoted to the promotion and preservation of artistic legacy. It is believed that the compelling story of Principal Cheng’s life will inspire more people to recognize the value of and take part in preserving Hakka traditional performance arts.
Today’s book launch was a rich and immersive experience—a true feast of Hakka music that showcased the depth and vitality of the tradition. The event featured an in-depth dialog between Principal Cheng and Professor Fan Yang-Kun of the Tainan National University of the Arts, in which they shared insights on the evolution of Hakka opera music and Principal Cheng’s life journey. Adding to the celebration, the Miao-Li Chen Family Pei-Kuan Pa-Yin Group, personally mentored by Principal Cheng, delivered captivating performances of Hakka folk opera and Pa-yin music, taking the audience back into the rhythmic beauty of traditional melodies. Guests were also invited to tour the special exhibition, The Glorious Era of Hakka Opera: A Light and Shadow Journey, which was curated under the direct guidance of Principal Cheng. The exhibition showcases rare and exquisite opera costumes from his personal collection, offering a vivid glimpse into the golden age of Hakka opera. More than just a book launch, the event was a tribute to Principal Cheng’s life and Taiwan’s rich tradition of Hakka opera—celebrating its past, present, and promising future.
The book launch ceremony was graced by numerous distinguished guests, including Fan Tso-Ming, Deputy Minister of the Hakka Affairs Council; Lee Ching-Hui, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture; Chiu Li-Li, Deputy Magistrate of Miaoli County Government; Lin Yen-Fu, Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau; Ho Chin-Liang, Director of the Taiwan Hakka Culture Development Center; Principal Cheng Rom-Shing, the biographical subject of this book; Chung Wan-Mei, Cheng Hsiang-Hao, Hsu Yung-Chuan, and Peng Jui-Te, former Minister and members of the Hakka Affairs Council; Professor Lo Chao-Chin, recipient of the Hakka Contribution Awards; Dean Feng Hsiang-Yung and Professor Lin Ben-Hsuan, from the College of Hakka Studies, National United University; Professor Chang Wei-An from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; Professor Lee Tsung-Hsin from National Changhua University of Education; Professor Fan Yang-Kun from Tainan National University of the Arts; Lo Chun-Lien, Mayor of Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County; representatives from Legislator Shen Fa-Huei’s office and Miaoli County Councilor Wen Chun-Yung’s office; and principals from various educational institutions.
Deputy Minister Fan remarked that the Ministry of Culture had officially designated the Miao-Li Chen Family Pei-Kuan Pa-Yin Group as an intangible cultural heritage in 2010, followed by the Meinong Hakka Pa-yin Group in 2016. By 2021, Principal Cheng Rom-Shing was recognized as a “National Living Treasure.” These milestones clearly demonstrate the thorough and well-preserved legacy of Hakka opera music in Taiwan. “Taiwan’s Hakka Pa-yin tradition boasts numerous local ensembles,” Deputy Minister Fan noted. “We hope to see not only central agencies such as the Hakka Affairs Council and Ministry of Culture supporting this art form but also local governments inviting Hakka Pa-yin groups to perform at major events.” He particularly thanked Principal Cheng for his long-term collaboration with the Hakka Affairs Council in organizing Hakka summer camps, where he taught language, music, and culture to help people connect with Hakka Pa-yin traditions. Concluding on behalf of Minister Ku Hsiu-Fei, Deputy Minister Fan expressed gratitude to all those who worked together on this effort: “With the release of this new book, we look forward to Principal Cheng continuing to lead Taiwan’s Hakka Pa-yin tradition toward a vibrant, multicultural future.”
Director Ho Chin-Liang of the Hakka Cultural Development Center stated that the center has recently actively promoted research and archival projects related to Hakka music, yielding impressive results. First, the “Digitization and Preservation of the Shellac Records from the Japanese Colonial Era” project, led by Professor Hsu Hsing-Wen of National Taiwan Normal University, focused on restoring and digitizing 38 shellac records from the Center’s collection, including those featured in the Binding Echoes: Voices of Hakka on Shellac album. Each item was meticulously cleaned, digitized, and cataloged with detailed metadata. Second, the “Taiwan•Hakka Sounds: Historical Reissue Selections from Far East and Melody Records” project, directed by Professor Fan Yang-Kun of Tainan National University of the Arts, carefully selected six representative tracks from the Center’s archived master tapes of Far East and Melody Records. This project recreates the soundscapes of traditional Hakka music as interpreted by musicians from the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli region during the 1960s. Third, Professor Fan also led the “Far East Records: Audio Heritage and Digital Archiving Research Project,” which involved a comprehensive analysis and organization of the Far East Records master tapes and audio files, along with the construction of detailed metadata records. These projects not only deepen academic research into the Center’s collection but also enhance the cultural value of these assets through digital applications, making Hakka an intangible cultural heritage, which is more accessible to the public. Director Ho also announced plans for an international forum in collaboration with the National Museum of Taiwan History in August of this year, aiming to explore Taiwan’s diverse musical traditions and foster broader inter-institutional and international cooperation.
Tea-Picking Song to the Tune of Pa-yin: Cheng Rong-Hsing’s Lifelong Dedication to Preserving Hakka Music and Traditional Opera is now available for purchase through Wunan Cultural Plaza, the National Bookstore, and the Taiwan Hakka Culture Development Center’s online store, Hakka Mart (https://reurl.cc/mxlllA). Readers are invited to explore the rich cultural heritage and enduring legacy of Hakka opera music through this inspiring publication.

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