Hakka Living Museum Series, Vol. 5 – Rice Milling Workshop

Author: Liao, Lun-kuang
Publication Date: October 2007
The Hakka Living Museum Series is a collection of works based on extensive field investigations and ethnographic documentation of Hakka culture. Initiated by the Preparatory Office of the Taiwan Hakka Cultural Center, Council for Hakka Affairs, Executive Yuan, this series aims to preserve and promote Hakka heritage by selecting themes that resonate with the general public. Topics include familiar aspects of daily life such as “Blue Garments,” “Oil-Paper Umbrellas,” and “Pottery Kilns” (representing Hakka crafts), as well as “Tobacco Curing Barn,” “Rice Milling Workshop,” and “Irrigation Canals” (representing industrial and agricultural heritage sites).
Drawing on field research conducted in Longtan, Xinwu, and Pingzhen in Taoyuan, the author documents and analyzes the architectural characteristics of twenty-six Hakka rice milling workshops. This study illustrates how these spaces served multiple roles—as places for rice dehusking, storage sites for harvested grain, and even informal lending venues for farmers in times of hardship. This work also introduces the rich body of Hakka proverbs, poems, and customs related to rice milling culture, offering readers a vivid glimpse into the daily lives and values of the Hakka farming communities.