Research & Library
Publications
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The Exhibition and Performance Album of the Hakka Cultural Development Center, 2017–2018 (with CD)
Publication Date:Editor/Author: Hakka Cultural Development Center, Hakka Affairs CouncilPublication Date: First Edition, June 2020The Hakka Cultural Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council manages the national Hakka cultural parks in northern and southern Taiwan, bearing the important mission of preserving, transmitting, and promoting Hakka culture. These parks serve as vital public spaces for cultural engagement—linking Hakka communities, tourism, and local industries to revitalize the cultural landscape of Hakka villages. The exhibitions in both parks highlight three major themes:1. The historical context of the development of Taiwan’s Hakka communities (Taiwan Hakka);2. Interactions between Hakka and other ethnic groups (Multiethnic Taiwan);3. From Local Roots to the Global Hakka World (Global Hakka).In addition, the Center established the Big Lion Brother Puppet Troupe, inspired by the stone guardian lions of Dalu-guan in Gaoshu Township, Liugdui, and recruited volunteers to perform original musical and dance theater productions that vividly depict the stories and everyday life of southern Hakka villages.This album—the first of its kind—collects the highlights of the Center’s exhibitions and performances from 2017 to 2018, accompanied by a CD. It aims to extend the vitality of Hakka performing arts, reach a wider audience, and present a more diverse and dynamic stage for Hakka cultural expression.
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A Divine Greeting, Bagˋ Gungˊ (Earth God)! (Picture Book)
Publication Date:Editor/Author: Hakka Cultural Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council Publication Date: May 2020To help children learn more about Hakka culture, the Hakka Cultural Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council has in recent years published a series of picture books themed around Hakka festivals and traditional crafts. The year 2020’s new release, A Divine Greeting, Bagˋ Gungˊ(Earth God)!, is a cultural picture book adapted from the popular puppet show The Big Lion Brother and His Family performed at the Liugdui Hakka Cultural Park.In this story, readers follow Big Lion Brother and his family as they are introduced to Bagˋ Gungˊ (伯公)—the Earth God, a central deity in Hakka belief who embodies protection, gratitude, and community spirit. Through colorful illustrations and engaging storytelling, the book invites young readers to experience the warmth and reverence that the Hakka people hold for their guardian deity.
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Siinˇ Mungˇ(With A Grateful Heart): Hakka Taiwan・Taiwan Hakka
Publication Date:Authors: Chang Wei-an, Hsieh Shih-chung, Liu Jui-chaoPublication Date: First Edition, September 2019With Siinˇ Mungˇ（a grateful heart）toward Taiwanese society, the Taiwanese Hakka has made this island an ever more beautiful land. Across the plains and foothills of the island, the Hakka people have cultivated a traditional rural culture grounded in respect for nature, sustainability, and communal harmony. Through literature, art, and music, they have joined with other ethnic groups to shape Taiwan’s contemporary values, inspiring cultural creativity and strengthening the spirit of civil society.This chapter of Hakka history—originating from the broader Chinese cultural tradition yet transformed into a distinct island identity—resonates with Hakka communities around the world, standing as a precious example of human cultural diversity and shared civilization.
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Hakka Rituals and Gender: Field Notes on “Gu-po Tablets,” Placement in the Ancestral Tower, and Female Ritual Assistants
Publication Date:Authors: Lai Yu-ching, Dai Cheng-lun, and Lo Ting-yaPublication Date: First Edition, July 2019In its effort to serve as a “forum museum,” the Hakka Cultural Development Center of the Hakka Affairs Council conducted an initial survey between August 2018 and June 2019 on several emerging practices in Hakka ancestral rituals—namely the installation of “Gu-po Tablets” (ancestral memorial tablets for unmarried or childless women), the inclusion of these tablets in ancestral towers (family burial shrines), and the participation of female ritual assistants (禮生).The findings reveal that many Hakka clans have begun to move beyond the traditional patrilineal framework, revising ancestral ceremonies to recognize the role of women within the lineage. These transformations include allowing women to be registered as family members, granting them ritual participation rights, serving as ritual assistants, and honoring female ancestors through Gu-po tablets and ancestral tower inclusion—some even updating family genealogies to reflect these changes.The study also found that numerous clans face challenges when attempting such reforms, highlighting the need for broader awareness and dialogue. To improve this, the Center organized forums and experience-sharing sessions, which have since drawn considerable attention from Hakka communities, gradually sparking wider discussions on gender equality and ritual innovation in Hakka society.
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The Fantastic Voyage to Liugdui (Picture Book)
Publication Date:Text: Yeh Chen-chunIllustrations: Chen Chao-anPublication Date: First Edition, June 2019This picture book, The Fantastic Voyage to Liugdui, draws inspiration from the permanent exhibition “hangˇ liau jiangˊjiangˊliugˋdui” (行尞‧靚靚六堆, Traveling through Beautiful Liugdui) and from the folk stories of the Liugdui Hakka villages. The main characters, Big Lion Brother and Little Lion Sister, are inspired by the stone guardian lions of Dalu-guan in Gaoshu Township, Liugdui. Transformed from these traditional stone sculptures, they have become beloved mascots representing the region’s charm and cultural vitality.In the story, Big Lion Brother boards a “flying ship” in a dream and travels back more than three hundred years to the early days of Hakka settlement in Liugdui. Facing perilous seas and countless hardships, he and his companions risk their lives to cross the Black Water Channel (黑水溝, Taiwan Strait) in pursuit of a better life. After enduring many trials and overcoming obstacles, they finally reach a land where they can live in peace and prosperity. The book offers children a vivid and inspiring introduction to the pioneering spirit of the Liugdui Hakka people.
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Museums and Hakka Studies
Publication Date:Editors: Chang Wei-an, Ho Chin-liang, and Kawai HironaoContributors: Wang Sung-shan, Yoshida Kenji, Ho Chin-liang, Lu Yi-ping, Chiu Hsiu-ying, Kawai Hironao, Lin Yen-fu, Fan Chih-ying, Chang Wei-an, Cheung Sidney C.H., Cheung Stephen, Chang Han-pi, Huang, Shiun-Wey, Huang Shin-yang, Siripen Ungsitipoonporn, Liu Yu-shan, Hsieh Shih-chung, and Yuji SekiPublication Date: First Edition, December 2018Although museums may pursue a wide range of objectives, research remains the foundation of all museum work. Museums and Hakka Studies can be seen as a scholarly dialogue on the idea of the “Hakka Ethnographic Museum.” According to academic estimates, there are more than 60 million Hakka people worldwide, and numerous institutions—named as Hakka cultural museums, Hakka heritage halls, or Hakka cultural centers—have been established in various regions. Yet, when measured against the strict criteria of museology, there is still significant room for growth.For a museum devoted to Hakka cultural heritage to truly fulfill the role of a museum, it must not only embody professional curatorial standards but also be deeply grounded in Hakka research. This publication thus bridges museum studies and Hakka scholarship, exploring how Hakka identity, material culture, and community memory can be preserved, interpreted, and presented within the evolving framework of contemporary museology.
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Hakka．Snapshots: A Field Chronicle along Provincial Highway No. 3
Publication Date:Author & Photographer: Peng Chi-yuanPublication Date: First Edition, November 2018This work, entitled Hakka．Hip-Siòng (Snapshots), combines aerial photography and field documentation to captures the natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and human stories by bird viewing Taiwan’s Provincial Highway Route 3, also known as the Hakka Romantic Route 3. Through the author’s lens traverses this historic corridor, the journey also reveals the hardships and resilience of early settlers during periods of ethnic tension and frontier defense.From Dongshi in Taichung to Longtan in Taoyuan, this stretch of the Highway follows what was once the Tuniu Frontier Line (土牛溝, Tuniu Ditch), the Aiyong (隘勇, Militia) Post Line, and the Ancient Transport Route. The Hakka communities along this region developed diverse industries and sophisticated techniques, intertwined with large-scale trade and exchange. In contrast to the stable rice-growing plains, these upland areas—though fraught with danger—were seen as lands of opportunity, reflecting the pioneering spirit that shaped both the geography and the character of Hakka society.
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’Hakka slangs and the Words of the Master’
Publication Date:The Hakkas are a branch of the Han nationality. Since the ancient times, the Hakka dialect has long been a widely used language in Central Plains. It has been passed down generations by generations from the Hakka ancestors. The Hakka ancestors left behind words of wisdom and philosophy in easily understood discourses; those that are able to read can easily understand the meaning within the words, and put which to use; even the general folks can understand the meaning of which orally with ease, which is widely used in communications of daily lives. These words are the so-called slangs, Words of the Master. At first, the Hakka slangs and Words of the Master are mainly passed down orally. The inheritance of which happen between the general folks with no written documentation. With the rise of modern baihua (vernacular literary language), a small part of which are documented in Chinese characters. As the majority of the modern generation tend to use computers, coupled with the addition of phonetic symbols to the written documentations, one can easily see the wisdom and experience within. Directed by: Hakka Affairs Council / Miaoli County Government Party of Issuance: Hakka Culture Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council / Culture and Tourism Bureau, Miaoli County Government Issuance address: No.6, Tongke South Road, Jiouhu Village, Tongluo Township, 366 Miaoli County / No.50, Zizhi Rd., Miaoli City Tel.: (037)985558 / (037)352961 Issued by: Yong-de, Li / Yao-chang, Hsu Produced by: Jin-liang, He / Yan-fu, Lin Administrative Execution: Chang-cheng, Wu, Mei-li, Yang, Yi-jen, Hung / Cai-ping, Chan, Guo-chang, Hsieh Production Execution: Chiao-qi, Chang / Wen-qi, He Illustrated by: Dan-feng Printing Co., Ltd. Date of Issuance: May, 2018 Date of Publication: May, 2018 Edition: First edition Cost of Book/Works (fixed price): NTD $150 GPN: 1010700739 ISBN: 978-986-05-5966-8
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‘The Pioneer - Wenqi He’s Artistic Life’
Publication Date:The word ‘Pioneer’ refers to ‘the person that first discover or help develop something new, make exemplary examples for others, or pave the way for others to follow’. Born in the year 1931, Mr. Wenqi He is a well-known post-war artist who is passionate about art education and creation for his entire life. Since 1964, Mr. He started upon his journey of rural sketch creation, thereby discovering that what really embodies the inner feelings is the everyday life that is often overlooked and even neglected. He then turned to devote himself in a large number of hometown scenery and ancient buildings sketches. Cities and towns of all sizes near the Kaohsiung and Pintung areas in which he lives in, hold footprints of his visits, thereby leaving sketches of precious past features of such areas. In particular are the traditional buildings such as tiles, horsebacks, houses, roof ridges and windows of Liudui Hakka villages, as well as everyday tools such as mortars, spring couplets and Wufu paper cuttings or customs are hugely featured in his works. The series of works are also viewed as Mr. He’s most iconic creations in his career. Directed by: Hakka Affairs Council Party of Issuance: Hakka Culture Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council Issuance address: No.6, Tongke South Road, Jiouhu Village, Tongluo Township, 366 Miaoli County Tel.: (037)985-558 Issued by: Jin-liang, He Produced by: Chang-cheng, Wu Administrative Execution: Min-zhen, Yao, Shan-rong, Chiu Production Execution: Peng-rui, Chiu Editing Execution: Yu-Hwa, Tung Illustrated by: Mei-rong, Song Production Editing: Ye-wu-jing Co., Ltd. Date of Issuance: April, 2018 First edition Cost of Book/Works (fixed price): NTD $350 GPN: 1010700451 ISBN: 978-986-05-5742-8
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2017 Annual Report of the Taiwan Hakka Culture Development Center, Hakka Affairs Council
Publication Date:Content outline: The Center’s ‘2017 Annual Report’ reviews the collection of business results of the Taiwan Hakka Culture Development Center in 2017. The Report includes researches, collections, exhibitions of arts, promotion of education, public services, publications, etc., so as to record business overview of the past year. By presenting the developments of all aspects of the Center through pictures and figures, it is hoped that the community’s understanding of the Southern and Northern Parks will be greatly enhanced. Organized by: Comprehensive Planning Team
