Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan)

The salt industry, traditionally a symbol of wealth, was one of mankind’s earliest industries and the first product in history traded on an international scale. The Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan (Yun-Chia-Nan) salt industry set down a deep foundation in this area as early as the Zheng Chenggong period of the Ming dynasty. Evaporating, drying, and crystalizing salt water was a complex and highly technical process. For more than 340 years the sea (or solar) salt industry in Taiwan was not only the staple industry, it was the lifeblood of Taiwan’s economic development and an indispensable part of everyday life. Although in 2002 Taiwan brought to a close this 338-year-old industry, the unique salt field landscape of the Yun-Chia-Nan region gave birth to a portrait of salt industry culture and salt village life that has left a rich and lingering cultural heritage. The snow-white salt crystals not only flavor our food, by Taiwan custom every time a child “meets an evil spirit” at night and cries inconsolably, we fill a pouch of red cloth with grains of rice and salt in the so-called “salt and rice sprinkling” ceremony to calm the child, which also brings good luck and peace. The Yun-Chia-Nan coastal area contains the unique sights associated with the salt industry as well as broad sandbar, lagoons and wetlands, a one-of-a-kind natural environment. In the early years along the southwest shoreline there were seven pocket islands (now sandbanks) looking like seven kun (gigantic legendary fish) swimming in the ocean so they got the name of “kunshen” (“kun bodies”). Sandbanks are thus combined with the local religious belief in “Wang Ye” and integrated with “salt” as the organizing theme, using its symbolism of good fortune over evil, to create this event and give it its name: “The Kungshen Wangye’s Salt for Peace Festival.” This event combines salt culture, religions beliefs, and ecology while incorporating the “kunshen,” “Wang Ye,” and “Salt of Peace” images of the area. The event kicks off at the “Nankunshen Daitian Temple” (the master temple for the Wang Ye belief) and the salt workers original home of “Beimen.” Each year a marketing exhibit for agricultural and fish products and small gift packets is launched by top businessmen within the unified Yunlin,Chiayi, Tainan City region so that visitors can sample the special Yun-Chia-Nan foods without having to make a long trip. Spawned by the symbolism of this event, creative souvenirs have been designed, like the “salt of peace lucky bag.” Because the designs of these souvenirs are beautiful and change every year, they have been well appreciated year after year by visitors who are attracted to come in great numbers to collect them. In addition, a rich array of activities is provided, including big prizes in bobei (traditional game of chance), do-it-yourself salt making, a lion dance competition and trophy, and folk song singing that are well worth experiencing.

In order to promote “vacation running & traveling culture”, the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications plans to organize Taiwan’s first “Cross-Sea & Island-Hopping Penghu Marathon.” The race forsakes the conventional circular course (from A to A), and both marathon and half marathon courses are measured and certified by the AIMS. The course runs through Xiyu (the West Islet), the Penghu Great Bridge, Baisha (Penghu’s 3rd biggest island), Zhongtun (Penghu’s 11th biggest island), and the Penghu Island. The planning of the course accentuates the features and values of Penghu (the Gaillardia Island) marathon. We invite marathon runners at home and around the world to participate in this island-hopping celebration and challenge the non-repeated special course. Join the special Penghu marathon and run with us against the headwinds!

The festival is held at the 40-hectare Second Farm of the Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station. An autumn flower feast, the festival aims at promoting Xinshe as a mountain town and a nature-inspired agricultural village boasting a sea of flowers. Another goal is to promote Xinshe’s leisure tourism with the soul-healing tours and activities it offers.

Taipei Fashion Week, held by the Ministry of Culture, aims to garner global presence for Taiwan’s fashion industry. It works with the film and media sector, as well as the art industry to gain more hands-on experience in building Taiwan as a fashion brand, bringing Taiwan’s haute couture to the world. It generates new momentum for the industry to grow.

Artists and writers have been visiting Sun Moon Lake ever since the Qing Dynasty, inspired to create by its beautiful scenery. During the Japanese occupation, the Lake was listed as one of Taiwan’s Eight Views; it also became the location for the guesthouse of Japan’s Crown Prince. Later on, President Chiang Kai-shek would host international dignitaries here as well. Today Sun Moon Lake remains one of Taiwan’s most popular destinations, a recreation area internationally renowned for its abundance of beauty and activities in all seasons, such as red cherry flowers in spring, mountain mist in summer, tranquil water and mountains in fall, and white plum blossoms in winter. Enjoy hot springs, fresh plums, and a landscape of white plum blossoms or vibrant cherry blossoms during winter and spring. Just before summer is the peak firefly season; the summer and fall include the butterfly and frog season as well as the indigenous tribes’ Harvest Festival. There are lots of cultural celebrations everywhere all year round; and they will exceed your expectations. Every year between October and November is the must-see “Sun Moon Lake Music & Fireworks Festival,” a combination of “arts and culture” with “leisure and sports” lasting over a month. Ever since the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration was established in 2000, there has been an annual fireworks show. The first Sun Moon Lake Festival was held in 2003, where fireworks teams from five different countries and regions were invited to perform in a nearly month-long feast of sound and light. The “Sun Moon Lake’s International Fireworks” increased in popularity afterwards and the yearly festival was established as one of the Lake’s most important events. Now that Sun Moon Lake Cycling, Music & Fireworks Festival is famous around the globe, the challenge is to keep things fresh while improving the overall planning and peripheral services.

Held along Taiwan’s East Coast, Taiwan East Coast Land Arts Festival & Moonlight Sea Concert features large outdoor installation, art studios accessible to the public along Provincial Highway 11, art fairs, and music concerts. The coast’s natural environment, indigenous lifestyle, and youth travel are the festival’s main themes. 2020 Moonlight Sea Concerts： 8/4~8/6、9/3~9/5、10/2~10/4

The “Biennial Butterfly Beauty Festival” is a magnificent yearly event that goes from November to March of the following year taking place in the Maolin National Scenic Area. During this period millions of migrating Euploea butterflies (purple in color) cross the ocean and arrive here to winter over. The Maolin National Scenic Area is proud of that fact that it is has one of the only two winter migratory butterfly gorges in the world. The purple Euploea is a rare wintering butterfly. Each winter millions of these butterflies gather together for the flight to the Dawushan Foothills to avoid the cold and to winter in the gorges, there presenting a spectacular ecological sight—the “Purple Butterfly Valley.” Tourists from every corner of the world travel every year to Maolin to experience firsthand this magnificent, world-class scene of beautiful purple butterflies dancing in the air, and everyone comes away full of praise and admiration. On an early winter morning as the first rays of the sun shine down on Maolin’s Purple Butterfly Valley, we come upon the purple Euploea that, awakened from their slumber, begin fervently to chase the sunrays, peeking through the treetops and the forest. From time to time, a butterfly will stop to display his garment of magical color then soar high and low as he shuttles around the valley. Not only does he provide a superb eco-touristic spot for those watching, but he also brings a small bit of warmth to a winter’s day. You are invited and welcome to take advantage of this once-a-year, rare opportunity to appreciate these migrating butterflies and come to Maolin to experience the magnificent dance of the purple Euploea. With everyone’s care and concern, the future will bring an endless cycle of this extraordinary sight!

The innovative Christmasland in New Taipei City makes sure to keep up with global trends. It invites the world’s most outstanding light-sculpting team to present the event, with special activities of international standard held to attract people. Visitors can expect to feel pleasantly surprised all the time. Christmasland in New Taipei City has been much reported by the globe’s press. We hope overseas visitors can all enjoy the beautiful light projections and the festival’s special atmosphere.

Since 2010 the Tourism Bureau has actively conducted a whole series of events related to the Taiwan Cycling Festival, enthusiastically inviting the Taiwan public to lay down their “tire” tracks and turn the results of innovation in transportation construction into a new resource for tourism, aiming to make Taiwan into an international-level paradise for leisure cycling. Taiwan has an excellent highway system plus a superior topography so that when cycling, a rider can also appreciate magnificent scenery along the route—and what you have is a cycling tour around the island that boasts a convenient and enjoyable itinerary! The series of activities of the “Taiwan Cycling Festival” focus on bicycle touring and pulls together the tourist and transportation resources of the various county seats to present the specifics of a diverse and local touring culture. Accompanied by beautiful mountains and water scenery, bicycle enthusiasts from around the world can come on a pilgrimage and are provided a varied and rich recreational cycling experience, making the riding of the “iron horse” no longer a simple exercise but rather the perfect experience in body and soul.

The gradual arrival of winter formally announces that Taiwan’s peak hot spring season has begun! Taiwan abounds in the gifts of nature—cold springs, hot springs, mud springs, submarine springs—it is a world-famous scenic spot for springs of every variety. Beginning in 2007 the Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communication combined two touristic resources--the unique healthcare aspects of thermal springs and the demand for a modern, healthy diet--to integrate Taiwan’s “thermal springs” and “gourmet cuisine” for a plan to launch a “Taiwan Hot Spring Fine-Cuisine Carnival.” This event takes center stage throughout Taiwan at the same time each year, with one of Taiwan’s 17 thermal spring areas chosen as the year’s kick-off location. Not only is the Carnival an opportunity for Taiwanese tourists to soak up the pleasures of thermal springs throughout the country and receive merchandise discounts, overseas tourists are also fascinated and attracted, and the Carnival is a driving force behind the annual autumn/winter Taiwan hot spring tourist boom. During this period, hot spring areas throughout the country hold a series of hot spring/fine-cuisine events and pull together hundreds of county and municipal companies, introducing the scenic beauty of the springs, the local cultural landscape, and special products.