Shimen

Tung Blossoms 2018 (客家桐花祭)

If you've been following my Instagram, you're likely going to be a little sick and tired of all the photos I've been posting of Tung Blossoms. The Tung Blossom season, which just wrapped up for another year is one of my favourite times of the year. There is always so much happening around the country which makes me a busy boy with a packed schedule of things to do and places to go!

I'm sure I've mentioned this a million times already, but the area where I live in is predominantly made up of the Hakka ethnic group. Living in Taoyuan, which fancies itself the heartland of Hakka culture (thats debatable) means that I have been constantly immersed in the culture. Over the years I have learned quite a bit not only about the amazing cuisine, but their traditions and folk religion and I'm always happy to share these experiences with people here on my blog. 

Every year in April and May, during the blooming season for Tung Blossoms, the Hakka people celebrate their culture and their heritage by putting on a grand festival for everyone to enjoy. The annual festival includes events centred around the promotion of everything "Hakka" in conjunction with the blossoms which have come to symbolize their culture.

Tung Blossoms: 2015 | 2016 | 2017

The blossoms, which are similar to the ever so popular cherry blossoms are beautiful and when they are in bloom turn the mountains of Taoyuan (and other areas) to a beautiful shade of white. During the blooming season you're likely to find me in the mountains taking photos of them, but I wonder if anyone apart from myself and locals care about them? 

Tung Blossoms (油桐花)

In April and May forests around the country turn white thanks to the Tung Blossoms (油桐花) that line mountains and hillsides. People here in Taiwan often refer to the blossoms as "April Snow" or "May Snow" (depending on when they are in full bloom) and their arrival triggers quite a bit of domestic tourism to areas where they grow in abundance.

The Tung Tree (油桐樹) is a deciduous tree that grows to a height of about 20 meters and is endemic to South China and Burma. The trees were originally brought to Taiwan by the Japanese during the Japanese Colonial Era and were planted in mountainous areas in north-western Taiwan to help sustain the economy.

The cultivation of the tree was most important to the ethnic Hakka people of Taiwan who often lived in the areas where the trees were cultivated. The tree brought with it economic benefits as its seeds were instrumental in the production of Tung Oil which was used to make paint, varnish, caulking and wood finish while the wood in turn was used for making everything from furniture to toothpicks.

When the economic benefits of the Tung tree eventually subsided, the tree transformed into a symbol of the Hakka people who showed their respect for the economic prosperity the tree brought them and the long lasting relationship that they have shared.

While not as popular as cherry blossoms, Tung blossoms are loved for their ability to turn hiking trails 'white' with a snowfall effect as the blossoms fall to the ground. When the blossoms are in bloom, people both young and old travel from all parts of the country to see the blossoms, hike a bit and experience Hakka culture.

Tung Blossoms have become popular in recent years with young people, especially young couples who head to the mountains to have impromptu photoshoots with the blossoms. You’ll often see couples on hiking trails collecting blossoms that have fallen on the ground to arrange into a heart or young men putting the blossoms on a string to make a ‘Tung blossom crown’ for their girlfriends - endless amounts of cuteness, I assure you.

Hakka Tung Blossom Festival (客家桐花祭)

In 2002 the Council for Hakka Affairs started the annual "Hakka Tung Blossom Festival" (客家桐花祭) an annual event which takes places during the blooming season as a way to promote and help to preserve Taiwan’s Hakka culture.

The yearly event is a well-organized one that attracts large crowds of tourists to Hakka areas of the country, most notably in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli to not only see the blossoms but also to experience Hakka culture and cuisine. Organizers plan events according to the blooming season to offer visitors entertainment and a festive atmosphere.

The annual festival has grown in popularity since it first started and the yearly schedule of events that coincide with the blooming season has grown with it. The organizers have designed a beautiful website and have released an app that helps visitors know where to best enjoy the blossoms and are making attempts at promoting the festival internationally. The website for the festival is now available in English, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese to help foreign tourists learn more about Hakka Culture.

 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Website: English | 中文 | 日語 | 조선말 

Let me talk for a minute about the 'internationalization' efforts of the festival and an experience I had this year because of it:

While walking down the hill (on one of the trails) to where I parked my scooter, I could hear a band performing some classic Taiwanese music, part of the days festivities. I also noticed a large crowd of people on the path and that some of them were wearing blue vests.

If you're not familiar with Taiwanese politics, you might not realize that these vests pretty much serve as the 'uniforms' for Taiwanese politicians. Its helpful because when they're throwing chairs at each other, they know who not to aim at by the colour of the vest. 

The politicians were posing with a group of visitors and someone wearing a Pikachu costume - As I walked down the hill I saw an assistant motion to her boss and heard her say: "外國人,外國人!" (foreigner, foreigner!) and with that I was trapped by a large group who immediately turned around and started staring at me. 

After the typical "Welcome to Taiwan, where are you from?" conversation they got to the point and asked if I could take a photo with them. Despite being sweaty and looking like crap from my terrible sleep the night before, I obliged as it was the quickest method of escape. 

Having proof that a foreigner took part in the festivities helps to perpetuate the idea that the internationalization efforts are having an effect. It doesn't matter that I take part every year or that I might be the only white guy who takes an interest in this stuff. Its a "face" thing and that is one way to determine whether or not government initiatives are successful. 

In reality, the Hakka Affairs Council, which plans the annual festival has a lot more work to do when it comes to attracting foreign tourists but to me it seems as if they are taking the right steps for future success.

The main problem that the festival faces when it comes to foreign tourists is a lack of knowledge about the blossoms and the festival as well as the inability for tourists to get to places deep in the mountains where they grow.

If my blog posts or my Sakura Map are any indication, it seems like people all over know about and are interested in Taiwan's Cherry Blossom season. I have received countless emails through my website with people all over Asia showing interest in coming to see them. 

The organizers need to find a way to create the same kind of buzz for Tung Blossoms that people have for Cherry Blossoms - which could be a bit difficult. I think though that one area where the Tung Blossom Festival can differentiate itself is with the combination of the blossoms and the celebration of Hakka culture. 

The website update, which offers visitors an interactive map as well as information in several different languages working in conjunction with the newly released smartphone app were great ideas and I sincerely hope that these efforts won't be abandoned.

There is a lot of room for this festival to grow, but the improvements that I have seen over the past few years makes me a believer. Only time will tell. 


Xiaocukeng Trail (小粗坑桐花步道)

Living here in Taoyuan, I don’t need to go very far to check out Tong Blossoms. Not only are the mountains full of the blossoms, they have also been planted in almost every park in the city making it easy for locals to enjoy them. One of the places I make sure to visit every year though is the Xiaocukeng trail (小粗坑桐花步道) near Shimen Reservoir (石門水庫). 

One of the main reasons I visit this trail rather than going to some of the more popular trails is because of the stream that runs down the mountain. The precarious thing about taking photos of Tong Blossoms is that they grow quite high and you need to find a vantage point to get close to them.

When the blossoms fall on the trails however they often provide for some beautiful photos. I especially appreciate taking photos of the blossoms resting calmly on the stream that runs though this trail. 

The trail is a popular one on weekends but if you visit during the week you’ll often have it to yourself. Even better is that you don’t have to hike very far up the mountain to see the trails. 

Once you’re done taking photos of the trail, you can continue driving a bit further up the mountain road to get views of the blossoms on the trees close-up and even some spectacular panoramic views of Shimen Reservoir.  

Shiyizhi Old Trail (十一指古道)

One of Taoyuan’s most popular trails in recent years is the Shiyizhi Old Trail (十一指古道) near Daxi Village (大溪鎮). The trail is not a long one, but offers some pretty spectacular views if you visit at the right time.  The short walk up the trail gives you not only views of the Tung Blossoms, but the valley below which is full of rice fields and lakes.

The trail has become quite popular with people on Instragram and it seems like most of the photos I saw of the blossoms this year came from this trail. Unfortunately I visited a little bit late in the season and most of the blossoms were already gone.  

The mountains around here have reverted back to their normal colours over the past few weeks so if you are reading this hoping to see the blossoms, you're going to have to wait until they start blooming next April or May.

Likewise, the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival has successfully wrapped up for another year. The festival has grown considerably in popularity over the few years that I've been following it and is a great way for people to learn about Taiwan's Hakka culture. I realize that the festival may not attract that many foreigners, but it seems like the government is intent on marketing it as much as possible to international tourists. 

Whether or not those foreign tourists show interest is yet to be seen - All I can say is that I enjoy taking part in some of the festivities planned every year and I welcome any kind of celebration of Hakka culture because that always means there will be great food nearby. 


Gallery / Flickr (High Res Photos) 

Buddha's World Abandoned Theme Park (佛陀世界)

When I first came to Taiwan over a decade ago, one of the first things I absolutely had to do was buy a scooter. I often take heat from expats living in Taipei who scoff at the idea of owning a scooter, but at that time having a scooter meant that I could freely explore the completely foreign area I was living in and I could take care of my daily business much more easily. 

Taiwan was a bit different back in those days (it wasn’t actually that long ago) and when it came to having a scooter, it didn’t really matter if I had already obtained my residency permit, a drivers license or even if I wore a helmet. My friends and I were able to walk into a local scooter shop, negotiate a price and a few days later walk away with some finely tuned second-hand scooters for which to explore with! 

A few days after buying my first scooter, I came home to a table full of Taiwan Beer and my new friends patiently waiting for me. They said we were going to take a ride out to check out some 'mountains' and a 'reservoir'. I sounded like a weird plan, but who was I to turn down an adventure that involved free beer? 

Little did I know that after my first ride out to Shimen Reservoir (石門水庫) that I’d be end up living in Taiwan for so long, nor that I’d find myself driving out there countless more times to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Shimen Reservoir has been attracting tourists since it was completed in the early 1960s. Tourists come not only to enjoy the spectacular scenery created by the dam, but all of the tourist attractions that later sprung up in the area around the dam.

As of late the reservoir has become an area for nature enthusiasts who enjoy the beauty of the artificial lake by taking ferry rides, hike to the peak of Shimen Mountain (石門山) or who come to enjoy cherry, peach and Tung blossoms, azaleas and maple trees.

There was a time though when the area was home to several amusement parks, large resorts and a bunch of other random tourist traps.

Even though 'tourism' has been a constant fixture at the reservoir since its completion, the number of visitors tends to vary by season. In the 1970s and 80s people developed the crap out of the countryside with little thought into the actual business side of things. 

Visitors today are likely to notice a few of the various attractions that have been abandoned over time which is clear evidence of not only the overzealous nature of the way the area was developed but also the unsustainable nature of the tourism industry and the downfall of Taiwan's once booming economy. 

The view of Shimen Dam from Buddha's World.

There are a number of other abandoned attractions and resorts in the area which notably includes the Sesame Hotel (芝麻大酒店), Kunlun Gardens (崑崙養生莊園), the Golden Birds Paradise (金鳥海族樂園) and the Asia Paradise Theme Park (亞洲樂園) among others. 

The subject of today’s post is a semi-abandoned amusement park which was once known as 'Fairy Tale World' (童話世界), but is now known as “Buddha World” (佛陀世界). 

Even though its not an amusement park anymore, Buddha's World has become a popular weekend stop as it has become a spot for urban explorers as well as the so-called Instagram internet beauties (網美) of Taiwan.

Buddha’s World (佛陀世界)

On one of those early trips to Shimen Reservoir, I noticed that there were some weird objects and broken bridges protruding from the mountain on the southern side of the dam. Each time I visited I tried to figure out a way to see what was going on, but eventually came to the conclusion that I’d probably have to use a boat to get there and that wasn't likely to happen. 

The mysterious objects however slowly disappeared over time and it seems like each time I visited the dam there was less of what was once hidden on the mountain.

Then all of the sudden a castle-like structure suddenly went viral on Instagram becoming a weekend hot spot for curious onlookers and the mystery was solved! 

The castle is part of what is now called “Buddha’s World” (佛陀世界), a quiet Buddhist monastery that was constructed on land which was once home to an abandoned theme park.

The theme park, which was originally named Fairy Tale Land (童話世界) was a large knockoff of Disneyland that opened up over forty years ago. The park ultimately ended up being forced out of business by the local government a few decades ago due to environmental issues. 

The land around the reservoir is notorious for having sediment issues and the local authorities couldn't allow construction in the area to cause water degradation to the reservoir which provides water service for millions of people in northern Taiwan. 

The land was later bought by the Rinzai Buddhist sect (臨濟宗) who thought that they would be able to use it not only for a monastery, but a Buddhist themed park for tourists. Unfortunately, the same environmental concerns that forced Fairy Tale Land out of business made it impossible for the sect to construct anything on the land meaning that the planned theme park would never come to fruition. 

Rinzai Buddhist Temples: Puji Temple (Beitou) | Huguo Rinzai Temple (Taipei)

With the idea for an amusement park abandoned, the area became a place of solitude for the monks and nuns who lived there. The original structures that were left over from Fairy Tale Land still existed, but were used merely for storage forcing most of them to fall into disrepair and eventually being torn down.

For most people, the main attraction of Buddha’s World is the Fairy Tale Castle, which is only a short walk from the entrance. The castle is admittedly quite picturesque with the mountains behind it but it is also not long for this world as the building has become hazardous.

If you continue on past the castle, you’ll pass by a fake looking statue of Mickey Mouse and then further on there is a giant statue of what looks like Sun Wu-Kong (孫悟空) of “Journey to the West” (西遊記) fame. The statue is hideous and looks very much like something that you'd expect from 1980s Taiwan. 

Beyond the statue you’ll find a platform that offers beautiful views of the Shimen Reservoir as well as a Buddhist temple where the monks and nuns likely spend a lot of time in quiet contemplation.

The real treat for explorers though is if you continue down the mountain where you’ll find at least four abandoned castle-like buildings that were once used as accommodations for people visiting the park. The largest of those (which is the one closest to the lake-shore) is completely open and you’re able to walk in and explore.

If you want to visit Buddha’s World, there are a few things you have to remember - The area is on private land owned by a Buddhist group. They allow guests to enter free of charge but only on weekends and only between 9:00am - 3:30pm.

While you are visiting, I recommend exploring a bit more of the park than just the castle at the entrance. If you take the time to go, at least check out the viewing platform which is only a five minute walk away from the castle where you are able to take some beautiful photos of the reservoir.

While this one could be considered 'urban exploration', I think most people are just visiting for a shot of the castle, which is a rare sight in Taiwan. I took a bit of extra time and explored the rest of what the park has to offer and I think you should too. But that will take a bit of a hike to get all the way down the hill and you may be a bit disappointed with what you find. 

You'll be able to explore the abandoned hotel at the bottom though and the old waterslide is kind of a cool thing to look at as it has been completely taken over by nature. 

Getting There

I don’t usually reveal locations when it comes to urban exploration sites, but this place is hardly a secret anymore, so there isn’t much point. The route to Buddha’s World is along a mountain road that takes you from Taoyuan into Hsinchu’s Guanxi Village. It is an easy road to navigate and there isn’t a lot of traffic, so if you are on a bicycle, a scooter or are driving a car, you’ll be able to easily find your way.

 

Address: #23 Dazhukeng, Guanxi Village, Hsinchu (新竹縣關西鎮大竹坑23號)

If you are in the area you may also want to consider checking out any of the following spots which are a short distance from Shimen Reservoir: 

Daxi Old Street | Daxi Martial Arts Hall | Longtan Martial Arts Hall | Cihu Mausoleum | Daxi Tea Factory | Sanmin Bat Cave | The TUBA Church | Dong'An Bridge  

And if you're hungry: Laotoubai Hakka Cuisine


Laotoubai Hakka Cuisine (老頭擺客家餐廳)

Taipei has some of the hippest, stylish restaurants that you'll find anywhere in the world. Wherever you go in the city, you will be overwhelmed by the design of some of the restaurants and when it comes to food, Taiwan is extremely well-versed in the culinary arts. We are also lucky to have Food bloggers like the Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei who do an excellent job of introducing new places and keeping us up to date on what the new trends in dining are in the city!  

When modern design is what you are used to, it can sometimes be a bit strange to walk into a restaurant like Laotoubai (老頭擺客家餐廳) here in Taoyuan and not feel a sense of awe as you will be dining in a home that is over one hundred years old and certainly spares no effort not to look it! 

One of the Dining Rooms. 

As far as the food goes, Laotoubai is your typical Hakka-style restaurant which serves up all the traditional dishes you would expect. Their take on Ginger Intestines (薑絲大腸) and Salty Pork (鹹豬肉) are the best I've had (I live in a predominately Hakka area) and their fresh River Shrimp (炸溪哥) are taken from the river next to the restaurant!

The food is only one reason why this restaurant is so awesome though and actually isn't the reason why I'm posting an article about a restaurant on a photography blog. The house, which seems to be a mansion is the former residence of Hakka farmers and is a large traditional three-section house (三合院) which still features a lot of the old furniture and decorations the original inhabitants would have used.

A large family having dinner in the main dining room with a rice tiller outside. 

Each of the dining rooms in the restaurant has something cool and of historical value to see including traditional beds, old dressers, mirrors, wall paintings, scrolls, record players, farming hats and antique tools such as a rice tiller.

The restaurant is great for exploring and they don't waste time with plaques to explain everything like a museum does.

While I was walking around taking photos, a few parents were also walking around with their children explaining what all the antiques were used for which was teaching a valuable lesson of Taiwan's history that they probably wouldn't have gotten in any textbooks. 

Dining room with a bed! 

A dining room in what was once a living room. 

I've been to this restaurant several times over the years and it has always been one of my favourite in the area I live in - While it can be busy, it isn't similar to those in Taipei as you won't likely need to make reservations (unless you need one of the larger dining rooms.)

In summer, I prefer sitting outside in the courtyard on the picnic tables to enjoy the weather. If you choose to sit outside, they have a few tamed chickens that walk around keeping you company! 

Whether you're looking for great food or dining in a place where you can learn a bit about the past, this restaurant is a great example of both - and also proves that you don't have to shell out wads of cash for the hippest interior designer in town to attract business! 

It also provides excellent light and is appealing to the eye of a photographer! 


Food Shots from my iPhone

I don't take food shots with my camera, but I'm not above taking some with my iPhone - Here are some shots of the food I had the night I visited. As mentioned above, my favourites were the Salty Pork and the Ginger Intestines! Hakka Cuisine is one of the best to be sampled in Taiwan and if you are in the country you should definitely give it a try! 

烤鹹豬肉 - BBQ'd Salty Pork

薑絲大腸 - Ginger Intestines

梅干扣肉- Braised Pork with Stewed Vegetables

蔥爆牛肉 - Stir-Fried Beef with Shallots

客家小炒 - Hakka Stir Fry


How to get there: 

Address/地址: 325 桃園縣龍潭鄉中正路三坑段546號 / #546 Chung-Cheng Road (Sankeng Section) Longtan Village, Taoyuan County.

Telephone: +886 3-4711359 / Website (Chinese Only)