Taichung Folklore Park

To enable the general public to understand more about the life style of their ancestors so that the younger generations can pay tribute to their past heritage, the Taichung City Council had built the Folklore Park at Lushun Road in Taichung City in July 1984. This is the first Folklore Park built in Taiwan. The whole park which occupies a total area of 1.6 hectare was officially opened in March 1990 and is full of folk heritage of the people living in the coastal Fujian area at the end Qing Dynasty and early post-Qing period. In the park, the main features are the Folklore Hall, the Folklore and Cultural Heritage Hall and the Folk Arts Hall. They are further enhanced by the Folk Arts Square and the Folklore Square. In addition, in the garden therein are seasonal flowers, artificial scenery and visitors can enjoy the views of the lotus ponds or appreciate the traditional Chinese-style buildings in the pavilions, steps, huts and houses. The basement of the Folklore Hall, an ancient style construction, is for exhibition purpose. All the exhibits there have their unique historical backgrounds, showing the explorative spirit and the daily life of the early Taiwan inhabitants. In the Folk Arts Hall, during folk festivals, there are cerebration activities, conferences on folklore, tutorial and study meetings as well as performance on local arts and skills take place. This is the spot which provides visitors, apart from enjoying the scenery, an opportunity to recall and reminiscent the works of their past generations. The Folklore Hall is a traditional 4-house combined construction. It is a true representation of the life style in that era. The basement of the hall is the show room. There one can find various farming tools, daily utensils and the costumes of different aboriginal tribesmen.

In the middle room of the Folklore Hall there exhibit the Worship Table, Chairs, Octagon table, Chinese calligraphy and paintings as well as worshipping items. By the two sides are bed rooms and rest rooms. There one can find the bed made of red wood, the make-up table and mahogany chairs. The study room is at the east wing and on its walls hangs a lot of Chinese calligraphy and paintings, indeed making the whole place very scholastic. The west wing is the dwelling place of the younger generations and their families. Apart from these, in the kitchen there exhibits wooden tables, wooden cabinets, ancient fire stoves, rain clothes, all of which demonstrate the different phases of daily farming life.. Inside the hall there is a tea house whereby on its upper floor visitors can taste the aromatic Chinese tea. With a cup of tea in hand and surrounded by sweet melody, one can easily forget the hustle of modern city life. Apart from the retail shops in the surrounding 8 houses selling traditional folk handicraft and art works, there is also a live shows performing stage. Traditional ancient wedding ceremony, folk drum and flutes music shows are being held in this place from time to time.

The Folk Hall in the Taichung Folk Park was built in the southern Fukien-style of a traditional U-shaped compound. The plaza is used for various cultural and folk performances. Artists- in-residence give displays of dough figure-making, paper-cutting, bamboo weaving, and other traditional skills. On festivals and holidays, the park comes alive with Chinese acrobatic displays, dragon and lion dances, top-spinning, and other activities. Visitors are advised to leave the Sun Yat-sen Freeway at the Daya Chung ching interchange and take Wenxin Road to the park.