The 2006 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on February 17, 2006. It features the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival, which was first launched by the Council for Hakka Affairs in 2002. Every year, from mid-April to mid-May, special celebrations take place in towns in Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung and Nantou Counties where Tung blossoms can be found. These celebrations range from ecology, art and culture to music and food.

The Tung Blossom Festival is celebrated by farmers. There is a connection between Hakka farmers and the Tung trees. Tung became an economic crop during Japan's colonial occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945). Its seed oil was used for waterproof coating and its timber for matches, toothpicks and clogs. Hakka children used to collect ad sell Tung seeds for money.