Embark on this fun Hualien tour with RoLu, traveling from Guangfu through Shoufeng all the way to Hualien City! Get ready for an amazing Hakka tea-pounding experience, stroll around those vibrant Hakka murals, and step back in time at the Japanese-style Torii gate. Fill up on those tasty Hakka rice dumplings, learn about the ancient art of handmade soy sauce, craft your own lucky Hakka Tongluo pastry, and dive into the Railway Culture Park for a knowledge boost. This epic one-day adventure along Provincial Highway 9 kicks off from Guangfu!
The villages of Dafu and Dafeng in Huallien Guangfu Township were called Xiadahe during the Japanese colonial period. Approximately 50% of the area's population is Hakka. For an authentic experience of Hakka culture, a visit to Dafu Village in Guangfu is highly recommended. The old street in front of Dafu Railway Station showcases intricate Hakka murals depicting Hakka tea pounding, Hakka blue shirts, and Hakka paper umbrellas, all narrating the Hakka history of Dafu Village.
In the past, the surroundings of Huallien Sugar Factory in Guangfu Township were dominated by sugarcane plantations, leading to Dafu Village becoming home to numerous sugarcane workers. This era also witnessed an influx of Hakka immigrants to Hualien. Dafu's old street was once bustling with grocery stores and ice cream parlors, scenes that are nostalgically depicted in the murals, echoing the charm of past eras.
Most of the art along the old street in Dafu Village, Guangfu Township, was crafted by artist Rao Guoquan. The expansive rice paddy paintings of Dafu Village emanate a soothing ambiance!
Nestled in Dafu Old Street, the Dahe Pounded Tea House offers an immersive encounter with Hakka tea culture. Owner Lai Yusheng, whose Hakka grandfather migrated from Miaoli, pursued education and work elsewhere before returning to settle in Dafu Village. Through research, Lai Yusheng unearthed that Hakka pounded tea was a culinary tradition introduced by Hakka immigrants from Guangdong. Over time, this tradition gradually waned in the eastern region. To uphold Hakka tea culture, he established the Dahe Pounded Tea House. Here, visitors can relish Hakka cuisine and engage in the grinding process of Hakka tea. Interestingly, besides the familiar sweet tea, they also serve the earliest version of savory tea.
If you're keen on trying out DIY Hakka pounded tea, it's advisable to make a reservation in advance at Dawu Tea House. The cost for two people is NT$300. The essential tools for tea pounding are the pounding bowl and rod. The bowl, crafted from pottery, and the rod, typically made from tea oil or guava trees, boast a tough texture. The tea pounding materials at Dahe Pounded Tea House are simple, consisting of tea leaves, sesame, and peanuts, allowing visitors to savor the most authentic form of tea pounding.
With the pounding rod, grind the ingredients placed in the bowl in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, following the radial patterns on the bowl. It's advisable to grind clockwise! Begin with the tea leaves, followed by sesame, and then add the peanuts. Like making mochi, tea pounding demands some exertion to complete.
During the grinding process, you'll catch the fragrance of tea leaves, sesame, peanuts, and the fused aroma of the pounded tea. As the grinding nears its end, the owner of Dahe Pounded Tea House adds a bit of water to ensure a thorough and delicate grind.
Once hot water is poured over the pounded tea, it's ready to be served. To enrich the flavors, they include handmade puffed rice, handmade red beans, and Guangfu's peanuts in their tea!
The self-prepared sweet tea at Dawu Pounded Tea House is incredibly delicious! Each ingredient is meticulously chosen by the owner.
We were fortunate enough to savor Guangfu's distinctive handmade peanut cake, perfectly pan-fried on both sides and served with a unique sauce – an absolute culinary delight! Besides enjoying the tea pounding experience at Dahe Pounded Tea House, you can also savor their Hakka cuisine. Spend half a day in Dafu Village, Guangfu Township!
Inside Dahe Pounded Tea House, there is a mural of Dafu Old Street painted by Rau Guoquan! It feels like a journey back in time, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
- Location｜No. 36, Mingde Road, Guangfu Township, Hualien County
- Phone Number｜+886-3-8731223
- Facebook Page｜Like us by clicking here
During the Japanese colonial period, as part of the state's immigration initiatives, immigrant villages were established in Hualien, notably Jiye, Fengtian, and Lintien. Bilian Temple stands in Fengtian Immigrant Village, where Hakka immigrants from the western region settled during that era. Consequently, Shoufeng's Fengtian has retained traces of Japanese and Hakka culture. Originally built in 1915, corresponding to the 4th year of the Taisho era, Bilian Temple was initially named Fengtian Shinto Shrine but was renamed after the war. The weathered torii gate and the path leading to the temple evoke feelings of nostalgia.
In Shoufeng Township’s Fengtian Immigrant Village, you'll notice Hakka waterwheels and imagery. A beautifully crafted three-dimensional guide map sits in front of the Fengtian train station.
Walking through the torii gate path surrounded by the fields is quite delightful. As you proceed, you'll encounter remnants of Bilian Temple—stone lanterns, the temple approach, and guardian dogs—that transport you to Japan. Erected in 1962 to replace the former Fengtian Shinto Shrine, Bilian Temple houses the enshrined Shakyamuni Buddha, serving as the spiritual core of Fengtian’s three villages.
The ancient guardian dogs, dating back to 1927, remain well-preserved, displaying inscriptions of the year and donor names!
Visitors can relish the historical significance of the place through the old photos showcasing the former Fengtian Shinto Shrine and the commemorative stones marking the village's establishment!
Located in front of Fengli Elementary School, the Shoufeng Township Cultural and Historical Museum occupies a building that was once the police station of the Fengtian Immigrant Village. Inside, numerous old photos from Shoufeng's history are on display. Outside, you'll find a bamboo-woven rooster featuring Hakka-style floral fabric, adding to the museum's charm.
- Location｜Bilian Temple: No. 1, Minquan Street, Fengli Village, Shoufeng Township, Hualien County.
- Location｜No. 320, Zhongshan Road, Fengli Village, Shoufeng Township.
Jixiang Hakka Rice Dumpling is a must-try delicacy when visiting Hualien. Upon entering the shop, you'll encounter a sizable dumpling wrapped in vibrant Hakka floral cloth. Here, you can learn about a variety of dumplings, from bamboo tube dumplings, Jiaxing rice dumplings, combo rice dumplings, red date rice dumplings, northern-style rice dumplings to southern-style rice dumplings. It feels like stepping into a rice dumpling museum.
Their highly recommended northern-style signature rice dumpling, coupled with spicy minced pork rice and milkfish ball soup, is a standout. Northern-style rice dumplings are steamed, while southern-style ones are boiled, resulting in distinct textures. The quality of the rice dumplings from Jixiang is quite commendable. In fact, Jixiang Rice Dumpling achieved the second place in the 2019 hypermarket competition. The spicy minced pork rice is not greasy and packs exceptional flavor, while the milkfish ball soup is a delightful bowl brimming with tasty fish balls!
- Web｜Link
- Location｜No. 448, Section 3, Zhongyang Road, Ji'an Township, Hualien County
- Phone Number｜+886-3-8577775
- Availability｜0800-1400 (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Experience the Hakka ambiance in Hualien City! Every Friday from 14:00 to 18:30, the Hualien City Hakka Cultural Hall hosts a lively market and offers a Hakka culinary DIY experience. This cultural hub was previously the staff dormitory of the Hualien Port Branch of the Taipei District Court built in 1937. After the war, many Hakka people settled here, preserving it as one of Hualien City's few remaining Japanese-style buildings. It's really nice that the Hualien City Government has preserved this building, organizing various events to enhance people’s understanding of Hakka culture.
The Hualien City Hakka Cultural Hall is open only from Monday to Friday, closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Inside, you'll find introductions to Hualien's Hakka cuisine and displays of traditional Hakka clothing. The woody scent of the architecture's wooden beams adds to its charm, complemented by a map illustrating Hakka areas in eastern Taiwan.
The hall also hosts a Hakka cuisine dining map, guiding visitors to savor delightful Hakka dishes across the city. The place also showcases life-like replicas of various Hakka dishes like Niu Wen Shui (a Hakka dessert), steamed rice cakes, sweet rice cakes, Hakka mochi, and more - a visual feast tantalizing your taste buds!
The cultural hall exhibits miniature models related to Hakka beliefs and cultural features like earth deities, Qing'an Temple, Bogong Temple, and old tobacco-drying sheds.
Detailed explanations of Hakka dishes like steamed rice cakes and vegetarian buns are offered, including their origins, preparation methods, and ingredients. The place is decorated with adorable miniature figurines depicting grandmothers sieving Hakka glutinous rice balls!
The Hualien City Hakka Cultural Hall accommodates a variety of books related to Hakka culture, just like a small Hakka library.
The forests and mountains are a treasure trove of ingredients for Hakka cuisine. The origins of Hakka stir-fries and pickled dishes are presented on interactive displays. Today, we also signed up for a DIY session making Hakka Tongluo pastry. The origins of Hakka Tongluo pastry come from the Hakka custom of beating gongs (tongluo in Chinese) to summon good fortune and ward off evil. This creative DIY session follows the tradition. You just need to pay a basic ingredients fee to participate. The instructors shared the pastry's recipe, teaching us to prepare the outer skin using flour and eggs.
The Hakka Classroom at the Hualien City Hakka Cultural Hall is highly favored by locals and even draws visitors from other regions. During our session, I was surprised to see the Hualien City Mayor in attendance. Upon inquiry, I learned that the mayor attends nearly every session of the Hakka Classroom! The filling for the Hakka Tongluo pastry is quite unique, made with Hakka pickles and peanut powder, very similar to that of popiah.
The Hakka Tongluo pastry is so delicious - crispy and soft on the outside with a sweet and sour filling. Enjoy these delicacies to summon good fortune and ward off evil!
For further event information at the Hualien City Hakka Cultural Hall, check out their Facebook page !
- Fan Page｜Link
- Location｜1, Lane 98, Fuxing Street, Hualien City, Hualien County
- Phone Number｜+886-3-8350315
- Availability｜0800-1730 (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Located in Hualien City, the nearly century-old Hsinwei Soy Sauce Factory gives you the feeling of being in a rural town in Japan. It stands as the only remaining artisanal soy sauce factory in Eastern Taiwan. Its founder, Xu Ri, began the business in 1925 after moving from Lukang to Hualien. Initially, he learned the craft at his brother's soy sauce factory before acquiring a Japanese-owned soy sauce factory. Back then, Hsinwei Soy Sauce was known as Zhen Fang Soy Sauce and was well-known among the older generation in Hualien. In 1970, the second-generation owner took over and renamed it Hsinwei Soy Sauce. Handcrafted soy sauce is a rarity in modern society, especially considering the one-year fermentation process for koji mold. The flavor profile of Hsinwei Soy Sauce is distinctly Japanese. At the entrance, an age-old wooden brewing vat stands as a testament to tradition. The taste of handcrafted soy sauce can vary from place to place due to factors such as water quality and climate.
The process of making handcrafted soy sauce is intricate and involves multiple steps, starting from selecting raw materials like soybeans, making koji, fermentation, to pressing and filtering. Hsinwei Soy Sauce is meticulously crafted, with a Japanese ambiance that breathes new life into the centuries-old tradition of soy sauce brewing.
Hsinwei Soy Sauce offers a diverse range of flavors such as Maqaw Soy Sauce, Red Quinoa Soy Sauce, Ultra-Pure Seawater-Steeped Soy Sauce, and First Pressed Soy Sauce. They also offer soy sauce gift sets, perfect for gifting or personal use!
Visiting Hualien's Hsinwei Soy Sauce Factory allows you to understand the arduous process behind handcrafted soy sauce. Each jar of Hsinwei Soy Sauce undergoes a meticulous process involving koji making, mixing, and maturation.
Located adjacent to the Dongdamen Night Market, the Hualien Railway Culture Park was formerly the Hualien Branch Office of the Railway Department, overseeing the railways in Hualien and Taitung. Among the preserved trains is the LDT103 steam locomotive, the largest steam engine used on the narrow-gauge railway in Eastern Taiwan, boasting nearly 80 years of history. When visiting the Hualien Railway Culture Park, don't miss the chance to capture this historical moment with a photo alongside this train.
Within Hall 2 of the park, there's an intriguing detention room where even law-abiding visitors can step inside. It's rumored that spending time here might bring good luck - a hidden gem of Hualien!
The park consists of Hall 1 and Hall 2, conveniently located across from each other. Hall 2 hosts a market on holidays, while Hall 1 offers a comprehensive exhibition on railway culture that can easily consume an hour or two of your time.
The Hualien Railway Culture Park exhibits a 3D model of the entire Hualien railway system, including the routes of trains passing through Hualien Port and Hualien's new splendid train station. It resembles a miniature replica of Taiwan.
With a diverse collection, the culture park showcases a variety of tools used behind the scenes to maintain railway safety are on display, including those in this picture.
In the past, Taiwan Railways provided glass cups for drinking hot water. At the Hualien Railway Culture Park, they've recreated retro seats, giving you the feeling of traveling back in time. The park also exhibits antique items like electrical signs.
Featuring old paper tickets, the ticket holder cabinet, and secret railway codes hidden on the tickets, the Hualien Railway Culture Park adds depth and enrichment to your travel experience.
The old buildings inside Hualien Railway Culture Park are also worth exploring. Get ready to embark on an enriching day trip in Hualien along the Provincial Highway 9!
- Facebook Page｜Link
- Location｜No. 71 Zhongshan Road, Hualien City, Hualien County
- Phone Number｜+886-3-8338061
- Availability｜0900-1700 (Closed on Wednesdays)
