The Open Highway Passenger Transport – Happiness Highway and Hakka-Themed Tour Exhibition, co-hosted by the Highway Bureau, MOTC, and the Hakka Culture Development Center of the Hakka Affairs Council, officially opens on January 7, 2025, at the Taitung Art and Culture Center (No. 25, Nanjing Road, Taitung City). Visitors from across Taiwan are invited to explore this captivating exhibition, enjoy Taitung’s local delicacies, and embrace good fortune in the new year.
The exhibition unveils the compelling narratives behind Taiwan's highways and the eastern Taiwan Hakka community. Through the lens of highway construction innovations and Hakka cultural-economic development, it explores four distinct themes: career, love, life, and wisdom. Visitors can discover the evolution of Provincial Highway 9 through more than 30 historical artifacts, including memorabilia from the iconic Golden Horse Bus Service, its hostesses, highway engineering achievements, and transportation oversight. The exhibition also intertwines the development of highways with the stories of Hakka migration, showcasing how Hakka families transitioned from Provincial Highway 3 (Western and Southern Taiwan) to Provincial Highway 9 (Eastern Taiwan). These narratives encompass daily life, industrial growth, sustainable tourism, and community revitalization. Following its Taitung run, the exhibition will move to the Taiwan Hakka Museum in Tongluo, Miaoli, coinciding with April's Tung Blossom Festival.
The exhibition’s visual design, recognized with the 2024 Golden Pin Design Award’s Communication Design mark—Taiwan’s highest design honor—incorporates three core elements inspired by highways: road surfaces, bridges, and tunnels. These are artfully combined with symbolic Hakka colors: the vibrant orange of dried persimmons, the deep blue of traditional Hakka fabric, and the fresh green of herbal glutinous rice cakes. This creative design encapsulates the seamless connection between highways and Hakka culture, inviting visitors to engage with the exhibition’s dual themes from the moment they encounter its visuals.
Running from January 7 to March 6, 2025, the exhibition is held on the first floor of the Taitung Art and Culture Center. Visitors can step back in time to the golden era of the Golden Horse buses, rekindling cherished memories of a nation captivated by this iconic service. The exhibition also introduces a range of Hakka attractions along Provincial Highway 9, such as the Hualien Sugar Factory in Guangfu, Guanshan Tianhou Temple, Guanshan Canal, and Jinshuiying Historic Trail. Additional highlights include popular highway landmarks like Brown Boulevard in Chihshang and Luye Highland. To spread good fortune in the new year, visitors who collect all three stamps - the Golden Horse Bus, Golden Dragon Bus, and driver’s license seal - can redeem a limited-edition “fortune red envelope.” These envelopes contain fortune-telling slips, offering blessings for the year ahead. Don’t miss this unique exhibition, where you can uncover fresh perspectives and create unforgettable memories!
