On October 4, Fan Tso-ming, Deputy Minister of the Hakka Affairs Council (HAC), visited Lunbei Township, Yunlin County to attend the 2025 Yunlin Zan'an Kaga Festival. Together with County Magistrate Chang Li-shan and Legislators Liu Chien-kuo and Chang Chia-chun, they lit up the giant torch of legacy and led a procession of a thousand people. The torches in everyone’s hands made for a touching sight as they traversed the village—a stream of bright sparks symbolizes the enduring cultural heritage of Zhao’an.
Deputy Minister Fan thanked the Yunlin County Government for its long-term commitment to fostering the development of Zhao'an Hakka culture, especially the tireless revitalization of key Zhao’an performing arts: martial arts, glove puppetry, and box lion dance, which allows more people to admire these intangible cultural assets. He also extended his gratitude to Legislators Liu Chien-kuo and Chang Chia-chun for supporting budget allocation to Hakka affairs, serving as a robust foundation for language and culture preservation and promotion.
He remarked that the number of people who register for and pass the Hakka Zhao’an dialect certification is gradually on the rise. As more and more children come into contact with Hakka in schools, Zhao’an culture reaches wider audiences, even stepping onto the world stage. Taiwan is a multicultural society, so the central and local governments have the duty to collaborate and expand exchanges.
The opening show blended tradition and modernity. Kickstarted by the Taiwan Youth Band, it presented a puppet show by Lai-Hui and Dong Shing Elementary Schools, Rock Kids’ performance from Lunpei and Erlun Elementary Schools, and Zhao’an Hakka choir songs from Lunpei Elementary School, followed by a thrilling act by Hakka singer Chen Meng Ciao and a climactic finale by the internationally renowned Coming True Fire Group. The event also featured over 30 stalls selling local food and creative products, as well as parent-child experiences such as bamboo torch DIY and patchwork crafts. By night, people picked torchlights to march across the Hakka village in the traditional custom of ngiang am gin, showcasing precious Zhao’an culture through torches, deity palanquins, and a procession.
