Tung flowers begin to fall from trees around mid-April every year. (Staff photo/Chen Mei-ling)
The month of April marks the approach of summer in Taiwan, yet in locations across the country, the ground is blanketed in what looks like snow. These are not snowflakes, of course, but a sea of white flowers that have dropped from the tung tree. This May snow, as the fallen petals are known, is the inspiration behind Taiwan’s Hakka Tung Blossom Festival, which kicks off in mid-April every year.
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Snow-white tung flowers create a picturesque contrast against the green foliage. (Staff photo/Chen Mei-ling)
Tourists hike along one of the designated trails of the festival in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District. (Staff photo/Huang Chung-hsin)Since the Cabinet-level Hakka Affairs Council launched the festival in 2002, it has grown from a one-day to a monthlong celebration, and attracts millions of visitors to events in more than a dozen cities and counties every year.
The festival features more than 100 designated sites and hiking trails lined with white tung petals against a background of greenery, providing much sought-after backdrops to photos. It also offers participants the opportunity to sample local Hakka cuisine, view cultural performances, attend music shows and try their hand at making Hakka arts and crafts.
The tung tree has strong historical links to Taiwan’s Hakka people, who make up roughly one-fifth of the nation’s population. Tung trees were first brought to Taiwan’s hilly regions as a cash crop during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). The tree’s seeds contain a water-resistant oil, prized by makers of boats, furniture and paper umbrellas, while its wood was also crafted into furniture and household objects. Since the trees were primarily cultivated in places with large Hakka populations, tung oil and wood became important sources of income for many members of this ethnic group.
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Oil extracted from tung tree seeds is used to waterproof traditional Hakka paper umbrellas. (Staff photo/Huang Chung-hsin)
Hakka cultural performances are just one of the many activities on offer during the festival. (Staff photo/Huang Chung-hsin)Over time, the oil was replaced by cheaper synthetic alternatives, yet the blossoms remain a prominent symbol of Hakka culture and play a crucial role in helping promote and preserve traditions.
The festival also provides an important economic opportunity for communities. This year, it generated around NT$23.1 billion (US$751.6 million), according to the HAC, with a record 6.5 million visitors from home and abroad taking part. It was also listed for the first time as one of 2018’s top recommended events by the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
Over time, the economic value of tung tree oil may have fallen, but the tree’s rich cultural significance to the Hakka people will only endure. (E) (By Jim Hwang and Wendy Kuo)
