As a precursor to the 2018 Taichung World Flora Expo, members of the Taichung City Government Council for Hakka Affairs will host the Ripple Hakka music festival at the Hulu Dun Cultural Center on September 23. Professor Xu Lisha of the Jingchen Choir acted as the chief organizer, inviting 10 chorus groups young and old to come together and promote the 2018 event through art and music by reinterpreting many traditional Hakka songs. Entrance will be free, so all are welcome.

Chair of the Council for Hakka Affairs, Liu Hongji stated that President Tsai Ying-wen introduced the Provincial Highway 3 Hakka Policy to “cherish Hakka people, culture, and land, and allow the land to interpret Taiwanese history.” The theme for this concert will be “行過台三線‧㧡擔㧡來嘿嘿唷”. For this theme, the council invited exceptional schools and music groups from around the central region of Provincial Highway 3 to come to the Hulu Dun Cultural Center to perform. The opening song will be a song special to the Dongshi township of Yunlin county, the “㧡擔歌”.

Council Chair Liu also stated that Hakka people are the second largest ethnic community in Taiwan, making up 19.3% of its population. Hakka culture has spread throughout Taiwan since the first Hakka immigrants arrived, and has been passed down through the generations. The Council of Hakka Affairs strives to preserve Hakka culture, and hopes to spread the Hakka spirit through music. This concert features many songs that describe the scenery of Hakka farming villages. Through these pieces, the public may better understand the simplicity and practical hard work of life on the farms of those early comers to Taiwan.

The Council of Hakka Affairs stated that this concert will give people of different ethnic groups and ages the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Hakka music, promoting acceptance and harmony between different groups. Free entrance to the event will be available to the Hulu Dun Cultural Center Music Hall starting from 2:30 p.m. on September 23. For more information, visit the Taichung City Government Council of Hakka Affairs webpage at http://www.hakka.taichung.gov.tw/.

The following groups will be performing at the concert: the Jingchen Choir, Taichung Artist Indoor Choir, the choir of the Affiliated Senior High School of NationalChung Hsing University, Sound of the Dajia River Choir, Hongyun Women’s Music Association Choir, Dongshi Elementary Choir, the Taichung Christian Association Grace Choir, the Miaoli County Jianguo Elementary Choir, Jhuolan Elementary Choir, and Miaoli County Choir.