The 2026 Taichung Dongshi Sindingban Festival will take place on February 27 and 28, and March 3, at Dongshi Hakka Cultural Park, 5th Side Street in Dongshi, and several local temples. This year’s event coincides with a long holiday weekend and is expected to attract tens of thousands of residents and visitors from across Taiwan to the mountain town, where they can experience the charm of one of the most representative festivals in Hakka communities. The Council for Hakka Affairs, Taichung City Government sincerely invites the public nationwide to seize the holiday and the Lantern Festival season of the first lunar month, visit Dongshi in person, and experience the Sindingban culture that brings together prayers for blessings, sharing, and heartfelt warmth.
Jun-Long Jiang, Chairperson of the Council for Hakka Affairs, Taichung City Government, said that the Dongshi Sindingban Festival is an important folk tradition that has been passed down in the Dongshi Hakka community for more than a century. “Sindingban” originated from the early settlers’ belief in offering rice cakes to Bo Gong (Tudi Gong) to pray for new life and share their joy, and it gradually evolved into a “Douban” culture that brings communities together and shares happiness, making it a one-of-a-kind Hakka community festival in Taiwan. This year’s key visual centers on “Qilin Bringing Children”, with the auspicious qilin presenting a “Sindingban Ang Ku Kueh” for boys and a “Peach Kueh” for girls, conveying the dual blessings of fertility and good fortune, while also showcasing the Dongshi Sindingban Festival’s modern values of keeping pace with the times and emphasizing gender equality.
Chairperson Jun-Long Jiang further noted that this year’s key visual was created by artist Ai-zhen Qiu, who specializes in watercolor and oil painting. In the creative process, she skillfully incorporated ang ku kueh, peach kueh, and the historical imagery of “Qilin Bringing Children,” using delicate, realistic brushwork to portray the qilin soaring through clouds and mist as it arrives bearing blessings, fully conveying the warm atmosphere of festival blessings. Once unveiled, the key visual immediately drew an enthusiastic response, with many saying, “Just looking at it makes me feel that happiness is on the way,” making it a major highlight of this year’s Dongshi Sindingban Festival.
The Council for Hakka Affairs, Taichung City Government, explained that “Sindingban Everywhere” is precisely the most captivating feature of the Dongshi Sindingban Festival. Dongshi Sindingban is made with its distinctive speckled-bean filling, with a soft, dense texture that is sweet without being cloying, and is entirely different from the more common red-bean filling. On February 27 and 28, a super-sized Sindingban weighing 120 jin will be on display inside the exhibition hall at Dongshi Hakka Cultural Park, and will be sliced and shared on site at 6:00 p.m.; on the evening of the 28th, a Douban event will be held at Shuangfu Temple in Beixing Li, and a limited Sindingban DIY hands-on experience will also be offered, with participation free of charge. On March 3, the day of “Zhengyueban,” traditional Douban competitions will be held simultaneously at Yongguang Temple, Yongan Temple (Carp Bogong Temple), Mifenliao Leshan Temple, Taian Temple, and Xiongjiaoxia Bogong Temple, creating a lively and spectacular scene; the public will also be able to cast divination blocks on site to pray for blessings, and lucky participants can take home Sindingban, a symbol of good fortune. It is an annual event not to be missed.
The Council for Hakka Affairs, Taichung City Government, added that, to make it easier for young students to return home and to allow more visitors to take part in this annual Hakka community event, the festival will kick off early on February 27 in coordination with the long holiday weekend. Up to 16 series activities are planned during the event period, including the “Community Growth Classroom Cultural and Creative Showcase” and the “Hakka Specialty Industry Exhibition and Sales Fair,” with hundreds of booths. The main stage will also present a wide range of cultural and arts performances, inviting the public to visit Dongshi and experience the profound heritage of Hakka culture through taste, sight, and the heart. For more information, please visit the “Taichung Dongshi Sindingban Festival” Facebook fan page at https://www.facebook.com/SinDingBan.