Objectives
Luzhou Soup Noodles and Traditional Art Carnival centers on the local delicacy- "soup noodles" and is composed of many local cultural elements. The local government hopes to achieve the following goals via this activity:
1. Participation by the local people: The participation of temples, art groups and local culture workers aims to demonstrate the charms of Luzhou culture. In addition to provide healthy leisure activities, the local government also hopes that local people will better understand the local characteristics, religious culture as well as recognize the local area through the divine generals parade and relics visiting.
2. Making a life full of art: Photography and painting contests are organized to magnify the local features. The winning pieces will be exhibited with the local historic artifacts in the district art center, providing more chances for people in the community to attend art and culture activities and creating a quality cultural environment.
3. Sustainable Culture Development : Local historic relics, religious centers, art exhibitions and traditional delicacy- soup noodles are combined in marketing the local features of Luzhou to improve the cultural cultivation and living standard of people in the community.
Introduction
Since 2007, in response to the local cultural festival of one township one feature, Luzhou Township Office has planned meticulously for "Luzhou Soup Noodles Carnival" centering on soup noodles and combining with local well-known historic relics, religious centers, and art exhibitions to improve the local people's recognition toward the local area as well elevation of cultural demeanor. In addition, the opening of Luzhou MRT has further attracted people from all over Taiwan to come and explore Luzhou's many faces. Meanwhile, it has become a new choice for holiday trips, which helps booming the local tertiary industry and marketing the "Beauty of Louzhou".
About the Activity
1. Soup Noodles Tasting: Well-known soup noodle stores are invited to Luzhou to hold two "1000 Bowls of Free Soup Noodles" activities. 1500 free soup noodles are offered to the public for them to taste the good flavors of their hometown in each activity.
2. Painting & Photography Contest: Centering on soup noodles, historic sites, tourist attractions, faces of divine generals, a photography contest (no requirements for participants) and a painting competition participated only by students of local junior high schools and elementary schools are organized for civilians to better understand the local culture,to encourage them to explore the local features, and to demonstrate the beauty of Luzhou through lens and painting brushes.
3. Exhibitions: To hold Louzhou History Special Exhibition is in the local art center with the participation of local artists, schools and culture workers that provide the materials and artworks by the local historic people. Winning pieces of photography and paintings of local features are also displayed. It is to encourage citizens to attend various art exhibitions as well as cultivate their art appreciation abilities. Furthermore, Invitations of students field trips to the local art center are issued by the Government so that seeds of culture will be rooted.
4. Parents and Children DIY Activity and the fun games.
Local Highlights
In the first year of Tongzhi Emperor (1862) in Qing Dynasty, two monks Xianlin and Daji from Yinxiu Temple in Mt. Putuo of the South Sea sailed with a statue of Guanyin. A storm hit them and the ship was drifted to the pier of Taipei (area around Taipei Bridge). The two monks met Li You from Dinzhuwei of Luzhou. When Li You saw the statute of Guanyin, he prayed piously to the Buddha that if his business was good on that day, he would return to thank the Buddha. When LI You worshiped Guanyin with incenses in hand, the incenses in the burner suddenly burned. After asking for the God's intentions, they realized that Guanyin would like to stay in Louzicuo Luzhou. They then built a thatched cottage as the temple.
The power of Buddha was so majestic that there were more and more believers and the cottage was not big enough to accommodate them all. In the 11th year of Tongzhi Emperor (1872) in Qing Dynasty, a new temple was built and it was named "Yonglian Temple" because it is located in the land of lotus lair.
It faces north by northwest, roughly opposite from Guanyin Mountain. It is a 4-seciton compound with three entrances and three back constructions. Now only 7 halls, 56 rooms, 82 doors and 120 windows are kept. There is a lotus pond in the front and a Huatai in the back (the sun shines in front of the Residence with a backing, which means the Residence has good fengshui). Both of sides are built in half circle shape like hand railings of a fauteuil, and its foundation is a square (round on the outside and square on the inside). The roof is the most beautiful one among existing 4-seciton compounds in Taiwan. It is suffice to say that this residence is a land of culture Shangrila.
