Skip To Content
Menu

Festivals

Font size:
Small Font size
Medium Font size
Large Font size
:::

Xinzhuang International Drum Festival, Taipei County

1. Drum Culture Exhibition It discloses the drum making process of Siangrenhe Bells and Drums Factory, plays the videos about the handing over of the drum art, and displays the collection of drums. A zone is designed to be themed as barrel-shaped drums, introducing their historical origin, making process, purposes and developments. Tour guides are available which shall enable the visitors to have more knowledge about drums.

 

2. Drum Art Performance of Different Countries Local and foreign professional performing troupes are invited to present the power and beauty of drum art. The performance of oriental and western drum music is combined with that of modern percussion band. The form of performance that mingles music, dance and drama is a kind of pursuit of innovation from traditions. It is hoped that the audiences can understand that the drum art is not an easy or simple drum-beating act only. To a drummer, besides drum beating techniques, thinking and creativity are the indispensable elements.

 

3. Drum Art Learning Camp Excellent local and foreign percussion performers and drum making masters are invited to instruct students the characteristics of different kinds of drums and to demonstrate to them different drum beating ways, nabling them to have a deeper understanding of drums, and improving their drum beating skills.

 

4. Happy Garden Party The local-featured traditional industries and different kinds of social organizations of Xinzhuang are invited to operate their booths selling products or snacks with distinguished local features which promotes the tourism of Xinzhuang.

 

5. Relaxed Travel in Xinzhuang Based on a tight cooperation between the guide tours of Xinzhuang Cultural and Historical Workshop and those of the community universities, they give visitors detailed explanations on the ancient relics, temples, traditional businesses, ecological park, and so on. The local citizens and visitors from other places are able to have more in-depth understanding of Xinzhuang.

Local Food and Snacks

Xinzhuang started its development quite early. There are many famous old shops having a history of a century. For example, at Laoshunsiang Cakes and Cookies Shop located on Xinzhuang Old Street,their salted light cakes, other cake and cookie types, moon cakes and stuffed glutinous rice balls are the popular local products. Especially their salted light cake, it must appear in the grand celestial worshipping ceremony of Xinzhuang. Moreover it is a representative product of Laoshunsiang. In the occasions of temple meetings, the temple or the worshippers buy salted light cakes and ask the Buddhist masters to stamp their fingerprints on the cakes. During the gods' parade, the cakes are distributed by the "official general" to other worshippers along the street, and let them "eat for peace and safety."

 

Wengyumei Shop is located around Guangfu Temple. Ever since it was established, it never stops making the pure malt sugar. Adding malt sugar to food can make food more delicious. In fact, pharmaceutical factories also buy malt sugar from them because it can be serve as molasses.

 

The bean curds of Yousiefeng Dried Bean Curd Shop can be called the pride of Xinzhuang people. Over a hundred years ago, the ancestors of You Family adopted the way of baking to let soybeans present their best taste and smell. At that time, electricity and machines were not being wildely available, so their products had to be made in such old way. Even though it is much easier to make them with nowadays equipment, Yousiefeng insists on adopting the traditional way of making dried bean curds. Hence, the dried bean curds produced by them have an extraordinary taste being different from the same products of other brands.

 

Siangrenhe Bells and Drums Factory

Siangrenhe was founded by Master Wang Guei-Jhih, and is now succeeded by Master Wang Si-Kun. Always holding the beliefs of exquisiteness and perfection, each drum is made inside the factory, from the making of drum body, peeling of cow skin, making of drum face, to the tightening of drum face, loosening of drum face, trial of drum beating sound, and the adjustment of drum beating sound. The loud and clear voiced drums are not only popular in Taiwan, but also in foreign countries. Customers from Europe, the United States, Japan and Korea specially fly over to order drums from Siangrenhe. Apart from making the bells and drums, the factory also collects different types of drums according to its plan. Therefore, there is a display room for people to appreciate and study the collected drums.

 

Drama House Lane

Not long after walking past Chihyou Temple on Xinzhuang Road, people can see the famous Drama House Lane located at Lane 359 on the left hand side. Due to the convenient river and harbor transportation in Xinzhuang, the traditional drama of Mainland China was transmitted to Xinzhuang. People do not know for how many years Drama House Lane has existed. According to the local elderly, many dancers and prostitutes of Xinzhuang Rear Street came here to watch drama and learn about its performances, hoping to perform drama to please their guests. The mistresses of Mistress Street also spent their spare time on watching drama here, and by convenience chatted with their friends. Drama House Lane displayed southern and northern wind-music dramas, as well as the traditional puppet drama. If we trace back the fame of Drama House Lane, it has the most glory time during the Japanese colonization period. At that time there were 9 traditional puppet troupes stationed in Xinzhuang Street, including Little Siyuan, Hahasiao, Jinshang Flower Tower, Xinzhuang Flower Tower, Wanruojhen, Little World, Sinfusyuan, Lusyuguan, and so on.

 

Dizang Temple

Commonly called Public Master Temple, Dizang Temple is located at No. 84 Jhongjheng Road. It was built in the 22nd year of Cianlong Reign in Cing Dynasty, worshiping the Dizang God, Bodhisattva and the master-less lonely soul (Public Master). The first day of the 5th lunar month of every year is the parade and blessing day of the civil and military Public Masters. It becomes the grandest temple meeting in Xinzhuang.

 

Chihyou Temple

Originally called Heavenly Goddess Temple, Chihyou Temple was constructed in the 25th year of Kangsi Reign in Cing Dynasty. It was repaired and constructed by Zeng Ying-Wei, the magistrate of Xinzhuang, and Jhao Yi-Jie, a local celebrity. In the 19th year of Jiacing Reign, Xinzhuang County was appointed to repair the temple and add the construction of a rear temple. Later on, it was successively repaired and remodeled for several times. Despite enjoying a long history, Chihyou Temple has preserved many old steles, old tablets and old paired scrolls of Chinese characters in complete forms, which contain a high studying value.

 

Wenchang Ancestral Shrine

The construction of Wenchang Ancestral Shrine was donated by the magistrate, Cao Ru-lin. Its original location was by the rear side of Chihyou Temple on Xinzhuang Road. On the 1st year of Guangsyu Reign, it was moved near Xinzhuang Riverside Road between today's Dahan Bridge and Sinhai Bridge, and this location sustains up to now. In 1971, it was remodeled. Today the style and features of the ancient shrine are still preserved. Among the four Wenchang Ancestral Shrines of Taipei Area built in Cing Dynasty, this was the largest one.

TOP