Liudui Day: Hakka Affairs Council Minister Pays Tribute, Calls for Unity Through Diverse Means

(Central News Agency reporter Huang Yu-ching, Pingtung County, June 4th) Today is "Liudui Day." Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) Minister Ku Hsiu-fei visited the Liudui Zhongyi Shrine in Pingtung County to pay homage to the Loyal and Brave Lords (Zhongyong Gong), commemorating the sacrifices of ancestors, and participated in a special lecture by writer Li Wang-tai. She expressed hope to unite the Liudui community through diverse methods.

Minister Ku, accompanied by Liao Sung-hsiung, convener of the Liudui 300th Anniversary Ceremony; Hsieh Sheng-hsin, director of the Hakka Cultural Development Center; Sung Kuei-lung, chief secretary of the Kaohsiung City Government; Li Yun-fang, director of the Pingtung County Government's Hakka Affairs Department; and several representatives from Liudui townships, sincerely paid respects to the Loyal and Brave Lords at the Liudui Zhongyi Shrine, honoring the loyal and righteous martyrs of Liudui who stood up to defend their homeland.

Minister Ku told CNA that over the past 300 years, Liudui ancestors cultivated the land here, built their homes, and left a rich legacy for their descendants. She said the current generation must also consider what they will leave for future generations. She expressed hope that through diverse methods such as theater and lectures, people can learn about Liudui Hakka culture and strengthen the cohesion of the Liudui Hakka community.

Ku noted that Liudui is a product of a specific historical era, but the sense of collective identity among the younger generation is diminishing. "Who we are, and why we are here, is an important issue," she said. Understanding history is the key to knowing one's place and gaining the strength to contribute to contemporary society.

The HAC's Hakka Cultural Development Center also invited Li Wang-tai, recipient of the 2025 "First-Class Hakka Affairs Professional Medal," to give a special lecture at the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park. The lecture, titled "Liudui People, Hakka People, Taiwanese People," guided attendees to understand the unique cultural life of various Liudui Hakka villages.

Li Wang-tai focused on the development history of the Liudui Hakka, explaining the important role of Hakka ancestors in migration, land reclamation, homeland defense, and local development during the Qing Dynasty. He also explored the relationships between Hoklo and Hakka people, interactions with the Plains Indigenous peoples, and the process of ethnic integration in Taiwan. The content also highlighted the spirit of unity and mutual aid ("㧡擔奉飯") and the wisdom of land reclamation and irrigation ("開埤作圳") in Liudui, showcasing the long-accumulated culture of loyalty and local identity of the Hakka people, and demonstrating the important position of Liudui Hakka in Taiwan's historical development.

The lecture began with a performance by the Wugou Branch of the Wanluan Township Kindergarten in Pingtung County. They performed a short play entirely in Hakka titled "Little Loyal and Brave Lords," which used the story of Liudui's development as its backdrop, narrating the process of ancestors cultivating the land, defending their homes, and establishing Liudui. The performance demonstrated the children's achievements in learning Liudui's history and culture through the Hakka language.

Furthermore, city and county governments in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, along with 12 township offices including those in the Liudui region, jointly responded to "Liudui Day" by organizing diverse and distinctive activities in various locations. These included lectures on Liudui historical archives, cultural experience tours, cultural landscape walks, small travel exhibitions, Hakka village cuisine, and Hakka art and cultural performances.

The Hakka Cultural Development Center pointed out that according to historical records, the first battle to defend the homeland in Liudui occurred on the 10th day of the 5th lunar month in the 60th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign (1721 AD), which corresponds to June 4th on the Western calendar. At that time, Liudui ancestors raised flags for defense, formed a joint defense organization, and collectively protected their homeland. To commemorate the people, events, and things that jointly protected the land of Liudui, and to honor the ancestors' contributions to their homeland, the HAC designated June 4th of each year as "Liudui Day," continuing the spirit of a culturally rich and prosperous Liudui. (Editor: Lee Hsi-chang) 1150604