Hakka Cultural Museum Introduction
The Hakka Cultural Museum is located in Xishi Village, Zhudian Township, Pingtung County. It features a distinctive Hakka architectural style known as the "Weilong House," which is a representation of the traditional Hakka native landscape. The interior is divided into thematic areas including the Hakka Immigration and Land Development Exhibition Area, Hakka Rural Life Exhibition Area, Insights into Hakka Life, and Hakka Culture and Heritage Exhibition Area. It also includes a Hakka Artifact Collection Room, an Audio-Visual Room, a Special Exhibition Area, and a Performance Hall. Visiting the Hakka Cultural Museum allows one to appreciate the profound meanings of the Hakka people's values such as loyalty, respect for ancestors, diligence, thrift, and the promotion of good customs. The traditional Hakka architectural layout reveals the collective tendency of the Hakka people. For the Hakka, who were immigrants, "home" is particularly regarded as the strongest fortress, meant to withstand foreign intrusion. Therefore, the architectural style of the "Liudui" often carries strong defensive characteristics, and the "Huofang" (a type of shared dwelling) is a unique feature of Hakka architecture where relatives of the same ancestry live together in the same building. The Hakka Cultural Museum adopts the earth-building Weilong House layout, which not only allows visitors to fully understand the appearance of Hakka architecture but also reflects the importance Hakka people place on familial bonds. In the central courtyard of the earth-building, an oversized blue shirt is prominently displayed, giving visitors a strong sense of Hakka culture as soon as they enter. The blue shirt is a traditional Hakka garment, with design details varying by social class and age. The museum showcases a diverse array of artifacts and tools related to rural life, such as weight measures, raincoats, ox carts, and carrying rods; items associated with home settings including study rooms, ancestral halls, kitchen utensils (large stoves, ceramic jars), and bedrooms (red sleeping beds, foot baths); as well as clothing-related items like antique sewing machines, cloth pressing stones, patterns for blue shirts, various Hakka traditional costumes, and traditional shoes (Three-Inch Golden Lotus shoes). Each exhibit is worthy of close appreciation.
