Hakka Cultural Museum Introduction
The Hakka Museum is located in Xishi Village, Zhuke Township, Pingtung County. It features the most characteristic Hakka architecture known as "Weilong House," which is a building style that embodies the original landscape of Hakka culture. The interior is divided into themed spaces such as the Hakka Immigration and Land Development Exhibition Area, Hakka Rural Life Exhibition Area, Aspects of Hakka Life, and the Hakka Culture and Heritage Exhibition Area. It also includes the Hakka Cultural Relics Gallery, an audiovisual room, a special exhibition area, and a performance space. A visit to the Hakka Museum allows one to appreciate the profound connotations of the Hakka people's loyalty, respect for ancestors, frugality, diligence, and adherence to customs. From the traditional Hakka architectural layout, one can observe the tendency of Hakka people to gather as clans. For the Hakka community, which consists of immigrants, "home" is especially considered the strongest fortress, designed to resist the incursions of outside tribes. As a result, the architecture of the "Six Piles" often exhibits strong defensive characteristics, while the shared housing embodies the unique features of Hakka architecture, where relatives of the same ancestor reside in the same building. The Hakka Museum utilizes the architecture of a Tulou Weilong House, allowing visitors to fully understand the character of Hakka buildings and also reflecting the importance Hakka people place on familial bonds. In the courtyard of the Tulou, a super-sized blue shirt is prominently displayed, welcoming visitors with a strong Hakka flavor upon entering the building. The blue shirt is a traditional Hakka garment, and its design details vary according to class and age differences. The museum showcases a diverse range of artifacts and tools, such as weights related to rural life, raincoats, ox carts, and shoulder poles; as well as items related to home environments like study rooms, ancestral halls, and kitchen tools (large stoves, clay jars), and bedrooms (red sleeping beds, foot wash basins); or clothing-related antiques including sewing machines, fabric rolling stones, deconstruction diagrams of blue shirts, various traditional Hakka costumes, waist aprons, and small shoes for bound feet. Each exhibited item is worth appreciating in detail.
