Chusan Salt Field Introduction
The fishing and salt industry flourished in Budai since the Qing Dynasty, with "fishing and salt abundant in Budai" being a beautiful past glory. In 1824, the establishment of the Zhongnan Salt Field marked the beginning of Taiwan's "golden age of salt production." Over time, the production of table salt in Taiwan shifted from local production to imports, and in 2002, the "sun-dried salt" production in Taiwan came to an end. To restore the rich salt field culture of Budai, the Budai Mouth Cultural Association envisions "Happy Salt Field Heart Salt Village" and adopts "environmental education/activity industry" as a sustainable management strategy. This combines salt production, daily life, and ecology, bringing back life to the Zhongnan Salt Field, which had been abandoned for six years. This initiative reactivates the salt fields, which serve cultural, tourism, and educational functions, allowing visitors to experience the old soul and new charm of the salt fields through hands-on involvement. The "Zhongnan Salt Field" serves as a "cultural salt field," while the nearby Xincuozi community (including Longjiang and Xincuo Village) represents a "cultural salt village." This allows for the presentation of Budai's salt industry's historical depth, local context, and living situation from cultural and daily life perspectives. The "Salt Offering Festival" is an important annual event at the Zhongnan Salt Field today. In the past, salt workers would prepare offerings for the salt fields during significant festivals to thank the heavens and gods for a bountiful salt harvest. Since 2008, the Zhongnan Salt Field has held the Salt Offering Festival at the end of each year to express gratitude to the land, integrating traditional industry culture into a significant contemporary cultural festival.
