Zhuangwei Sand Dune Ecological Park Introduction
Zhuangwei Sand Dune Ecological Park is located beside the coastal highway at 149.3K on Taiwan Highway 2 and covers an area of approximately 4.8 hectares. This park is a representative new attraction in Yilan with international charm. Designed by renowned architect Huang Shengyuan, the park centers on the concept of "opening up the valley to see the sand dunes," integrating local natural elements of Yilan to present the landscape of sand dunes and the construction of sand cave spaces. Walking beside the park, one can enjoy the tranquil rural fields on one side and the pool reflecting the changing weather and the tips of the forest on the other side. The scenic views highlight the beauty of the Zhuangwei Sand Dune Tourism Service Park, with the vast undulating sand dune landscape encouraging visitors to slow down their pace. The park was completed and opened in 2018 and includes a visitor center and the Sand Dune Exhibition Hall (curated by director Tsai Ming-liang), among other spaces. Nearby, there are also attractions such as Zhuangwei Beach, bike lanes, the Houpi and Luhou characteristic communities, and the Lanyang River Estuary Bird Watching Reserve. Whether at dawn, sunset, or moonrise, strolling through the park, listening to the sound of the waves, and enjoying the scenery are all wonderful experiences, allowing visitors to slow down and appreciate the tranquility of nature and culture brought forth by the sand dune architecture. The Sand Dune Exhibition Hall: Curated by Tsai Ming-liang around the imagery of "sand dunes," it features six main themed exhibition halls (Dust, Sea, Moonlight, Wind, Tide, and Rain). The overall presentation mainly uses large-scale video projections combined with natural elements of Zhuangwei, such as sand, windbreaks, and water in the set designs, enabling visitors to directly experience nature. The projection walls in different themed exhibition halls utilize the original irregular curved sand cave spaces and sandy textured walls, notably featuring large hand-painted artworks attached to the glass curtain walls, each created by Tsai Ming-liang himself. For instance, the "Dust" hall uses charcoal pencil lines and irregular paper tearing techniques to depict the natural imagery of Zhuangwei sand dunes and the forest. In addition, different exhibition halls showcase Tsai Ming-liang's "Slow Walk Long March" series of films, including eight works like "Colorless," "Traveler," "Journey to the West," and "Sand," amongst which the short film "Sand" is the latest creation dedicated by Tsai Ming-liang and actor Lee Kang-sheng to Zhuangwei and this park. Visitors entering the exhibition hall can experience the interaction of visual and sensory effects created by the space while also immersing themselves in the "slowness" conveyed by the works. Visitor Center: Facilities include parking lots for large and small vehicles, a bike station, a tourist information desk, and a multimedia audiovisual room that can accommodate 50 people, screening digital audiovisual multimedia films "Mountain, Sea, and Wind" or highlights from Tsai Ming-liang's "Sand" from the Slow Walk Long March series. Additionally, brochures introducing attractions in the Northeast Corner are available for visitors to take.
