Budai Salt Field Introduction
The southwestern coast of Taiwan, characterized by its flat sandy shores and strong sunlight, has been an excellent salt field since ancient times. Budai has unique geographical conditions and a long history of salt production that dates back to the Qing Dynasty during the reign of Qianlong, now over two hundred years. The salt fields in Budai were established in the Qing Dynasty, with the prominent salt merchant Wu Shangxin opening the Yancheng Bajia in the third year of the Daoguang period, laying the foundation for Budai's salt industry in the future. During the Japanese occupation, the salt fields in Budai matured further, and the Budai Harbor became an important port for salt transportation, exporting Budai's salt to China and Japan. The bright white salt fields once held a "platinum" level industrial status, but like other regions, the salt workers have mostly been replaced by mechanized salt production, leading to a decline in Budai's salt industry. The expansive salt pans no longer show scenes of salt harvesting, and the small trains that once traversed the salt pans have long since retired. The Budai salt fields are not limited to Budai Township; in fact, the entire salt field area spans three townships along the coast of Chiayi County: Dongshi Township, Budai Township, and Yizhu Township. Roughly, the area is defined from the west of Provincial Highway 17 to the coastline, from the northernmost Zhangtan Service Station to the southernmost Xinwen Service Station, managing about ten production zones. The idle salt flats between Provincial Highways 17 and 61 connect with the Haomeiliao Ecological Protection Area, becoming a vital feeding ground for herons and migratory birds during winter, making it an excellent spot for birdwatching. All salt fields in Budai Township are owned by Taiwan Salt, which was once the largest salt field in the country. In the past, traveling south along Provincial Highway 17, the landscape was filled with salt fields on both sides, with neatly arranged white salt ponds shimmering in the sunlight and snow-white salt mountains resembling small snow-capped mountains springing up from the flat land, forming a unique industrial landscape.
