New museum celebrating King Boat culture opens

New museum celebrating King Boat culture opens

2024-12-27

Every three years, residents of Pingtung’s Donggang Township celebrate the King Boat Festival to welcome blessings and ward off evil spirits. After five years’ preparation, the township’s Pintung King Boat Museum officially opened on Friday. The centerpiece of the museum is a handcrafted King Boat made entirely out of wood by local masters. Let’s hear from officials at the opening ceremony.

Lai Ching-te
President
This is a joyous occasion for Donggang, Pingtung. It’s also a grand event for Taiwan’s religions and cultures. I believe it’ll also be a tourist attraction in the future too. I really hope for Donggang’s development, and that more tourists will come here not just for blackfin tuna, but also to better understand all aspects of King Boat culture.

Chou Chun-mi
Pingtung commissioner
We’re welcoming the King Boat for a bountiful harvest when our residents go out to sea. Our community has also dedicated our lives and meticulously safeguarded the triannual King Boat ceremonies, which are really so awe-inspiring.

Donggang is known for traditional boat making techniques, arguably the best in all of Taiwan. The centerpiece was constructed by four nationally-recognized master King Boat builders. As part of the museum’s permanent collection, it will now be available for visitors to admire up close.

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屏東王船文化館開幕賴清德南下主持啟動儀式

2024-12-27

燒王船屏東東港重要的宗教儀式，籌備近五年的屏東縣王船文化館正式開館，透過多媒體科技，讓更多觀光客深入了解王船文化，現場還展出了一艘純木造的王船，總統賴清德特別南下主持啟動儀式。

[[總統賴清德]]
“這是屏東東港的大喜事，實際上也是台灣宗教文化的盛事。我相信未來也會是一個觀光景點，我非常希望東港以後會更加發展，更多觀光客來這裡，不只吃黑鮪魚，也能來更加了解王爺文化的種種”

[[屏東縣長周春米]]
“迎王船來保佑鄉親大家出海滿載，所有鄉親也用盡生命、用盡心力，來守護三年一科的王船文化，真的是非常非常神聖”

東港擁有獨步全台造船工藝，也被譽為王船故鄉，現場展出由4名國寶級師傅特別打造的典藏王船，為台灣特有產業結合文化的民俗，留下經典。邀請全台民眾一起來探索迎王百年祭典，體驗屏東最特色的王船文化。

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