Kaohsiung's Abundance of Fall and Winter Festivals／秋冬遊高雄 正趣味！
Kaohsiung's Abundance of Fall and Winter Festivals
◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui, Lee Shih-hao
Located on the southern Pacific Ocean Kaohsiung enjoys year-round sunshine. However, the weather is much more endearing in the autumn and winter months, when the relenting heat turns to ocean breeze. It is also the time of year when people can come and enjoy a number of traditional festivals. Festivities kick-off with the Lion Dance Festival and the Zuoying Folklore Festival. The Folklore Festival features a colorful lion-shaped giant lantern that is paraded through the streets and finally set on fire. Cultural events are always exciting and include traditional music, ritualistic bells and gongs and joyful cheers from the crowd.
There are also several aboriginal festivals during the autumn months, such as the Pingpu Siaolin Night Festival. The Mikong Ceremony is celebrated by the Kanakanavu tribe residing in the Namasia District and the Rukai of Duona Village in Maolin District which celebrate the Tapakadawane Ceremony, another type of harvest festival. In Gangshan District, there is a 200 year old festival dedicated to bamboo baskets. Kaohsiung is clearly a treasure trove of traditional festivals and culture.
However there have been many modern festivals that have been recently created and highlight modern art and culture. The Kaohsiung Film Festival began in 2000, but has already developed a reputation for being creative and edgy. The Film Festival also features Chinese characters which mix ancient and modern. Other modern festivals in Kaohsiung include the Bi-annual International Steel & Iron Sculpture Festival and the Container Art Festival and Kaohsiung's New Year's Eve Party. New Year's Eve is particularly exciting as it draws huge crowds and turns the streets into a public party with a backdrop of spectacular fireworks.
There are also many food festivals which include Gangshan's Mutton Festival, Mituo's Milkfish Festival, Meinong's White Jade Radish Festival, Lujhu's Tomato Festival, Yongan's Grouper Festival and Zihguan's Mullet Festival. Kaohsiung's maritime culture has produced a rich array of seasonal cuisines that enrich the taste buds and nourishes the soul.
Due to the vast number of festivals and Kaohsiung's mild winters, there has been an increase in Japanese tourists that particularly enjoy coming to Kaohsiung from September to November. Japanese tour groups offer a variety of agendas, for a variety of age ranges. The elderly seem to particularly enjoy Neimen for its religious and folk legends and famous Song Jiang Battle Array. No matter what age or nationality, Kaohsiung definately has something for everybody.
秋冬遊高雄 正趣味！
◎文／林樂寬
◎攝影／鮑忠暉、李士豪
海洋城市高雄終年陽光普照，在秋冬兩季，褪去暑氣，迎來了舒適宜人的秋天以及一抹暖暖冬陽，戶外活動在高雄四季皆宜。冬季，高雄人可以乘船出遊，亦或是踩踏著自行車悠遊於城市的每個角落，在暖冬享受一抹冬陽的幸福打動了鄰近日本觀光客！今年9 月至11月，陸續將有日本團體組團前來高雄，其中，日本銀髮族旅客還要前進台灣藝陣之鄉—內門，體驗最道地的文化以及最熱情的人情味。
時序邁入秋季，集結傳統與創新的節慶活動，呈現獨樹一幟的城市性格。傳統節慶比如戲獅甲藝術節的舞獅競技和左營萬年季的火獅遶境祈福，在鑼鼓喧騰聲和眾人的喝采聲中展開，精采演繹民俗技藝與文化；原住民文化活動則有甲仙小林平埔夜祭、那瑪夏區的卡那卡那富的「米貢祭」以及茂林多納魯凱族的「黑米祭」，而岡山地區逾二百年歷史的民俗市集「籃筐會」，包羅萬象的節慶內容著實令人著迷，在在都展現庶民文化源源不絕的充沛能量。
具代表性的創新文化活動，包括以奇幻風格闖出名號的高雄電影節、詮釋漢字創意設計的高雄好漢玩字節、還有以雙年展方式登場的鋼雕藝術節及貨櫃藝術節。到了歲末年終，適合闔家參與的高雄跨年晚會，在一片璀燦煙花中祈求歲月靜好。
秋冬收藏 賞美味
從岡山羊肉美食文化節、彌陀虱目魚文化節、美濃白玉蘿蔔季、路竹蕃茄文化節、永安石斑魚節、梓官烏魚文化節，豐饒的山珍海味，變化出季節限定的好滋味，令旅人吮指回味。