Meinung, a town in the Kaohsiung country of southern Taiwan with plantations of bananas and coconut palms spreading in every direction, is a mixture of things old. It remains little changed in the course of industrialization and modernization of the Republic of China. This serene, beautiful town has a history of about three hundred years and still keeps its original style. Meinung, originally called Minung is well known for its wealth of water resources. It has had its present name of Meinung since 1884. More than 90 percent of its townsfolks are Hakkas whose ancestors came from Kwangtung province. They are loyal, industrious, frugal and honest. These characteristics have been passed down from generation to generation.
Meinung town has a population of about 57,000. Most of the people are engaged in farming. Very few engage in business or take official posts. Bananas, rice, maize, sugar cane and tobacco are the main products of this fertile land. After the rice is harvested, farmers set out tobacco plants. Meinung is considered to be the most suitable area for growing tobacco in Taiwan, and produces the highest quality tobacco leaves. The yearly production is more than 6,800,000 kilograms. The area used for growing tobacco exceeds 2,400 hectares (6,000 acres). The sum of money spent by the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau is more than NT$300 million annually in this area. Being very upright and conservative, the residents here pay much attention to the education of their children.
Meinung has a strong literary atmosphere. The intoning of poems, verses or old Hakka tunes is much admired in Meinung. The people neglect nothing in preserving their culture. Their ancestral temples are built magnificently with memorial tablets placed in the middle of shrines for worshiping. Meinung also is full of other attractions, such as Tung-men Tower, Chung-cheng Lake, Ch'ao-yuan Temple and Kuang-shan Shrine, all in graceful ancient styles. The late President Chiang Kai-shek especially loved the beautiful scene of Chung-cheng Lake and often went there to relax. Walking along the streets, visitors can hear the soft tones of the Hakka dialect.
Bronze statue of the late President Chiang Kai-shek
Farmer's association of Meinung
A full barn, denotes plenty
Meinung junior high school
Kuang-hsing elementary school
A street of old Meinung with modern touches
Interior of an ancestors' temple
Classified tobacco leaves
Tobacco leaves waiting transportation
Bananas add to Meinung's wealth
Bamboo and oil paper umbrellas, still made in Meinung
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