Finer side of island history at Yingge-Sansia

If you want to view Taiwan’s rich cultural heritage, spectacular architecture and age-old traditions then a visit to Yingge-Sansia is the right choice for you. It will enrich you in many ways.

Yingge is a small town in the southwestern part of Taipei County occupying an area of just over 20 square kilometers. Its rich legacy in pottery and ceramics has earned it the title of the “Pottery Capital” of Taiwan. The name of the town, which translates to ‘Parrot’ in Chinese, is derived from the bird-shaped rock that sits perched on a mountain slope at the northern edge of the town.

Pottery making was first introduced into Yingge as early as 1804 when settlers from Fujian province discovered that the fine clay of Yingge was ideal for pottery. Over the past two centuries it has developed into a thriving industry base making pottery synonymous with Yingge.

It is now home to more than 800 ceramics factories and shops, and countless craftsmen and artists work around the clock to improve their quality and the techniques they use to turn simple clay into precious objects of art. This has rightfully earned Yingge the sobriquet of “Jingdezhen” of Taiwan, in reference to the famous ceramics center in Mainland China.

Today Yingge boasts Taiwan’s only ceramics museum, a ceramics park, a historic pottery street and numerous pottery workshops and stores that make the town an ideal choice for an enjoyable and educational tour. The Yingge Ceramics Festival is held annually in the town and was chosen as one of the twelve major local festival activities for special promotion. This year the Yingge Ceramics Festival will celebrate 200 years of pottery making in Taiwan.

Sansia is another Taipei County town steeped in history. It is located very close to Yingge; they are connected by the Sanying Bridge. The town was originally named Sanjiaoyong after its location at the confluence of three rivers. The name was changed to Sansia in 1920 after the name of its main river, which also means three gorges.

Nestled in a fertile plain next to climbing foothills and once blessed with a convenient inland river transport system, Sansia provided an ideal environment for development during the early years of Taiwan’s settlement by the Chinese. It quickly became an important goods distribution center and a base for the production of camphor, tea growing and textile dyeing. It was only after World War II, when river transportation declined, that Sansia gradually lost its commercial importance.

But Sansia’s cultural value remains undiminished, thanks to the renowned Cingshuei Temple. This temple is the epitome of exquisite carving and complex architecture as well as a dynamic center of Chinese religious worship. This rare harmony has made Sansia a unique attraction for tourists from all over Taiwan and the world.

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