Cohosted by Changhua County Government and Tianzhong Town Office, the 3rd marathon of the Changhua Marathon Month – the 2017 Taiwan Rice Heaven - Tianzhong Marathon – officially kicked off in the morning of the 12th in front of Tianzhong Town Office in Changhua County (intersection of Douzhong Rd. and Zhenzheng Rd.) by Changhua County Magistrate Ming-Ku, Wei, Tianzhong Town Mayor Wen-Hsien, Hsieh and Tianzhong Tourism Development Association President Tsung-cheng Cheng. County Magistrate Wei, dignitaries and local residents all extended their warm welcome to the athletes, inviting them to attend the most hospitable Tianzhong Marathon in order to appreciate the beauty of Changhua via running. Along the way, 6,500 enthusiastic volunteers and cheerleaders will cheer on the runners, allowing them to appreciate the warmest hospitality and reception of the volunteers. Everyone is welcome to participate in this wonderful marathon festival. According to County Magistrate Wei, the Tianzhong Marathon has received the Best Popularity Award as one of the top 10 marathons in Taiwan by Sports Administration, Ministry of Education. Now in its 6th year, domestic and foreign runners are welcome to join the Taiwan Rice Heaven - Tianzhong Marathon. The event is so sought after that registration closed almost immediately after it was opened, and it goes to show the passion and hospitality of the people of Tianzhong. He also expressed his thanks to the runners’ support and love of Tianzhong Marathon. County Magistrate Wei commented that despite the rain, everyone’s enthusiasm was not diminished in the least. He urged participants to look after their physical wellbeing and pay attention to traffic safety. Along the entire length of the race, more than 6,000 cheerleaders lined the streets to cheer on the competitors, while they also prepared Changhua County delicacies and savory dishes to welcome the runners. Aside from savoring gourmet food, the runners can also appreciate the magnificence of Tianzhong’s countryside, folk customs of Shanjiao Rd., on Baguashan, as well as the picturesque sceneries of Zhuoshui River. He wished the contestants good luck in achieving their personal’s best record. Tianzhong Town Mayor, Wen-Hsien, Hsieh, expressed his joys at such a festive atmosphere in Tianzhong, where so many people have come together to offer their hospitality. This is the 6th year of the Taiwan Rice Heaven - Tianzhong Marathon, and each year is better than the last, with more and more people participating in the event. He thanked the county government, Sports Administration and Representative Council for their support to make the event’s success possible. He also reminded runners to pay attention to safety while running in the rain, and to keep hydrated in spite of the cool weather. Tianzhong Tourism Development Association President Tsung-Cheng, Cheng expressed his gratitude towards the county government, town office and various elected representatives for their full support, as well as cooperation from sponsors, subcontractors and hard-working volunteers. Most importantly, he wanted to thank all the athletes for joining the Taiwan Rice Heaven - Tianzhong Marathon to improve it year after year. In addition to Tianzhong Marathon, the county government also launched Marathon Month. Tianzhong Marathon is the 3rd event on the Marathon Month calendar this year, everyone is welcome to participate in the Marathon Month to feel the vivacity of Tianzhong and make magnificent memories. The Tianzhong Marathon is the premier event on Tianzhong’s calendar, and registration is currently open to the public. Nearly 100 Tianzhong residents queued outside the town office in the early morning to sign up for the annual extravaganza and take advantage of the early bird special. Registration for 500 early bird special slots quickly ended within the hour, and as many as 50,000 people have registered online. However, only 15,000 applicants were selected randomly by computer; in other words, only 1 out of 4 applicants were fortunate enough to be selected. To put it in perspective, buying a Jody Chiang concert ticket will be easier than registering for Tianzhong Marathon! This year, approximately 15,000 athletes from more than 10 countries gathered in Changhua to admire the breathtaking sights and abundant culture of Baguashan, Babao Canal and Changhua Plain. The event is divided into full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km) and health run (10km), consisting of roughly 5,000 runners in each group. There are nearly 6,500 cheerleaders, traffic controllers, and supply volunteers from the town of Tianzhong to service and cheer on the runners. Now into the 6th year, Taiwan Rice Heaven - Tianzhong Marathon has been voted the most hospitable and most popular race by netizens for 5 straight years. Recently, the event also received the “Best Popularity Award” for Sports Administration, Ministry of Education’s “Let’s Exercise – Local Specialty Sports” online voting event. Tianzhong Marathon features varied sceneries such as old streets, canals, countryside, forest trails and steep inclines, these are complemented by the warm hospitality of local cheerleading squads and wide selection of supplies, making it the most hospitable race in the country and transforming Tianzhong into the most friendly town in the hearts of the runners. Other highlights of the event include: Inviting athletes from ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) as opening runners alongside Changhua’s local basketball team “Formosa Dreamers” and local town folks. Their speedy silhouettes resonate with the passionate spirit of the Tianzhong Marathon, and Changhua Post Office also printed commemorative stamp collections exclusively for the Tianzhong Marathon. A total of 4 marathons will be organized in November, which is designated by Changhua County as “Marathon Month”, hoping to present the county’s local characteristics to citizens nationwide through the races. County Magistrate Wei is dedicated to promoting tourism through sports, hoping that Tianzhong Marathon will continue to be hosted in the future without interruption, thereby generating tourism development and the spirit of sportsmanship while showcasing Changhua County’s vivaciousness. Information courtesy of Changhua County Government official website.

Changhua County has launched the community development for more than 20 years. This year, “Happy Changhua-style Community” was taken as the principle, all the cultural products from each community are integrated and presented here for demonstrating the achievement of the art family development and the community theater. These activities included are the 12 advance locations of community development and the map demonstrating the 11 new developing communities, the local citizen’s achievement on the Nanguo dormitory of Nanguo Elementary School, the business organization’s achievement on community development and the multiple aboriginal cultures.

"To revitalize local culture, Tianzhong Township hosted the“2017 Taiwan Rice Barn Carnival–Cute Animals, Fairy Tale Kicks Off March” on the 11th at the Jin-Sung Cultural and Educational Park. Changhua County Magistrate Wei, Ming-Ku was invited to participate in the event. The Magistrate and the Head of Tianzhong Township Hsieh, Wen-hsien welcomed the Tianzhong Marathon runners. "

Changhua County government has progressively launched local infrastructure to make all facilities comprehensive and provide better life for the residents. In order to solve the flood problem in Yuanlin City, a “Changhua Yuanlin Guoguo food detention pool ” was constructed at the area of Dayong Street and the square next to the Yuanlin Avenue, and will be completed by the end of this year.

Everyone is welcome to attend the 11th Lukang Winter Travel Festival Date: October 29–December 16 (every Saturday and Sunday) Events: October 29: Family Amusement Park/Lukang Ecological Park October 29-December 16: Playing Hide and Seek with Xiaolu Deer/Lukang Town November 4-December 16: Lukang Artist Village Tour/Lukang Artist Village November 4-December 10: Dream Stage/Front square of Union Hall December 2 to 3: Winter Travel Feast/Wenxiaowu field December 16: Fun Market/Tianhou Rd. December 16: Future Prospect Concert/Lukang Municipal Stadium Organizer: Lukang Town Office (886-4-7772006) Advisor: Tourism Bureau, MOTC, Changhua County Government

The 2nd Session of Changhua Marathon month, which is one of the series activities, the “Love Ershui-Ershui Water-Runnung Marathon” of the “Ershui International Water-Running Festival” started on the 5th in the morning. Changhua County Magistrate Wei Ming-gu and the Head of Ershui Township Zheng Cang-yang arrived at the OK convenient store located at the intersection of the Yuanji Road in Ershui and jointly fired the starting pistol for the event. “2017 Love Ershui Water-Running Marathon” is a unique water-running marathon in Taiwan. In total of 4,572 people registered the event. The number of people who registered is twice larger than the number of the 1st year. The activity has won more and more appreciation by the public. County Magistrate Wei welcomed all runners to experience the unique water-running culture with their feet, and feel the fun of water-running.

“2017 Central Taiwan Agriculture Expo” jointly organized and hosted by Changhua County, Taichung City, Nantou County and Miaoli County took place from November 4th to November 26th for a 23-day grand activity at Xizhou Garden.

Feeling appreciated and thankful for what blessings we have received from our ancestors, the annual biggest harvest celebration “Love Ershui-2017 Ershui International Water-Running Festival” took place on November 4th and 5th at Ershui Township. It was initiated by the Changhua County government and planned by Ershui Township with a series of amazing activities. The first day on the 4th in the morning, the worship ceremony and the Zun Tou water-running opening ceremony was held at the Linxiansheng temple in Ershui Township. Changhua County Magistrate Wei, Ming-Ku attended the event. The opening ceremony was started with the participation of several government officials and the local councilors, including the Deputy County Magistrate Lin Ming-yu, the Deputy Director of the Canshan National Scenic area administration of Tourism Bureau of Ministry of Transportation and Communication and the Head of Ershui Township Zheng, Tsang-yang. Afterwards, they went to the Babaozhen Waterway for the Tung Shui water-running ceremony, shrine water-running and creative water-running shows. Changhua County Magistrate Wei, Ming-Ku arrived at the Linxiansheng temple to worship for blessings, and he also expressed his support for the activity.

Think of the source of your water when you take a sip; the annual autumn harvest cultural festival in Changhua County is the “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon”, which took place in Ershui Township during November 4 to 5. With Changhua County supervising, a series of exciting events will be co-organized by Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau and Ershui Township Office. The opening ceremony and Zuntou ritual will be conducted at Mr. Lin's Temple in Ershui Township in the morning of the 4th. County Magistrate Ming-Ku, Wei also attended the function. Deputy County Magistrate Ming-Yu, Lin, Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area Headquarters Deputy Director-General Hsi-Piao, Liao, Ershui Township Mayor Tsang-Yang, Cheng and various elected representatives attended the opening ceremony, followed by exciting activities at Babao Canal, such as Tongshui ceremony, sacred sedan water marathon and the waterway marathon creative show. Changhua County Magistrate Ming-Ku, Wei visited Mr. Lin’s Temple to pray for blessings and expressed his support for the event. “Love Ershui Water Marathon Evening Party – Folk Song Concert” will be held in the evening of the 4th, and a series of dynamic/static activities took place in the morning of the 5th, including the “water marathon”. County Magistrate Wei wishes to promote the spirit of “thinking of the source when taking a sip of water” through the event and extends his invitation to the public to experience the unique water marathon culture. County Magistrate Wei quoted the proverb “worship the orchard tree bearing the fruits that you have eaten”. This year’s Love Ershui Water Marathon is cohosted by the county government and township office, increasing its appeal to the public. As the only event of its kind in the country, everybody has a great deal of sentimental attachment to the Love Ershui Water Marathon, and so it is organized in a way that is similar to a wedding reception, where everyone in the community gets involved. The event serves to commemorate our ancestors in developing the Babao Canal to irrigate the Changhua Plain, which in turn fostered abundant crops in the region, providing the public with sustenance. According to County Magistrate Wei, the Love Ershui Water Marathon will be held in the early morning of the November 5, and it is the second marathon on Changhua County’s Marathon Month calendar. Being able to run in water in Babao Canal has attracted a large number of participants, and more people are signing up for the event. In welcoming runners from all across the country participating in the Love Ershui Water Marathon, “Love Ershui Water Marathon Evening Party – Folk Song Concert” is held at the athletes’ evening party tonight in Ershui Elementary School, and everyone is invited to listen to folk songs. Furthermore, Love Ershui Water Marathon runners are also invited to experience the warm hospitality of Ershui community. The aim is to market Ershui and enhance its visibility through the event, so that people can visit the region to appreciate its’ picturesque landscape and monkeys (macaque), as well as purchase Ershui’s specialty agricultural products. Besides inviting various elected representatives to join the “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon” opening ceremony, the “Love Ershui Water Marathon Evening Party – Folk Song Concert” will be held at Ershui Elementary School this year, inviting renowned folk song singers such as Tai-Yen, Yu, Chih-Ning, Wu, Yulao.Yukan, Armed Youth and Nung Chiu from Chiu Chiu to perform popular folk songs and songs from their regions in order to cheer on the marathon athletes and bless to help them achieve great results at the “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon” on November 5! The “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon” is co-hosted by Ershui Township office and Tianzhong Town Tourist and Shopping District Development Association. Starting from November, the words “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon” will be created as part of the earth art installation on the farmland between Jiji Line, Huimin railroad crossing (convergence of bikeway and railway) and North-South Line railroad using plants, flowers and windmills. The objective is to let travelers admire art from the train. As the train passes by, windmills driven by the wind pressure begin to turn, complementing the imagery of cyclists riding leisurely through Ershui to restore the former glory of the Ershui cycling route. The Zuntou Water ritual of Love Ershui Water Marathon involves displaying specialty products of each town and township at the Zuntou in correspondence with the event theme “celebrating abundant harvest, water marathon, searching for roots and paying homage to the land”. Moreover, bamboo gabion-shaped lantern art installations are created at Babao Canal along the roads leading to the event venue. The lanterns can be “adopted” by the public, and Deputy County Magistrate Ming-yu Lin has pledged his support by adopting 10 lanterns! The lantern lighting ceremony conducted at 21:00 on the 4th lit up Babao Canal and imbued the event with a creative flair! On the day of the event, activities such as the “water marathon creative show” and public water marathon experience will be held, where Taiwan Changhua Irrigation Association controlled the water level at Babao Canal so that people can enjoy the rare experience of running in the canal, symbolizing the accumulation of wealth and fortune. Visitors participating in the event received reusable shopping bags exclusive to the water marathon. Everyone is welcome, while stocks last! International exchange students from Japan, Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Mongolia and Bolivia will be invited to join the event in order to infuse more cultural elements through international cultural exchange. This in turn promotes the cultural heritage of the water marathon and markets Changhua’s folk festivals. A total of 10 local teams were selected for the most anticipated water marathon creative, with one of the teams consisting of new residents of Ershui Township. Each team pulled out all the stops to showcase their carnival-like creative marathon performance inside the Babao Canal with themes inspired by the local features of Changhua. Together, they expressed their sentiment for the land through running, and they also demonstrated their passion through the creative show that also embodies the fusion of diverse cultures. Over the course of the 2-day event (November 4 to 5), a “small farmers’ market”, “Ming Shi Jie Puppet Theater”, Yuanquan Community Theater “In search of 1719 Zuntou Fairy – Legend of Babao Canal” and “Inkstone Creative Exhibition” will be organized to endow the water marathon event with more cultural meaning. In addition, the community development association will be mobilized to organize the “community carnival” and “water marathon – water pistol fight”, where community residents either made traditional bamboo water pistols by hand or purchased water pistols to engage in water fights while running the marathon. Ershui Township also conducted the “Babao Canal Cultural Tour”, allowing the public to gain in-depth information about the towns and townships that Babao Canal flows through aside from just partaking in the water marathon. Everyone is invited to visit Ershui in autumn to experience local farming culture. The “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon” combines the resources of the industry, government, academia, and the private sector. In terms of academia, National Changhua University of Education (NCUE) has conducted an in-depth study on local history and culture by inviting international scholars to host the “Baisha History and Geography International Academic Seminar”. The seminar focuses on discussing the association between Babao Canal’s development and agriculture in Changhua County, making it a dialogue between irrigation and territory in society. Speakers of the seminar, include Japanese scholars Akira Morita and Misato Shimizu, Korean professor Chang-Yuan, Cheng, Chinese scholars Mao-Li, Han and Rui, Liu also took part in the water marathon. At the age of 88, Professor Akira Morita is an honorary professor at Osaka City University and an authority in the field of Southeast Asian irrigation history. He is the first Japanese scholar to study the Babao Canal, thus has become an internationally renowned academic. Citizens traveling to Ershui will benefit from convenient transport. Board a Taiwan Railways train and disembark at Ershui Station, where shuttle bus service will be available during November 4 to 5 from 08:00 to 17:00. A bus will depart every 20 minutes. Those who choose to take Taiwan Railways Jiji line can disembark at Yuanquan Station and walk to the event venue within 5 minutes. Due to limited space of the venue, please utilize public transport as much as possible. Changhua County Government invites citizens nationwide to come to Ershui in Changhua on November 4 and 5 to participate in the Babao Canal Water Marathon and its associated, unique wealth and fortune accumulation activities. At the same time, they can also appreciate the beauty of the Luoxi inkstone sculpture, enjoy pomelos – a specialty product of Ershui – and experience the only canal festival in Taiwan. Everyone is welcome to participate in “2017 Love Ershui Water Marathon”, a cultural feast with intellectual and emotional appeals. For more event information, please browse the official website (https://enixyoung.wixsite.com/2017water). Information courtesy of Changhua County Government official website.

Changhua County has launched the community development for more than 20 years. This year, “Happy Changhua-style Community” was taken as the theme and all the cultural products from each community are integrated and presented here for demonstrating the achievements of the artistic family development and the community theater.