By Eryk Michael Smith / Staff
Image shows a five-meter panoramic mural created by artist Lin Chien-chih (林建志), a centerpiece of the exhibition. (Kaohsiung Museum of History photo)
KAOHSIUNG — The Kaohsiung Museum of History (高雄市立歷史博物館) has launched a major exhibition exploring the sacred traditions and folk beliefs along the Gao-Ping River (高屏溪), the 171-kilometer waterway that cuts through 12 districts and has shaped the lives, rituals, and cultures of Indigenous communities, Hakka villages, and Hoklo settlements.
The Liberty Times explains that the exhibition, titled “Sacred Waters: Cultural Beliefs and Folklore in the Gaoping River Basin” (這條河很神！高屏溪流域的信仰故事), opened Monday and features a five-meter panoramic artwork, “Humanities and Beliefs of the Gao-Ping River Basin” (高屏溪流域人文信仰圖), created by artist Lin Chien-chih (林建志). The piece has quickly become the centerpiece of the show.
A living atlas of rituals
The exhibition gathers a wide range of intangible cultural heritage from communities along the river, including:
• The Kanakanavu (卡那卡那富族) river rituals
• The La’alua (拉阿魯哇族) sacred shell ceremony
• The Taivoan (大武壠族) night festival
• Meinong Hakka ba-yin ensembles (美濃客家八音團)
• Temple traditions such as Guangshantang (廣善堂) and Xinyi Chuanshantang (新威勸善堂)
• The historic Liugzongtou volunteer militia rite (六庄頭義勇公做大小功)
• The Fengyungong Matsu sea-inspection pilgrimage (鳳芸宮媽祖海巡) in Lin-yuan (林園)
Also on display is photography by Liu An-ming (劉安明) from the 1950s — capturing rare images of the Hakka “sending off burned character paper” ritual (送字紙灰).
Four thematic zones
The museum says the exhibition is built along a gentle, river-like curved path, progressing through four sections:
- Where the river meets daily life
- Where spirits and people coexist
- Honoring the heavens and the river
- Warriors, guardians, and collective memory
Traditional clothing, weaving, fishing tools, shrine models, and historical plaques are showcased alongside Lin’s five-meter mural.
New documentary premieres
The exhibition also debuts a museum-commissioned documentary, “2025 Fengyungong Matsu Sea Patrol” (2025林園鳳芸宮媽祖海巡), filmed by DrumToo Films (鼓太影像). Visitors can create DIY stamped postcards as a takeaway.
The exhibition runs through September 6, 2026, in Gallery 201 at the Kaohsiung Museum of History. Details can be found on the museum’s official website and Facebook page.
