Meinong is a friendly citytown in the southern region of Taiwan, and the residents strive to create a residential quarter they are proud of with a beautiful and comfortable environment.
Meinong is located northeast of Kaohsiung City, surrounded by mountains. It is a beautiful citytown with fertile lands, beautiful landscape, and unique culture. Meinong Creek runs through the town, filling the Shitou Canal with sufficient irrigation water year round. The abundant water resources created a wide expanse of fertile lands and built the town's economy upon agricultural production. However, a composite effect of several factors, including Taiwan's membership in the WTO, removal of the price guarantee policy for rice and tobacco, and Meinong's status as protected water resource area, brought Meinong a complete ban on livestock husbandry and therefore caused the three major categories of agricultural activities diminishing in the citytown. In recent years, Meinong district, the farmers' association, and the local communities worked together to develop recreational agriculture on the foundation of the rich Hakka culture, aiming create another wave of prosperity through industrialization of tourism and culture.
The Meinong people have a deep affection for their hometown and embrace the development with high expectations. They also value highly the development of the community, as well as their own rights; thus, social clubs sprout up and brought along interesting activities. The annual butterfly festival and coalitions to protect the historic landmarks and cultural heritages, as well as advocates for elderly welfare, are continuing developed. Meinong people's strong identification to the Hakka cultural industry may be a positive trend in a democratic society.
Of course, Meinong's success lies in the tremendous human resources and material support from the local communities and the outside organizations. Looking forward, we wish that Meinong's success experience will provide as a reference for the policy makers.
In the future, Meinong will focus on implementation of several projects and expects that the overall policies will lead the CityTown into a better future. I wish that Meinong will become a model Hakka citytown for other Hakka communities in Taiwan.
From the spring Paper Festival, February Opera, Painting the Earth, to White Radish Festival, Meinong has different flairs in different seasons. We look forward to share our joy with you and welcome you with to the beautiful rustic country and dazzling flower seas and butterfly caves with open arms and smiles. Welcome to Meinong.
Yours Faithfully
District Mayor of Meinong