Kaohsiung Volunteers' Memorial "Yi Road Tracking" debuted, more than a thousand people took the map to challenge 20 orientation points

The Kaohsiung Volunteers’ Festival “Trace the Volunteers” will be held in Panhua Park today. (Provided by Customer Committee)

The 2026 Kaohsiung Volunteers’ Festival “Yi Road Tracking” was launched today in Panhua Park. More than a thousand people held maps and explored 20 directional points in the park and surrounding areas, embarking on a “Yi Road” journey that combines cultural exploration and sports fun.

Wang Qichuan, Secretary-General of Gao City, said that Yimin belief is a symbol of the spirit of Hakka culture. The Hakka ancestors' solidarity and mutual support when facing difficulties are the essence of the Yimin spirit. He hopes that this spirit will be passed down from generation to generation and deeply rooted in everyone's heart.

Yang Ruixia, chairperson of the Gao City Guest Committee, pointed out that last year the Yimin Festival held a burden-carrying activity for thousands of people at the Yimin Temple. This year, it was moved to Panhua Park to promote Hakka culture in an entertaining and educational way. Through orienteering, cultural challenges and interactive games, children can experience it personally, leaving deep memories and further understanding the connotation of Hakka culture.

The Guest Committee explained that orienteering has a total of 8 Yimin cultural checkpoints and 12 general orienteering points. Participants must read the map and plan the route by themselves. In the process of finding points and completing tasks, they can learn about Yimin beliefs, Kaohsiung Hakka history and Hakka cultural characteristics. The official event attracted 89 teams to participate. Parents and children work together to discuss the route and divide the work to find the checkpoints. The contestants seize the time and sprint hard to complete the challenge within the time limit.

In addition to orienteering, five major cultural exhibition areas, "Tracing the Origin of the Righteous Road", are also planned on site, connecting the origins of Yi people's beliefs, ancestors protecting their homeland, the development of Kaohsiung guesthouses, festival culture and contemporary inheritance. By completing tasks and collecting seals, the public jointly spells out the "guardian flower" that symbolizes the spirit of guardianship. There are also Hakka markets, stage performances and parent-child experiences, allowing children of all ages to explore Hakka culture from different perspectives.

Adults and children hold maps in hand and explore 20 directional points in Panhua Park and surrounding areas, embarking on a "righteous road" journey that combines cultural exploration and sports fun. (Provided by Customer Committee)