June to September every year is the active season for Jinshan Sulfuric Fire Fishing which is one of the few remaining traditional fishing methods in Taiwan and a precious intangible cultural asset on the north coast. In order to pass on the century-old sulfuric fire fishing technique as a valuable cultural asset, the Northguan Scenic Area Headquarters held the “Century Fire-making Culture Exhibition” on the 2nd floor of the Yehliu Visitor Center from August 9-30.
This exhibition invites and cooperates with Chihlee University of Technology and the Vasai Fishing Village Cultural Life Association. The university has assisted with the development of fishing village culture in Yeliu and Huangang for many years, while the association is committed to preserving Yehliu’s ancient fishing equipment and local culture. In order to cope with the large number of foreign visitors to Yehliu Geopark, the exhibition also offers bilingual services in Chinese and English, so overseas visitors can learn about Taiwan's unique fishing methods through Sulfuric Fire Fishing.
In recent years, the Northguan Scenic Area Headquarters has actively promoted the transformation of Sulfuric Fire Fishing, ensuring it no longer relies solely on profits from catches but is also a popular tourism activity with local cultural features. It is hoped that through the Century-old Sulfuric Fire Fishing Exhibition, we can recreate the historical fishing equipment and cultural relics of this traditional past time and that the Vasai Village Fishing Equipment Exhibition will provide a better understanding of the real lives of fishermen in the past. Visitors can also further understand Jinshan’s unique Sulfuric Fire Fishing industry through related exhibition boards and boat models, videos and art sand paintings, ensuring the heritage of “Sulfuric Fire Fishing” is passed down and continues into the future.
According to lecturer and local cultural worker Chuo Ching-sung, Sulfuric Fire Fishing was first developed using torches made with local materials more than 300 years ago. It was then discovered that with the addition of water sulfur stone would produce acetylene gas and the high temperature and heat released when burning would be no less than traditional torches, resulting in the wide embrace of the unique “Sulfuric Fire Fishing Method” along the Taiwan north coast. Most notably, when the acetylene is instantly ignited, there is a loud “bang” that attracts thousands of blue-scaled fish to fly across the sea.
This year, the Northguan Scenic Area Headquarters also launched a variety of exciting and rich fire-themed land and sea itineraries with the vessels “Fuji No. 268” and newly added “Hongchang No. 168” available for regular bookings. These enable visitors to not only enjoy up close the most dazzling fishing fires on the north coast in the summer night, but also visit Huangang Fishing Village, Yulu Historic Trail, and enjoy a Sulfuric Fire Fishing DIY experience. Through the interesting and diverse itinerary, this soon-to-be-lost fishing culture can help tourists understand the local features of industrial culture and enjoy an in-depth experience tour.
