The highlight of Dragon Festival each year is no doubt the “Dragon Boat Race”. The figure of a dragon boat team getting ready can be seen all over the rivers and ports of Taiwan, regardless of North and South. Dongshih Township located near the mouth of Puzih River, is also a hot spot for Dragon boat Races. IN particular, this small fishing town is also known for its oysters and seafood, adding a rich sea taste to these dragon boat races.

Dongshih Township’s history for dragon boats racing is only 20 or so years, and the story behind it is actually the story of a filial son. There was once a famous poet named Huang Chuan Xin in Dongshih, but his son Huang Jian didn’t think he live up to his father’s reputation. In order to not stain his father’s reputation, he organized a bunch of people on boats with gongs and drums driving on the Puzih River. This lasted for 8 years. Up until Minguo year 2, the citizens of Donshih finally closed off the river for an official dragon boat race, until the Dongshih Port was completed.

Every year, the race always attracts a huge crowd into Dongshih Fisherman’s Wharf, combining local residents with other teams from nearby townships. Once the competition starts, every team gives their best shot to win, giving a brilliant and intense performance for the audiences. Compared to the boat races with other townships, Dongshih Township’s race has an even livelier atmosphere.

The organizers always combine tourism and leisure characteristics of the Fisherman’s Wharf, putting up various activities such as sachet gifts, oyster porridge tasting, ice cream and alcoholic beverages tasting, agricultural products and installation art exhibition, folk DIY, dance performances, and sightseeing raft experiences. Another sight worth seeing is the oysters industry seen everywhere in Dongshih township, with nearly 10.000 hectares of farming district for these oysters. One can take the tourism fishing boats on the ecologically rich Puzih River, looking at white flocks of egrets and the whole view of this oyster town.

After a financial planning of more than two hundred million NT by the county government, Donshih Fishing Port have transformed into a unique Fisherman’s Wharf full of leisure and cultural characteristics. It is also a new tourist spot for the emerging tourism base, leading the path towards a tourism city and cultural capital for Chiayi.