Yingge

Introducing Yingge

C is for Ceramics. C is for – Yingge? Well, not quite, but ‘Yingge is for ceramics’ is something almost any Taiwanese can chant. This little town (Yīnggē) in the very southern part of Taipei County lives by and for the production of high- and low-quality ceramic and pottery objects: everything from cupboard handles to Song-dynasty vases.

Pottery was introduced to Yingge in 1804, and a century later ceramics also began to be developed. Both industries flourished due to the excellent local clay and good local transport network, originally using the river and later rail. In recent years the town made the successful leap from manufacturing base to cultural venue. The opening in 1999 of the NT6-billion Yingge Ceramics Museum and the creation of the ‘Old Street’ solidified this crossover and put Yingge on the traveller’s map for lovers of traditional crafts.

Yingge makes an enjoyable, long day trip from Taipei and fits in naturally with a stopover at nearby Sansia for a look at the masterfully restored Tzushr Temple and the nearby blocks of Qing- and Japanese- era buildings.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009