Important Mei-Nong structures

     There are some important structures in Mei-Nong. Besides traditional and modern buildings which I have mentioned before, there still many important structures which represent Hakka culture. First, I would like to introduce temples. Temples can be seen everywhere. Some of them are big which are decorated solemn; some are small which are located just beside a tree. Hakka people are not monotheists. they believe in many gods because of health, work, examination, agriculture, and worshiping ancestors.

     Second is the structure of word worshipping. In the ancient time, Hakka people were impoverished by living in mountains. Becuase Hakka people immigrated Taiwan too late and most fertile lands were occupied by Han people, they had lived an hard life for a long time. In order to have better life, they make hopes on imperial examination. Hakka people would put books, papers which have words on them into word worshipping and burn them.

     Third, the other important structure which represent Mei-Nong is the tabacco building. Tabacco buildings are places which Hakka people manufacture tabacco and all of them are built above the roof. In addition, in 1975-1967 BC, tabacco planting area in Mei-Nong are the biggist in Taiwan. In other word, tabacco  was an important industry. But when I visited Mei-Nong, it took me a lot of time of looking for tabacco buildings. In 1987, the policy of opening foreign tabacco and wine which attack Mei-Nong tabacco industry. Tabacco industry has been declined and barely Hakka people use tabacco buildings. Tabacco buildings were much fewer than traditional soil buildings, most of them are either destructive by strong typhoon or abandoned.