Merging cultural activities to pass on age-old traditions

The annual “Salt Gratitude Ceremony” in Chiayi’s Zhou Nan Salt Flats expresses gratitude to the gods for the offering of salt. During the event, there are also various activities, including a market, challenge course, and salt pan tours, which are helping to preserve this traditional culture and inject new ideas into the age-old ceremony.

Over the years, some young people have returned to their hometowns to work the abandoned salt pans and began transforming the area’s traditional salt industry. In addition to the production of sun-dried salt, they have also developed environmental education. By getting people to step into the salt pans, people can experience the salt drying process first hand. At the same time, they have also incorporated social media marketing to upgrade salt into a cultural good.

Today, the Salt Gratitude Ceremony has retained its traditional customs yet transformed into a cultural experience of rich educational significance. It not only allows people to get a close look at salt, something so fundamental to our everyday life, but also continues the culture of expressing gratitude to the gods for salt.

以下為中文對照

謝鹽祭融文化體驗　盼延續在地謝鹽精神

一年一度在嘉義布袋洲南鹽場舉辦的謝鹽祭盛大開幕，除了迎神祭鹽以表達感謝，現場也有市集、闖關、鹽田導覽等多樣活動，不僅保留舊有文化，也替謝鹽祭增添許多新意。

多年以來，有些青年從外地回到故鄉重啟荒廢的鹽場，希望帶動當地鹽業轉型。除了鹽田產曬，也發展出環境教育，透過讓民眾直接踏進鹽田，實地了解曬鹽過程。同時更加入媒體行銷，將鹽升級為文化商品。

如今，謝鹽祭承襲傳統謝神習俗，再轉化成富教育意義的文化體驗，不只讓民眾親近日常生活中隨處可見的鹽，更能延續布袋在地謝鹽文化。