Huangjin (Golden) Town is located in the Gongguan Township of Miaoli County. In the past, it was a typical agricultural town. During the busy agricultural season, the rice ears in the fields turn yellow. From May to July, the Abraham trees on both sides of Provincial Highway 6 were in full bloom; the branches were bright and golden and the petals falling in the wind looked like golden rain. This is how the small town got its name. The Huangjin Town Leisure Agriculture Zone was formally established after the announcement of the Executive Yuan’s Council of Agriculture in early 1998.
To attract more tourists, Huangjin Town has developed from a traditional agricultural settlement to a diverse leisure and sightseeing community. In addition to the beautiful scenery, local residents combine DIY experience courses for pottery and bamboo weaving, as well as special homestays, dining, garden landscapes and flower farms, sightseeing farms, etc., to increase the richness of the local leisure industry and make the town more distinctive.
Huangjin Town also maintains the original Hakka village agricultural production. In addition to rice, the main crops grown here are persimmons, taro, strawberries, buckwheat, and passion fruit, as well as the only red dates in Taiwan. The traces of jujube trees can be seen everywhere. In recent years, the town’s products have become famous for their high quality and the products have been exported to Hong Kong and Singapore. It has actively attacked the international market and promoted the local economy.
In addition, to emphasize health and well-being, Huangjin Town has planned a number of bicycle lanes to provide people with a slow way of touring the area and enjoying the pastoral scenery. There are also many restaurants and snack bars in the town that focus on local specialties, such as red dates or Hakka cuisine. Each year, many cultural events related to local industries and Hakka folk festivals are held.
The villagers have organized the Golden Town Association. With the joint efforts of the residents, the whole Huangjin Town has gradually changed from being solely agricultural in nature, to multifaceted and refined, creating a reputation for itself and making the town a place for sightseeing, industry and culture.