Miaoli (苗栗) - Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum (三義木雕博物館) - Sanyi Duck Treasure Shop (三義一ㄚ箱寶) [Taiwan Day 680: Into the Woods - July 12, 2015]

A lot of people were saying that I'm already rich since I always travel every week. I will never become rich of doing PhD but I'm already rich with my experiences in Taiwan. And here is one that is added to my treasure box. My trip to the wood sculpture capital of Taiwan – Sanyi. It is the place where people are burning with passion for wood carving and wherever I go I only smell one thing – the aroma of wood.

The estimated travel time of Google maps from Taipei to Sanyi town in Miaoli was 4 hours but it only took me to 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the artistic town. Bus 6606 of Fengyuan Bus company made it convenient to travel in Central Taiwan. I took the bus at Taipei Bus Station and I alighted at West Lake Resortopia. I walked for about 10-15 minutes to reach the Shuimei Street which is the wood carving street of Taiwan.

Both sides of the busy road were full of wood sculpture shops. Large dining tables, animals in the Chinese zodiac and many more can be seen while walking. Just enter one and you will be fascinated by the thousand hand Buddha. I was also lucky to find one busy craftsman doing his woodwork. 

A visit to the Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum is a must when you go to Sanyi. Large elephant wood carvings grace the facade of the museum and they looked real. The entrance to the museum only costs NTD 50 only for students. Unfortunately, taking photos and videos were prohibited inside the museum but the collections inside were great. Just go there and see for yourself. How did I go to the Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum. I walked 2 kilometers! lol

Another 2 kilometers from the museum is another famous place in Sanyi. It is the Sanyi Duck Treasure Shop. According to my research, a long time ago the shop received big orders for wooden ducks from companies abroad but due to competition from other wood shops in other countries the sales of the shop gradually decline. A great idea came to the owner to revive the shop. It was made into a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) shop where customers can choose the wooden toy they want and paint it with the colors of their choice.

 

A kind Taiwanese man gave me a free ride on his motorcycle and dropped me off at the Sanyi Duck Treasure Shop. I was just asking for directions in English and showing some pictures of the DIY shop. I followed the directions he gave me but I didn't know that he followed me only to know that he also brought his motorcycle.

There was a variety of wooden toys to choose from and that was the most difficult part for me. I selected the standing wooden duck since it will be space-efficient and the duck is the flagship item of the shop. I paid NTD 600 for this DIY activity. It was my first time to do something like this and I don't know if a similar DIY shop exists in the Philippines. The good thing about this shop is that the staff can speak English and I was given instructions on how to paint my duck.

After painting my duck, I gave it to a person to have that shiny gloss. It was later put into an oven where the customers wait on the other side for their masterpieces. I was so happy to received my wooden duck and it is now part of my 'Taiwan collections'. Other designs include the cat, owl and eagle. But it takes a lot of time to finish your masterpiece. How long did it take me? It was 3 hours! If you don't want to spend much time, you can buy ready-made products but it will be more expensive.

Oh Sanyi! You're so woody. The wood carving street, the wood sculpture museum and the DIY activity. Truly, the heart of Sanyi can be found deep into the woods.

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