Every year in February and March, driving along Provincial Highway 26 through Checheng, you see endless onion fields on both sides. Farmers bend down to pull purple-red and golden-yellow onions from sandy soil one by one. These onions have spent the winter being shaped by the fierce Luoshan Wind of the Hengchun Peninsula: eaten raw they are sweet with a lingering finish; simmered in soup they are clean-sweet without sharpness — the signature agricultural product of Checheng and Hengchun, and one of the Three Treasures of Hengchun.
What is Checheng Onion
Checheng onions refer to onions grown in Checheng Township and Hengchun Town in Pingtung, primarily yellow-skin sweet onions with some purple-skin varieties. The growing season runs roughly from February to March each year; farmers plant in late autumn and the onions grow slowly through the winter in the dry, cool climate of the Hengchun Peninsula under the Luoshan Wind, then are harvested in early spring. The defining characteristic is high sweetness and mild pungency — they can be eaten raw in salads or onion rings, tossed with bonito-flake soy sauce as an appetizer, or simmered in broth where they develop a pronounced lingering sweetness well suited to beef stew and onion soup. When selecting, look for dry, intact skin, a tightly compact root base, and a firm, heavy feel in hand.
Why Checheng? The Hengchun Town Office designates onions as one of the 'Three Treasures of Hengchun.' Data from the Council of Agriculture and Pingtung County Government indicate that approximately 80 percent of Taiwan's onions are produced in the Checheng and Hengchun area, the highest output in the country. Two reasons: first, the fierce 'Luoshan Wind' (落山風) of the Hengchun Peninsula's winter keeps the plants compact and sturdy and allows sugar to accumulate; second, the well-draining sandy soil is ideal for onion root development. The Checheng Township Farmers' Association and Hengchun Town Farmers' Association have long promoted direct-from-farm sales, and during the February–March season roadside stalls set up by farmers are common along Provincial Highway 26.
How to eat it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified endorsements (sponsored content filtered out)
- The Hengchun Town Office designates onions as one of the 'Three Treasures of Hengchun' — a representative local agricultural product.
- Council of Agriculture and Pingtung County Government data: the Checheng–Hengchun area accounts for roughly 80 percent of Taiwan's onion output, the highest in the country.
- The Checheng Township Farmers' Association and Hengchun Town Farmers' Association have long promoted direct-from-farm sales and onion festival activities.
Visitor tips
- February–March is the season; outside these months, Checheng onions on the market are mostly refrigerated inventory, and flavor and sweetness are reduced.
- When buying from roadside stalls, look for dry, intact skin and a firm feel. Don't buy any that are soft, sprouting, or moldy.
- Onions in their mesh bags keep 1–2 months in a cool, well-ventilated spot; don't refrigerate — the humidity actually causes them to rot faster.
Information compiled from the Pingtung County Government Tourism Bureau, Hengchun Town Office, Checheng Township and Hengchun Town Farmers' Associations, and large volumes of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.