Hop on an electric-assist bike (E-bike), feel the breeze, and ride slowly in a line through the Nan’an organic rice fields.
Turn a corner, and the famous "Nan’an Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree" appears right in front of you. Every now and then, a few wild ducks jump out of the fields. The view is so beautiful it takes your breath away...
You will realize how wonderful it feels to just "slow down."
This beautiful place is the organic farmland at the foot of Yushan National Park. The Lakulaku River winds through three indigenous villages—Zhuole, Nan’an, and Qingshui. It waters a land where people and nature live together in harmony. Here, rice fields, bamboo frames, stone walls, and green bushes interweave, creating a perfect landscape where wild animals roam freely.
The Lakulaku River flows through Zhuole, Nan’an, and Qingshui tribes,
creating a landscape where rice fields, bamboo frames, stone walls, and wildlife live together.
The Qingshui field: Our first E-bike stop. Though named "Clear Water," it uses dry farming because past upstream mining changed the water flow.
Life in the organic fields: It is perfectly normal to see wild ducks jumping out of the rice fields here.
Step Into Pisanglavan
Our first E-bike stop is the Qingshui field. Though its name means "Clear Water," it is actually a dry field. In the past, mining upstream changed the water flow, making it impossible to bring in river water. Over time, Qingshui shifted to dry farming.
Tina Uli (Kao Hsiu-chin) shares her philosophy of "living with nature":
Bunun Language Tips:
Pisanglavan: The Bunun word for "vegetable garden."
Tina: A respectful Bunun term for mother or female elders.
"My field has a lot of weeds. We shouldn't clean it up too much. If it’s too clean, the crops will die because the soil loses its moisture!"
"Adapt to the environment, don't force it to change." Tina Uli observes the land first, then fills the spaces with different crops. No single crop dominates here; everything grows together at the right time and place.
Taiwanese oil millet and Chinese scallions coexist peacefully in the grass.
Finger millet can be seen everywhere. Tina says: "Finger millet is very useful. In the past, if children had a stomachache or diarrhea, eating this would heal them right away."
"Formosan quinoa can be used to make yeast for millet wine. It can also be used as tea bags or cooked with rice to give the food a beautiful red color."
"Don't worry about stepping on these peanuts—it actually helps them grow more fruit!"
Qingshui: Women's Fields.
No weeding, no artificial watering. Using the farming wisdom passed down by Bunun elders, this land grows the ultimate biodiversity.
Tina’s wisdom: Tina introduces finger millet, <br>which was traditionally used to cure children's stomachaches or diarrhea right away.
Fresh lunch: All lunch ingredients come straight from the Tinas' gardens, mostly hand-picked this morning.
The Nan’an Project: A key achievement for Taiwan in joining international IPSI and OECM conservation efforts.
A Taste of Pisanglavan
Enjoy home-cooked dishes made by the Tinas. Every bite is a gift from a nature-friendly land.
The ingredients for this lunch came straight from the Tinas' gardens—many picked fresh this morning!
The Wild Veggie Platter: Refreshing pumpkin shoots and wild amaranth paired with "non-spicy chilis," mixed with sweet seasonal bamboo shoots, chayote squash, and a sprinkle of traditional peanuts for a crunchy texture.
Sweet Pumpkins: Hearty chunks of sweet pumpkin mixed generously with pigeon peas and quail beans.
The Highlight: Deep-fried pumpkin coated with finger millet—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, getting sweeter with every chew.
Sweet Soup: A bowl of traditional beans simmered slowly over a low fire, offering a gentle, clean sweetness.
Dessert: A traditional Bunun cake made of millet and oil millet, blended with the light, fruity sourness of roselle.
Every dish comes from the Tinas' gardens and memories.
Behind this light bike trip is a deep meaning, reflecting the core spirit of "Satoyama"—humans do not stand outside of nature; we live inside it.
The Nan’an Project: Protecting Nature and Community
The Tse-Xin "Nan’an Project" is a milestone for Taiwan in connecting with international eco-standards like IPSI (International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative) and OECMs (Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures). It is not just about organic farming, but about restoring a healthy Socio-Ecological Production Landscape (SEPLS).
By combining Bunun traditional ecological knowledge, the project protects over 400 native plant species and helps restore the endangered Kikuchi's minnow (a rare native fish) and the Grey-faced buzzard (a bird of prey).
By collecting stories from elders, publishing books, and sharing this wisdom with younger generations, the project builds a sustainable blueprint for Taiwan’s ecological conservation and community resilience.
Next time you pass by Yuli, stop by.
Come see the mountains, the fields, and how people live with nature. Give your heart a chance to slow down and breathe.
Sneak Peek! 📖
Why did we organize this E-bike tour? Because two English editions of "Into Pisanglavan" are coming out soon! Stay tuned!
Chinese Edition Links:
Into Pisanglavan: The Bunun Vegetable Garden