Travel in Taiwan Scenery

A Visit to Maolin
Fascinating Rukai Aboriginal Homeland

By Cliff Vost, Photos by Sung Chih-hsiung


Rukai woman in ceremonial dress.
A manits picks its way through the rock.
Prior to the Ham Chinese immigration beginning in the mid-17th century, Taiwan was inhabited by people of Austronesian stock believed to have migrated from the Malay archipelago. Early settlement is estimated at having taken place around 6,000 years ago, with the most recent wave occurring less than 1,000 years ago. Following the influx of Han Chinese settlers to the island, the majority of the original 19 tribes became assimilated into Chinese culture; however more than 320,000 aborigines of nine different tribes continue to preserve indigenous culture today. Most of them live in remote mountain locations, eastern Taiwan, and on Orchid Island, a small island off Taiwan's southeastern coast.

The Rukai is a relatively small tribe, with a population of 7,800 distributed throughout the southern part of Taiwan's Central Mountain Range. Located in eastern Kaohsiung county, the Maolin homeland has a population of around 1,600 divided among three small villages: Maolin, Wanshan, and Tuona.

The bridge where the Chuokou River converges with the larger Laonung River marks the gateway to Maolin. From there, a newly built two-lane road leads to the entrance of the Maolin Scenic Area and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau's administrative offices. Visitors can take this road to explore all three aboriginal villages and view a number of scenic attractions.

The Maolin Scenic Area, ranging from 230 to 2,700 meters above sea level, consists of tree-topped mountains, valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and hot springs. It is an ideal location for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. Summertime is the rainy season; warm in summer and mild in the winter, Maolin's average temperature is 24 degrees. According to national environmental authorities, Maolin's air quality is the second best in all of Taiwan and its bodies of water are largely free from pollution.

Serene Villages
Lush greenery and plunging waterfalls are typical of Maolin's pristine scenery

Traditional Rukai houses are built almost entirely of black rock slabs.
Entrance to the maolin Scenic Area
From the entrance of the scenery area the main road goes northeast for a total distance of about 14 kilometers, first passing through the villages of Maolin and Wanshan before reaching the more traditional village of Tuona. The road offers a vantage point from which visitors can look down upon the rich scenery of rivers, palm groves, agricultural plots, and village structures which stretch throughout the valleys below.

During the latter part of the Japanese Occupation, which lasted from 1895 to 1945, the villages of Maolin and Wanshan were moved to the present sites from their former locations deeper in the mountains to the north. The houses in these two villages are newer and less representative of traditional aboriginal architecture. Tuona, on the other hand, has been in the same location much longer. It still boasts a few houses built almost entirely of black rock slabs from the nearby mountains and river beds. The same rock slabs have also been used to construct tables and benches, as well as to serve as wall and floor tiles in more modern buildings.

Not far from the entrance to the scenic area, a side road leads to Hsingnung or "Lovers Bridge" and then down to the Chuokuo River. Fine sand and huge boulders form the river bed and mountains soar into the sky along both banks. At this pot five different waterfalls can be seen during the rainy season. The banks of the Chuokuo also provide an excellent location for camping and picnicking.

About two kilometers past the village of Maolin is Maolin Valley. In the Rukai language it is aptly termed, Luomuszu, meaning "beautiful valley." There Musheng Creek converges with the Chuokuo River to form the deep clear waters of Blue Water Pool. Rapids here, and in many other places as well, make swimming exceedingly dangerous but add to the pristine beauty of the area.

Near the village of Wanshan, Meiya Valley offers sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and lush vegetation set against a background of majestic mountain scenery. A newly built foot trail leads to waterfalls at the end of the valley. Previously closed due to construction, this area will soon be open to the public. Also in the vicinity is Dragon Head Hill, where the flat banks of the Chuokuo and the depth of its waters make an excellent site for fishing, picnicking, and camping. Further to the south is Snake Head Mountain, a peak resembling a Chinese cobra. This vista is of special significance to local aborigines, who believe themselves to be descendants of the same reptile.

From the village of Tuona, a small lane winds about one-and-a-half kilometers to a natural hot spring pool big enough for half a dozen people. An excellent natural spa, on weekends and holidays the area is usually packed with bathers alternately soaking in the hot spring and the cool waters of the Chuokuo River. A second man-made pool, to be filled with water from the hot spring, is nearing completion. This much larger pool will allow many more bathers to enjoy the area.

Rukai Culture


This man's elaborate headdress denotes his high rank.

Unlike most areas inhabited by Taiwan's original dwellers, Maolin is one of the few places where aborigines constitute almost all of the population and preserve much of their cultural tradition. Visitors to the area can gain a clear insight into Rukai culture.

In the past, the primary sources of livelihood for the Rukai were farming, hunting, and fishing. Rukai women are skilled weavers and the men excellent wood and stone carvers. Master carvers are highly respected by the tribe. Vividly arrayed traditional costumes are adorned with tassels, beads, bells, and feathers. The lily blossom is a mark of honor similar to the laurel worn by the heroes of ancient Greece. The right to wear it is granted by the chief to brave warriors and very chaste women.


Bathers relax in the hot spring near the village of Touna.

The three-tiered social strata of the Rukai is divided into nobility, lesser nobility, and peasantry. Generally, both property and titles are passed down to the eldest son. Traditionally tribal chiefs had great power; in contemporary times, however, their importance has been largely superseded by elected officials and representatives. Tribal chiefs still play an important role, however, in ceremonies and daily affairs.

The most important tribal activities are biannual harvest festivals. The primary festival occurs in mid-autumn in honor of the millet harvest. The second major festival, taking place in early winter, celebrates the rice harvest. Festivities include dancing, singing contests, archery, drinking of millet wine, and pig roasts. On festival days, unmarried women stay home to receive the petitions of suitors, who present them with gifts of millet and rice. A popular woman can have the walls of her family's front room lined with the gifts of suitors. The villages of Maolin, Wanshan, and Tuona all speak different languages, significantly limiting inter-village communication. Moreover, children attend schools where only Mandarin Chinese is spoken. These factors have made the preservation of tribal languages increasingly difficult. No longer fluent in their native languages, many children today can only speak Mandarin.

The Rukai way of life has changed with modernization. Members of the younger generation have traveled to the cities to seek higher-paying employment. Farming, once a primary means of making a living, is now a relatively minor source of income. Hunting and fishing are now popular forms of recreation rather than essential parts of tribal life.

Transportation, Information, and Accommodations
Getting around Maolin is most convenient by car or motorcycle. To get there, get off the North-South Freeway at Nantzu, and then follow Highways 188 and 185 to Tachin and Maolin. The total distance from Kaohsiung to Maolin is about 45 kilometers. Bus service from Pingtung city to Maolin is infrequent.

The Taiwan Tourism Administration, hoping to make Maolin a popular recreation area for the people of southern Taiwan, set up an on-site administrative unit in November of 1991. Call for information at tel: (07) 680-1448. The Kangshan Farmers Association in the village of Maolin has 20 double rooms available to the public. Call tel: (07) 680-1488. Additional lodgings are available in Wanshan, tel: (07) 680-1486 and Tuona, tel: (07) 680-1001. Camping is also an alternative. Minimum entrance fees are charged for visitors, cars, and motorcycles.

Travel in Taiwan Scenery
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.