Texts and Phots by Richard Matheson Translated by Mallory Chen

      The Sanmin Valley has all the makings of an outdoor tourist paradise. Blessed with lush green vegetation and crystal clear waters, the valley is located in Kaohsiung County, south of Alishan, north of Jiasian.

      Central to the area's geography is the Nantzuhsien River (also known as the Chishan River) and its 11 tributaries. Tumbling down the southwest face of Yushan, Taiwan's highest mountain, the Nantzuhsien enters Sanmin at the Danayiku gorge. Of the 45 kilometers of the river that pass through Sanmin, 28 kilometers have been declared a wildlife refuge. Rafting on the Nantzuhsien River is exciting, but you need to bring your own raft, as there are no outfits running the river yet. During the wet summer months the river is dangerous, and locals say that outsiders have died while attempting to run it.

      The lowest point in the valley, the river, is 430 meters above sea level; the highest is the peak of Mount HsinWangLing, at 2,481 meters. The four main settlements one comes across while traveling upriver are Minzu (Nangisalu, in the local aboriginal language), Minchuan (Mangchu) and Minsheng First and Second villages (Takanua).

      Until recently, there was very little in the way of tourist traffic in this area, with the exception of Holy Mount Zion (a Christian community that began by squatting on aboriginal lands, and is now a self-governing enclave). Recently, however, Sanmin's local government has been working to get more tourist revenue into the area. District Chief Ke Ming-de says that developing tourism is the current highest priority, with an emphasis on "natural resources" (river, fish, mountains, wildlife), "culture" (aboriginal arts and dances), and "farming" (seasonal fruits and vegetables).

      One of the new projects is the NaTzuLan River Protected Area. Following the signs up the mountain from Minchuan brings one to a protected area where aboriginal crafts are sold and dances are held. In this writer's opinion, the real attraction of the area is the trail network that has been built along the river. Some paths guide visitors through camphor forest, cherry and plum blossoms; some have signboards with information about the local flora; but the best simply follow the river and lead to gorgeous waterfalls, river-sculpted rocks, and a long forgotten camphor-oil camp, complete with overgrown but intact ovens for making the oil.

WHO LIVES IN SANMIN?

      One of Sanmin's attractions is that it is spacious (250 square kilometers) yet thinly populated, with just 3,400 inhabitants. The area is uniquely multicultural. While most aboriginal areas are inhabited by a single tribe, Sanmin has the distinction of having representatives of almost all of Taiwan's 11 mountain tribes.

      Historically, Sanmin has been Tsou territory. Bunun families migrated into the area from Nantou County after the Tsou population was reduced by disease. Next came Atayal from the Hsinchu area. Most of the other aborigines living here arrived through marriage or migration.

      The Bunun are the majority, accounting for 2,330 people, and Bunun is the major language hereabouts. Tsou number around 500, and can mostly be found in the village of Minsheng. There is also a smattering of non-aboriginals--about 400 people, or 12 percent of the population. Adding to the ethnic mosaic, there is a picturesque Pingpu (lowland aborigine) village called Siaolin, located between Jiasian and Sanmin.

WHAT LIVES IN SANMIN?

      The wildlife in the Sanmin Valley is plentiful: Twenty-nine different mammals, 97 bird species, 30 types of reptile, 16 amphibians, 18 kinds of fish, and an amazing variety of plant life. The fauna is rarely seen from the roadside. According to locals, 15 or more years ago there were monkeys beside the road, deer and boar were often seen, and the butterflies were thick in the sky. Sadly, the butterflies are disappearing because of the pesticides used by farmers, and animal numbers have dropped due to poor hunting practices.

SIGHTS TO SEE

      Excellent hiking awaits those who have the time and patience to explore. However, if you are used to well-maintained national park trails, take special care--the trails are hunting paths without signposts, and the jungle is thick. Having said that, there are fairly well established routes to the bamboo-covered peak of Second River Mountain (this takes half an hour), and to Mount Hsingwangling.

      San Ming Huo is an interesting anomaly, with fire rising out of the hillside in a similar fashion to the fire at Guantzling. Firefly and butterfly watching is also popular; there being 89 species of butterfly in the valley.

      Phoenix Waterfall is the most popular of Sanmin's many waterfalls, and with good reason. A ten-minute hike from the parking lot (where cold drinks and local products are sold), the waterfall is especially impressive in the summer. The trail continues up the hill to some delightful swimming holes.

ABORIGINAL COOKING

      Aboriginal cuisine is similar to Chinese cooking, but as much of the meat is shot or trapped, it often has a gamier taste. At festivals and large gatherings, the tables are filled with flying squirrel, mountain boar, deer, rats and mountain birds. This writer has sampled raw pickled flying-squirrel intestines, and a dish called "stinky meat." The latter is meat that has been left in the trap for too long, and has started to rot. It is surprisingly delicious.

      Vegetables and leaves are foraged as they grow abundantly, and are often tastier than supermarket vegetables.

      Unfortunately, few restaurants serve authentic aboriginal fare. An exception is Ba Li Shiang (reported in the What's New section of this month's FYI SOUTH) in Minchuan. Also of note in Minchuan is the tea shop across from Ba Li Hsiang. While is doesn't serve aboriginal cuisine, it is beautifully decorated with bamboo and aboriginal motifs.
Coffee fans will enjoy Cafe Angisalu in the village of Minzu, where Mr. Huang has planted around a thousand coffee trees, and opened a lovely establishment with striking views of the river and mountains.

SHOPPING FOR SOUVENIRS

      There are several places to buy local arts. In Minsheng, the recently opened MaYa Workshop (tel: (07) 670-1971) sells bags, belts and other leather crafts in a nicely designed shop that is well worth checking out. In Minchuan, RiBuLuo Workshop (tel: (07) 670-1483) has a large selection of handmade clothing and crafts, while the Ba Li Shiang Restaurant also has some arts and crafts.

      Also in Minchuan is a local pottery workshop where local artists and their teacher, Hai Sul, work clay. At first glance, Hai Sul looks more at home in the role of policeman than artist. A dark stocky man with muscular hands ideal for working clay, he is thoughtfully articulate, interesting and has a strong sense of culture. In 1993, as a policeman in Tainan, he studied pottery. Later returning to his birthplace in the mountains, he was re-inspired by his Bunun culture, which he has worked into his pottery to great effect. At his workshop you can see the large brick kiln that he uses.

      Hai Sul has been exhibiting nationally since 1997, and is becoming well known. He says he is fortunate in that he doesn't depend on pottery for a living, so he can work when inspired instead of churning out items to sell. While not really a shop, people can drop in and see pieces made by Hai Sul and other local artisans.

FESTIVALS

      Several festivals are held in Sanmin each year. The largest is the DaEr ("hit the ear") Festival, usually held in May. This features local youths showing off their archery skills by trying to hit a hanging pig's ear--hence the name. Other festivals include a millet festival in August, and a river celebration in September--both Tsou tribal events.
Most aborigines are Christians, so Christmas is also celebrated. At midnight on Christmas Eve the population walks through the streets, holding candles and singing carols. The procession culminates with a church service; a day of games and a feast follow.

PLACES TO STAY

      There are homestays and hostels in and around the villages. Especially notable is the HuSong Relaxation Farm, located high above Minchuan, with deluxe air-conditioned cabins, a barbeque area, and a tent area; and the Falas Campground (tel: 0928-156-034), just beyond Phoenix Waterfall. This is a large field, impossibly perched on a very steep hillside. where you can pitch a tent or stay in a room. Dances and other activities are put on when there are a lot of guests. The boss will drive hikers to the trailhead for Mount HsinWangLing and other places.

GETTING THERE

      There are two major routes to Sanmin. The best road is up Highway No. 21 from Jiasian, a town on the Southern Cross-Island Highway. The alternative route takes considerably smaller roads via Chashan, coming from the Zengwun Reservoir or the Alishan area. Consult maps before attempting this route.

      For information, call the local government at (07) 670-1001. For English-language information, call Ba Li Shiang Restaurant at (07) 670-1387, and ask for Ebu.