FEATURE
Lushui-Heliu Trail In the afternoon we tackled the Lushui-Heliu Trail, steeper in sections than the Shakadang Trail but still an easy walk. Starting at the highway, the trail takes you up to about 100 meters above the Liwu River and then brings you back down to the highway. This trail is part of the Old Cross-Hehuan Mountain Road, constructed in 1914-1915 by the Japanese when they sent in military forces to establish control over tribal settlements from Wushe in the central mountains to the Taroko Gorge mouth. The western section has now disappeared, but Taroko Gorge sections survive. The two-meter-wide Lushui-Heliu Trail is maintained almost as it looked during the Japanese period. Highway seen from Lushui-Heliu Trail
Tunnel near Lushui
The section along cliff above the Liwu presents fine views of the river-terrace formations on which old Truku settlements were built. In the old days, before most were moved out by the Japanese, there were over 70 Truku communities in the Taroko area. Other trail highlights include a 1930s monument commemorating four locally stationed Japanese officers who fell off a mountain during the suppression of a major Wushe-area native uprising (their cliff-trail collapsed), old Japanesebuilt stone retaining walls, a Japanese-built tunnel (bring a flashlight), and the rare Taiwan-endemic Taroko oak, with the familiar acorns but with leaves decidedly “unoak-like.” There is an interesting geological exhibition hall beside the Lushui Service Station trailhead, and across the highway is another exhibition hall with photos, maps, and other information on the old mountain road and Lushui area.
Buluowan Recreation Area After our walk we headed to the Buluowan Recreation Area’s Leader Village Taroko, where we were staying the night (more in our accompanying Stay/Buy/Eat article). Manager Joseph Cheng showed us around and gave us detailed background on the Truku. Buluowan is the name of the original Truku settlement here, and most recreation-area staff are Truku (all save Cheng himself at Leader Village). The recreation area is on an upper and lower terrace about 160 meters above the Liwu. The Truku, distinct from but associated with Taiwan’s second-largest tribe, the Atayal, moved into the gorge from the Wushe area a few hundred years back, displacing the Amis, Taiwan’s largest tribe, who inhabit the eastern plains. Indigenous music p er formance It’s believed that strife within the Atayal orbit obliged them to move, and that “Truku” was the name of their original central-mountain settlement/area. They followed old hunting trails to the gorge. “Buluowan” is Truku for “echo.” Guess why. The cliff-surrounded recreation area offers trails, a sophisticated multimedia Truku/Atayal/Amis cultural intro, a circular theater where traditional dances are staged, a museum explicating traditional arts and crafts – with accompanying gift shop – and live arts/crafts demos. We attended the nightly Leader Village song-and-dance performance, which is open to all. Visitors are taught traditional Truku greetings, given a demonstration of the stylized shouting used to communicate between settlements, and entertained with performances featuring traditional Truku musical instruments and the songs and dances of the Truku and other Taiwan tribes. Kids being kids, the performers convinced Mr. Cheng to let them finish with a spirited break-dance routine and the rousing Korean rap monster-hit Gangnam Style.
16
Travel in Taiwan