Wutai Township

What is known as Wutai Village is a collection of settlements far up the Ailiao River valley, along wide, well-maintained Provincial Highway No. 24. The first three destinations below are in the largest and most remote enclave, also highest up a mountainside.

Yanban Lane

Yanban (Slate) Lane is at the top of this tiered settlement. Stretching 500m, it is paved with slate slabs and lined with traditional slate-stone buildings. On the façades are symbols proclaiming the social status of the owner: elite member of the tribal nobility (a hundred-pacer viper; see note in museum entry below), regular civilian, elder, hunter.

The Rukai are renowned as deft sculptors, and as well along the lane you’ll come across tribal scenes depicted in large stone reliefs and sculptures: tribal warrior heroes, wise elders with wizened faces, women engaged in ancient-way weaving… and one young hunter with wild boar on shoulder, yelling out into the valley ether – one of the above-mentioned warriors “calling out to you in welcome.”