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A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life

Written by Senior Editor, Xue-yao KUO, Web News Editor, Libra SHEN
It is said the origin of the name of Mountain“Liushi Dan”is from the quantity of rice harvested in the rice fields on this mountain. This place and Mt. Chi-Ke are two major daylily industrial areas in Hualien, and therefore one of the most popular scenic spots during August and September when the daylilies blossom.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
The shuttle bus offered by Fuli Farmers’ Association to watch the flowers will turn into Mt. Liushi Dan Industrial Road from Taiwan Highway No.9, then it drives through a winding mountain road, and a sea of daylily flowers with a total area of 300 hectares will spread in front of you. The yellow color of flowers going up to the mountain peak, through the near slopes and far valleys; such a beautiful and extensive view is really relaxing.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
There are 10 pavilions with different designs on the mountain, and they are named after the varieties of daylilies or exquisitely beautiful phrases. Among them, the “Little Swiss Observatory” is the most popular. Visitors can overlook the wonderful scenery in the East Rift Valley and Mt. Liushi Dan; it is the best scenic spot for many photography aficionados because of the view.

Mt. Liushi Dan is located on the Coastal Range, the east side of Fuli Village, Hualien County; originally only Amis people lived here. When Jianan plain was devastated by Flood Eight-Seven in 1959, a group of residents from Yulin migrated here with their families. These migrants originally came from Southern Fujian Province (aka. Min), and they account for 80% of the local population in Mt. Liushi Dan, so that Mr. Liushi Dan is also called “Yun-Min”. Most Amis people have migrated to other villages now, but there is still the birthplace of Talanpo on the mountain that remains secluded from the world and now a reservation area that outsiders don’t have access to.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
Happiness of Life in the Mountains: Yishun Leisure Farm
In this trip, we had our meals at Yishun Leisure Farm. The owner, Mr. Chun-He Lin, following his father’s footprint, is one of the immigrants from Yunlin to Mt. Liushi Dan. Unlike the plains, Mt. Liushi Dan doesn’t grow rice easily. And after harvest, porters are needed to carry the rice down the hill. The rice is heavy and the distance is lengthy, therefore, he started thinking how to carry the lightest products down the hill and make the most profit; later on, they changed to grow daylilies. In early times, farmers dried the harvested daylilies and carried the products down the hill for sale. In recent years, tourism has grown rapidly on the eastern coast, so Mt. Liushi Dan gradually transformed into a scenic spot both leisure and agriculture are emphasized from a place mainly daylily products were sold.

Since more and more people come visit the splendid floral sea before the harvest season of daylilies, in response to the needs of large number of tourists, local residents start running B&B and restaurants so that visitors can also taste the cuisines made of daylilies and even experience life in a farm village, asides from flower watching and travelling. For example, the Lins, running Yi-Shun Leisure Farm, is now the 3rd generation after migrating from Yunlin to Hualien. The son, Mr. Jun-jie Lin grows daylilies as well as tea and has won several awards.

Here on Mt. Liushi Dan, visitors can not only watch the daylilies, but also taste the featured dishes served by local restaurants, provided reservation is made beforehand. The dishes include fried daylilies, mushroom and daylily soup, etc. And there are also free-range chickens, cabbages grown on high mountains, and vegetable fern salad, the scrumptious dishes only in the mountains.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
From Farm to Table: 鐵掌櫃茶舍
Mr. Lin, the founder of Mt.Liushi Dan Development Association, recommends the tourists visit further and have lunch at 鐵掌櫃茶舍, where the daylily feast is served. The daylily feast includes fried daylily that carries a light-sweet aroma, and the daylily chicken soup that has a rich mouth feel and savory. 鐵掌櫃茶舍 fully demonstrates the spirit of “From Farm to Table”, daylilies and the vegetables are all home grown and the free-range chickens are raised by the owner.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
Utilizing Natural Resources: LooShzn Organic Ecological Education Park
Driving down Mt. Liushi Dan and heading southbound, visitors will arrive at the first organic village in Taiwan, LooShzn Organic Ecological Education Park. There are rich landscapes such as waterfalls, The Big Fish Pond, and mud volcanoes, therefore, it is also named “The Land of Milk and Honey.” Next by the tourist information center, visitors can find local agricultural products and the most popular in Looshzn village, the “mud volcano tofu”-related products.

“The Big Fish Pond”, one of the popular attractions in LooShzn Village located on the halfway up the hill and a sag pond, is also called Big Farm Pond. It was originally a wetland, and local residents in the early times channeled water to the place to form a pond for irrigation and fish farming. Later on, pathways and pavilions were built for tourists to watch the scenery.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
There are several active mud volcanoes in LooShzn village, and therefore, a special and rare geological landscape. Quite a few villagers’ houses have the traces of mud volcano eruptions, and they built the gas conduit back home as their natural energy resource.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
In the past, people in LooShzn village often used the muddy water from the volcano eruptions to make mud volcano tofu. The skills were gone originally, but recently the villagers strived to study and restore the skills so now more and more families are able to provide DIY activities for making mud volcano tofu. If interested, please make sure to make a reservation for material preparation.
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life
A sensory trip to Hualien: Strolling in the Floral Sea and Enjoying the Happiness of an Organic Life

LooShzn Waterfall formed by the fault of Costal Range, with an elevation of 120 meters, has 2 layers. The precipitous nature enables to maintain the original forest form in the surrounding areas. It is a pity that the pathway is temporarily closed due to the typhoon attack this year. But the beautiful scenery in the neighborhood still attracts many tourists.

We see our forefathers bid goodbye to pains and sorrows and their spirit of starting from scratch regardless of the hardships behind the beautiful floral sear on Mt. LiuShi Dan. In LooShzn Organic Ecological Education Park, we also find the villagers’ efforts in preserving the ancient culture and their attitude in taking advantage of natural resources. In the trip, we learn it is not so difficult as we imagine to build happiness with our own hands.

Yishun Leisure Farm

Add: No.15 25th Neighborhood, ZhuTian Village, Fuli Township, Hualien County
TEL: (03)882-1123、(03)882-1513、0911-862363
Website: http://www.goto60.com.tw/about.htm

鐵掌櫃茶舍

Add: No. 11-1, YuanHe Rd, ZhuTian Village, Fuli Township, Hualien County
TEL: (03)882-1670、(03)882-1051、0928-572808
Website: http://golden60.myweb.hinet.net/

LooShzn Organic Ecological Education Park (LooShzn Organic Village)

Add: No. 15-1, 9th Neighborhood, LooShzn Village, Fuli Township, Hualien County
TEL: (03)882-1189

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