Pyanan Historic Trail

The Nanshan Tribe is located at 28K of the Taiwan Provincial Highway 7 of the Central Cross-island Highway Yilan Branch Line, at an altitude of 1,200 meters. It is a river terrace on the left bank of the upper reaches of the Lanyang River. It was originally called pyanan, meaning cooking, because in the past, the Atayal people often rest and cook here.  In 1959, the Yilan branch of the Central Cross-island Highway was built. At that time, Premier Jiang Jingguo of Executive Yuan passed by here and felt that the name of Pyanan was indecent, so he took the word Nan and changed the name of the village to Nanshan Village. Nanshan Village is divided into upper and lower hamlets. Kanaban is the lower hamlet, and is located about 300 meters north of the Nanshan Police Station. It is the original location of Pyanan Hamlet and as it locates belo the terrace, it is called the lower hamlet. Koxao is the upper hamlet. In 1913, the Japanese forces penetrated into the Nanshan area and set up a station at the current site of the Nanshan police station. In order to disperse the power of the indigines, the leader Losin-nobo moved half of the community members to live near the station and called it Koxao because of its nose-like landform.

Nanshan Elementary School is located in Nanshan village, at an altitude of almost 1,200 meters. It is an indigenous school with Atayal culture. The predecessor of Nanshan Elementary School was the "Pyanan Indigenous Children's Education Center" during the Japanese occupation period. It was established in May of the 9th year of the Taisho era (1920). In November of the same year it was open for school. In September of the 10th year of the Taisho era (1921), it was changed to "A-type Indigenous Children's Education Center", and the additional school building was completed in December of the same year. In May 1946, it was taken over by the National Government and changed to "Beinan Branch of Siji National School in Taiping Township, Taipei County". In August 1962, it became independent as "Nanshan National School in Datong Township, Yilan County". In August 1968, the nine-year national education was implemented, and the school was renamed "Nanshan National Elementary School". In 1991, the reconstruction of classrooms, dormitories and playgrounds was completed.

During the Japanese colonial period, in order to facilitate transportation and manage the indines, the Pyanan Historic Trail began to be built in March of the 7th year of Taisho (1918). The route goes through Huanshan, Lishan, Heping District, Taichung City, Cuiluan, Wangyang, Hongxiang, Ruiyan, and Wushe, Renai Township, Nantou County, with a total length of about 120 kilometers. It was completed in March 1921. This route was originally an aperture for the communication between the north and the south of the Atayal people. After excavation, it also became an important road for the "group migration" of the Atayal people. At present, this historic trail has been replaced by the Yilan branch line of the Central Cross-island Highway and the Lixing Industrial Road, leaving only two sections of the trail that do not overlap with the highway. One is the section from Yorkejiaoxi to Siyuan Yakou, and the other is from Lishan Anbu to Fushoushan farm.

Inside the Siyuan Yakou pavilion, there is a "Central Cross-island Highway Yilan Branch Project Monument", which records the beginning and end of the road construction project. On the back of the stele, there are four words "Ying Shui Si Yuan" (meaning: drink water and remember the water source, be thankful) inscribed by General Zhou Zhirou, the then chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Government in August 1961. This is the origin of the place name "Siyuan Yakou". The Yilan branch line of Central Corss-island Highway began construction in January 1955 and completed in March 1959, with a total length of 111 kilometers. The predecessor of this road was the Pyanan Historic Trail during the Japanese rulw. In order to facilitate traffic and manage the indigines, the Japanese began to build the trail in the 7th year of Taisho (1918), which extended from today’s Leshui Village in Yilan County, passing through Mao'an, Siji, Nanshan, Siyuan Yakou in Taichung City, Huanshan, Lishan, Mailiguan in Nantou County, Marleba, Hongxiang, Ruiyan to Wushe, with a total length of about 120 kilometers. It was completed in the 10th year of Taisho (1921).

Shengguang Police Station is located 49.5 kilometers away from Central Cross-island Highway Yilan branch line. During the Japanese occupation, in order to facilitate transportation and manage the indigines, the Pyanan Historis Trail was built in the 7th year of Taisho (1918). The route starts from today’s Datong Township, Yilan County and extended to Wushe in Nantou County, with a total length of 120 kilometers. The trail was completed in the 10th year of Taisho (1921). 

The biggest feature of this road is that it almost presents a "north-south" road system. Most of the Lifan roads are east-west, which makes this trail one of the six north-south roads. The Pyanan Historic Trail passes through the Atayal territory, forming a longitude and latitude with the east-west Lifan road, interweaving into a traffic network, and playing a very important role in the history of mountain transportation during the Japanese occupation. After the war, this historic trail was replaced by the Yilan branch of the Central Cross-island Highway and the Lixing Industrial Road.

Xueshan is located at the junction of Heping District, Taichung City and Tai'an Township, Miaoli County. It is 3,886 meters above sea level and is the second highest peak in Taiwan. In July of the 4th year of Taisho (1915), Saitsu Kyuhei, the survey team of the Fan Affairs Bureau, and his party, crossed the southern saddle of Pyanan(now Siyuan Yakou) from the southern part of Beiyanshe (now Nanshan Village) to Zhijiayangshe (now Huanshan hamlet), followed by Zhijiayang Dashan ridgeline to complete the first ascent and measurement of the main peak of the snow-capped mountain. Since then, this route has become the most convenient way to climb the sub-alpine mountain (the name of Xueshan during the Japanese occupation). In the 4th year of the Showa era (1929), the governor of Taichung prefecture built the "Chigao Lodge" in the southeastern part of Xueshan, which was the only lodge in the area that accommodates hundred people. After the opening of the Xueshan Mountain Route in 1970, it replaced the Zhijiayang Line as the main route for climbing Xueshan because it was relatively gentle and easy to walk.

The Songmao Hamlet is located 3 kilometers to the northeast of Lishan, on section four of Zhongxing Road, Lishanli, Heping District, Taichung City to be exact. It is located on the shoulder-shaped flat edge between Dajia River and its tributary Hehuan River, with an altitude of about 2,300 meters. During the Japanese occupation period, there was a Taibajiu police post in the area, so it was named "Taibaojiu"; Taibaojiu was also spelled "タボク" (Taboku) in Japanese, so the residents often referred to the community as "Tabok". After the war, the residents moved to the current site on the side of the road. The origin of the name Songmao is unknown, but it may be related to the variety of Songmao pear.

Built in 1965, Lishan Hotel is located in the center of Lishan district. It was the earliest hotel built in the area, also one of the main hotels where President Chiang Kai-shek hosted foreign guests and stayed when he visited Taiwan. Designed by the same architect as Taipei Yuanshan and Kaohsiung Yuanshan, which  are known as the three major palace hotels in Taiwan, the red exterior architectural features has become a landmark of Central Cross-island.  The hotel began to operate in 1971 and was run by the National Military Retired Officers and Soldiers Guidance Committee of the Executive Yuan. It ceased operation after the 921 earthquake and Typhoon Minduli in 2000, and since it has not been maintained for more than a decade, it has lost its original glamour. In 2004, the hotel was taken over by the Shenshan National Scenic Management Offce, and was entrusted to be operated and managed by Lishan Hotel Co., Ltd. The hotel was rebuilt and reopened in December 2012.

Siji Hamlet is located on the 18 km point of Provincial Highway 7A, on the upper reaches of Lanyang Stream in Datong Township of Yilan County, about 1,000 meters above sea level.

The traditional Atayal name for the place is Tayax, and is divided into upper and lower hamlets. After the death of Temuran Kaylo, the ancestor who founded the Manoyuan community in the Qing period, his three sons left the Pyanan community due to their estrangement with the family. They moved to Tayax that had fertile land suitable for farming. Later, the Jialan community, 12 km away from Tayax, was attacked by the Qing army. Hence, to avoid further attacks, the Jialan people decided to move to Tayax, making Tayax a community with a diverse population.

During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan set up a police post here. Seeing that it was like spring all year round with beautiful scenery, the place was named Skikun, which means four seasons in Japanese.

Siyuan Pass is located on the 45km point of Provincial Highway 7A in Datong Township of Yilan County, 1,948 meters above sea level, near the watershed between Lanyang Stream and Dajia Stream, which is also the lowest saddle point where Nanhu Dashan Mountain Branch and Xueshan Mountain Range meet. It is often foggy and misty.

During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan began to build the Pyanan Historic Trail in 1918 for the purpose of transportation and management control. It stretched from Zhuoshui in the north to Wushe in the south. The total length of the trail is about 120 km. After the war, the National Government built industrial roads and the Central Cross-island Highway, which replaced the Pyanan Historic Trail.

Since the Pyanan saddle was the water source for both Lanyang and the Dajia Stream, the area was named Yingshui Siyuan, which conveys the meaning of "When you drink from the stream, you remember the source". Therefore, the pavilion was set up to commemorate the water source.

The current Zhiliang Police Station is located about 3 km north-east on Huanshan in Heping District of Taichung City. It is the former Zhiliangjie Police Post that was set up by the Governor-General in Taiwan on the Pyanan Historic Trail during the Japanese occupation.

This trail was originally the path that Atayal people travel between north and south. However, for the purpose of transportation and management control, the Governor-General has resolutely built roads especially for managing and relocating the Atayal group to other villages (aka Indigene Management Route). Afterwards, the Nitto Research Institute of Domestic Oil Production tried to use the fallen wood roots of the cedar in the Zhilioangjie area to distill turpentine oil. However, due to limited profits, the production was suspended the following year. The present Zhiliang area has been included in the Big Lishan High Mountain Agriculture area.

Huanshan Hamlet is located in Heping District of Taichung City, at the 61km point on the Provincial Highway 7A and is about 1,600 meters above sea level. The hamlet was established in 1913, when a group of Atayal people migrated here from the Mashitobaon community (マシトバオン社) in Ren’ai Township, Nantou County.  The hamlet got its name from its geological location. As it is surrounded by high mountains such as Nanhu Mountains and Xueshan range, the name “Huanshan” means surrounded by mountains. Its previous name was Shikayau community (シカヤウ社).

During the Japanese occupation, the Governor-General in Taiwan planned to relocate the people from Huanshan hamlet closer to the flat land for the sake of management. However, this plan had failed and so they began to plant non-tropical fruit trees. This continued on into the post-war period. To this day, tribal people still use high-mountain agriculture as a business, but are greatly affected by import competition and traffic interruption.

The Taibaojiu Police Post is located above Provincial Highway 7A in Heping District of Taichung City, near the Songmao Hamlet, on the flat area of mountain ridge between the Dajia River and the Hehuan River, and is about 2,300 meters above sea level.

This police post was set up by the Government-General in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation, and named it Taibaojiu. Due to the Japanese pronunciation, it was referred to as Tabok, which local residents often used this name to refer to the hamlet. In the post-war period, the police post was moved to the current site next to the highway. Most of this area has been developed into orchards.

The Lishan Hamlet is located on the 82.5 km point on Provincial Highway 7A in Heping District of Taichung City, on the hillside on the south bank of the upper reaches of Dajia River. It is 1,780 meters above sea level.

This hamlet used to be the official Salamao サラマオcommunity that was established by the Government-General in Taiwan when Atayal people from the Kishiai community on the left bank of Dajia River and the Pelumoan ペルモアン community from the right bank of Dajia River were collectively moved here. 

During this period, paddy field farming and non-tropical agriculture was actively introduced. Lishan Hamlet was originally located near the old Nichinan police post until mid-1960 when the Cross-island Highway was opened to traffic and the local residents moved to Songbai Village, a Veterans Village set up by the Retirement Society. Gradually, this area became a little settlement.

The Marikowan Police Post is located inside the Marikowan Hamlet in Ren’ai Township of Nantou County.

During the Qing period, there were originally four communities: Mklihan, Mkbubul, Mktata, and Mkbabo. However, during the early days of the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan sent personnel to the hamlet and demanded the people to hand over firearms. The tribesmen stubbornly resisted, and so police forces were sent to suppress the people as well as burning down the Mklihan community.

In the post-war period, the National Government merged the four tribes into one Cuiluan community (Qalang Bubun). After the completion of the industrial road, some people moved to the roadside to form the Marikowan Hamlet.

Mareppa Police Post is located inside the Xinwangyang Cemetery in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, on the 29 km point of the Lixing Industrial Road, at an altitude of about 1,500 meters.

Xinwangyang Cemetery was originally the Wangyang village, also known as Mariba or Mareba. The people got relocated to settle here during the Japanese occupation. In the post-war period, due to landslides and stress about the safety of residence, the village was collectively moved to a place with relatively stable ground in the southwest and named Xinwangyang.

Nowadays, most of the tribal people are engaged in non-tropical and high-mountain agricultural work, which is an important source of local income.

Xinwangyang Hamlet, also known as Mariba or Mareba, is located in Ren'ai Township of Nantou County, on the 29 km point of Lixing Industrial Road.

The people of Xinwangyang Hamlet originally lived on the hillside of the Beigang River below the current site, with the traditional name “Mek-Moyau”. However, during the Japanese occupation, due to the fact that they lived under the sloping terrain, some people thought that the environment was bad and so they moved to the area near Xinwangyang Cemetery.

In the post-war period, due to landslides and concerns for the safety of living there, the village collectively moved again to a place with relatively stable land in the southwest and named it Xinwangyang.

Nowadays, most of the tribal people are engaged in non-tropical and high-mountain agricultural work, which is an important source of local income.

The Hongxiang Hamlet is located in the foothills of Baigu Dashan in Ren’ai Township, Nantou County. It is 1,170 meters above sea level. The traditional Atayal name of the hamlet is Makanaji. The land is flat and fertile, and most of them have been converted into paddy fields.

In the early days of the Japanese occupation, the tribesmen first moved to the upper reaches of the Makanaji Stream and took refuge when the Government-General in Taiwan sent military police into the hamlet. However, they were forced to relocate to a spot 1.3 km north of the former site of Maisiduobang for better monitoring and management by the Japanese. Later in 1923, they moved to the current location due to the barren land.

Baigou Police Post, located in Ren'ai Township of Nantou County, used to stand at the fork of the industrial road leading to Ruiyan hamlet. It is 1,349 meters above sea level.

During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan built the Pyanan Historic Trail in 1918 for the purpose of supply transportation and management of indigenous people. The trail is 120 km in length.

In the post-war period, the trail section from Siyuan Pass to Datong in Yilan was replaced by the Central Cross-island Highway, and the section from Meimu to Cuiluan was later opened as part of the Lixing industrial road.

The old Ruiyan police station, in Ren’ai Township of Nantou County, is located in the northeastern foothills where Beigang River and Kagao River meet.

The Ruiyan Hamlet was formed by the merger of the Mesiduobang community and the Tieli Lao community. Since Japanese rule, it has experienced multiple group migration policies. In the post-war period, the National Government also changed the name of the hamlet and merged. It was until the Jiji earthquake in 1999 that the Ruiyan Hamlet was relocated again in 2011 due to severe stratum damage. The new location of the hamlet is on the right bank of Beigang River, northwest of the original village. However, there are still 32 households that have not moved due to insufficient land.

Meimu Police Post, in Ren'ai Township of Nantou County, is located below the Lixing Industrial Road and next to the Meimu Camphor Bureau. It has now been converted into a tea factory.

The Lixing Industrial Road was completed in 1968. The road begins from Wushe in the south and ends in Lishan in the north, connecting to the Central Cross-island Highway. The section from Meimu to Cuiluan was originally part of the Pyanan Historic Trail during the Japanese Occupation period.

Today, the hillsides along the Lixing Industrial Road are rich in non-tropical fruits, but the geology of the area where the road passes is fragile. There are often landslides, hence the road conditions are not good.