Bunun

Wuliting
Overlooking Mount Zhimao and Zhuoshui River below.

In the 12th year of the Showa era (1937), the Zhimao police post was established. It was stationed on the right bank of Zhuoshui River (now Wuliting Plain), where Danda River and Zhuoshui River  flow together, to monitor the entry of indignous peoples into the mountain. It was to prevent those indigenes that have moved to the plain from coming back. Also, in order to clear up the mountainous area and to relocate the remaining residents, the police post was set up between the relocation place and the original residence. This helped facilitate subsequent relocation matters.

Wujie Reservoir
影像為平靜的武界水庫,位於南投縣仁愛鄉法治村濁水溪上游。

Wujie Reservoir is located in Renai Township, Nantou County, across from Fazhi Village and Wanfeng Village, which is about 12 kilometers northeast of Sun Moon Lake and adjacent to Wujie hamlet. It was built in the 8th year of Taisho (1919) and opened in the 9th year of the Showa era (1934). The function of Wujie dam is to intercept the stream of the Zhuoshui River and its tributary Wanda River, send water to Sun Moon Lake through a diversion tunnel, then import it into power plants to generate electricity. Due to the large amount of sediment transported by the Zhuoshui River, the Wujie Dam blocks a lot of sand and stones in the upper reaches of the Zhuoshui River in the riverbed above the Wujie Dam, so the Wujie Dam is seriously silted up.

Luming Bridge
鹿鳴橋

The Luming Bridge is located on the old Provincial Highway 9. It crosses Luye Creek, which flows from Taoyuan Village to Xiazhongli. 

The bridge was designed by a Japanese architect in 1960 and is a steel cable suspension bridge constructed of steel cables and frames. The bridge deck is an asphalt road wide enough only for small vehicles to pass. Located on the right bank of the Luye River is Xiazhongli, which is called tashipalu in the Bunun language and means "the other side". During the Japanese occupation period, it was called Xiazhongli, which referred to the southeast of the current tribe. Compared with Shangzhongli in the upper reaches, it has been under the same jurisdiction as Wakagan (old Hongye) since the 14th year of Taisho (1925).

In addition to those who originally lived in the area, the Japanesecollectively migrated to Pasnanavan since Showa 6 (1931), and this place has also become one of the places to live. After the war, it was called Xiali for short.
 

 

Tianlong Trail
陡峭山壁上的天龍古道。

The Tianlong Trail starts at Tianlong Suspension Bridge at 186K of the Southern Cross-island Highway and ends at 197.2K of the same Highway, with a total length of 1.089 kilometers. It is a shortcut between Lidao and Wulu. In the 4th year of Showa (1929), the Japanese built the section of the Guanshan Historic Trail from Wulu through Lidao to Halibsong, and erected a suspension bridge in the valley between Lidao and Wulu, named "Tianlong Bridge". After crossing the bridge on the Guanshan Historic Trail, it goes up steeply directly to Lidao, which is different from the current route of the Southern Corss-island Highway. After the war, the Tianlong Bridge was in disrepair and impassable. When the Southern Cross-island Highway was being built, it was refurbished in order to transport construction personnel and materials. By 1993, the Tianlong Bridge had become a dangerous bridge, and the historic trail on the other side of the bridge was also abandoned. The Haiduan Township Office then restored the suspension bridge and dug a stone-step trail on the mountain wall on the north side of the suspension bridge. This section of the trail is the Tianlong Trail.

Lidao Hamlet
從南橫公路俯瞰利稻平台上的農田和房舍。

Lidao Hamlet is located in Lidao Village, Haiduan Township, Taitung County, on a flat plateau at the intersection of Lidao River and Xinwulu River. The name of the hamlet comes from the Bunun word "Lito", which refers to the many wild loquats here. During the Republic of China, it was renamed Lidao. In Showa 5 (1930), there were 24 households in Lidao, which were scattered in 10 settlements at that time. From March to August in Showa 8 (1933), due to the impact of the Daguanshan Incident, 16 households with 150 people were moved to the current Lidao area for easy management, forming a collective village. In Showa 15 (1940), for the purpose of promoting rice planting, the Japanese government moved 127 people from 14 households to the current Lidao area, and the scale of today’s Lidao settlement has taken shape.
 

Old Xiama Police Station
舊下馬派出所位於舊下馬部落,是日治時期葉巴哥駐在所,疊石地基和階梯仍保存完整,平台上尚有一棟水泥建築物

The Xiama Hamlet is located in Wulu Village, Haiduan Township, Taitung County, close to the top of the Southern Cross-island Highway, on a slope about 700 meters above sea level. The hamlet was originally located on a hillside about 1 km southeast of the present site and was formed under the Japanese government's forced relocation after the middle of the Japanese occupation. In the Bunun language, this place is called Vauvu, which means spine. It got its name because the mountain looks like a spine from a distance. There are only four Bunun families who originally lived near Vauvu. The Japanese named the place Ivaqo, set up a police post in the area to rule, and began to ask the Bunun people that were living scattered in the adjacent mountainous area to migrate to Ivaqo. In the late Japanese occupation period, Xian became a small settlement of about 10 households. In 1975, due to the collapse of the foundation caused by the typhoon, the government moved the residents from the old hamlet to the present location.

Xiama Hamlet
從南橫公路嘉寶附近眺望下馬部落和中央山脈主稜,部落的房屋緊靠著南橫公路旁。

The Xiama Hamlet is located in Wulu Village, Haiduan Township, Taitung County, close to the top of the Southern Cross-island Highway, on a slope about 700 meters above sea level. The hamlet was originally located on a hillside about 1 km southeast of the present site and was formed under the Japanese government's forced relocation after the middle of the Japanese occupation. In the Bunun language, this place is called Vauvu, which means spine. It got its name because the mountain looks like a spine from a distance. There are only four Bunun families who originally lived near Vauvu. The Japanese named the place Ivaqo, set up a police post in the area to rule, and began to ask the Bunun people that were living scattered in the adjacent mountainous area to migrate to Ivaqo. In the late Japanese occupation period, Xian became a small settlement of about 10 households. In 1975, due to the collapse of the foundation caused by the typhoon, the government moved the residents from the old hamlet to the present location.

Meishanming Tunnel
從梅山部落入口處眺望南橫公路上的梅山明隧道,此隧道位於梅山部落東南方,2014年8月曾發生大規模崩塌,現在雖已修復,但仍可看到隧道周圍裸露的土石,可以想見工程的艱鉅

The Morakot typhoon in 2009 caused subgrade collapse, road surface burial, and broken bridges on the Southern Cross-island Highway. The repair work was extremely difficult. Although the Meishanming Tunnel above the Meishan hamlet did not suffer major damage during the Morakot typhoon, it was damaged by heavy rain in August 2014. A large-scale collapse crushed the Tunnel, and it was not repaired until September 2018. Since the hamlet is the entrance to the mountainous area in the western section of the highway, the restoration of the Meishanming Tunnel was an important indicator of whether the Southern Cross-island Highway can be opened to traffic.

Meishan Hamlet
梅山部落主要道路,最右邊的建築物是馬舒霍爾文化聚落所,往前是樟山國小梅山分班,馬路走到底可接梅山吊橋

Meishan Hamlet (Masuhuaz) is located in Meishanli, Taoyuan District, Kaohsiung City. In the Bunun language, it is called Masuhuaz, which means rattan (Calamus jenkinsianus), and it got its name because the area is rich in this kind of rattan. The site of the old Masuhuaz community is above the current hamlet. After moving to the current site in 1961, it was still called Masuhuaz. The name was changed to Meishan after the national government moved to Taiwan because of the abundant plum trees in the area. The Morakot typhoon in 2009 caused subgrade collapse, road surface burial, and broken bridges on the Southern Cross-island Highway. The repair work was extremely difficult. Although the Meishanming Tunnel above the Meishan hamlet did not suffer major damage during the Morakot typhoon, it was damaged by heavy rain in August 2014. A large-scale collapse crushed the Tunnel, and it was not repaired until September 2018. Since the hamlet is the entrance to the mountainous area in the western section of the highway, the restoration of the Meishanming Tunnel was an important indicator of whether the Southern Cross-island Highway can be opened to traffic.

Fuxing Police Station (Bibiwu Police Post)
復興派出所(比鼻屋駐在所)

The abolished Fuxing Police Station was the  Bibiwu Police Post on the Guanshan Historic Trail during the Japanese occupation, and behind it was the Fuxing Branch of Zhangshan Elementary School. The Bibiwu Station was originally located on the west bank of the Laonong River, but was later moved to the site of the Fuxing Police Station on the east bank for reasons of precaution.  The Fuxing hamlet (Uaasik) is located in Fuxingli, Taoyuan District, Kaohsiung City. In the Bunun language, it is called Uaasik, which means a place that grows palms because there are many wild mountain palms here. The locals are more accustomed to using the Japanese translation of Bibiuw (bibiyoshe or Bibiwushe). The people originally lived scattered among the mountains and forests. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese implemented the policy of managing the indigenous peoples and forced the relocation of the tribe to concentrate on the left bank of the Laonong River, which is the platform about 2 kilometers east of the confluence of the Laonong River and the Lakesi River. At the end of the Japanese occupation, malaria broke out in the villages, causing the people to migrate, and the population dropped sharply. It was not until after the liberation that the malaria epidemic slowed down that the population gradually returned. At present, people mainly live near the present Fuxing Police Station. Since this hamlet is further away from the Southern Cross-island Highway, the settlements are scattered and small in scale.