Slate House

The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielusang Hamlet is located on a slope opposite the confluence of Danda River in the west and east in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, at an altitude of about 2,080 meters.

Tielusang Hamlet can be reached by going down from the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road. However, roads are damaged from typhoons and earthquakes, and the site is in poor condition. Continuing down from Tielusang Hamlet, about 1,280m above sea level, there is a fork road, which is the Guanmen Historic Trail. Located in the Tielusang Hamlet. The monument was erected in 2003 and was inscribed by Tian Bingyuan, the then mayor of Xinyi Township.

Mixikewan Hamlet is located on the left bank of the Mixikewan River, a branch of the west Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,300 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet formed from the migration of people from the Kategelan Hamlet.

During the Japanese occupation, influenza broke out and resulted in the death toll as high as 73 people in the hamlet.

Nowadays, to get to the Mixikenwan Hamlet, enter from the afforestation road of the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, pass the Tielusang Hamlet and Danda Hamlet, continue south to the confluence estuary of west Danda River and Mixikewan River, and then climb from the estuary to the platform of the river terrace. There are three slate houses on the uppermost terrace, which is the lower part of the Mixikewan Hamlet.

Haba’ang Hamlet is located on the right bank of the Haba’ang River in the upper reaches of the east Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. The hamlet is about 1,600 meters above sea level, at the end of the ridge line extending from the west edge of Mount Guanmen. It belongs to the Danshe group of the Bunun tribe.

During the Japanese occupation, influenza occurred which led to the death of the tribal people.

Today, due to the afforestation by the Forestry Bureau, there is almost no weed growing in the area. In addition, the remote location that resulted in few visitors was able to preserve the ruins. There are about 10 slate houses scattered on a wide platform. There are neatly stacked stone walls, and earthen pots at the door of many houses. Unfortunately, many of them have been damaged.

Ka’alang Hamlet is located on the right bank of the Wuming stream in the upper reaches of the east Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,600 meters above sea level and was a hamlet formed from the migration from Danda Hamlet.

Nowadays, to get to Ka’alang Hamlet, enter from the afforestation road near the seventh checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, go around the Ka’alang ridge and then go down to arrive at the destination. Currently there are eight slate houses remaining at the site, distributed on the steep slope. Fragments of pottery shards and porcelain bowls from the Japanese occupation period can still be found scattered inside the house.

Kanmuzu Hamlet is located on the east side of the ridge saddle at the confluence of the east Danda River and Kanmuzu River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,600 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet formed from the migration from the Danda hamlet.

There is Kanmuzu Hot Spring next to the hamlet. During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan used to have a police post here.

Nowadays, if you want to go to Kanmuzu Hamlet, you can enter from the afforestation road near the Seventh checkpoint on Danda Forest Road and walk down the fire prevention alleyway along the ridge line. However, the ridge line is quite long, and the path is not clear. The slate houses in the hamlet are distributed on the ridge line.

Danda Hamlet is located on the flat river terrace near the confluence of the Danda River on the east and west in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, about 1,250 meters above sea level.

It used to be the administrative center of the Bunun from the Danshe group during the Japanese occupation, and the Government-General in Taiwan once set up a police post and education center there. Later, many tribal people were infected with influenza, resulting in the death toll of up to 70 people.

Today, the  former site of Danda Hamlet can be reached by going down the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, and passing by Tielusang Hamlet and the Danda Suspension Bridge. However, since the suspension bridge has not been maintained over the years, it is required to cross Danda River and re-connect to the path leading to Danda Hamlet. Currently there are still more than 10 slate houses in the ruins.

The Tielusang Hamlet is located on the slope opposite the confluence of east and west of Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 2,080 meters above sea level. It belongs to the Bunun Danshe group who migrated from Danda Hamlet.

If you want to go to Tielusang Hamlet, you can go down the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road. However, due to soil erosion and road damage from typhoons and earthquakes, the site is in poor condition. There are only two well preserved slate houses. In addition, continuing down from Tielusang Hamlet is the Guanmen Historic Trail, at an altitude of 1,280 meters.

Hahabi Hamlet is located on the north bank of Danda river, extending south above Tielusang Hamlet in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,460 meters above sea level and faces Danda Hamlet across the Danda River.

If you want to go to Hahabi, you can go down the afforestation road from the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road leading to Danda Suspension Bridge. After reaching an altitude of about 1,280 meters, there is a fork to Guanmen Historic Trail. Walk west for about 20 minutes and you will reach the ruins of Hahabi Hamlet. There are about two well-preserved slate houses. Five steps below the tribal ruins is where the fort was erected by the Government-General in Taiwan during the Danda Incident in the Japanese Occupation period.

Jia-nian-duan Hamlet is located on the right bank of the lower reaches of Danda river, on the southern mountainside of Mount Jia-nian-duan in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,550 meters above sea level, and is a hamlet formed by the Bunun people of the Luan group who migrated here.

During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan set up a police post and an education center in Jia-nian-duan Hamlet. The formation of the building can still be clearly seen today, and there are three-tier terraces on the foundation platform. Jia-nian-duan Hamlet ruins can be reached from going down a path that is about 8 km away from the Danda Forest Road checkpoint.

Nowadays, there are around eight slate houses remaining that are relatively complete in shape but are covered with a forest of bamboo. 

Lafulang Hamlet in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, is located on the flat terrace at the lower reaches of Danda River. It is about 1,400 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet of the Bunun from the Kashe group that branched out from the Luanda hamlet during migration. This is also where the Guard Road joins the Guanmen Historic Trail, and the starting point of the Guard Road.

Today, Lafulang Hamlet can be reached by climbing up a small trail about 2.5 km from the third checkpoint of Danda Forest Road. Since Lafulang Hamlet is an easy-to-reach site, it has held many activities, such as “return to the ancestral land”, at the site. For this reason, slate houses were repaired and restored. House plates were hung in front of the house so that the descendants could identify their ancestor’s house.