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| ::: Home》 In the mountain, a legend in change－ Yong’an Community, Luye Township, Taitung County |
 In the mountain, a legend in change－ Yong’an Community, Luye Township, Taitung County
Travelling into the Huadong longitudinal valley, one may discover the long stretching rice paddy field, which constitutes a large piece of greenness that always gives people a sense of staying far away from noises and disturbances. Occasionally, paragliders can been seen flying leisurely in the sky. An aroma of tea diffuses in the air. This is the Yong’an Community in Luye township, the tea garden of Huadong Longitudinal valley.
In a joint effort and dedication by the community residents, the Yong’an Community in Luye Township of Taitung County has been transformed gradually from a small-sized remote clan in abject poverty into the largest tea garden in the Eastern Taiwan and a key spot for paragliding and leisure tourism through the development of tea industry and community construction, the promotion of water and soil preservation, afforestation, beautification and leisure tourism. As Yong’an is turning on its charm, a legend in the mountain begins to spread. Just take a trip to Yong’an of Luye to enjoy the landscape of longitudinal valley and visit Gaotai for having a taste of fragrant tea and a paragliding experience.
Gaotai is an ideal parachuting base for top parachuting players in the country due to the vigorous ascending airflow there. As a result, parachuting has gradually become the main recreation sport for tourism in Luye. With the help of the government, a paragliding experience center and a take-off spot were established. The National Paragliding Championship and Huatung Longitudinal Valley International Paragliding Competition are held every year. “The Flying Season” has become the slogan for Luye to promote paragliding. Because of paragliding, the development in Yong’an is taking off at a great speed. |
| A Legend in the Mountain – The Largest Tea Garden in Eastern Taiwan |
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 In the 1960s when the government put its efforts into the promotion of black tea-related businesses in Luye, Yong’an was being transformed into a tea production region and a lot of local pineries were transformed into tea gardens. Afterwards, local tea farmers began to plant high-profit small-leaved species. Oolong, Tie Kuan Yin, Wuyi and ChinHsuan were introduced into Luye one after another.
In Aril 1982, former President Teng-Hui Lee, accopanied by several local political leaders, came to visit Yong’an, Luye. During the visit, Lee had a taste of local tea, and at the request of local team farmers, named the tea grown in Luye “Fulu Tea”. Since then, tea leaves produced in Yong’an have been on the market with the name “Fulu Tea”, and Yong’an was gradually developed into the largest tea garden in Eastern Taiwan.
 Due to the geographical and environmental advantages, agriculture has always been the main industry for the economy of Yong’an in Luye over several decades. It started with the plantation of pineapples, sweet potatoes and white sugarcane in the early years. Because of the introduction of tea industry, the living standard of local residents have been greatly improved. Half of the residents in the community are now engaged in the Fulu Tea-related industries. Livelihood and tea are inseparably linked in the tea garden, as the tea industry has created a vital force of this community.
“The fragrance of tea gives peace and tranquility in the township.” As the largest tea garden in Eastern Taiwan, Yong’an is filled with the fragrance of tea all year round, where the rustic life and enthusiasm always make an impression on the visitors. Yong’an is also the largest civil accommodation village in Eastern Taiwan, having a large number of civil accommodations of distinctive features for tourists seeking tranquility of the nature to enjoy a first-class vacation. Visiting the tea gardens, paragliding, rambling through the rural fields on a motocycle… there are indeed plenty of choices for you to enjoy the comfort of Yong’an.
Due to the efforts of local residents, Yong’an Community was changed from an originally backward and impoverished rural clan into a quality community in Taitung County, a community of sound public security nationwide, one of the top 10 classical agricultural and fishing villages in the country and even more, a rural clan with the largest number of legal civil accommodations in Taitung. Both the tea industry and tourism industry have reshaped the Yong’an community into a “Legend in the Mountain”. |
| The Homeland of Rice and Tea – Luye Worldwide Renowned Paragliding and Taiwan Champion Tea |
Heading southwards from Huadong Longitudinal Valley, one will notice a sudden blossom of colorful paragliders in the sky near Taitung City. As everybody knows, this is Luye Township of Taitung County. Gaotai is renowned both at home and abroad for paragliding, while Yong’an has overawed the whole country for its tea winning the title of the second national tea championship in 2005.
Most tourists are quite familiar with paragliding or Fulu Champion Tea. but few people are aware of the true beauty of the Yong’an Community. In recent years, the Yong’an Community has developed multi-dimensional and diversified styles and outlooks. For example, the exterior of the Yong’an Special Agri-Product Exhibition and Sales Center resembles a European–style wooden cabin, which is rather prominent along the No.33 East Line Highway. No wonder it has become a perfect place for community gatherings and visitor reception!
Mr. Chin-Ying Fu, the President of Yong’an Community Development Association, indicated that Youg’an is often ignored by tourists who come to Gaotai for paragliding though the two places are so close together. In fact, visitors may arrive the tea garden in Yong’an simply by travelling northwards on the No. 33 Highway. The Highway is conveniently connected to the No. 9 Taiwan Provincial Highway. |
| The Beautiful Yong’an Community, an Achievement of the Great Dedication to Afforestation and Beautification |
Yong’an, once called “Lu Liao”, is a place with very pleasant weather. As early as in 1917 during the Japanese Occupation Period, a village for Japanese immigrants was established in Lu Liao; it is thus evident that the place is very suitable to live in. The limpid and plenteous natural surging spring,Yu Lung Chuan, is a unique natural resource in Yong’an. Mr. Chung-Hsun Liao, the General Secretary of Community Development Association pointed out that Yu Lung Chuan offers clean and sweet water gushing from the ground in the forests although the spring water is no longer used as drinking water nowadays. A walk along the Yu Lung Chuan Ecological Walkway may let one perceive the charms of the mountain spring along the valley and have an experience of the fabulous tropical forests. The route starting from Sheng An Palace – a religious center in the community, passing alongside the Yu Lung Chuan and rivers and upwards till the tea gardens in Gaotai will also become a future tourist attraction.
As Yong’an community is a rural village with a long history and a conservative civil style, there used to be a lot of resistance to the idea of transformation at the beginning. Later on, however, beautiful open-style gardens were built in all households, which successfully converted the conservative style in the past into friendly faces nowadays. Creating a new beautiful community has become a common goal of the whole community. All residents were able to see the quality environment and influences brought by the radical changes of the style, and therefore, resistance was reconciled and residents became more united. “The aroma of tea; the fragrance of flowers; the sweetness of fruits and the strong interpersonal ties” has now become the objectives and wishes for residents in Yong’an. |
| Distinctive Features of Civil Accommodations in Yong’an |
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 While Yong’an Community appears to be a brand-new village, the beauty of this new world still remains unknown to most people. Chin-Ying Fu, the president of Yong’an Community Development Association, said that both Yong’an and Gaotai is well prepared to welcome the tourists. Since the community is only an half hour drive away from downtown Taitung City, tourists can first enjoy the spa at the Hongye (Red Leaves) Hot Spring, or go motobike-riding in Lung Tien and experience paragliding in Gaotai, and then stay overnight at one of the various civil accommodations in Yong’an to enjoy the rural life with the singing of birds and the fragrance of teas.
As a result of the efforts made by community residents over the years, the environment of this community has become more beautiful, while more and more legal civil accommodations with distinctive features have been built, such as Lien Chi Civil Accommodation – the first registered civil accommodation in Taitung County, or the civil accommodations planted with tree–ferns, Corn’s Home Civil Accommodations which provides the DIY experience and illustrations, and Lipin Civil Accommodation which was once a tea factory. There are nearly twenty civil accommodations of various features, offering plenty of options for the tourists.
21-gun salutes to you when checking in? Believe it or not, there are six genuine golden saluting guns in the 21st International Resort Palau inside the Yong’an Community. Its owner, Mr. Shu-Ken Lee was grown up in Yong’an, and he built this resort in order to make a contribution to his hometown. To ensure that tourists can enjoy first-class services, the resort uses SAAB Roadsters as the shuttle vehicle. Bicycles and heavy-duty motorcycles are also available for rental.
Lipin Tea Garden is another successful case under the guidance of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau. The owner, Mr. Chin-Jung Li pointed at the luxuriant and well-spaced flowers and trees and said, “We are very grateful to the SWCB for their help. Otherwise, how could we achieve today’s booming business?” Lipin Tea Garden was originally specialized in the plantation and processing of tea, but it is now a fun place for children to make “Hakka Pestle Cereal”. It is the perfect example of a successful transformation into the leisure agricultural industry.
Chin-Ying Fu mentioned that the Community Development Association is carrying out an integrated marketing strategy in order to raise the popularity of the Yong’an Community and its civil accommodations. Just make a phone call in advance, the Association will provide a specific travel plan or package tour, accommodation and meal arrangements, as well as transportation to and from Taitung airport, Luye or Kuan Shan railway stations. Next time when you plan to visit a backyard garden in Taiwan, don’t forget about this Xanadu. |
The Charm of Village Workshop No. 5 – Yong’an Community, Luye Township Yong’an Community Development Association Tourist Service Center : 089-550843 To make an appointment with Yong’an Community Lu Liao Narration Service Team for guidance narrations: 089-552224 or 0919611644 Contact Person: Ms. Wu (Customized plan and arrangements for visiting the Yong’an Community in Luye and in-depth experience tour) Director: Chin-Ying Fu 0955-771866 General Secretary: Chung-Hsun Liao 0932-707763 |
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| Drive southwards or northwards on No. 9 Taiwan Provincial Highway, at the point of 348 kilometers, proceed to No. 32 East County Highway.and arrive Yong’an, Luye. |
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