Tea Garden Scenery of Alishan

Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang. In recent years, when migratory birds return to Taiwan, I stay in Chiayi, a city at the foot of Alishan, the most famous mountain on this island. Like many other Taiwanese cities, it is nestled between mountains and water. From this city, it takes only half an hour by car to reach either the mountains or the coast (Dongshi or Budai). The lush green lawn at Chukou, at the foot of Alishan, is where I often take my friends and dogs for walks. On clear days, one can gaze upon the majestic peaks of the Alishan range, and even more astonishingly, Jade Mountain comes into view. I frequently wander into the Alishan mountains, embracing the continuous peaks, leisurely strolling through the forests, entering the utopian Wuyou Valley, finding joy in solitude. Often, with good friends and dogs, I head deep into the mountains without a specific destination, or find a vantage point to enjoy the forest and tea garden scenery, choose a trail for hiking, or go to Shanmei to eat a meal featuring the flavors of the Tsou indigenous people, taste Aiyu jelly, drink a cup of Taiwanese coffee, or sometimes visit the Laji Tribe kitchen for a delicious meal—all of which bring great happiness. To me, a beautiful life is not complicated; living an ordinary life as one pleases is true happiness.

Since childhood, I have often heard the Alishan love song—"High Mountains Green"—with its lyrics about the girls of Alishan being beautiful as water and the youths strong as mountains, leaving a deep impression. I frequently hike and roam among the continuous peaks of Alishan, and have tasted much high-mountain tea from the region. In recent years, living in the city of Chiayi, whenever I have free time or want to relax, I immerse myself in the embrace of Alishan. Besides the dense and lush forests, the eye-catching feature is undoubtedly the tea garden scenery along the Er Yanping Trail. Sometimes, one is amazed by the misty clouds and sea of fog, enjoying the ethereal mountain atmosphere, becoming intoxicated every time.

The Er Yanping Trail (on the way up Alishan, at an altitude of over 1,000 meters) is one of the most charming trails in Xizhi, the most enchanting area of Alishan. From the viewing platform beside the provincial highway, one can see the panoramic view of the magnificent, continuous mountain peaks. There is a unique landscape resembling the silhouette of a giant elephant, known as "Elephant Mountain," which is a landmark of Xizhi. Standing on the viewing platform, it looks like a giant elephant. Look, the right side resembles the elephant's head, trunk, and continuous back, vivid and lifelike. The strata of Elephant Mountain belong to the Guandao Mountain Sandstone, forming steep ridge terrain. The scenery of Elephant Mountain changes subtly with time, seasons, and climate, shifting in green tones and creating different scenes, so each viewing offers a different picturesque view.

Visiting Alishan to admire flowers and scenery, or for tourism, has charm and views in any season. Nature, never tiring to behold, attracts people's eyes and stirs emotions with its most gorgeous beauty as the seasons change. Tea gardens in Alishan are distributed between altitudes of 900 and 1,200 meters. The Xizhi area is where Alishan high-mountain tea grows and is one of the earliest regions to plant tea trees. Consequently, the Xizhi hilltop is also known as "Tea Forest Hill," referring to the place where native tea trees stand in rows. Patches of tea gardens are scattered among the mountains. The climate on the high mountains is cool, with morning and evening fog covering the area and short average sunshine hours. This reduces the bitter components in tea buds and leaves, resulting in a sweet taste in the tea soup, filled with a light and elegant aroma. Main varieties of Xizhi tea include: Qingxin Oolong, Jinxuan Oolong, Oriental Beauty, and Fo Shou tea, among others.

I often roam among the peaks of Alishan, as if it were my backyard. The lush forests, tea garden scenery, giant rock cliffs, streams and waterfalls, plants and flowers—this colorful, spring-like island of Taiwan has nature as vast and magnificent as a huge park. Does the grandeur of natural scenery compare to the floral skirts and legs of Western classic gardens? Frequently wandering through the tea garden scenery in the Xizhi area, such as in Wuyou Valley, brings peace of mind and full spirit. Friends, come with me to drink a cup of oolong tea and feel and mentally travel through the tea garden scenery of Taiwan.