Forest Fun! You Fun!

Gao Shan, which translates to "High Mountain" but is not a particularly tall mountain, is the name of our village. Located in Fengbin, Hualien, the "Gao Shan Forest Tribal Ranch" serves as a cultural and living hub for the "Coastal Bunun." The journey of the Coastal Bunun from the Central Mountain Range to this area was the first time these mountain forest natives, known as the Gao Shan tribe, saw the sea. This rich cultural convergence made the "Coastal Bunun" a unique cross-border community. Interacting with the Amis, Sakizaya, Kavalan, Hakka, and Min Nan people... At the Gao Shan Forest Tribal Ranch, we share a collective understanding of adventure, culture, and ecology. Through spiritual experiences that connect us to the land, we guide people back to nature and into the wisdom of their culture, helping them become their true selves.

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▌Plant Hide and Seek▌

Welcome to this forest! We've selected 17 unique plants, accompanied by a playful guide and map index, to provide you with a tranquil exploration in the woods.

✦ How to Use: Follow the plant markers on the map and compare the illustrations, photos, and text clues to discover where the plants are hiding. Observe their unique features and appearances at your own pace. Or, set aside the map, wander the paths, and use your senses to experience the forest’s healing power. Find the tree that brings you the most relaxation and peace—it might be your perfect match at the base!

▌Be Bunun ▌

This is a true story not recorded in history books. Now that the old hunter Ma Da Shan has passed away, the stone cave house that has survived three generations is now managed by his grandson, Little Ma, and their family. Together with the tribe, they transformed it into a forest experience site, sharing their home and Coastal Bunun culture. Thus, the concept of "home" has become more open. Bunun, meaning "people," invites you to be a Bunun for a day. Let us tell you stories of how, after leaving their ancestral land, the family settled by the sea, rebuilt their home, and grew into their identities.

✦ How to Use: Follow the map markers to explore the base, read and listen to the stories of the Coastal Bunun intertwined with the land, and participate in interactive invitations to create your connection with the Coastal Bunun.

✣ Prepare Together Before Entering the Forest ✣
Let's relax your body together. ⟡ Slow Breathing ⟡ Slow down your breathing, count silently in your heart: one, two, three…inhale, then count one, two, three…exhale. ⟡ Open Your Eyes ⟡ Rub your hands together until warm, close your eyes, gently place your palms over your eyes, then slowly open them. ⟡ Promise to the Trees ⟡ We've made a promise: when interacting with the forest plants, be as gentle as you were with your eyes. In the forest, we don't over-pick or harm; we treat everything with love.

✣ The Forest is Ready, and So Are You ✣
Now, your eyes, nose, ears, skin…are all ready to experience this forest. Welcome! Play with the forest plants, be a curious and respectful guest visiting their home.

✦ Recommended Plant Identification Apps
① Picture This
② Seek by iNaturalist
③ iNaturalist

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Plant Explanation Text: Gao Shan Forest Tribal Ranch - Forest Fun
Guidebook
Project Coordination: Chen Ya-Ping
Text & Editing: Ou Yang Meng-Zhi, Tseng Yu-Ching
Design: Xu Mei-Yi
Ecological Consultant: Wu Yong-Bin
Plant Illustration: Fern│https://www.facebook.com/naturejue
Guide Music: Zheng Yi-Xuan (micky1314231@gmail.com)
Guide Voice: Tseng Yu-Ching