Yeheng Terrace Introduction
Yeheng Terraces are located in Yeheng Village on the southwestern side of Balin. The Yeheng area is known for its "terraces" and "hot springs," making it a favorite spot for photographers aiming to capture the rare terraced landscapes of Taiwan. The best photography point is across the river at Sanguang, where the undulating, beautifully lined terraces can be captured, creating an unforgettable classic scene on the North Cross-Island Highway journey. Yeheng is a village of the Atayal Indigenous people, situated by the Mari Kuo Wan Creek along the North Cross-Island Highway, and features the second-largest terrace in Taoyuan's Fuxing District, second only to Jiao Ban Mountain. It was once known as the "Granary of the Back Mountain." Access can be gained via the Guanghua Road from Balin. Although Yeheng tribe is not a popular tourist destination, it has retained the original simplicity of a mountain village. In this tranquil mountain village, there are terraced fields constructed during the Japanese colonial period for high-altitude rice farming. The promotion of rice farming led to the mobilization of local Atayal residents to establish terraces from the mountain top to the creek bottom, irrigated by mountain spring water, creating the most beautiful terrace landscapes in the village, which once had over a thousand levels reaching elevation drops of more than a thousand meters. This self-sufficient approach not only provided residents with a stable life but also enhanced the village's landscape. For a panoramic view of the clearly layered terraces, visitors can capture beautiful scenery from the road across Yeheng towards Sanguang, enjoying the stunning scenes where green terraces intertwine with distant mountains and blue skies, which is refreshing for the soul. In addition to the geometrically beautiful rice field landscapes, low houses are scattered among the terraces, with straight roads dividing the terraces, occasionally traversed by vehicles, creating a leisurely pace of life that urban dwellers yearn for. Historically, Yeheng Terraces were planted with rice, with seasonal changes reflecting the growth of the rice crops, from the seedlings during planting to the lush green at maturity, culminating in the golden grains before harvest, which is particularly captivating; farmers toiling in the fields make one forget the passage of time, only to realize it during sunset, forming a rare rural scene in the city. In recent years, the Yeheng tribe has also started to cultivate "Mama Peach," a variety of sweet and juicy peaches that peak in May. This name was chosen because the harvest season coincides with Mother's Day, and the farmers are often single mothers or Atayal women over sixty years old. Visitors should not miss out on this delightful fruit.
