Yeheng Terrace Fields Introduction
Yeheng Terraces are located in Yeheng Village, southwest of Balin. The Yeheng area is well-known for its "terraces" and "hot springs," making it a favorite spot for photographers looking to capture Taiwan's rare terrace scenery. The best photography vantage point is on the opposite bank at Sanguang, where the rolling and beautifully lined terraces create a classic unforgettable scene along the Northern Cross-Island Highway. Yeheng is a tribe of the Atayal indigenous people, situated by the Malikwa River along the Northern Cross-Island Highway, featuring the second-largest terrace in Taoyuan's Fuxing District, second only to Jiao Ban Mountain. It was once referred to as the "Granary of the Back Mountain" and can be accessed via the Guanghua Road from the lower part of Balin. Although Yeheng Village is not a popular tourist destination, this has preserved the original simplicity of the mountainous tribes. In this tranquil mountain village, there are terraces built during the Japanese colonial period that promoted high-altitude rice cultivation. At that time, local Atayal residents were mobilized to cultivate terraces from the mountain tops down to the riverbed, introducing mountain spring water for irrigation, creating the most beautiful terrace landscape in the village. At its peak, there were over a thousand steps with an elevation drop of more than a thousand meters. This self-sufficient method not only provided a stable living for residents but also added to the village's landscape charm. To view the tiered terraces in all their glory, one can capture the beautiful scene from the road towards Sanguang on the opposite bank of Yeheng, enjoying the stunning interplay of green terraces with distant mountains and blue skies, which is truly refreshing. In addition to witnessing the geometric beauty of rice fields, one can see low houses scattered among the terraces, with straight roads dividing the fields, occasionally allowing vehicles to pass through. The leisurely pace of life here draws urban dwellers to this pastoral existence. Historically, Yeheng's terraces were planted with rice, and the seasonal scenery changed with the growth of the rice throughout the year, from seedlings at planting to lush green at maturity, and finally to golden grains before harvest, a truly captivating sight. Farmers working in the fields often lose track of time until sunset, forming a picturesque rural landscape rarely seen in cities. In recent years, the Yeheng tribe has started to cultivate Mama peaches, produced abundantly in May, not wanting to be outdone by the Lala Mountain's honey peaches. This name derives from the fact that the harvest season coincides with Mother's Day, and the farmers growing these fruits are also single mothers or Atayal mothers over sixty years old. The flesh is delicate, sweet, and juicy, making it a must-try for visiting tourists.
