Yeheng Rice Terraces Introduction
Yeheng Terrace is located in Yeheng Village southwest of Bali. The Yeheng area is well-known for its "terraces" and "hot springs," and many photographers love to come here to capture the rare terraced landscapes of Taiwan. The best photography point is on the opposite bank of Yeheng, at Sangguang, where visitors can capture the beautiful undulating and elegantly lined terrace landscape, making it an unforgettable classic scene along the Northern Cross-Island Highway. Yeheng is a tribe of the Atayal indigenous people, situated by the Mali Kuan River along the Northern Cross-Island Highway. It possesses the second-largest terrace in Taoyuan's Fuxing District, second only to Jiao Ban Mountain, and was once known as the "Barn of the Back Mountain." Access is available from Bali through the Guanghua Road. Although Yeheng Village is not a popular tourist destination, this has allowed it to retain the original simplicity of a mountain village. In this tranquil mountain village, there are terraces built during the Japanese colonial period to promote high mountain rice cultivation. At that time, the local Atayal residents were mobilized to create terraces from the mountain top down to the riverbed, bringing mountain spring water for irrigation, resulting in the most beautiful terrace landscape in the tribe. At its peak, there were over a thousand steps with a drop of more than a thousand meters. The self-sufficient way of life not only provided residents with a stable living but also enhanced the village landscape. For those wishing to admire the distinct layers of the terrace in full view, the road from Yeheng to Sangguang on the opposite bank offers beautiful scenery, showcasing the green terraces interwoven with distant mountains and blue skies, providing a refreshing experience. In addition to enjoying the geometrically beautiful rice field landscape, low-profile houses are scattered among the terraces, straight roads bisect the fields, with occasional vehicles passing through, creating a leisurely pace of life that urban dwellers yearn for. Historically, Yeheng Terrace was planted with rice, and the scenery changes with the growth of the rice throughout the four seasons—from the seedlings during sowing to the lush green during maturity, and finally to the golden grains before harvest, which is particularly captivating. Farmers work diligently in the fields, making one forget the passage of time until sunset, creating a rare rural scene in the city. In recent years, Yeheng Village has started growing the Momma Peach, a variety that peaks in May, to rival the peaches from Lala Mountain. The name "Momma Peach" comes from the fact that the harvesting season coincides with Mother's Day, and the farmers who cultivate them are mostly single-parent Atayal mothers aged over sixty. The flesh is delicate, sweet, and juicy, which visitors should not miss.
