Naluo Village Introduction
Driving from Neiwan to Naluo Village, after passing the Naluo Police Station, remember to roll down your car window and take a moment to savor the air. Depending on the season, the atmosphere of the Herb Village will be filled with a variety of aromas. Regardless of whether you can identify the types of herbs by their scent, you will certainly agree that these fragrances all share a common name: happiness. Naluo is a village predominantly inhabited by the Atayal people, whose understanding of natural crops is rooted in their blood. They possess delicate thoughts and skillful hands, and grasp the philosophy of living in harmony with nature. Therefore, with guidance from the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Hsinchu County Government, and the Hsinchu Seed Improvement Station, Naluo Village began to systematically cultivate "aromatic medicinal plants," commonly known as herbs, more than a decade ago, while also establishing production and marketing teams, creating a wave of herb planting across the country. However, just as the herb industry was thriving, Typhoon Aere in 2004 swept away the beautiful vision in an instant. Severe mudslides not only destroyed all the floral fields but also severely undermined the confidence of the villagers. Fortunately, team leader Wu Hsiu-mei firmly believed that as living standards improve, the demand for herbs would only increase. Thus, she led her team in researching and developing uses for herbs, allowing Naluo Herb Village to not only provide raw materials but also produce high value-added herbal products. Over ten years, they established a close connection with herbs through organic farming. Today, the herbal hydrosols from Naluo Herb Village not only supply well-known domestic skincare companies but even the most quality-conscious German brands travel across oceans to purchase them. The persistence of the Herb Village has finally brought them their own happiness. Team leader Wu mentioned that while many people associate herbs with Western products, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" actually mentions as many as twenty-eight types of herbs and fragrant flowers, including daffodil, and the legendary Emperor Shen Nong "tasted a hundred herbs and first introduced medicine," indicating that herbs are truly not foreign imports. In various aspects such as food seasoning, folk health, beauty care, essential oil aromatherapy, and medicinal preparations, the roots of herbs can be found in Chinese culture. Therefore, combining Western herbal knowledge with our existing cultural characteristics is the suitable approach for a local herbal lifestyle. For example, when rosemary is mentioned, people often think of pairing it with grilled meat. However, Wu said that adding rosemary when stir-frying clams (or other shellfish) enhances the flavor even more. If you want to learn more about herbal cooking or even make your own skincare products, why not book a walk through the floral fields, where team leader Wu and her team members will guide you into their herbal kingdom?
