Naruo Village Introduction
As you proceed from Neiwan towards Naluo Village, after passing the Naluo Police Station, remember to roll down the car window and take a moment to inhale and savor the air. Depending on the season, the aroma in the Herb Village will be filled with various fragrances. Regardless of whether you can identify which herbs the scents come from, you will certainly agree that these fragrances share a common name: happiness. Naluo is a village primarily inhabited by the Atayal people, and the Indigenous understanding of natural crops is deeply rooted in their blood. They possess delicate minds and skillful hands, embodying a philosophy of coexisting with nature. Thus, with the guidance of the Indigenous Peoples Commission, Hsinchu County Government, and the Hsinchu Seed Improvement Station, Naluo Village began a planned cultivation of "aromatic medicinal plants," commonly known as herbs, over a decade ago, and established a production and marketing group that spurred a trend of herb cultivation in the country. However, just as the herb industry was thriving, Typhoon Aere struck in 2004 and shattered this bright vision overnight. The severe landslides not only destroyed all the flower fields but also severely impacted the confidence of the village residents. Fortunately, the leader of the production and marketing group, Wu Hsiu-Mei, firmly believed that as the living conditions of the people improve, the demand for herbs would inevitably rise. She led the group members to research and develop the processing and utilization of herbs, allowing the Naluo Herb Village to not only provide raw materials but also produce high value-added herbal products. After ten years of perseverance, they established a close connection with herbs through organic cultivation. Today, the herbal hydrosols from Naluo Herb Village are supplied not only to well-known domestic skincare brands but also sought after by the most rigorously quality-controlled German brands from afar. The persistence of the Herb Village has finally brought them their happiness. Leader Wu mentioned that while everyone's impression of herbs is often limited to Western products, there are actually mentions of as many as twenty-eight types of herbs and aromatic flowers, including daffodils, in the "Compendium of Materia Medica." The legendary Emperor Shennong's "initial tasting of a hundred herbs" made the discovery of medicinal plants evident, showing that herbs are not foreign imports. In various aspects, including food seasoning, folk health, beauty care, essential oil aromatherapy, and medicinal concoction, the roots of herbs can be found in Chinese culture. Therefore, combining Western herbal knowledge while leveraging our unique cultural characteristics is the way to cultivate a suitable local herb lifestyle. For example, when rosemary is mentioned, everyone thinks of pairing it with grilled meat, but Leader Wu says 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 leisurely stroll through the flower fields, letting Leader Wu and the group members guide you into their herb kingdom?
