Zhuo Ye Cottage Introduction
The indigo grass, nurtured by the earth, rural areas, and natural environment, contains the incredible "indigo dye". Its wondrous color transformation is astonishing, with every drop being a precious gift from nature. This has led to the exploration of the diversity and intricacy of indigo dyeing techniques, while also opening up the simplicity and folk culture of indigo craftsmanship. Sanyi is a typical Hakka village, where the "Hakka blue shirt" was once the main color of everyday attire. The ancestors wore indigo-dyed clothing to protect themselves from snakes and poisonous insects. Modern scientific research has confirmed that indigo-dyed clothing possesses natural antibacterial properties, helping to prevent skin diseases. The Hakka blue shirt is an essential garment representing the ancestors’ endeavor to pave the way through the mountains. Zhuo Ye is located in the Sanyi mountainous area, characterized by a warm, humid, and misty climate, making it an ideal environment for indigo plants to thrive. Hence, the development of the indigo dyeing industry here has its geographical, climatic, cultural, and industrial advantages. In 2004, we introduced indigo dyeing techniques into the park, establishing a natural dyeing workshop that fully integrates the entire indigo dyeing process, from planting indigo grass, extracting indigo dye, managing indigo dyeing vats, to the dyeing techniques and post-processing, all embedded in our business. The couple running Zhuo Ye Cottage have rich backgrounds in tourism and agriculture. Combining their extensive management experience and expertise, they innovate and manage this cultural park. They have also invited numerous indigo dye artists, craftsmen, and designers (including the second-generation operator Zhuo Zi-Luo with an arts background from National Taiwan Normal University, and a graduate student from National Taiwan University) to engage in this creative and traditional industry, striving to blend agriculture with craftsmanship to create a new operational model. Upholding the "Three Lives Spirit"—"production," "ecology," "lifestyle," we respect the "life" of nature and promote the "six-level industry" model in practice: production (primary) × processing (secondary) × service (tertiary). By integrating agricultural production, cultural lifestyle, creative arts, and ecological environment, we have successfully shaped a farm experience that fuses leisure, craftsmanship, culture, and creativity.
201907 Zhuoye Cabin 1402
201907 Chuo Ye Cottage 1424
