Jianhe Community (Shema Village) Introduction
Jianhe is located in the southwest of Taitung City, on the edge of the Taitung Alluvial Plain. It is situated between mountains and the sea, and consists of six settlements: Jianshang Road (Shang Jianhe), Jianfeng, Jiandong (formerly Teng), Yuchi, Xinshe (Xia Jianhe), and Minsheng, arranged from north to south. Among these six settlements, Xinshe is the largest with the highest population density, and is often referred to as Jianhe by locals, who simply call it Jianhe. The residents are primarily from the Puyuma tribe, with others being early immigrants from the western region. The local industry is underdeveloped, leading to population outflow, particularly a low proportion of young adults. Since 1998, the Council for Cultural Affairs of the Executive Yuan has allocated NT$3 million to support the Jianhe community through the "Revitalization of Local Traditional Industries Program," which established the "Jianhe Woodcarving Art Village." Under the guidance of Hagu (Han name: Chen Wensheng), a renowned indigenous carving artist and community leader, the residents of Jianhe have developed a solid foundation in woodcarving and possess rich creativity. As a result, wood carvings and relief artworks adorn street corners and walls of every household in the community. This creates a distinctive indigenous style for Jianhe, offering a unique space for artistic and cultural expression, and helps to preserve woodcarving skills along with Puyuma traditional culture for future generations.
