Shimen Songshan Community Century-old Stone Terraces Introduction
The Songshan Terraces near Jianshan Lake in Shimen District, New Taipei City, are the only century-old stone terraced fields in Taiwan built with volcanic rocks from Yangmingshan. Over three hundred years ago, the ancestors stacked the retaining walls of the terraced fields using a triangular tripod method, creating beautiful geometric patterns from interlocking stones, complemented by the picturesque paths through the nearby fields. The Iris season occurs in April and May, while the peak blooming period for Cosmos flowers is in late June. During these seasons, the sea of flowers and the terraced fields reflect each other's beauty, creating a stunning landscape! The rural revitalization has led to the rebirth of the terraced fields, growing "Thousand-Year Rice," as the Shimen Songshan community encompasses multiple terraced landscapes and abundant natural resources. However, it faced a decline in agriculture, leading to the outflow of young people. In 2014, the Songshan community successfully proposed a rural revitalization plan, becoming the seventh community in New Taipei City to complete such a plan. The terraced fields have been replanted with crops, introducing the Koshihikari rice variety from Japan. The rejuvenated century-old stone terraces are now cultivated by twelve farmers collectively known as "Thousand-Year Rice" due to their combined age. The Shimen mountain area features the most beautiful rural landscapes, with the Shimen Songshan community combining environmental restoration with tourism guidance. Collaborating with corporate groups and schools, they utilize work holidays to restore the terraced field ridges and stone retaining walls, leading visiting individuals to participate in agricultural activities such as seedling cultivation, rice planting, weed gathering, and harvesting. By promoting land restoration and farming heritage, they advocate the concept of education through entertainment. The community also promotes non-toxic organic farming, industry guidance, and rural experiences, striving to reclaim the charm of past rural life.
