The Rukai people are also known for their skilled woodcarving. The central beams supporting the slate roofs of the renovated houses are intricately carved with each family's history. The Rukai believe they are descended from a mythical hundred pace snake and images of the snake are ubiquitous throughout the village.
With all the hiking that can be done through the village and on the surrounding mountain roads, travelers are bound to become weary and fatigued. No problem. One architectural flourish of Rukai construction is the installation of slate benches, which are placed in areas where scenes of the mountain valley below lend themselves to lengthy contemplation.
Getting there: Wutai is about an hour's drive east from Sandimen (三地門) village, itself a 30-minute drive east from Pingtung City (屏東市). Take the number 24 highway from Pingtung passing through Sandimen, from where Wutai is a 60-minute drive. As there are no buses, the only access to the village is by scooter or car.
Accommodations: A complete list of guest houses (民宿) can be found in Chinese at www.e-tribe.org.tw/WUTAI/.
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