Outdoor feasts are a beloved Taiwanese tradition, but one community in the island’s rugged heartland does its feasting a little differently. Every year, this village sets out a banquet dominated by flavors from Myanmar, northern Thailand, and China’s Yunnan Province.
How did such faraway cuisines take root in the middle of Taiwan’s alpine highlands?
In Nantou County’s Yuanxin Village, there are many who can trace their roots to the Golden Triangle, the place where China and Southeast Asia meet. Their story begins with the Chinese Civil War.
While many anti-communist forces retreated to Taiwan, not all of them did. There were some who crossed from China into Southeast Asia instead. There they stayed. Various ethnic groups from both sides of the border intermarried. In their homes, they served local foods.
Eventually, some of them resettled in Taiwan. But they brought their cooking and traditions with them.
Once a year, the village celebrates its heritage, laying out a Southeast Asian feast. The banquet is complete with entertainment: this year’s show included a dance of the Hani ethnic group from southwest China. It’s a show of pride from a community that’s been uprooted but hasn’t forgotten its roots.