East Coast National Scenic Area

The East Coast National Scenic Area Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (hereinafter referred to as the East Coast Administration) launched two programs: the East Coast Capacity Building and Demonstration Program for Sustainable Tribal Tourism and the East Coast Art Life Connection Platform Program. The Hualien County Eco-Cultural Recreational Entrepreneurship Industry Sustainable Development Association applied to these programs to restore an old granary in the Shuilian Tribe. In collaboration with artist Chien Yin-Ru, the tribe's migration history was vividly depicted in a mural inside the granary. An opening ceremony was held on October 23 to introduce this newly opened artistic attraction in Shuilian.

The Hualien County Eco-Cultural Recreational Entrepreneurship Industry Sustainable Development Association is a local organization that runs Cidal Hunter School, offering experience-oriented itineraries. Members of the association have participated in the East Coast Administration's research residency program since 2017. Through courses, locals examine tribal resources and build consensus on sustainable tourism. This year, the association applied to the East Coast Capacity Building and Demonstration Program for Sustainable Tribal Tourism with the proposal for the "Shuilian Life Museum," renovated from the abandoned granary under a lease with the National Property Administration. Craftsmen from the tribe led the renovation, which involved repairing the roof and windows and painting the walls. The association also applied to the East Coast Art Life Connection Platform Program for additional resources. Chien Yin-Ru and Nogdup were invited as resident artists to create the mural "Words Passed Down by Ancestors" inside the granary.

In the future, the granary will serve as a center for explaining the tribe's migration history, hosting mountain- and sea-themed exhibitions, facilitating tribal cultural exchanges, and training guides. It is also linked to the tribe's public arena, where daily life unfolds, including the old street that was once a provincial highway, the old oil company, rice mill, pharmacy, clinic, grocery store, and more. A visit to the granary is like stepping into a museum of life.

In addition to promoting the historic Shuilian Tribe through mini-trips and guided itineraries, the program aims to facilitate the development of the tribe's tourism industry and create business opportunities that appeal to young tribe members currently living elsewhere. Tribe members are also encouraged to participate in the tribe's development through the "Shuilian Life Museum Community Center Renovation Plan".

The Shuilian Granary reopened on Saturday, October 23, 2021. An opening ceremony, attended by elders of the tribe, was held to celebrate the community's collective efforts, commemorate the daily lives of past generations, and honor the tribe's traditional wisdom manifested in various ways.