The fona bean, or ¡§bean of life¡¨ is associated with vitality and fertility because it can grow in harsh conditions. Every year, the Tsou tribe on Alishan holds a Fona Festival to encourage the tribe¡¦s numbers to grow, and it is the only time of the year when members of the tribe can marry in a traditional ceremony. Long difficult to access, the festival is now open to visitors, giving them a chance to better appreciate Tsou culture.

Wearing traditional garb, indigenous boys and girls sing and dance as a prelude to Alishan¡¦s Fona Festival.

A bride and groom exchange a symbol of the birth of new life and sustainable regeneration ¡V the fona bean. Having received the blessing of the public, the happiness of the couple is written on their faces.

Chen Ming-li
Alishan Township Chief
The numbers of Alishan¡¦s Tsou tribe have not increased noticeably. We hope that the spirit of the fona bean will lead young people to reproduce after they have fallen in love and gotten married, said Chen Ming-li, the head of Alishan township.

The festival, which runs this year until Nov. 16, is not just about the bean of life. Surprises are everywhere, including this gazebo, hand-made from camellia trees and their flowers.

Yang Siao-ling
Sinmei Villager
Our specialty is camellia oil, so we wanted to do something with camellia flowers. All of these branches are from camellia trees, said Yang Siao-ling, a Sinmei villager.

Visitors will also find that the area is in the middle of its winter tea harvest, just another of the attractions along with the beautiful natural landscapes and a taste of Tsou culture that awaits them in Alishan the next two weeks.