Little Switzerland 六十石山小瑞士

Little Switzerland - Fuli, Hualien, Taiwan/小瑞士 - 台灣花蓮縣富里

Every year, we need to yearn for our ancestors on April 5th, the Tomb Sweeping Day. Family members would go home for the reason. Nowadays, even though not every family needs to worship the ancestors in the graveyard but at ashes niches, people would still go home for parents always want to see their children no matter how far they are. Asian society is still home-centered. I have no exception, either. Taking the train for more than four hours, I got back to the place where I grew up.

A TV commercial was shot on the top of Mt. 60 Dans (one "dan" is about 67.95 kg, the ancient Chinese unit of measurement),  which made my hometown, Fuli, one of famous sites in Taiwan. Mt. 60 Dans features the growth of orange daylilies. 60 dans means the abundant harvest. Through the three days when I was back, all the time was fully-scheduled. Of course I went to Mt. 60 Dans not only to capture the beautiful view, but also to experiment with my new camera. However, it was just not the season for orange daylilies. Otherwise, the top of the mountain would have been covered with orange daylilies, which could paint the mountain yellow and orange as an amazing paradise.
Earlier than 5 am, I rode the motorbike toward the mountain. The sun had not risen yet, while the sky was slightly bright already. On the way to the top, the sun was about to rise. I was totally attracted by the view. For years living in the countryside, I first felt the mountains so beautiful. Perhaps I had been used to it. The colors of the clouds varied fast. I was not sure if I had captured each of them. The mountains pulsed upwards, just like the waves, to the morning clouds. "Mountains glory not for the height but the god dwelling there; water surges not for the depth but the dragon lying in." Then I believed the god dwelling here was so almighty as to make the magical scene. In a while, the sun was rising. He shined downward with the warmth and made the whole world bright. The fog faded away slightly as the angel came down through the light. I took the photo standing at a certain guesthouse. As more visitors are coming, more guesthouses appear as well.
Keeping on going up, I saw the sky brighter and brighter. And I got higher and higher. All the houses looked like small boxes down there. My village became a tiny model yet still distinguishable. After taking the picture of a pavilion when I passed another guesthouse, finally I reached to the Little Switzerland, the very top of Mt. 60 Dans. The nickname "Little Switzerland" comes from the arrangement of the few guesthouses, small mountain roads, and the view of the hilltop. The great combination does look like a Swiss peak. However, that was the greenest plat I had ever seen. All the grass, no, all I could see was just different hue of green. The sky turned so blue as the sun took away the fog. The April breeze on the hilltop blew so tenderly. I could smell the scent of spring while I was stepping on the grass of dew.
Orange daylilies have a name called "Shadow-forgetting herbs" in Chinese. According to the herbal books, they are had to get away the thirst and tiredness. They also make people forget all the shadow on the mind since they cool down people's hearts. I did not eat any orange daylilies at all. But I did forget the shadow thanks to the works of nature. I wondered if I could find any term better than "fresh" to describe the air there. However, fresh was for sure not enough.
The sun rose higher then. I saw the peaks and the valley so clearly. It seemed that I had stand in heaven looking down the world under me. The little Switzerland just lay in my near front. I probably had stood on the land of Switzerland for real. My village was among the mountains. It smiled at the surroundings so peacefully. The river bended in the valley. Through the valley, a train ran on the track, which looked like the dark coppery line or the blood vessel of this place. The clouds decorated the blue sky perfectly. I wished I could have been able to stay until the sunset to shoot the terribly great view of nightfall there. But I had to go to Chishang, a village next to Fuli, for the performance of U theater. They were walking around Taiwan island on foot as the practice, training, and experience. And they would performed on the way when they could. Fortunately, they stopped by the area when I was there. Hopefully I could get back here again in the right time for the orange daylilies to be blooming, as well as I could have the chance to capture the nightfall.

Little Switzerland - Fuli, Hualien, Taiwan/小瑞士 - 台灣花蓮縣富里

The little Switzerland is only a part of my hometown. There are still more to explore. Let's go down the hill. Keep the good memories, but leave the love and care there.