A New Place for Relaxation: Yuli in Hualien County, Taiwan

Rice, tea leaves, and orange daylily, Yuli Township, Hualien, gathers precious agricultural resources, awarded by several competitions. To improve tourism in Yuli, the Small and Medium Enterprises Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, initiated the “New Life in Pusko” project to promote excellent products via a digital cluster consisting of 10 local enterprises. The project is aimed to make Yuli a new popular tourist destination of Hualien with joint digital marketing campaigns.

Located in Southern Hualien and adjacent to Changbin Township, Taitung County, Yuli has productive land between the mountains and the sea. As many ethnic groups have stepped on this land since long ago, the place has had an elegant name,  Pusko, before it’s later changed to “Yuli”. People have been in dispute about the origin of the name. It is said that Pusko stemmed from a word in the Bunun language meaning “land full of sandy wind”. Another theory says the name was transcribed from “paheko”, which means “ferns” in the Amis language. Lastly, it is said to be named by a military commander-in-chief of Taiwan in 1875 (the 1st year of the Guangxu reign, the Qing dynasty). Since the Xiuguluan River is brimmed with white jade stones, the official named the place “Pushige” as they built castles. Pusko represents the cultural fusion of many phases of Taiwanese history. Its story can tell the humble and beautiful nature of this Eastern land. Hence, the project started from the concept of “Yuli, town of jade'' in the hope that domestic and international tourists would discover a different side of Eastern Taiwan.

The unique natural environment in Yuli cultivates pure and clean agricultural products. Rice, orange daylilies, and Mi Xiang black tea from Yuli are the exclusive regional products in Eastern Taiwan. The digital cluster of “New Life in Yuli” collaborates with exceptional agricultural brands for agricultural and food marketing. The agricultural brands of the cluster include Huadong Hongxuan, Mow Workshop, Chang-Hua Paddy Rice, 917 Gourmet Workshop, Ehotea, and Siva Organic Life. In addition, the project also involves Botan Original, Go Home & Sleeping, and INforMation Design to provide camping experience in nature and selected lifestyle products. The collaboration encourages visitors to live an aesthetic life by presenting visitors with holistic experience of a comfy life in Yuli as they enjoy exceptional regional products.

KS-Design, the company in charge of tour planning for the cluster, states that visitors will have comprehensive and comfortable tours in Yuli via courses, experience activities, and bazaars. Furthermore, visitors will learn more about the distinguished geography and history of Yuli by visiting notable destinations. Spots like “Junction of Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate” and “Antong Cross-Ridge Trailhead” will reveal the unique geological environment and uniqueness of the place. Historically, visitors will learn about the story of reclamation throughout hundreds of years in the history of Taiwan.

As a fusion of exquisite goods in Hualien and holistic itineraries to excite visitors’ senses, the “New Life in Pusko” project is expected to rejuvenate the lives of those who want to relax and make them experience happiness, humble and serene like white stones. If you’re tired of the hectic urban life, arrange a trip on holidays for an unforgettable rural tour in the precious land of Yuli, the town connecting the mountains and the sea. Come to Yuli and have a moment with nature and happiness.