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This film examines the traditional slate houses of the Paiwan people, highlighting their architectural expertise and cultural heritage.
Traditional Paiwan slate houses distinguish between the Upu (leadership center or palace) and commoners’ homes. From 1947, the Japanese government began forcibly relocating Paiwan people from their ancestral homeland. Subsequently, the Republic of China government implemented a “guidance” plan focused on education and economic development, encouraging population movement and imposing strict forestry and ecological protection laws prohibiting the quarrying of stone and timber, nearly leading to the loss of traditional building techniques for decades. In recent years, with revisions to relevant laws, slate house construction has been revived. Interviewed tribal nobleman Ijavuras Kadrangian and chief craftsman Riyhg explained that building slate houses was a collective tribal activity, embodying a spirit of mutual assistance and benefit, where people shared labor, wisdom, and skills.
Despite lacking cement or steel reinforcement, these houses can withstand earthquakes and typhoons. The builders filled the walls with sand to act as a buffer, preventing the stones from cracking during earthquakes. Skylights were incorporated into the house design, serving multiple functions: venting cooking fumes, letting in natural light, and allowing bedridden elderly people to see the sky.
The main materials were distinguished by “male stone” (harder, found in shady valleys) and “female stone” (softer, more resistant to sun and wind). “Female stone” has greater friction, making it more suitable for building walls and thus providing better stability. The house uses octagonal beams, which sink rather than roll during earthquakes. The roof tiles, inspired by fish or snake scales, overlap by 50% to ensure waterproofing and wind resistance.
Directed by Li-Yu Fu (Taiwan)