Explore tobacco barns and history of a forgotten village in southern Taiwan

探索台灣南部煙草穀倉和一個被遺忘的村莊歷史

Mingli village in Hualien County is promoting a 'travel slowly' campaign, inviting visitors to visit the old tobacco industry village to learn about its incredible history


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Located in Taiwan's southeast, Mingli village in Hualien's Fuli Township is one of the smallest villages in the county, and attracts very few tourists.

However, the village is hoping to change that, and the long overlooked village is now promoting a “travel slowly” campaign, inviting travelers to make a leisurely visit, to enjoy the old tobacco industry village and discover its glorious history.



During the Japanese colonial period when industrial-scale tobacco cultivation was spreading all over the island, Mingli was a major tobacco cultivation area in eastern Taiwan. With numerous tobacco barns in operation operated across the town, Mingli village once had the highest density of tobacco barns in the country.



Most of them were built in what is called the “Osaka-style,” presumably because of building techniques similar to those of Osaka Castle.

When the government monopoly system over alcohol and tobacco ended, domestic tobacco production also came to an end, and most of the tobacco barns were torn down or ended up falling into disrepair, many turning into rubble strewn fields.





Minglane 13, a renovated tobacco barn has now become a bed and breakfast. The owner Yu-Chieh Chu rented the barn four years ago and turned it into an exhibition room and restaurant. Visitors can learn about Mingli’s tobacco cultivation history at the B&B and also participate in a cooking class to make a do-it-yourself Hakka style veggie -stuffed buns.



The Mingli 13 barn was built in 1967, and it is now one of the only six remaining barns in town. The house has maintained the tobacco curing chamber in the attic to offer guests a glimpse of its historical appearance.

Though none of the tobacco barns are in use anymore, they represent the most glorious time in the village's economic history. Their existence gives the youth of the village as well as visitors an opportunity to witness the overlooked history of this small town.