Walk into Puli's paddies and beneath rows of tall, slender green leaves you'll find water bamboo shoots — pale white, shaped like a calf. Peel back the layers of outer sheath to reveal the smooth, tender, ivory flesh inside: clean, sweet, and full of moisture. This is the heartland of Taiwan's water bamboo. When summer arrives, these "beauty's legs" travel fresh from the basin straight to your table.
What is water bamboo?
Water bamboo is the swollen tender stem of the aquatic plant Zizania latifolia, enlarged by infection with the fungus Ustilago esculenta, forming the plump, pale flesh inside. The texture is crisp and clean-sweet. Puli is Taiwan's largest water bamboo production area — according to Council of Agriculture data, its cultivated area accounts for more than 80% of the national total, and its output exceeds 90%.
The Puli basin has clean water and a large day-to-night temperature difference, producing shoots whose flesh is white and shaped like a calf — hence the nickname "beauty's legs" (meirenti). The Puli Township Farmers' Association has held the Beauty's Legs Festival since 2007, bringing this local pride to a national audience.
How to eat it the authentic way
Local knowledge
Verified facts (sponsored content excluded)
- According to Council of Agriculture data, Puli's water bamboo cultivation area accounts for more than 80% of the national total and its output exceeds 90% — it is genuinely Taiwan's largest production area in every sense.
- The nickname "beauty's legs" comes from the flesh being pale white and shaped like a calf — it has become the standard name for Puli water bamboo.
- The Puli Township Farmers' Association has held the Beauty's Legs Festival since 2007 and is the official channel for information on the growing season and production area.
Visitor tips
- Peak season runs from summer through autumn. Choose shoots with full, plump bodies, tips that haven't turned green, and a firm feel when pressed — these will be the sweetest.
- Store unpeeled shoots in the refrigerator for better freshness. Peel just before eating to prevent moisture loss and softening.
- For direct farm produce, contact the Puli Township Farmers' Association. For in-season availability, check the Farmers' Association's announcements.
Information compiled from the Nantou County Government tourism resources and local township farmers' associations. Sponsored content has been excluded. Photos will be replaced after on-site photography.