Gufeng Bunun Village

Gufeng Village is a Bunun indigenous community in Zhuoxi Township, Hualien County, at an elevation of approximately 600 meters, and is one of the Bunun communities with the most intact traditional culture. The village is renowned for its pasibutbut, an eight-part polyphonic ceremonial song now protected as intangible cultural heritage, whose layered ascending structure holds a unique place in world choral history. The village offers cultural displays and experiences amid forest terrain that preserves traditional Bunun hunting grounds.

The Pasibutbut ceremonial song, commonly called the eight-part polyphony, was first recorded on March 25, 1943 by Japanese ethnomusicologist Kurosawa Takatomo in a Bunun village in what is now Haiduan Township, Taitung County; the recording was published in 1952 through the International Folk Music Council (IFMC), an advisory body affiliated with UNESCO, drawing wide international attention. The song is a shared Bunun ceremonial tradition sung across multiple Bunun communities, not unique to any single village. (Source: Chinese Wikipedia, 'Pasibutbut')

Highlights of Gufeng Bunun Village

The Bunun (Bunun) are one of Taiwan's highland indigenous peoples, traditionally distributed across middle and high elevations of the Central Mountain Range. Zhuoxi Township is their primary community in Hualien. Gufeng Village (Gufeng) preserves Bunun traditional architectural forms, agricultural calendars, and hunting culture. The pasibutbut ceremonial song was originally sung to pray for a good millet harvest. When singing, male community members gather in a circle and add voice parts from low to high in ascending layers. The song was recorded by Japanese scholar Tanabe Hisao in 1943, drawing widespread attention from the international music community.

The village has a cultural exhibition space introducing Bunun seasonal ceremonies (such as the ear-shooting festival, Malahodaigian), traditional textile patterns, hunting implements, and farming tools. Visitors can gain an understanding of forest knowledge and indigenous beliefs under the guidance of a village escort. A visit to the village must be arranged in advance by contacting them to confirm availability and following community protocols. Permission must be sought from community members before photographing ceremonies or specific cultural activities.

How to Make the Most of Your Visit

Practical Information

Sources: Ministry of Culture Bureau of Cultural Heritage intangible cultural heritage records, Zhuoxi Township Office indigenous affairs information. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own shots.