Taiwan is home to nine aboriginal peoples. Except for the Yami, Puyuma, and Ami, the other six tribes all live in the mountains, around 1,000 meters above sea level. They have a lot of stamina, they can carry heavy loads, and they share a similar physique and physical abilities.

Among the 320,000 aborigines on the island, the Bunung are the fourth largest group, with a population of more than 30,000. That the Bunung of Tungpu, who occupy only a small fraction of Bunung lands, have earned their reputation as the sherpas of Taiwan is due partly to geographical advantages.

Located 1,120 meters above sea level, the town of Tungpu serves as the start and finish point for expeditions to climb Yu Shan (Jade Mountain), which at 3,997 meters is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. The town also features refreshing hot springs that afford pleasant relief to weary hikers and climbers.

These geographical advantages have given the Bunung of Tungpu a greater chance to display their talents than the other aborigine tribes.

The mountain aborigines of Taiwan used to live mainly by traditional hunting and slash-and-burn agriculture, and because their way of life required a great deal of physical labor, they cultivated their physical abilities. After the Japanese occupied Taiwan and began conducting a series of wilderness surveys, they recruited the able-bodied men of the mountains for their expeditions, and that was when the aborigines began climbing mountains "for other than traditional purposes."

Partly through compulsion and partly through hiring, the Japanese had each tribe provide guides to assist them in surveying, and the strong young men of Tungpu were among them. During the latter part of the occupation, because the Japanese had a strong interest in climbing Yu Shan, the Bunung of Tungpu were also hired as bearers for expeditions.

Generally speaking, though, not many aborigines were hired for mountain climbing expeditions during the Japanese occupation and the early period after Retrocession, because mountain climbing was not very popular, the economic situation was poor, and entry to the mountain regions was restricted by law.

By the late 1960s, however, living standards had improved and mountain climbing had become more and more popular as greater attention was given to it in the media. Its popularity reached a peak in the 1970s.

During the first half of this twenty-year period, climbers usually sought help from the aborigines of the local area, but since then they have invariably picked Bunung as their first choice. The 22 service personnel hired by the ROC Alpine Association for its expedition to traverse the Central Mountain Range in 1971, for example, were all Bunung from Tungpu.

Wu Yu-lung, 28, who began climbing when he was eighteen and now works in the Yu Shan National Park Administration, says seven out of ten of his fellow townsmen in Tungpu used to be hired for expeditions when mountain climbing was at its most popular, and the rest were either sick or had important business to attend to.

Wu Ming-chin, now in his early thirties, who helped the brothers Sun Chin-ting and Sun Chin-shan conquer 100 mountains in just fourteen months, once spent more than 200 days a year on expeditions. Wang T'ien-ting, who has reached the peak of Yu Shan more than 500 times to date, has a similar record.

Why do mountain climbers seek the Bunung and only the Bunung? "It's like a firm with an established name attracting customers," explains Ou-yang T'ai-sheng, who worked in mountain climbing associations for many years. "The Bunung of Tungpu are responsible and reliable, and mountain climbers know they can depend on them. When you're climbing a mountain, you need the kind of support you can count on in a crunch."

Besides being adept at finding their way and locating water, the Bunung, like other aborigines, can carry heavy loads. Most of them can shoulder eighty or ninety kilos of equipment, even though weights that excessive often produce deleterious side effects.

Living all their lives in the mountains, the Bunung have a special feeling for the mountains.

Says Wu Yu-lung: "Everything I have was given to me by the mountains. Even so, we must take only what we need and no more."

Most Tungpu villagers respect and cherish the mountains and believe that people shouldn't harbor the attitude of "conquering" a mountain. Otherwise, they may end up being "conquered" by the mountain instead.

"You can't kid around with a mountain, or you'll suffer the consequences yourself," says Fang Yu-shui, who also works in the Yu Shan park headquarters.

Unlike most aborigines, who have sought a more comfortable way of life by becoming more like the people below, the Bunung of Tungpu have improved their living conditions by working as guides on mountain climbing expeditions. But in recent years, as the fervor to conquer the mountains has gradually subsided, their chances for being hired have declined. In addition, the cultivation of tea, plums, peas, and other crops has encroached on many mountain areas, posing another concern for the future.

The Yu Shan National Park Administration has employed many Bunung as rangers to look after the park and assist visitors. But their work is rather limited in the scope it provides them to develop their potential.

As for mountain climbing, because they have not joined the proper associations or passed formal tests,only three of them have obtained permits to work as guides, so even if they do the work of guides, they are paid only as bearers.

They may well be the best choices for a future expedition to climb Mount Everest, but only if they are properly developed.

Even an athlete with Olympic potential must rely on hard work and training to win a gold medal.

[Picture Caption]

Tungpu is the gateway to climbing Yu Shan. (photo by Arthur Cheng)

Tungpu townsmen Wu Yu-lung (right) and Fang Liang (left) were the first of their party to ascend Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. They embraced and wept with joy on the peak. (photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung)

The Bunung of Tungpu are a must for hikers along the backbone of Taiwan. (photo from Sinorama files)

They are the sherpas of Taiwan.(photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang)

Without the Bunung of Tungpu, how many peaks on Taiwan would have been c limbed? (photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang)

Bunung children follow their elders up the mountains to hone their skill s. (photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang)

Mountain climbers should show consideration and not ask that they carry too heavy a load.(photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung)

The bronze statue of Yu Yu-jen at the top of Yu Shan was carried there b y Ch'uan Kui-lin (left) and Wu Sheng-mei (right). (photo courtesy of Wu Sheng-mei)

The first group of Bunung employed by the Yu Shan National Park Administration as park rangers. (photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung)

As a result of carrying heavy loads for many years, most older Bunung, such as Ch'uan Jih-t'ang, shown here, have problems with their knees. (photo by Arthur Cheng)

Park headquarters should give its Bunung employees more on-the-job training instead of demanding that they perform only physical labor. (photo by Su Jih-t'ang)

Tungpu townsmen Wu Yu-lung （right） and Fang Liang （left） were the first of their party to ascend Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. They embraced and wept with joy on the peak. （photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung）

The Bunung of Tungpu are a must for hikers along the backbone of Taiwan. （photo from Sinorama files）

They are the sherpas of Taiwan.（photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang）

Without the Bunung of Tungpu, how many peaks on Taiwan would have been c limbed? （photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang）

Bunung children follow their elders up the mountains to hone their skill s. （photo courtesy of Ts'ai Ching-chang）

Mountain climbers should show consideration and not ask that they carry too heavy a load.（photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung）

The bronze statue of Yu Yu-jen at the top of Yu Shan was carried there b y Ch'uan Kui-lin （left） and Wu Sheng-mei （right）. （photo courtesy of Wu Sheng-mei）

The first group of Bunung employed by the Yu Shan National Park Administration as park rangers. （photo courtesy of Wu Yu-lung）

As a result of carrying heavy loads for many years, most older Bunung, such as Ch'uan Jih-t'ang, shown here, have problems with their knees. （photo by Arthur Cheng）

Park headquarters should give its Bunung employees more on-the-job training instead of demanding that they perform only physical labor. （photo by Su Jih-t'ang）