Visiting the Hometown of the Wild Boar - Fuzu Workshop

Besides the wild boar, the Tsou people also have a myth about the owl. Long ago, there was a giant demon that often cried out at night; this demon loved to eat children, and if anyone imitated its cry, the demon would use it as a cue to snatch the children away.

One night, a couple had to travel far from home for some reason. Before leaving, they warned their child again and again that if he heard the demon's voice, he must never break the taboo, or the consequences would be unimaginable.

Sure enough, not long after the couple left, a cry came from all around the house: "Gu-yi! Gu-yi! Gu-yi!" At first, the child could resist the temptation and did not imitate the demon's cry; however, the sound did not stop all night long, and the child, lacking any sense of danger, unknowingly began to imitate the demon's cry... By the time the couple returned home, the tragedy had long since occurred.

The heartbroken hunter father joined forces with the sky god and finally subdued the demon, then chopped it into mincemeat with a waist knife. Unexpectedly, the chopped-up demon turned into several owls, which cried "Gu-yi!" as they spread their wings and flew away. Fortunately, although these owls still cry out at night, they no longer eat children; and to atone for the evil karma of their former selves, the owls took on the work of "stork" messengers - whenever people hear the cry of an owl, it means a child is about to be born.

Contact information for the Laiji Community Development Association, Alishan Township, Chiayi County

Phone: (05)2661002

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