The Harmonic Beauty of Aboriginal Cultures
Taiwan's indigenous peoples are considered to be Austronesian in origin and are roughly classified into two categories-the plain-dwelling tribes, or Pingpu people, and the mountain-dwelling tribes-depending on their degree of assimilation with Han Chinese. The ten plain-dwelling tribes, which lived on Taiwan's western plains and have already been assimilated with the Han Chinese, have a population just over 100,000. The nine mountain-dwelling tribes, on the other hand, have managed to maintain their own cultural identities, languages, and traditions, and have a population close to 300,000. Examining the indigenous peoples' reliance on and respect for nature, one can see a perfect example of how mankind can maintain a balanced relationship with nature, a concept that is now being heavily promoted internationally under the banner of environmental conservation. With regard to preserving and developing the culture of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, the ROC government not only places great emphasis on doing so in order to protect pluralism, but also to realize oceanic culture's openness towards freedom and democracy.

Biological Diversity	Ecological Wonders
Natural Habitats	Aboriginal Cultures