Lilaiju - Taomi Academy

Creating the "Taomi Academy" education center, a venue for preserving traditional Taiwanese rice-based food culture. This brick-built, red-tiled house has quietly stood in the Taomi community for nearly six decades. Chen Kuo-ming, who operated the Lilaiju handmade Udon noodle restaurant in Taichung for 20 years, was invited in 2011 (ROC year 100) to become a part-time assistant professor-level professional technical teacher in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Hospitality Management at National Chi Nan University. He soon fell in love with Puli's wonderful local environment. In early December 2012 (ROC year 101), guided by villagers, Teacher Kuo-ming discovered this dilapidated old house located at No. 1, Zhonggua Road, Taomi Village. Teacher Kuo-ming recalls the situation at the time: "The dilapidation of the old house cannot be described in just a few words. Not only did it lack doors and windows, but clutter was scattered everywhere inside. Due to severe roof leaks, weeds and small trees grew throughout the interior. The cement ground in the courtyard was covered in accumulated soil and long overgrown with weeds; the low brick wall in the backyard had collapsed, blocking access; and the side yard's canopy had also completely fallen down. At the time, all my friends advised me that demolishing it and rebuilding was the best option!" Now, standing before the old house and observing its current appearance, it's truly hard to connect it with Teacher Kuo-ming's memories. He must have dedicated immense effort to the restoration of the Taomi Academy's old house. Dedicated to being the foremost person in transmitting Taiwanese handmade Udon noodle techniques, in addition to offering daily reservation-based experience services at Taomi Academy, Teacher Kuo-ming is also the first person to publicly teach the craft of making Taiwanese handmade Udon noodles. Over the past decade, countless free Udon noodle making classes have been held across Taiwan, including two volunteer teaching sessions at "囝仔人ㄟ店 (Kids' Store) - Wuwei House" outside Hualien's Fengtian train station. What does a rural village look like with a low-rise brick house serving as a base for traditional rice-based food culture inheritance and education? Low-rise brick houses, red tiled roofs, spacious courtyards, old wood-burning stoves, the scent of flowers throughout the seasons, and the endless laughter of residents - this is the daily life at Taomi Academy. A small threshing ground is set up in front of Taomi Academy. "When I was little, the threshing ground in front of our house was the liveliest place! Besides being where my six siblings and I played, it was where we dried rice in spring and autumn, dried cantaloupes in midsummer, and dried radishes before Chinese New Year…" This is one of Teacher Kuo-ming's cherished childhood memories. Since 2014 (ROC year 103), Taomi Academy has often invited community partners to host dinners and market events on this small threshing ground, and brought students from Chi Nan University to share his expertise and joy there. Born in a rural Sanheyuan (traditional courtyard house), Teacher Kuo-ming has deep affection for old houses. Making various rice-based foods during festivals, such as Red Turtle Cakes (Hong Gu Kueh), taro cakes, radish cakes, wrapping zongzi, and even making steamed buns and mantou—these were happy memories of being by his mother's side as a child, and are significant reasons for the creation of Taomi Academy. Teacher Kuo-ming smiles and says, "These traditional snacks, often seen during Taiwanese festivals in the past, if not passed down and documented, will one day become world heritage (property forgotten by the world)!" Creating a learning space for traditional Taiwanese rice-based food culture has become a crucial mission for Teacher Kuo-ming in his future life. Beyond traditional Taiwanese rice-based food preparation, and continuing the 20-year legacy of the Lilaiju restaurant, a two-hour handmade Udon noodle making experience is a primary service offered by Taomi Academy. Using Ailan spring water, which is used to brew Puli Shaoxing wine, and flour, and going through the processes of kneading dough, foot-kneading, rolling, and cutting, you'll create fresh, chewy noodles—an experience combining time, memory, and effort that will redefine your perception of noodles in terms of texture and taste. If you have ample time, you can stay in the old house for a night and gain a deeper understanding of noodle making through a 15-hour noodle-making experience. Currently, Taomi Academy Education Center's experience activities also include traditional rice-based foods (kueh), taro and sweet potato ball making, and coffee bean roasting. Seasonal tours include agricultural experiences such as picking sweet dragon bamboo shoots, roselle, and coffee farm visits. Guests are welcome to invite friends and form a group to book "The Table in the Courtyard" itinerary. "The Table in the Courtyard" is a hands-on cooking activity, the best way to savor Puli's local flavors. This four-hour experience combines handmade noodle making, a guided tour of the Paper Dome, an eco-village coffee farm visit, roselle mantou (steamed bun) making, cooking on an old stove, and other experiences, making it highly popular among visitors.