Before 2008, no one would have thought of visiting Linzinei in Baihe Township, Tainan, and most likely hadn’t even heard of it. Even local youths didn’t want to stay in their hometown, leading to severe population outflow. Reverend Hsiao Jui-chiao of Linzinei Church said, “Because it was a gray village devoid of hope.”
Reverend Hsiao spoke while playing a documentary. The film opened with footage of a flood – torrents of mud and sand rushing through the community, submerging streets. The scene was shocking. I asked, “Is this from Typhoon Morakot?” Reverend Hsiao replied, “No, this was just from an ordinary heavy rain.”
■ The Heavy Rain That Flooded Linzinei
Reverend Hsiao, who has served at Linzinei Church for about 20 years, said that “Linzinei” means located within the woods. Over 100 years ago, residents from Guanziling came to cultivate the land, thinking it was a hidden paradise among the trees. However, as soil and water conservation deteriorated and the number of graves increased, later on, whenever it rained heavily, the whole village would flood. The only road connecting the village to the outside world was lined with cemeteries, and the area also faced social issues such as single-parent households and poverty.
With the establishment of “Linzinei Church” by Christians, the residents found a heavenly lord, but looking beneath the surface, there was still swirling mud and sand. Reverend Hsiao said that religious faith shouldn’t only care for the spirit, so the church founded the “Biantou Community Development Association,” which not only cared for the elderly, women, and children but also engaged in soil and water conservation efforts.
On July 7, 2008, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau was about to review the “Rural Regeneration Plan.” The day before, Linzinei experienced another heavy rain, and as usual, the village was flooded. Reverend Hsiao said that on that day, she brought only a simple plan along with footage of the previous day’s flood. As a result, the application was unanimously approved for funding. “It was astonishing. It was hard to imagine that there was still a village in Taiwan with such poor soil and water conservation.”
■ Villagers Unite to Create a New Look
As soil and water conservation work began, with completion expected by the end of 2010, the entire village of Linzinei mobilized. Some donated land and houses to serve as public spaces, others crafted art installations. In less than two years, Linzinei underwent a dramatic transformation – from a muddy, flood-prone village to a “spiritual homeland,” and even became a model site for rural regeneration by the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau. Young people have gradually returned to the area.
Walking into present-day Linzinei, the once unattractive drainage pipes have been turned into cute trumpet flowers by the creativity of residents; the previously flood-damaged large house is now covered in bougainvillea blossoms; the once rigid retaining walls have become lovely mural walls, some even designed according to the characteristics of the residents’ homes – for instance, a child who studies music has an entire door painted with musical instruments. Additionally, the large drainage ditches dug around the village are being planned by the community to become ecological streams.
Currently, Linzinei also features walking trails and cycling routes. Visitors can rent bicycles at Linzinei Church to explore the area or join guided tours led by church staff to witness the transformation of a muddy village into a paradise. The church also offers camping sites where you can gaze at Baihe Reservoir from the vast grasslands with beautiful scenery. During July and August, summer camp activities are held. When in season, visitors can freely pick wild mangoes and lychees, and enjoy local lotus seeds and lotus flower viewing in Baihe.