Singing for *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*: Rev. Lyin Sen-tai on the philosophy of a “non-greedy” life

Text by Li An-jun         Original source/Share with Fanily


▲ Lyin Sen-tai shed his actor’s hat to lend his pure vocals to director Chi Po-lin’s aerial documentary *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*. (Photo/ Lyin Sen-tai (Nolay Piho) Facebook fan page)

“Many people ask me why I gave up acting. But it’s not giving up—I was a pastor to begin with. That’s my calling. The film took four years from training, shooting, to promotion. When the time came, I had to go back.” His wife chimed in with a smile: “Fame and fortune are like floating clouds. What matters most is being together as a family.” Their fourth child, a daughter, and fifth, a son, also said: “Our favorite dad is the one who teaches us how to set hunting traps and sings to us.”


▲ The Lyin family watches the trailer for *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*, deeply moved.




The experience of acting in *Seediq Bale* involved facing cameras, crowds, staff of all levels, and repeated media exposure and promotions. This time, Lyin Sen-tai remains off-screen, offering instead his awe-filled, powerful vocals in tribute to the grandeur of the mountains and forests, providing the background singing for some of the aerial scenes in Chi Po-lin’s *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*.

▲ *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above* delivers not just stunning visuals but also moving vocals. (Video/ Sourced from YouTube)

As the aerial helicopter soars over beautiful valleys and majestic coastlines, Lyin Sen-tai’s natural, heartfelt singing in his native language begins. Even without understanding the pastor’s lyrics, his moving voice reaches deep into the beautiful sanctuary within the hearts of viewers and listeners. During test screenings, audiences were often moved to tears. This pure voice is the product of 53 years nurtured by the mountains.Lyin Sen-tai left his mountain hometown in Yilan at the end of last year and this year serves as a pastor in the Wushan Tribe of Wulai. He wakes up around 3 a.m. every day to set traps and prepare for hunting trips into the mountains, not returning until dusk around 4 or 5 p.m. Sometimes he catches flying squirrels, sometimes wild boar, occasionally muntjac, though often he comes home empty-handed.


When there’s a catch, it’s exciting; when there’s no prey, he’s still happy. The hunting culture of his indigenous friends isn’t just about the catch—it’s more about life philosophy. And those “ancestral” values are almost identical to the message conveyed in *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*, which will be released on November 1:

“Enough is enough,” “Having is good,” “Don’t be greedy,” and “Share.”▲ Lyin Sen-tai focuses intently on the *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above* trailer in the Fanily Share You office. He’s overjoyed and hopes everyone will support Director Chi and this touching film.




When first inviting Lyin Sen-tai to sing for *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*, director Chi Po-lin showed him footage of the filming and gave a brief explanation.


“Rev. Lyin grew up in the mountains. As soon as he saw the footage, especially the ‘sacred mountain’ of the Atayal—the Dawu Mountain—he was deeply moved and began to sing spontaneously. Each time he sang, the melody and lyrics were different. We’d praise him: ‘Wow, that’s great, do it again, one more time…’ In the end, we chose two songs to include in the film.”

▲ Director Chi Po-lin believes Lyin Sen-tai’s vocals add even more emotion to *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*.


The female singer who duets with Lyin Sen-tai is rising star “Lailai,” also of Atayal descent. She’s playful, with a bright, emotionally resonant voice. Chi Po-lin said Lyin taught Lailai the chants spontaneously, and it was both a beautiful tradition and a meaningful exchange. The chants mainly advise younger generations to respect and cherish everything nature provides.

▲ The waters off Bali are devastated by sewage pollution, a shocking sight. (Photo/ *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above* Facebook fan page)

Since the indigenous people have no written language, Lyin Sen-tai’s recordings in the studio are spontaneous expressions of feeling. That’s why Chi Po-lin says, “He never sings the same way twice.” The fourth Lyin child said: “At home, Dad also hums in our native tongue whenever something comes to mind.”

“Those are ‘spiritual songs’—expressions of awe for the mountains and nature. Wow, so beautiful, oh, so joyful. Kids, listen to your elders, take every word to heart, don’t forget where we live. Even if we’ve left our original lands, don’t be sad. Keep moving forward, and even when facing hardships, strive to find ways to survive…” Lyin Sen-tai said he was actually describing the feelings of their ancestors, forced to leave their homes during Japanese rule.▲ *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above* aims to awaken respect for nature. (Photo/ *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above* Facebook fan page)



“Actually, everyone has a forest inside them. The forest has everything. As long as you’re not greedy and leave room, life isn’t difficult.” In *Beyond Beauty – Taiwan from Above*, there’s a line: “We don’t need much, but we want too much.” Overdeveloping for high-value crops or property leads to disasters due to excessive farming, deforestation, and construction—but people often blame heaven or the government without thinking first. “That’s the laziest and most convenient way to assign responsibility.”

The ancestral teachings go beyond “having is good” and “not being greedy” to include the idea of “sharing.” “Maybe you’re lucky enough to catch a big wild boar. You carry it down the mountain slowly, process it, and invite representatives from every household in the village to take some meat home. Next time someone else catches a big animal, they do the same. It creates a virtuous cycle of kindness and interaction.”

“The other day, I caught a wild boar in the mountains. It happened to be Thanksgiving at church, so I invited the villagers to come and share the meal. As we talked and praised one another, people were saying things like ‘Pastor, you’re amazing,’ and I felt really happy.” Lin Ching-tai’s words were full of childlike delight, yet his expression remained as cool and composed as ever. “I really love that feeling of everyone gathering together.”


▲Lin Ching-tai’s youngest daughter says that while her dad is very serious outside, he’s very gentle at home.

Sharing makes interpersonal relationships more “harmonious.” “When men talk about hunting experiences, the details have to be very vivid—for example, how five years ago on a certain day, they caught a wild boar weighing around 150 jin, and how it took them three hours until the boar finally gave up, almost biting them in the process... Once the story is told, there’s immense satisfaction. These are the ‘essence of life’ from different stages—whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s. Everyone encourages one another and lives earnest, grounded lives.”

Human desires are limitless, but resources are finite. Director Chi Po-lin used aerial footage—filmed for the first time in cinematic history—to let audiences See Taiwan, and also witness the fragility of the human heart. Meanwhile, Lin Ching-tai uses his natural singing voice to express reverence and love for the environment and for ancestors.

See Taiwan is a film without a leading man or woman, and without a tear-jerking plot. Because every person living on this island is the protagonist of See Taiwan—we are all enacting our own stories... This is a film that everyone must watch, to seethe beauty and sorrow that belong to Taiwan, and to you..


▲Join us at the theater on 11/1 to watch See Taiwan. (Photo / See Taiwan Facebook fan page)