| Description | 南投｜Jiji Village B&BA traditional courtyard farmhouse where time temporarily stands stillAs you pass over the Jilu Bridge, cross farmers’ fields, and survey the rolling hills, the distracting thoughts in your mind all dissipate. In a moment, you seem to transcend space and time, returning to olden days where you encounter a traditional courtyard farmhouse, majestic in its old age and exuding the genuine ambiance of 1950s Taiwan. You feel as though you’ve walked into the type of picturesque pastoral landscape described in ancient Chinese poetry. Jiji Village B&B possesses a sunny verdancy, the courtyard of a mountain getaway, and host Mr. Liu’s love of the land.Deeply felt memories of childhoodYou and your friends disembark and put both feet on the soft, grassy ground as sunlight shines through lattice covered with loofah gourd vines. You pass through the wooden front doors surrounded by spring couplets, and admire the red brick walls which bear the traces of passing time. “Come right in and have a seat!” You hear Mr. Liu’s friendly welcome as a small, yellow dog named Cachito greets you. The name Cachito originates from a Spanish folktale, and Mr. Liu regards Cachito as a gift from heaven.This spacious, modern three-building courtyard is full of layers. The sunlight and air from the front vestibule and rear courtyard are able to penetrate inside through large, wooden-framed windows, imprinting the window screens with numerous beautiful silhouettes. The huge space is divided by wooden panels and doors, and to both sides, the refreshing greenery of potted plants is seen along the hinoki promenades of the left and right buildings. The entire space encourages you to slow your pace and wander leisurely around, taking in the scenery.A true reflection of the 1950sFrom the roof beams inside to the steps in the courtyard, from the low stone walls to the courtyard well, entering this house of wood and stone is like stepping into the childhood memories of Mr. and Mrs. Liu. According to Mr. Liu, “Wood and stone are two key elements here at Jiji Village B&B, because the veins in the stone and the grain of the wood are respectively identical inside and outside. So, too, should be the mind of man and woman.” Mr. Liu hopes that all travelers who visit here can perceive the sincerity which this building emits. Pushing open the rosewood screen doors and heading to the second-floor rooms, the floorboards creaking underfoot are reminiscent of childhood days chasing siblings up and down the halls and stairs. Jiji Village offers three guest rooms in old fashioned styles. The walls of the Taiwan Fir Tree Country-Style Room are constructed from Chinese fir, and the woody aroma permeates the room. The Japanese Tatami Room is exceedingly comfortable. Yet the most romantic of all is the Classic Chinese Canopy Bed Room. Mr. Liu searched far and wide to find this traditional bed. The room is also furnished with an ornately carved dresser, embroidered red pillows, and an antique gramophone phonograph player, creating a romantic dreamland for you and your lover.A traditional farmhouse infused with modernityBeneath a single yellow light bulb, Mr. and Mrs. Liu prepare dinner beside the traditional wood burning kitchen hearth. Mr. Liu cheerfully carries out plate after plate of authentic vegetable and meat dishes; juicy bamboo shoot with meat, organic loofah gourd fresh from the garden, braised bean and pork, and healthy burdock consommé, all made with love. After the meal, you chat over the tea table off to one side of the dining room, admiring the traditional Taiwanese tea spread and delicate ceramic teaware. Mr. Liu also has a traditional Japanese tea spread with tatami seating. Hollows in the floor allow you to extend your legs comfortably as the moon shines through the windows and reflects off the tea in your cup. You walk out into the courtyard to appreciate the tranquil evening and the cool, countryside air. The summer sun, just like a farmer, rises early, illuminating the bright green lawn in the courtyard. Waking to the shadows dancing in the passion fruit orchard outside your window, you walk spritely downstairs to find that Mrs. Liu has prepared a sumptuous breakfast of refreshing salad and rice milk, reminding you of the happiness to be found in simple things.After retiring from the air force, Mr. Liu felt homesick and so decided to return to his childhood home in Nantou and start a guesthouse business. He could not have anticipated that he would encounter the devastating Jiji earthquake which rocked Taiwan on the 21st of September, 1999. That traumatic event did not dishearten Mr. Liu, instead inspiring him to begin the activity of “Orally Recounting History” where he did relief work to aid those affected by the disaster. He and Mrs. Liu set up a vendor’s stall selling Job’s tear milk on the street, using their love of their homeland to get back on their feet. First, they opened a restaurant based on all of the old, traditional recipes they could find by interviewing the local elders, inviting travelers to taste the local flavors of Jiji. Yet they never forgot their original intention to open a guesthouse. Thus, after opening their restaurant and winery, they devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the operation of their guesthouse, a road that they have walked together, supporting one another all the way, using past frustrations to nurture their aspirations. They based their blueprints upon childhood memories, inviting travelers into their traditional courtyard farmhouse, to enjoy tranquility, happiness, and contentment. |