Thao Culture at Ita Thao in Sun Moon Lake

Part of the Sun Moon Lake travel guide — see every topic in All Sun Moon Lake Guides.

The Thao are the Indigenous people of Sun Moon Lake. They have lived around its shores for centuries and are one of the smallest of Taiwan's officially recognised Indigenous peoples, with fewer than a thousand members. Their main community today is at Ita Thao, on the south shore. Much of the village is now a busy tourist street, but Thao families still live, work and keep their culture here. A little knowledge makes a visit more meaningful and more respectful.

Who the Thao are

The Thao speak their own Austronesian language, related to other Indigenous languages of Taiwan. For a long time officials grouped them with other peoples, and the Thao worked for many years to be recognised as a separate group. In 2001 the government officially recognised them as Taiwan's tenth Indigenous people. The community is small, and its language is endangered, with few fluent speakers. Today there are efforts to teach the language to children and to record songs and stories. Visitors can help by showing interest and buying from Thao-run businesses.

Lalu Island and the changing lake

Lalu Island, the small island in the middle of the lake, is the most important place in Thao tradition. It is seen as the home of the ancestors. In the 1930s, a hydroelectric project raised the lake by many metres, flooding Thao land and villages and making the island much smaller. The 1999 earthquake in central Taiwan damaged it further. After the earthquake, the island's Thao name, Lalu, was restored. Visitors cannot land on the island. Please treat it as a sacred site and view it from the shore or a boat.

Pestle music and the harvest season

One of the best-known Thao traditions is pestle music. Women strike long wooden pestles of different lengths on a flat stone, and each pestle makes a different note. Together they create a deep, rhythmic sound that once accompanied the pounding of grain. You may hear performances in Ita Thao. The Thao calendar also includes ceremonies around the harvest and the new year, often in the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Some events are open to visitors and some are private family or community rites. If you are unsure, ask before you watch or take photos.

Visiting Ita Thao with respect

Ita Thao village has many shops and food stalls, and not all of them are run by Thao people. If you want to support the community, look for Thao-owned guesthouses, restaurants and craft shops, and ask about who made the goods you buy. Ask before photographing people, and never photograph private ceremonies without permission. Dress modestly if you attend any community event. Keep noise down in residential lanes behind the main street. Local guides from the community can explain places and stories that you would not learn from signs alone.

Learning more

The Sun Moon Lake visitor centers have displays in Chinese and English about the lake's history and its people. Some guesthouses in Ita Thao arrange short walks or talks with local guides. The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, at the top of the ropeway, shows houses and performances from many Indigenous groups across Taiwan, though it is a commercial park rather than a community space. For a deeper view, look for books, music and films made by Indigenous creators. They tell these stories in their own voices, which is the best way to understand them.

Thao Culture at Ita Thao at a glance

More in Sun Moon Lake

All 7 Sun Moon Lake guides·Taiwan tourist maps

Featured Videos