Songhe Tribe sits in a river terrace by Dajia River. It is where Baxienshan Tree Farm, one of the three major tree farms in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period was. The terraced houses built with cypress on Linchang Lane were dormitories for employees of the Forestry Bureau. Songhe Tribe was originally known as Kuras, an indigenous tribe home to Atayals. Atayals named the place Defulan, meaning a perfectly inhabitable fertile land with rich water resources. It was later officially named Songhe (pine crane) as the many egrets foraging for food in Dajia River look like white cranes flying from afar. Linchang Lane that runs through the tribe today was in fact a railway. The well-preserved dormitories have become a major cultural tourist attraction where visitors can see Japanese-style sliding doors, scenic corridors, tatami mats and official style architectural designs. Time has erased much but time has also left behind historic relics.
