Taitung has long been seen as Taiwan’s quiet edge — remote, rugged, and far from the island’s urban centers. But what if that distance is exactly its strength?

In part one of our five-part series “Where’s the Taitung County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan travels to Taiwan’s southeastern coast to meet Taitung County Magistrate April Yao, an official with an ambitious vision: turning Taitung into Taiwan’s capital of calm.

As a typhoon approaches, Andrew and the county chief take shelter in a minimalist tearoom, beginning their journey with a guided tea and meditation experience rooted in nature. From wild-grown forest tea to wellness festivals that blend sound, movement, and mindfulness, this episode explores how Taitung is embracing a “slow economy” — one that values balance, sustainability, and inner stillness.

WATCH other episodes of Andrew Ryan’s journey through Chiayi County in our series playlist for "Where’s the County Chief Taking Us?” https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu5MSnfNvpMb3ZFYxt5_eJfl9tPzPRywj&si=sNf234QSf4h5C1QN

[Taiwan’s Mayors and County Chiefs]
Taiwan is home to 13 county chiefs, six mayors of special municipalities (New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung) and three mayors of provincial cities. These elected officials serve a maximum four-year term and can be re-elected for one additional term. The first episodes of the series aired prior to the local elections in 2022.