The abundant ecology in Taiwan nurtures the profound indigenous traditional wisdom and culture rooted in the island's mountains and forests. From the myths, legends, and folk songs passed down by indigenous peoples, one can draw numerous insights and applications in both biology and ecology, revealing the close connection between humans and nature. Following the release of the Pangcah (Amis) ecological picture book Lokot: The Fish That Lived in a Tree three years ago, the Forestry Bureau once again collaborated with Ken Chih-You, a Saisiyat elder, using an indigenous tale as the theme to publish the picture book The Moss Twins. Today (20th), a book launch event was held to introduce the new publication. The Moss Twins tells the story of a pair of moss who originally lived in the ocean but longed to explore the land. They bravely journeyed into the forest and encountered various companions, showcasing heartwarming interactions. They had a fateful encounter with a young Saisiyat boy during a coming-of-age ceremony. The book launch event invited Saisiyat elder Ken Chih-You to narrate this fantastical, adventurous, and touching oral tale. Through the elder's captivating storytelling, readers were led to experience the forest from the perspective of the Moss Twins, feeling the flow of forest air and the damp, warm atmosphere. They also joined a Saisiyat boy’s anxious venture to tackle the challenges of the mountains. Ken Chih-You expressed that in the forest, there is life in everything we see, not just in the creatures that move. Whether it be humans, animals, or plants, every living being relies on and benefits from one another. The children of the Saisiyat are taught to respect and revere the mountains and forests, and to understand how to coexist and sustain them. This is precisely the spirit that The Moss Twins aims to convey. In his speech, Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the Forestry Bureau stated that The Moss Twins is the bureau's second picture book based on indigenous tales, following Lokot: The Fish That Lived in a Tree. The Moss Twins, produced in collaboration with Seed Design, not only delivers the warmth of mutual assistance among living creatures, but also promotes the concept of biodiversity conservation. It serves as an excellent environmental ethics teaching material that sprouts from the soil of the island. The Moss Twins is a captivating oral tale that not only allows us to experience the warmth of mutual assistance among organisms, but also teaches us about the hidden functions of moss, which many consider to be insignificant. The story not only showcases the ecological wisdom of our ancestors but also conveys the essence of friendship and mutual assistance. The Forestry Bureau will continue to discover more ecological stories suitable for picture books, guiding children and adults alike to rediscover the primal relationship between humans and nature and learn how to harmoniously coexist. During today's book launch event, the Forestry Bureau also invited advisors who provided professional opinions, including Yang Jia-Dong, director of the Endemic Species Research Institute and one of the few researchers of moss species in Taiwan, and committee members who assisted with the picture book review. Following the event, The Moss Twins will be distributed to remote elementary schools across Taiwan. In order to ensure the continued transmission of the story within the Saisiyat, additional copies will be gifted to Saisiyat-region elementary schools in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County (including the Penglai, Donghe, Nanpu, Tianmei, and Nanzhuang Elementary Schools), as well as in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County (including Wufeng, Taoshan, Huayuan, and the Huayuan Elementary School, Zhulin Branch). Through these picture books, children will accompany the characters on their journey and gain a deeper understanding of their ancestral traditional wisdom, fostering pride in their own ethnic culture. The Moss Twins picture book is now available at the Government Books Store, Wu Nan Books, and the Nikko Hill bookstore. It will also be sold at the Forest Market held in the Huashan Creative Park from April 28 to April 30. Everyone is welcome to step into the world of picture books and explore the forest alongside the Moss Twins!
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