Taiwan's 72-Year-Old 'Sea Woman' Keeps Ancient Tradition Alive

For more than 50 years, Wu Feng-chiao has braved crashing Pacific waves to harvest seaweed along Taiwan's rugged northeastern coastline, transforming the ocean's bounty into traditional jelly the way generations before her have done.

At 72, she's one of the last women in Taiwan keeping the "hainu" tradition alive. The name translates to "sea women," honoring the coastal foragers who have sustained their communities through this challenging work for centuries.

Wu wades into the rocky shallows near Magang, pulling fistfuls of brownish-purple seaweed from the ocean. The work is physically demanding and often dangerous, but her passion has never wavered. She processes each harvest by hand, following techniques passed down through generations of sea women.

The tradition faces an uncertain future as younger Taiwanese increasingly choose city life over the remote coastal villages where their ancestors lived. Wu understands the appeal of modern opportunities, but worries about what will be lost when her generation can no longer carry on.

Remote northeastern Taiwan offers fewer economic opportunities than the island's bustling cities. The physically demanding nature of seaweed harvesting, combined with its modest financial returns, makes it a difficult sell to younger generations seeking easier paths.

Why This Inspires

Wu's dedication represents something deeper than just preserving a livelihood. She's protecting cultural knowledge that connects modern Taiwan to its maritime heritage. Every time she enters the water, she carries forward skills refined over centuries, proving that some traditions deserve the effort to survive.

Her hope isn't just nostalgic longing. By openly sharing her concern about the tradition's future, Wu is inviting conversation about how communities can honor their past while embracing progress. She's showing that acknowledging what might be lost is the first step toward finding solutions.

At 72, Wu proves that passion and purpose can sustain us through the most challenging work, one harvest at a time.