Paintball Between Tea Hills and Dragonfruit Lights
2025 Taiwan Zhushan Cup Paintball Open
By Jane Koh
If you think paintball is popular only in major cities, think again. My latest tournament took me deep into the heart of Taiwan- to a small town called Zhushan in Nantou County, where paintball fields sit between rows of eggplants, rolling tea hills, and glowing dragonfruit farms. It is the kind of place where nature hums quietly in the background until the first call of“ 2 minutes” is heard.
Nantou County, Taiwan’ s only landlocked region, is known for its mist-covered tea plantations and tranquil atmosphere. It is home to Taiwan’ s highest peak, Jade Mountain( 3,952m / 12,966ft), and the country’ s largest lake, Sun Moon Lake- named for its distinctive shape, where one side resembles the sun and the other, the moon. The tea grown here, especially highmountain oolong, is prized for its floral aroma and clean, complex flavor. There is a kind of craftmanship in tea brewing among the Taiwanese that reflect their way of life: precise, patient, and full of quiet pride.
On 10-11 October 2025, five countries- Taiwan, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, and Japan, gathered at Sniper Paintball Field to compete in a regional event that felt both intimate and international. The opening ceremony had all the heart of a local festival. The mayor himself turned up to greet the teams, thanking us for coming and calling paintball“ a sport that brings people together.” Adding to the fanfare were the military and navy recruitment officers, local dancers and township officials, all lending the event a proud, celebratory energy.
Among the home teams was Team STORM, widely regarded as Zhushan’ s pride and powerhouse. What truly sets them apart was not only their impressive skill, but also their deep-rooted connection to the town. The team is a family affair, led by the Yueh family- three brothers Lin, Yu, and Han, their cousin Chenhong, and uncle Weizhi who serves as the coach.
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