[7] In 1871, a Ryūkyūan vessel shipwrecked on the southern tip of Taiwan, and 54 of the 66 survivors were beheaded by the Paiwan indigenous (Mudan Incident).

When Japan sought compensation from Qing China, the court rejected the demand on the grounds that Taiwan's "raw" or "wild" natives (Chinese: 臺灣生番; pinyin: Táiwān shēngfān) were outside its jurisdiction.

This perceived renunciation of sovereignty led to the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874 in which chief Tok-a-Tok was killed in action[citation needed].

In 2023 the skulls of four Paiwan warriors taken as trophies during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874 and transferred to the collection of the University of Edinburgh in 1907 were returned to the tribe.

On the day of their "five-yearly rite," all marriage-seeking Paiwan men try to cut down as many trees as possible and offer the firewood thus procured to the family of the girl they want to marry.

Li Lin had her hand tattoos starting at the age of 14 before marrying a village head as a common girl.

[12] Those of the indigenous Paiwan group have a unique kind of clothing scheme with details that differentiate societal class, gender, and ceremonies.

Materials used for clothing started out as bark fibers and pelts, but linen, cotton, and wool fabrics later became popular.

The men wear circular-collar long-sleeved short chest coverings with buttons down the front and kilts, and a shawl slung over the shoulder.

Women of the indigenous group as well wear circular-collar robes but with buttons going down along their right side with panel skirts, and leggings.

Designs with human heads and ancestral spirits signifies protection, while warriors and crossed-shaped patterns are symbols shamans can use to ward off evil.

Patterns with hunting knives and animals are common as well, and when you see butterflies it is to symbolize innocent young girls, as flowers and grass are for ordinary people.

In Taiwan, the Bataul branch of the Paiwan peoples holds a major sacrifice – called maleveq – every five years to invite the spirits of their ancestors to come and bless them.

Djemuljat is an activity in the Maleveq in which the participants thrust bamboo poles into cane balls symbolizing human heads.