"Atop a hill on the far northern shores of the isles sits the oldest monastic settlement of the Tao. Kaifen (literally ‘First Hill’) is an offshoot of the greater north eastern range that juts into the isthmus joining the colder north to the rest of the landmass. The monastery at its peak has foundations in the earliest arrival of the Tao across the straits and evidence suggests it’s one of the first permanent structures erected by these settlers".

"The Kaifen monastery has had a tumultuous history, being a religious centre, a seat of regional power and a key strategic position in many skirmishes and battles as a gateway to the northern peninsula. As such, it has been firmly cemented as a cultural icon for the majority of the vast Tao legacy and remains a key site for our research into their past."