The Gaoshan people, about 400,000 in total (as of 1990), mainly live in mountain areas and the flat valleys running along the east coast of Taiwan Island, and on the Isle of Lanyu. About 2,009 live in such major cities as Shanghai, Beijing and Wuhan and in Fujian Province on the mainland.

The Gaoshans do not have their own script, and their spoken language belongs to the Indonesian Austronesian of the Malay-Polynesian Phylum. They altogether have more than 20 languages, 13 of which are still in use.

In Taiwan, the Gaoshan people take up only 2 percent of the population, but they are the earliest inhabitants in Taiwan. It is said the Gaoshan ethnic minority originated from one branch of the ancient Yue people living along the coast of the mainland during the Stone Age. They were later joined by immigrants from the Philippines, Borneo and Micronesia.

The Gaoshans who live in mixed communities with the Han people on the plains are mainly farmers, growing rice, millet, taro and sweet potatoes. For those in the mountains, hunting is more important, while fishing is essential to those living along the coast and on small islands.

Songs and dances are an important part of the Gaoshan culture. On holidays, they would gather for singing and dancing. They have many ballads, fairy tales, legends, hunting songs and work songs. Instruments include the mouth organ, nose flute, and bamboo flute.

The Gaoshans are animists who believe that everything in nature has a soul. They hold sacrificial rites for all kinds of occasions including harvesting, hunting and fishing. Every August is the annual harvest festival for the Gaoshans.