A-Lang-Yi Historical Trail - from Taidung to Pindung

This trail is an old road from the south Pindung to Taidung on the east side of Taiwan island, however, it was bombed by Japanese army during WWII, because they were afraid American soldier would use it to invade the east side of Taiwan.  Before Japanese control, the road was call "A-Lang-Yi" in Qing dynasty, which was the main link to let people move to the east part of Taiwan along the coastal line.

At present, the government wants to complete a circle link around Taiwan island along the coastal line on this part, but the environmentalists stand up to against this action, because they regard the coastal space around this part is not enough to build the road and the construction will damage the habitation of Green Turtles.  By and by the plan was held on, but it produces a new recreation area - Guan-Yi-Bi natural reserve - people can come here to learn a great history and nature knowledge.

Be attention ---
A-Lang-Yi Trail is only open for the people who apply the entries through Pindung county system in advance.
Website link (in language Chinese only): http://175.99.86.233/syuhai/index.php?page=apply

Distance: 4 kms
Time: 4~6 hours
Water bottle: at least 3 bottles (750cc)
Better month to go: End of Oct. to the middle of April
Health condition: Good (no heart problem or high blood problem)
Trail guide: no more 20 persons a local guide is requested by the government (Guide fee: NT$3000)

Nantien Beach Pebbles

The trail introduction is from the north point Nantien village to the south of Syuhai village.  Highly recommend to stay here one night and enjoy the high quality Syuhai hot spring.

The trail guide will meet you at Nantien before Trail check-in point, better to have the best sun protection preparation, because in the morning time the sun is getting from the pacific ocean and all the way to Syuhai will be baked under the sunlight.

On the top to look back the beach walk

At Nantien the beach pebbles are bigger, some are as big as a female foot, so the hiker shall be very careful to walk on it, otherwise, it's very easy to hurt the ankle joint in the beginning journey.

 At the end of the pebble walk the hikers have to climb up Guan-Yi Hill (more than 200 meters high) with a very steep slope at 70~75 degree.  However, along the slope trail there are many different rare plants to see if you have that mood to watch around your surroundings.

It is said the sea close to this coastal line is deeper than 5 meters, and the ocean wave is very strong and dangerous, so the hikers are not allowed to get close to sea.  If the typhoon (a very big and strong wind) hit Taiwan, the trail will be shut down, not only because of the strong ocean waves but the fragile geological features of this area.

Fortunately, our applying date Jan. 13, 2019 was cloudy weather though the sea color was grey and the vision was poor, we had a very wonderful trail experience, not sweat like a dog during our climbing journey.

In the middle of the hill there was a rest area surrounded by a group of trees, some of which close to the hill edge all lost their leaves, and their trucks turned out the twisted appearances.

Under the shades, we all needed to eat/drink something to increase our energy and face the down slope trail to walk to Syuhai, our destination.

Trees grew at the edge of the hill at the rest area.

Down the hill slope the beach pebbles are smaller, but big falling rocks are scattering around the sea cliff that enrich the coastal variety.

Falling rocks are scattering at the end of the hill slope.

Sea Cliff, Pebbles and Sea Erosion Terrain

There are a lot of plastic trashes at the beach, which are carried here by the sea current, and most of them are not produced here but foreign trashes from other countries.  Looking at those garbage, one will know how important we shall decrease the plastic usage at our daily life.

Garbage at the beach

Walking almost at the end of this trail close to Syuhai village, the sea erosion terrain will become much more interesting.

Rock erosion

Sea erosion - Flat surface

Special geology - folding rock

Hehuan Mountain climbing - an easy and approachable trails

To the foreigners or the mountain lovers, Hehuan Mountains are the most approachable trails.  One can take the public transportation to reach here and stay 3 days and two nights to hike the appointed peaks.  Be careful!  Remember to bring the heavy coat with yourself!  Because the height around this area is over 3000 meters, and the temperature is 18 degree celsius lower than the plains area.

Here, there are two lodging systems, one needs to make a reservation earlier in advance, because the vacancy is limited.  To stand at the scenery view platform, one is surrounded by the beautiful mountain peaks, and the grass-like plant on the ground is called "Yushan Arrow Bamboo," which grows shorter on facing the strong wind, and higher at the place where the wind blow is blocked. 

Following is the picture-mix.

Chinese Hemlock Natrual Trail in Taipingshan Forest Area

Taipingshan Forest is located in the north of Taiwan facing Pacific Ocean, like the rain forest weather, humid whole year.  The area is about 12,631 hectares and close to 2000 meters high.  Every tail here is approachable and has its unique view.  The lodge here is needed to book much in advance, especially in the summer time, to get rid of the hot oven temperature from the city.

Chinese Hemlock Natural Trail takes 3 hours about  to and fro.  Along the trail, one walks through the native Taiwanese cedar (Red wood), the same tree kind like Douglas fir of Olympic National Park of USA in her Pacific states.   The tree export business here in the early age after WWII is one of the major incomes to our government, but never again.  Now, it's the age to emphasize the eco tour, our Forest Department set up the very severe regulation to protect the forest source all around Taiwan.  The trail is ascending gradually stair by stair, better to have a good knee joint protection.  There is a small wetland close to the end of the trail like the secret garden as the picture shown, surrounding by Taiwanese cedars and Chinese Hemlocks.

Cingjing Veterans Farm... above 1700 meters located in the center of Taiwan

Sunshine weather or not, Cingjing Veterans Farm is well known of its sheep shearing show.  On Apr. 30, 2015 it's a heavy cloudy day, good for touring but taking a risk to encounter the raining chance.  All in all, it's good for the tourists, because Taiwan is really hot during this period.  Thanks for the convenient transportation, the tourists can go there by the private car or the public transportation system.

In the old time, this is the ranch of Taiwan aboriginal tribe of Seediq (賽德克族), but after 1961 the whole area was developed by a new group of immigrants from the southwestern China, planting fruit tree, tea trees, vegetable including the famous high-mountain white cabbage, and raising sheep for the purpose of the touring business.  

In the afternoon of Taiwan mountain it will start to form the fog, so it's better to leave the mountain before two or three o'clock.  In Cingjing Veterans Farm the foggy problem is not that serious as Ali mountain, so one can stay as long as they like.  Since the living vacancy in the common days is not tight, it's better to stay for one night or two to enjoy the foggy scenery.  It is also because of the fog that makes the tea trees grow well and get a very good quality here.  

Front Stairs before entering Grand Matsu Temple in Tainan

Tainan Grand Matsu Temple, close to ChihKan Tower, is ranked as the 1st grade heritage in Taiwan, attracting many different kinds of visitors in the whole year, not because it is the religious center but its special historical status.

Before 1683 it was the palace for the 9th descendant of Ming royal family to represent Ming political power in Taiwan, but the actual control was held in the hand of Zheng Jing, the son of Koxinga.  The location of the palace at that time was built to face the sea and ascend up step by step.  Owing to its palace status, the decoration of the building here has its special marks left behind, which can be seen at once in the front gate stairs on the right and the left, engraving with the dragon head each at two ends.

Bantaoyao - Hometown of Koji ceramics & Chien -Nien in Xingang of Jiayi county

In Taiwan one can easily find the Koji ceramics and Chien-Nien artworks on the temple top, and most of them can be traced to Xingang.  To learn more about both artworks, it's better to spend a day or half of day in Bantao village, and its artwork meseum, Bantaoyao.

Chien-Nien art:

In the old age, Chien-Nien artists took the broken dish and bowl as the source and cut them into small pieces to create the most stylistic features, for example, the koi spitting water-weed, the phoenix spreading the wings, the dragon walking in the cloud, etc. for the temple decoration on the roof and wall or at the rafter end.

Nowadays the labor cost is extremely high, so the new tech to lower down the cost is to make the needed small brick by the mold.

The left picture, except the molded bricks not made by hands, all of the animals were created by the artists' hands.  The pheasant was made by the manual bricks, so one could see its feather turned the shaped bricks and colors, different from the identified molded bricks, the same color and the same shapes.

The molded bricks are also adopted to create the lovely animals, blue ox, yellow dog, white sheep, and brown deer, or to decorate the different needed.  All are available to see in the outdoor of the Bantaoyao museum.




Koji ceramics:

To differ Koji ceramics from the pottery and porcelain, it is one can see the natural cracks on the surfaces of the works, and the figures are hollow inside.  Therefore, the most of Koji ceramics are used to decorate on the wall of the temple.

New design to the shop of Patriotic Lady Club

The building of Patriotic Lady Club is located opposite to Confucius temple in Japanese colony age.  In couple years ago it was remodeled to accommodate a new municipal department of Tainan City Hall, and offered an exhibition site for those who in need.




The souvenir shop here, like the right picture, is different from the other, because their products are designed, produced and created by a group of different designers/manufacturers/artists of Tainan, a so-called "Cottage Industry" products.  I highly recommend the tourists to take a look in the shop.

However, what I am going to introduce is not the shop itself but the new decoration over the shelves, chairs, and racks, all made by the paper material, hard enough to support the weight of the adult.  Take a closer look, one can see the material is similar to the exporting carton board.

Look at the counter, the exhibition wall on right and the floor, one will find the designed pattern seems like the carton boxes stacked up together.

The floor needs a special description, which gives a three dimensional vision effect.  In fact, it took 3 small bricks in different color to assemble in order to get this effect.  So, the master to floor them must work very carefully and with great patience.