After visiting the jacaranda tunnel in Chiayi, we continued our journey further north to Gukeng, Yunlin to see the tung park. It was fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate due to the coronavirus) that this weekend coincided with the Hakka Festival. As a result, there were many cars parked along the road and a lot of people walking in the park. We had hoped for a quieter atmosphere, but since we had already made the drive, we decided to take a walk anyway.
The park had multiple entrances, but there were signs prohibiting entry except through the main entrance. The police were present to control traffic, and everyone was required to wear a mask. Each person's temperature was checked, and we had to sanitize our hands with alcohol before entering. Additionally, we were asked to provide our basic information by signing a form. Taiwan is truly doing an excellent job in preventing the further spread of the virus.
Hebaoshan, named after its mountain shape resembling a lotus flower, was once used by the Japanese to plant coffee trees during their occupation, earning it the nickname "coffee hill." As coffee trees require partial sunlight, over 100 tung trees with high economic value were planted for shading, transforming the area into a forest. After the orange and coffee flowers bloom in March and April each year, the tung flowers begin to bloom.
The Hebao Mountain hiking trail has multiple entrances and exits, with the most popular one located near the parking lot of Dimu Temple. The elevation of this mountain is not high, but the view is still spectacular, overlooking the Douliu and Gukeng areas, as well as National Highway No. 3 and Gukeng Expressway. After descending a steep section from the mountaintop, you can reach the Cilong Palace mountain climbing entrance at the other end of the trail, and then take the 149 A line to return to the starting point. The entire journey takes about two hours, and you can also visit Tonghua Park and the ground along the way.
The Yunlin County Government and Gukeng Township Office held the 2020 Yunlin Hakka Tung Flower Festival on April 11-12. In accordance with the precautions related to the Wuhan pneumonia epidemic, large-scale performances and group gatherings were canceled this year. All activities were conducted in open-air and well-ventilated environments. The Gukeng Township Office stated that Tonghua Park, which spans approximately 4 hectares, can usually accommodate thousands of people for leisure and flower viewing. However, to comply with epidemic prevention measures, the maximum number of participants for outdoor activities was limited to 500, and strict controls were implemented.
