Hualien & Taitung Travel: Jian Shrine & Zhiben Waterfall

2022/08/23-25

My husband got the new job, and we had only one month to move to North. We decided to store our belongings at parents-in-law's place as it was closer, and then we drove from Miaoli to Yunlin to move the most important items first. We had a few days left before my husband started his new job, so he wanted to take a trip to the east of Taiwan. However, I was not feeling well and didn't have the mood and energy to travel. A few days later, I found out that I had contracted COVID-19...

During our trip to Hualien, we made a short stop at Dongshan River Ecological Park in Yilan. After exploring a while, we drove to Hualien, where we stayed for two days. We met up with my husband's friend and went out together a few times. The highlight of the trip was visiting Liushidanshan to see the blooming daylilies. His friend took us for an ATV ride on the beach in Hualien, which was fun, although I didn't enjoy getting covered in sand and dust. 

On the morning of the third day, we visited Jian Shrine and then continued driving South. We stayed one night in Taitung to rest before heading back home. By the morning, I was feeling more tired and didn't have the energy to continue. We only made a short stop at Zhiben Waterfall in Taitung before driving back. 

As we drove, my fatigue worsened. My husband thought I was dehydrated because the weather was hot during those days, and he suspected I had heatstroke. We made a stop in Yunlin at my parents-in-law's place to pick up some things and then drove to Miaoli. I sat on the sofa feeling half-dead and eagerly waited to go home. 

The next morning, I woke up with body pain. I still managed to do the laundry (which was extremely difficult as I could barely move). I didn't have apetite and couldn't stand up, so I decided to take a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. 

It finally explained why I didn't enjoy the trip to the east of Taiwan, which had always been my favorite thing to do. I honestly can't remember many things from the trip; I only know that everything bothered me those days, and the food didn't taste as good as it used to.

~ ~ ~

Hualien Ji-An Shrine (吉安慶修院)

Ji-An Shrine, formerly known as the Shingon Sect Yoshino School, is the most well-preserved Japanese-style monastery in Taiwan. During the Japanese occupation period, an immigrant village was established here, becoming a religious center for the immigrants to find solace in their homesickness. Through renovation and reconstruction, the wooden buildings exude a strong Edo style. The courtyard retains precious cultural relics such as Fudo Mingwang, 88 Stone Buddhas, Baidu Stone, and more. There is also an exhibition and sales area, as well as dining and yukata (traditional Japanese robe) experiences available.

There is a 2-meter-tall stone tablet inscribed with the "Guangming mantra a million times" and a request from Shikoku, Japan, consisting of eighty-eight statues. The mission center was built in 1917 during the Japanese rule of Taiwan. In 1945, when Taiwan was handed over to the Nationalist government, the Japanese inhabitants returned to their hometowns. The buildings and furnishings in the courtyard retain their historical significance.

After World War II, the shrine was transformed to enshrine the master Shakyamuni Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. In 1997, the government designated it as a county-level three-level historic site.

-> Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 08:30~17:00

-> Entrance fee: 30NT

Zhiben Waterfall (知本林道瀑布)

Initially, we drove to Zhiben Hot Spring, but since there was no public park to enjoy the hot springs, we decided to make a quick stop at a nearby waterfall. The road leading there is narrow, so we needed to be cautious of cars coming from the opposite direction and wait at wider sections. The waterfall is easily accessible, right next to the road. Parking was not difficult either. The water was quite cold and powerful due to the rain from the previous day.

Ville Greensward (綠茵小筑)

We stayed at a lovely place in Taidong, a few kilometers away from the city. Guests can borrow picnic pads to enjoy the surrounding grass and trees or borrow bikes for a leisurely ride in the area. It's a beautiful place to stay. For breakfast, there are three choices: baozi (steamed buns), mantou (plain steamed buns), or sticky rice, all accompanied by side dishes.

Address:

1. Hualien Ji-An Shrine: 973花蓮縣吉安鄉中興路345-1號
2. Taitung - Zhiben Forest Road Waterfall: 954台東縣卑南鄉知本林道瀑布
3. Ville Greensward 綠茵小筑: 950台東縣台東市永安街180巷38弄16號950

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Taitung Travel: Amis Folk Center

2022/07/19-20

We attended the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Taitung after convincing my husband to go. We stayed in Taitung for only two days, primarily for the festival, but we also had the opportunity to visit other places. We attended the festival twice, once at night and once during sunrise. Unfortunately, the wind was too strong at night, resulting in fewer balloons being launched.

Additionally, we visited the Beinan Site and Longtian Village, which have many remnants from the Japanese era. We also made a stop in Hualien, specifically at a Japanese-era shrine. Lately, I've developed an obsession with Japanese buildings and shrines, even though I never had a desire to visit Japan. Perhaps I've become a bit bored with Taiwan and its architecture.

On our drive back along the coast road, we visited Nanrenshi, Sanxiantai, and even had the chance to see wild monkeys and the Amis Folk Center.

During our trip, my husband had a job interview with another company. He stayed in the car while I explored Beinan. Unfortunately, his interview was rescheduled and slightly disrupted our travel plans, as it was supposed to take place before we arrived in Taitung. Nonetheless, he managed to complete it. However, the signal in our accommodation wasn't strong enough for him to stay there, so he had to go to the nearby park.

We also had to shorten our trip because he had a second round of interviews. Wish him good luck anyway!

~ ~ ~ ~

While driving along the east coast of Taiwan, we made a stop at the Amis Folklore Center. Unfortunately, it was Wednesday, and the center was closed for the day. However, we were still able to walk around and admire the traditional Amis houses.

We spent the night in Taitung and the next morning, we purchased some sugar apples before driving back to Tainan. My husband had a scheduled second job interview that evening and needed to dress up properly for it.

Amis Folk Center (阿美族民俗中心)

The Amis Folklore Center is situated next to the Dongguan Office and covers an area of approximately 2 hectares. The park features an outdoor performance square, a grandstand that can accommodate 2,000 people, an archery experience area, and a traditional Amis family house. Operated by the Amis Gagen Orchestra, the center offers tourists the opportunity to try their hand at archery, engage in DIY activities to create Amis beads or traditional musical instruments like the pan flute, and enjoy performances of traditional Amis songs and dances, including the unique ga wa (bamboo bell) performance.

Construction of the Amis Folklore Center was completed in November 1995, with the main building, including the sacrificial house and family house, based on the designs of Japanese ethnologist Chien Iwasuke Taro in 1943 in Guangfu, Hualien County. The hand-painted drawings of the township survey were replicated from the priests' homes of the Taiba Long Society in Hualien County.

In addition to exploring the distinctive buildings and experiencing the beauty of Amis architecture, the Folklore Center also offers exhibitions of tribal cultural relics, handicrafts, special product displays and sales, and food services.

Address:

961台東縣成功鎮新村路25號

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Taitung Travel: Nanrenshi, Sanxiantai and Wild Monkeys

2022/07/19-20

We attended the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Taitung after convincing my husband to go. We stayed in Taitung for only two days, primarily for the festival, but we also had the opportunity to visit other places. We attended the festival twice, once at night and once during sunrise. Unfortunately, the wind was too strong at night, resulting in fewer balloons being launched.

Additionally, we visited the Beinan Site and Longtian Village, which have many remnants from the Japanese era. We also made a stop in Hualien, specifically at a Japanese-era shrine. Lately, I've developed an obsession with Japanese buildings and shrines, even though I never had a desire to visit Japan. Perhaps I've become a bit bored with Taiwan and its architecture.

On our drive back along the coast road, we visited Nanrenshi, Sanxiantai, and even had the chance to see wild monkeys and the Amis Folk Center.

During our trip, my husband had a job interview with another company. He stayed in the car while I explored Beinan. Unfortunately, his interview was rescheduled and slightly disrupted our travel plans, as it was supposed to take place before we arrived in Taitung. Nonetheless, he managed to complete it. However, the signal in our accommodation wasn't strong enough for him to stay there, so he had to go to the nearby park.

We also had to shorten our trip because he had a second round of interviews. Wish him good luck anyway!

~ ~ ~ ~

After enjoying the Hot Air Balloon Festival in the morning, we drove along the mountain road up north, eventually reaching Yuli in Hualien to visit the remains of a Japanese shrine. Later, we took road no30, which led us to the coast. Along the coast, there are several interesting places to visit, such as Nanrenshi (Man's Stone), Sanxiantai, wild monkeys in Donghe, Torik Shrine, the Amis culture center, and "Water going upward." We had seen most of these places three years ago, but it was nice to revisit them. The heatwave across Taiwan made the sun scorching hot, and by the afternoon, I didn't feel like traveling anymore. All I dreamed about was getting into an air-conditioned space. We only took a break at noon to find some lunch, and in the afternoon, we met my husband's uncle for dinner. It was an opportunity to try some aboriginal cuisine, which I had always wanted to taste because it's not easy to find those dishes in western Taiwan.

See also: Hot Air Balloon Festival

See also: remains of Japanese shrine

See also: Amis culture center

Nanrenshi / Man's Stone (男人石)

The Man's Stone is an isolated limestone sea erosion column, standing approximately 35 meters tall at its highest point. It serves as evidence of the early seismic site's relative uplift movement and shares similarities with the sea steps near the "stone umbrella" (石雨傘). The Amis people, who immigrated earlier, referred to the Man's Stone as "kotid ni malataw," which means "the glans of the gods," evoking a sense of awe. Another story calls the Man's Stone "fasonihar," where "fasiaw" means "a kite," and "fasonihar" refers to "a place to tie a kite." The Man's Stone is located approximately 25 kilometers north of Baxiandong and 6 kilometers south of Sanxiantai. The similar geographical positions have given rise to various legends. According to one legend, the Sendai tryst, where Lu Dongbin met his lover, took place here. In anger, Lu Dongbin swung his sword and slashed the pair, turning Baxiandong Cave into the woman and the Man's Stone into the man. Subsequently, a temple was built around the Man's Stone with nine stone-carved phalluses surrounding it. The Man's Stone has now become a trail with prescribed methods of making wishes and offering prayers. Apart from seeking marriage and children, visitors can also pray for wealth, career, and health. It stands as a unique religious and cultural attraction.

Sanxiantai (三仙台) 

Sanxiantai is a well-known tourist attraction in Taitung County, comprising a small offshore island, a coral reef coast, and a gravel coast. Covering an area of approximately 22 hectares, it takes about one hour to visit. Due to minimal human disturbance, it is also an important base for studying coastal plant ecology and is listed as a nature reserve. In the Ami language, "nuwalian" means "the most eastern place," while "Pisirian" signifies "the land of the shepherd." The highest point, standing at around 77 meters above sea level, belongs to the volcanic agglomerate of Tuoshan Mountain. Over the years, through weathering and seawater erosion, various unique sea-eroded landforms have formed, including sea-eroded columns, potholes, and tunnel-type sea-eroded gates. The northern end of the island features numerous potholes, with the largest having a diameter of 5 meters and a depth of 4 meters. On the northeast coast, there is a tunnel-type sea-eroded gate known as Acacia Cave, measuring 58 meters in length, 3 meters in width, and 3 meters in height.

Both the Han people and the local Ami people have their own legends about Sanxiantai. According to one legend, the "Eight Immortals" - Li Tiezhu, Lu Dongbin, and He Xiangu - once stopped on the island, leaving behind three immortals in the mountains, hence the name Sanxiantai. The Ami people tell the story of Sanxiantai being protected by the patron saint "Wu'an." The Sanxiantai Lighthouse is located on the second peak of the island and requires climbing 287 stone steps from the base. To facilitate tourist access to the island, an eight-arch cross-sea pedestrian bridge was constructed in 1987. Its beautiful shape has made it a local landmark.

Wild monkeys in Donghe

Traveling from Donghe Bridge along the Dongfu Highway into the coastal mountains, one arrives at the famous Taiyuan Valley. Surrounded by mountains and sculpted by rivers, it features canyon terrain and serves as a paradise for Taiwanese macaques. Monkeys can often be seen in the woods or approaching tourists to seek food, creating a unique scenery. It is the best place in Taitung to observe monkeys, adding more charm to the journey. It is recommended to visit in the morning or afternoon (after 4 PM) during the summer days, as monkeys do not fare well in the heat and tend to stay hidden. When we arrived at 2:30 PM, it was initially empty, but just as we were about to leave, we spotted two monkeys.

Address:

1. Nanrenshi / Man's Stone: 961台東縣成功鎮石傘路男人石
2. Snaxiantai: 961台東縣成功鎮基翬路74號
3. Monkeys: 959台東縣東河鄉東富公路登仙橋遊憩區

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