Hakka Tour

Dunan Ancient Trail is located in Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, with a total length of only about 1 km. In the past, the residents of Shangnanpian used this path to access the ferry dock, cross Fengshan River by boat, to arrive at downtown Guanxi. Later, due to the construction of Nanshan Bridge, Dunan Ancient Trail became less used and gradually declined, and eventually was abandoned for about 80 years. Natural forests got to be preserved here, and the relics from ancestors' reclamation can still be seen.

The old name of Guanxi Township was Xiancaifeng (flying colorful phoenix), which can be seen in the couplet at the Duchuantou Bagong Temple. The origin of the name comes from the shape of the land that resembles a flying colorful phoenix. In the old days, there is abundant and inexhaustible resources here, like taking pickles out of the jar, so Xiancaiweng (pickle jar) was also its name and Dunan Ancient Trail is also known as "the road to good fortunes."

There is an abandoned ancient tomb on Dunan Ancient Trail where there is an elephant clay sculpture. According to local elders, the purpose of building the clay sculpture was that the local Liang family often fell ill when they reclaimed the land in the early years, so elders in the family instructed their descendants to set up the elephant when building the cemetery to protect future generations from the suffering of diseases. The sculpture symbolizes peace and prosperity.

Starting from Nanshan Bridge, there is a huge camphor tree at the entrance of Dunan Ancient Trail. There are boughs on both sides of the camphor tree, which are like opened arms that are welcoming visitors. This tree is also called the greeting tree.

Walking past the greeting tree and continuing on, you will find an old house made of red bricks. On the wall of the house, there is a Dunan Ancient Trail ceramic plate and the sign of Raknus Selu Trails. The small path next to it is the entrance of Dunan Ancient Trail.

In the beginning section of the trail, there is only a narrow dirt road wide enough for one person to pass through. There is rich nature and wildlife in the surroundings. Butterflies and dragonflies are flying around. When hiking this section, be careful not to bump into the tree vines.

Dunan Ancient Trail has been closed for 80 years, and many sections have collapsed and became inaccessible. Many of the sections we see today were restored by hand since 2018 by Hsinchu County Guanxi Township Local Culture Association and the Thousand Miles Trail Association.

In the middle section of Dunan Ancient Trail, you will find Qiedongwo Ditch, which is the dividing line between Duchuantou Community on the east and Nanshan Community on the west. In the ditch, there are many large and small pebbles, making a spectacular sight.

There are a variety of plants on Dunan Ancient Trail, such as Hemsley's Rockvine that is commonly found in low-altitude areas; thorny bamboos, with extremely strong fibers and often used to make festival lantern poles; and large-leafed Assam tea trees that have been introduced and planted by the Japanese.

Along the ancient trail, there are several story ceramic pillars set up by Nanshan community. Visitors can scan the QR code on the pillars and use their mobile phones to watch and listen to stories about Dunan Ancient Trail and Nanshan Community.

Luowu Academy is located in Shangnanpian settlement. It is a large Hakka Sanheyuan building with one main hall and four side houses. It used to be an important private school in the settlement. The exquisite handmade stone carvings, wood carvings, clay sculptures, and inscription on the building have been fully preserved. Every stroke embodies rich cultural implications.

The core value of Luowu Academy captured by the phrase on top of the main gate, "Do well by doing good. Kind deeds always come first" is the motto passed down future generations by the ancestors of the Luo family.

There is a forest in the back of Luowu Academy, and a vast rice field in front. The surroundings are beautiful. Various art and cultural activities are held, and tourists can also take a break here. It is worth a visit.

Bagong is an important belief in Hakka culture. The Double Bagong Temple located in the rice fields in front of Luowu Academy is distinctive. This Bagong Temple was originally dedicated to Tianzhong Bagong only. Later, the nearby Shuizun Bagong Temple was destroyed by a typhoon. Under the approval of Tianzhong Bagong, residents moved Shuizun Bagong into Tianzhong Bagong Temple and worship them together.

Next to Nanshan Bridge, there is a 200-year-old bishop wood, which is one of the registered precious old trees managed by Hsinchu County Government. The tree is about 14.8 meters tall. This bishop wood has a deep bonding with local residents as it has been watching over them and Shangnanpian.

Niulan River Waterfront Park is located near Guanxi Old Street. It offers a beautiful environment with rich nature and wildlife. On weekends, visitors come here for a stroll while enjoying the scenery. The well-known movie, Our Times, was shot here. Dongan Ancient Bridge crosses Niulan River. Built in 1927, it is a rare five-span stone arch bridge.

Feifeng Ancient Trail used to be a route for shoulder pole porters to travel between Guanxi and Luliaokeng, Qionglin. There are several tea pavilions along the way for porters to take a break during their journey. You can still see the remainder of building materials left by the New Tea Pavilion.

Bailing Pavilion at the north entrance of the ancient trail was built by the local Qiu family in celebration of their mother's 100th birthday. They wished to add good karma for their mother by doing good deeds, so they built the pavilion and served tea to porters here.

Feifeng Ancient Trail is one of the ancient trails in the Feifeng Mountain Group. This trail is divided into the north section, from Bailing Pavilion to Shiliufen Mountain; and the south section, from Shiliufen Mountain to Luliaokeng. The total length is about 5.3 kilometers. You can choose which section to hike according to your own physical strength. The trail can be entered/exited from both ends.

On Feifeng Ancient Trail, you can see ancient wells and farm ponds, which are all facilities built for irrigation. Along the way, there are plants such as Asian lizard's tail and Taiwan toad lily. During the blooming season of wood-oil (tung) trees from March to May every year, you can enjoy the healing sight of the ground being covered by snow-white petals along the trail.

Zaokeng Yonghe Temple is located near the starting point of the north section of Feifeng Ancient Trail. It was built with funds from the local Juren (scholar), Xu Kailu. Mainly dedicated to worshipping the Three Great Emperor-Officials, it is the belief center of local residents. The architecture of the temple is simple and modest. But there is a Bagua-shaped caisson that is the architectural highlight of this building.