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The historic trails that scatter throughout Taiwan have very different fates. Some of them have been fortunate enough to be designated into national parks or government agencies, and were able to retain their original looks thanks to the care and maintenance dedicated to them. Due to limited space, in this issue of NPQ, we will feature one historic trail from each of Taiwan's national parks, and we sincerely invite our readers to plan for a walk down the historic trails on a beautiful summer day and see what they have to offer.

Langqiao Beinan Historic Trail in Kenting National Park (KTNP)

Alangyi Historic Trail, the last part of Langqiao Beinan Historic Trail in KTNP, is the only gap in Taiwan's round-the-island highway network. The place is not easily accessible, and hence won the titles such as "the corner of the world," "the pure land,"etc. Nonetheless, Alangyi Historic Trail is still known for its breathtaking scenery, rich ecological resources, and abundant cultural heritages. A walk down the vestige of this ancient trail will take you back in time and make the entire trip absolutely worthwhile.

The north-south Langqiao Beinan Historic Trail dates back over 5,000 years. But the first recorded use of the trail was in the Dutch rule, during which the indigenous people depended on the road to hunt,form alliances and migrate to eastern Taiwan. In the wake of the Mutan Incident in 1874, the trail rose as a major main street for the government officials and the Han people, but its importance declined as the Qing government switched its focus to north Taiwan. The part of Alangyi Historic Trail that still exists as of today stretches between Hsuhai Village and Nantien Village, with a total length of approx. 12 km.

• upper：A visit to the historic trails, where the ancestors had once trodden, can be a feast of the natural beauty of Taiwan witnessed by the history. /by Shi-jie Lian
• lower：Alangyi Historic Trail is the only gap in Taiwan's round-the-island highway network./ by Wan-ching Lai

Along the trail, Guanyin Bi blocks Hsuhai from Nantien. To travel across requires a quick jump over the rocks when the tide ebbs or a detour climb up from above. It is said that this route used to be called "the hush zone" because people had to, other than run against the tides, stay quiet so as to shun the possible attacks by the Paiwan aborigines. The area is also the habitat of coconut crabs (Birgus latro) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas japonica) , and ancient relics such as pottery fragments and slates are also everywhere on the trail to remind people of the ancestors' ways of living.

Japanese Occupation Era Batongguan Traversing Trail in Yushan National Park (YSNP)

In ancient times, the Tsou People who lived along the Chenyoulan River called their sacred mountain, Yushan, Batongguan. There are two trails that hold the same name of Batongguan: one is Qing Dynasty Batongguan Historic Trail, which is also the only trail in Taiwan designated as a national historic site. The other one is Japanese Occupation Era Batongguan Traversing Trail. Though the two trails are of the same name and both run eastward through Yushan to Hualien, their routes are quite different and only intersect in the Batongguan grassland and Dashueiku areas.

The section from Nan-an to Walami of the Japanese Occupation Era Batongguan Traversing Trail measures about 14 km. Though only 1/10 of the 125-km trail, this section exhibits many attractions worth exploring. Also, the elevation here rises from 460 m to 1,068 m, so the forests may vary from the temperate hickory forest, evergreen broadleaf forest and Alnus forest, to the temperate conifer-broadleaf mixed forest with Formosan Cypress (Chamaecyparis formosensis) and Taiwan Spruce (Picea morrisonicola Hayata).

When departing from the east entrance of the trail, one would pass Shanfong, where a Japanese style ancient bridge built in the 1930s is still there. Moving on, you will reach Jiasin, where Jiasin Station was located during the Japanese rule but now only an observation deck is left, with a pavilion and a restroom. The trail ends in Walami station, a new solar-powered mountain cabin for tourists.

The term “Walami” can be interpreted in a few ways, and one translates it into "ferns" in Bunun language, for the trail is covered by all species of ferns. Be sure to stop for a detailed view of these plants from the Jurassic era.

Jinbaoli Big Road (Fishermen's Trail) in Yangmingshan National Park (YMSNP)

• upper left：The area between Shanfong and Walami is filled with a great variety of pteridophytes./ by Chuang-jhuang Ciou
• upper right：Yisila Suspension Bridge, built during the Japanese rule, is located in the west of Yisila Police Station on Japanese Occupation Era Batongguan Traversing Trail./ Provided by YSNP Headquarters
• lower：The name“ Fishermen's Trail” quite lives up to its name. In the old days, the trail was used by the fishermen erto transport fish between Jinshan and Shilin./ Provided by YMSNP Headquarters

The name “Fishermen's Trail” quite matches its use in reality. In the old days, the trail was used to transport fish between Jinshan and Shilin. Back then, the fishermen in Jinshan had to ship their catch via this road to Taipei for sale. Then they could use the money to get some daily supplies and return home. The single trip from Jinshan to Shilin is a long 30 km, showing how difficult it was for the ancestors to make a living then.

In 1858, British naturalist Robert Swinhoe also took this road. It is said that he departed from Jinbaoli at 5 a.m. and arrived at Shilin around 9 p.m.

Fishermen's Trail is a highly sought-after one among Taiwan's many historic trails. This may has to do with the relatively accessible location of Yangmingshan. You can try either the south or the north section (bordered by the gate of Jinbaoli Big Road in Qingtiangang) of the trail or the entire trail. Whichever way is full of the well known attractions such as Qingtiangang,Juansi Waterfall, Lengshuikeng and Xuyan Bridge.

The north section of the trail can be further divided into two parts: the Japanese Road and the Ho-Nan-Braves Military Patrol Trail. The former, planned by the Japanese and partly built by Da-shi Jian during the early Japanese rule era, is more like a flat ramp used for military purposes,  whereas the latter is steeper because of its stone steps. Many people would experience both sections during their round trip. But as some parts of the trail are still under maintenance, the section currently open is from Juansi Waterfall to Xuyan Bridge.

Lyushui Trail in Taroko National Park (TNP)

• upper：Every inch in the Wantian Battery Relics Trail bears testimony to a mournful history, even though it is not qualified for a historic trail./ by Jia-hong Chen
• lower left：Along Lyushui Trail are scattered with monuments erected by the Japanese./ by Mao-yao Lin
• lower right：Lyushui Trail is shorter, but the 2-km mini trail has it all: a rich and varied assemblage of forests, ecological resources, tunnels, river valleys and cliffs./ by Mao-yao Lin

With its entrance located next to the exhibition hall, the trail is characterized by dense forests, cliffs,lithophytes and cultural relics. When stepping on the path covered by gravel and leaves and full of cultural value in such lush green quiet woods, one could still get a feel of the turbulent period in history.

In addition to its cultural features, Lyushui Trail is also a great place for observation of some special plants, such as Quercus tarokoensis, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, Deutzia pulchra , and Camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora) . The rare Quercus tarokoensis is endemic to Taiwan and is mostly scattered around the marble area at the east section of Taroko. Never miss out on these intriguing species when you pay a visit there!

Wantian Battery Relics Trail in Shei-Pa National Park (SPNP)

Located in Xuejian Recreation Area in SPNP, Wantian Battery Relics Trail covers from Erbensong Tourist Station to the relics of Wantian Battery. To get there, one can take Simaxian Forest Road. The trail itself is not really long, neither is it qualified for a historic trail, but it bears testimony to a mournful history. In fact, Wantian Battery was set up by the Japanese during the Japanese rule to quell the gallant Atayals. The name was in memory of a Japanese officer named Maruta (or Wantian in Chinese), who died in the Beishih Battle.

• left：The relics of the Hundred and Twenty Stairs Historic Trail in Caicuo Historic Trail./ Provided by KMNP Headquarters; by Zhang-zhi Chen

In fact, the Japanese also found the relics of the ancestors from the prehistoric times dating back to the Old Stone Age. To unlock the mystery of this particular part of history, one may visit Wantian Battery Museum, where artifacts of the Atayals, historical data related to Erbensong and Wantian Battery as well as the brave fight by the Atayals against the Japanese suppression.

Erbensong Tourist Station is at an elevation of 1,320 m and at the 14 km mark on Simaxian Forest Road. There is an observation deck where visitors can overlook the entire valley of Da-an River. Behind the deck is a thick bamboo forest, and through the trail there, you can reach the relics of Wantian Battery. With the Cunninghamia lanceolata, Cunninghamia konishii Hayata, Alocasia macrorrhiza, Ardisia cornudentata Mez, your trip will always prove rewarding. But also be on the lookout for the Stinging Nettle (Urtica thunbergiana) to avoid skin irritation.

One hundred meters m from the relics stand the trig points set up in the past and the present. At the relics, still there on the platform is the monument, along with a few ruined trees, which usually arouse people's emotion about the vicissitudes of life.

Caicuo Historic Trail in Kinmen National Park (KMNP)

Caicuo Historic Trail in the KMNP lies on the north of Taiwu Mountain, at the foot of which the Caicuo ancestors used to gather and settle. The trail is the the ancient footway through which residents in Caicuo reached the Haiin Temple. In 2006, a hiker found a stone tablet at Caicuo Historic Trail that can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty in 1363. The discovery of this "Stone Tablet of Yuan" shows that human activities already took place on this trail way back in 600 years ago.

Further down the trail is the Yuanlu Lake, a natural pond that was transformed into a man-made lake by KMNP in 2010 in order to Conserve water. Continue forward and you'll get to ridge, where the scenery is beyond compare, and you can feast your eyes on the Houjiang Bay. Then the road branches off, with one leading to the Stone Tablet of Yuan and the Haiin Temple and the other passing military strongholds such as Dabao and Xiaozhubao. You can also enjoy the islet's grand northern coastlines.

• upper：After the establishment of Dongsha Atoll National Park, more and more historical data on the ocean has been collected./ by Shu-kuo Hsu

Moreover, as Kinmen is mainly made up of granite, granites in peculiar shapes are all over the place and along the trail, presenting a perfect combination of grandeur and roughness.

A wide variety of plants can be found in Caicuo Historic Trail: Pyrus calleryana Decne,Rhododendron simsii Planch, Spiraea blumei G. Don, Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob and Rhaphiolepis indica Lindl. var. Tashiroi Hay. bloom in different seasons, keeping you enthralled all the way and making your visit to the trail particularly memorable.

Historic Traces on the Sea in Dongsha Atoll National Park

For quite some time, much research attention has been placed on the Taiwan proper, and far less on the seas and oceans around it, as well as their relations with Taiwan. But the situation changed for the better when Taiwan saw its first marine national park, Dongsha Atoll National Park. Though the park hasn’t been open to the public, more historical data on the ocean has been collected, offering those who are interested in maritime history a platform to learn and to connect.

Dongsha Atoll National Park, covering an area of a radius of 12 nautical miles, is the only place with a well-developed atoll. Generally speaking, tens of millions of years is what it takes for coral islands to develop into an atoll, making them both extremely precious and vulnerable. The location of Dongsha Island in the northern tip of the South China Sea means that ships from Macau and Fujian to the Luzon could hardly miss the beautiful “atollon” (the original name of atoll).

In addition to its strategic location, several ancient shipwrecks have also been found here. These findings can prove useful in the research into the life and the commercial activities of the people in the past, and the relative location of the shipwrecks can be used to look into the characteristics of the waters. As a result, archaeologists around the world now regard the island as a major archaeological site for marine cultures and history.

Zhufagang River in Taijiang National Park (TJNP)

Distinct from most historic trails in other national parks, the ones in TJNP feature Taiwan’s first canal, and the sea route taken by the ancestors for migration from Xiamen in mainland China to Luermen in Taiwan. Both trails on the water serve as memories to remind people of their predecessors'lifestyle and hardship.

In the reign of Qing emperor Daoguang, Taijiang was often silted up due to the flooding Tsengwen River. So the then three chambers of commerce in Tainan dug Zhufagang River for the transportation of daily necessities such as salt, sugar and crops.This south-north 12.3-km canal extends from Sihcao Lake to Guosai Harbor, and allows only rafts to sail through, hence getting its name “Zhufagang” (raft harbor). Bigger boats had to be moored in Guosai Harbor, and materials onboard transported to rafts, which then proceeds to the city. The canal has long been abandoned, with its north section used as a drainage channel and the south section submerging into the water.

TJNP also covers the area within 20 m of the submarine contour line, and a 5-km-wide, 54-km-long sea area from Yanshuei River estuary to the southern tip of Tongji Island. These areas saw many major developments, and left traces of some representative routes for historic events such as the landing of Koxinga to Taiwan and the Chinese mainlanders’ migrations to Taiwan during Qing Dynasty. These are well worth a visit as essential symbols in Taiwan’s history.

• upper：Taijiang National Park boasts age-old historic sea routes. / by Shi-zhan Qiu