|Chiayi Station|Chiayi Services|Chiayi Outing|

Taiwan is geographically divided by the Tropic of Cancer, which is why there are tropic and sub-tropical climates here. Shuei-Shan Township of Chiayi County is located along the Tropic of Cancer. The monument, first built in the 34th Year of the Reign of Emperor Guang Xu of the Cing Dynasty, has gone through a few renovations. As it is close to the provincial highway, it has become a popular site for tourists to take pictures. The Tropic of Cancer is defined in accordance with obliquity of ecliptic in astronomy, as well as the equator and zodiac. The Tropic of Cancer Park is located in Shuei Shang Township, Chiayia County, approximately 3.3 kilometres to the southwest of Chiayi City. With an area of 3.1 hectares, the Park is between Cross-Island Railway and No. 1 Provincial Highway. It is at the interaction on Rong Dian Road on the way to Chiayi Airport from Provincial Highway. The Tropic of Cancer Park is an international landmark as well as a tourist spot.

The Park is currently under renovation. The greening and renovation project is almost finished except some work on Science Educational Hall (科學教育館), Tourist Service Center (遊客服務中心) and lakeside coffee shops（including a man-made lake and artificial rockwork）. Most of the trees and flowers have been planted. They will flourish over time.

The fifth generation Monument of the Tropic of Cancer standing next to the highway has been a popular spot for international tourists to get off their cars and take a picture. At present, the fifth and six generation monuments, arising next to each other, can be shown in a same picture. They are a magnificent sight.

Tourists can enter from the main entrance, go to the Monument of the Tropic of Cancer and then visit the circular exhibition hall on the fourth floor. There are 16 astronomical telescopes of 9-centimeter in diameter donated by enterprises in Shuei Shang Township. Tourists can use them to search freely the targets all around and get an overview of the Chianan Plain. There are rumbling sounds whenever trains pass by.

The passage along the Landmark Hall (地標館) leads to a site called “Sunshine Passage” 「陽光通道」. The old monument is there. At the southwest corner are some shelves and playground facilities. Visitors may enjoy themselves by walking on the grass in the garden.

In the middle of the Monument Square 館前廣場 is a three-tier controlling point established by the Bureau of Land Administration. There are flower terraces along both sides. Tourists can get a glimpse of its beauty along the passages in the garden.

The historical Alishan Loyal Ruler Shrine (Wu Fong Temple) is located in She-Kuo Village, Jhong Pu Township. It was converted from Wu Fong’s police station in the past. Alishan Loyal Ruler Shrine is listed as a Level Three Ancient Monument. On the front door is a door-head with writing “Courage from Mercy”. It echoes with the statue of Wu Fong in red clothes and on a horse in the temple. It is a heroic sight. At the back is a tribute to Wu Fong with the display of the story of how he sacrificed himself. It is the best hideaway over holidays with all the flowers and trees around. Wu Fong Temple (at its current site) faces the east and sits on the northwest corner. It is an architecture with two units of buildings, three modular spaces and two wings of chambers. The outer walls are in bright red. On the top of the swallow-tail arch door with four pillars and three layers is a banner indicating “Alishan Loyal Ruler Shrine”. The chamber after the building unit is the best part of Wu Fong Temple in terms of architectural achievements. The roof with ridge is supported with six standing pillars and composed of six roller sides. The edge o the wings tilts upward. The cut-and-paste mud caste is refined and elaborated. The massive wood structure is lavish and magnificent.

On the outer of the first building unit is stone carved structure. It has three doors but no windows, which is rarely among temples. In the main space is a god statue of Wu Fong and an oil paint of Wu Fong. In the left and right spaces are the accompanied gods and longevity fortune seats of donators. The wings of chambers are used as an artefact display room and a guest room. In the second building unit is the shrine of Wu Fong, solemn and austere. There is a park at the back of the temple. There are tablets and monuments in the park and they are testimonies of the history.

》》About the Forestry Railway
The Alishan Forest Railway Passes through Chiayi, Peimen, Jhuci, Mulyuliao, Jhangnaoliao, Dulihshan, Liyuanliao, Jiaoliping, Shueisheliao, Fenchihu, Duolin, Shitzulu, Pingjhena, Erwanping, Sacred Tree, Alishan and Jhaoping Station along its routes now.

Alishan Forest Railway across Chiayi City (嘉義市), Chiayi County (嘉義縣), and Nanton County (南投縣), and the total length is 86,457 km.

The Alishan Forest Railway is designed by many particular railway technique to adapt the special environment of the forest railway, including:

The Shay type steam locomotive, with the "umbrella-like" gear and vertical cylinder.

The spiral route railway in Dulihshan (Duli Mountain).

The zigzag mountaineering railway, This special railway in swtich back for the train climbing the mountain, so it called "Alishan bumping into the wall".

It attracts many foreign and domestic tourists by passing through three different kinds of forest views; tropical zone, subtropical zone, and temperate zone from the plain to the mountain. The Alishan has a feature of containing the tropical, subtropical, and temperate forests according to its vertical distribution of the mountain. Among Dulihshan (Duli Mountain), from the plane to an altitude of 800 meters, are the tropical zone. The plants of the region are represented by India laurel fig (榕樹), Longan (龍眼), Taiwan acacia (相思樹), and Green bamboo (竹林). Pingjhena, from Dulihshan (Duli Mountain) to an altitude of 1800 meters, are the subtropical forests, and its representative trees are camphorweed, Chinese fir, Willow fir, and so on. It is the temperate forest above Pingjhena to an altitude of 3,000 meters, which is based on Taiwan red cypress, Taiwan cherry, Taiwan hemlock, Taiwan Armand pine, and so on.

》》History
The Alishan Forest Railway was built in combination with the most advanced technics of mountain railway engineering of the world at the time in terms of its building era. In the history of the development of the engineering technique in the railroad, this creatively engineering technique could be considered as a great work.

The development of the Alishan, referred to earlier, that started in late 19th century, occurred when Japan controlled Taiwan, called Formosa (Beautiful Island). In 1896 a Japanese, Dr. He-He discovered the Sacred Trees in the Alishan area and recognized the forestry potential. In 1906 under the guidance of Dr. He-He the Japanese started to build a railroad into the mountain. The Alishan Forest Railway began to operate in 1912, they extend the initial railroad to Alishan in 1913. With transportation available for forest products a massive logging business started that eventually removed most of the large cypress from Alishan.

Officially, full freight service began from Chiayi to Alishan in 1918. The railroad was not intended for passengers but in 1914. In 1920, the first guest car was added for the lumbermen and inhabitants along the line.

The total length of the Alishan Forest Railway from Chiayi to Jhaoping Stataion was 71.9 km when the railway was completed at first. It once had had 25 stations the most along the route and passed through 72 and 114 bridges from 30 meters to 2,274 meters above sea level. Ordinary trains could not climb up the railway because of the high elevation and the small radius of each bend. It is the challenging geographical conditions that make this mountaineering railway well-known to the world.

》》Traffic Guides
The main route to enter Alishan is No. 18 Highway. This highway leads to Shan Mei, Sin Mei and Tea Mountain with a right turn at Chia 129 at Long Mei approximately 36 kilometers down the road. It also leads to Da Ban, Te Fu Ye, Li Chia with a right turn at County 169 at Shi Jhuo about 50 kilometers down the road. It leads to Fenci Hu, Rui Li, Rui Fong, Tai He with a left turn at County 169. From Chia 155, it leads to Lai Ji and Fong Shan. Other routes to Alishan are the entrance along Line 3, Southern Highway (南方台3線) via Tea Mountain, the entrance along North County Highway No. 162A (北方縣162甲) via Mei Mountain and New Central Cross-Island Highway via Tatachia, Yushan National Park. Due to geographic factors, roads and railways occasionally suffer from slope collapses and get blocked. However, they usually can be fixed on the same day or within a few days. Tourists are advised to pay attention to traffic updates if they are going in summer or rainy seasons.

》》Links
Alishan National Scenic Area
The Alishan Forest Railway