Alishan -When In Taiwan, Must See Alishan!!!

Taiwan has been appreciated for facing the Corona Pandemic very effectively. Since January 2020,Taiwan has taken efficient measures in the combat against Covid19 and till now, till Feb 2021,the number of mortalities is in single digit. 

Taiwan is a developed country. Taiwan calls itself ROC, i.e. Republic Of China and wants to differentiate itself from the People's Republic Of China i.e. communist China. 

When we had visited Taiwan in April 2015, it was one of the best seasons in Taiwan. With the onset of Spring, we could see lots of colorful flowers. The weather was cold but not unbearable. 

Today I will be writing about 'Alishan National Forest recreation area'. Alishan is the name of a mountain range located in Central Taiwan near Yushan. Yushan means Jade mountain. It is the highest mountain in Taiwan 3000mt. 

Alishan means Mountain Ali. At 2000-2700 meter height from sea level, even in summer it has pleasant cold weather. 

Alishan is famous for it's sea of clouds, Cyprus forests, colorful flowers and the forest train. We were lucky to witness all these wonders. 

Alishan National Forest Recreation Area is in Chiyayi County of Taiwan. 

Chiyayi Train Station

😊

Though the forest train has a route from Chiayi to Alishan, the route is partially closed due to landslides. The repair work will be completed in 2023. We took a cab from Chiayi to Alishan. As this is a mountainous region, the road is with lots of curves and with scenic beauty.

 

Along the road!

Along the road!

The Chiyayi Alishan journey takes about two hours. when we reached Alishan, unexpectedly it was raining in Alishan. the rain, the wind and the cold weather made it really chilly!

We received a warm welcome by the beautiful maple leaves and colorful flowers. 

Maple leaves

Cherry Blossom

In Alishan, wherever you want to go, you will have to either climb some steps or descend some steps!!Of course in the cold weather, you don't feel tired.

 

But the reward for these climbs was excellent. We could get very delicious vegetarian food. Alishan is famous for the bamboo shoot delicacies, ginger drink and tea. 

Bamboo stir fry

Crispy puffs 

 

The rain was still waiting for us to finish our lunch! We came outside the restaurant to this view. 

In the late afternoon we took the forest trail. 

@4. 42 p.m.

Still it was drizzling. All the flowers were drenched with rain. the trail was a Sakura trail. I could see beautiful Sakura to my heart's content. 

 

Part of the trail

Alishan was originally a dense forest of red Cyprus trees. The original residents were the aborigines then came the Chinese in 19 th century. With Japan's invasion, the Japanese started cutting and logging extensively. Thus started the forest train to carry the logs and slowly people started to live in settlements and thus the villages were set up in the forest area. 

We saw a very unusual thing, it was tree spirit pagoda. It was built in 1935. in Alishan Forest, there are trees which are a few thousand years old. when they were cut for the logging industry, to worship their souls, this pagoda was built in the forest. 

📷 Commons Wikimedia

📷 Commons Wikimedia

 

The circles represent annual growth ring of the trees and each step counts for 500 years. There is a temple in front of it. It was closed so had a photo taken from the trail.

 

We saw a beautiful lake with some local legend connected to it. It was raining heavily by that time, so didn't dare to take a photo of the lake. 

Next day, I had to get up really early, around 2.30 a.m.to take a tour to the Yu Shan mountain and enjoy the famous sunrise from the highest point in the forest. they say that if you are lucky, you can see the sun rising from the sea of clouds.

The Yu Shan forest trail took us to the forest of tress which were around 5000 years old. Being there in twilight of dawn was really a magical experience.

 

Yu Shan @5.14 a.m.

@5.27a.m.

The moon was still in the sky @5.29 a.m. 

Part of the trunk of a 5000 yrs old tree

 

@5.46 a.m. 

Have to hurry for watching sunrise!

Nearly 5000 year old tree

@6.03 a.m.

@ 6.14 a.m. 

@ 6.15a.m.

6.23 a.m.

Shopkeeper dressed like aborigines 

After seeing the trees of few thousand years old, when we saw some trees which were nearly hundred years old, it felt like they were very young, almost ChikuPiku!

Another major attraction is Alishan forest railway. 

Alishan Railway station 

At the station gallery 

Upper floor of the station 

The giant red cypress tree was known as Divine tree. It was affected badly in 1953 and 56 due to the thunder and lightening. finally it collapsed in 1997. So in 1998 a lay down ceremony was performed for the divine tree, allowing the tree to return to nature. in that place some seedlings of red cypress were planted to keep on with the cycle of life tradition of the forest. This was a touching piece of information. 

 

 

As most of the route was closed for maintenance, we could travel on only this route. Alishan - Sacred tree route. 

Clear weather

Engulfing clouds

16 degrees at 10.45 a.m.

Alishan has been eternally saved in my memory. The age old trees, umpteen Cherry blossom trees in their full bloom, the tree spirit pagoda and the laying down ceremony for the divine tree were the best things about Alishan.

One more very impressive fact was that, there were poems written on slabs in the forest. The poets were from last few centuries. Though some of the essence may have evaporated in their English translation, still it was surreal to read the verses in the dense forest and in the company of the trees. Now I feel that I should have written down the poems. Still I remember gist of one poem, which told about the eternity of life of a tree or forest. It said, in the circle of life of forest, nothing lasts but everything is endless. 

 It was time to say good bye to Alishan!! Bye for now Alishan!!

#ThingsToSeeInTaiwan #AlishanSightseeing #TreeSpiritPagoda #WhenInTaiwanMustSeeAlishan #chikupiku