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Sometimes Smelly, Always Popular

February 2001

In a year the equivalent of half Taiwan's population pays a visit to Yangmingshan. Such a vast and never-ending quantity of visitors places it in the category of a national treasure, a sacred shrine where islanders can pay homage to its abundant natural beauty and the great outdoors. Perhaps it is the location that counts the most towards its popularity. Conveniently bordering the northern outskirts of Taipei, the floods of people it plays host to make it more akin to a theme park than a national park.

Every season has its attractions. In summer it is a refuge to a bustling and steamy Taipei in the valley below. In winter, a dip in one of many hot springs brings relaxation and respite from the chill air. And in springtime cherry and azalea blossoms attract the populous like honey bees.

Paying a visit one sunny Sunday in December, not only were the roads and parking lots jammed with traffic, but also the walking paths themselves were brought to an occasional standstill. The visitor’s centre at Lengshuikeng was he jumping off point for our stroll. Whilst more athletic hikers headed for a selection of nearby peaks that range up to 1100m, we elected to take a more benign eastward bound trail.

Crossing a suspension bridge and up a short rise, we caught sight of our destination: an adjacent rangeland of bright green meadows that gave the appearance of a golf course with a major tournament in progress. Only on closer examination did one notice that the 'spectators' were more indiscriminate in their behaviour... picnicking, kite flying or making their way to one of many strategic points that dotted the surrounding hills. These took the form of pavilions, the occasional temple or one of many disused pillboxes, remarkable for their lack of graffiti.

Originally known as 'Grass Mountain' the park was renamed Yangmingshan in honour of Wang Yang-ming, a Ming Dynasty scholar. Today, the landscape has a windswept but fertile appearance. It appears youthful and still on the make as the mountainsides rise energetically all around. Rich volcanic soil supports the natural grasslands and groves of forest nestle in the more protected areas often harbouring the passage of bubbling stream or a small lake.

The tumult of its recent volcanic past is still in evidence at a large scar in a hillside at nearby Hsiaoyiokeng. Here billowing clouds of steam rise from vents in the rocky and disturbed slopes. Memories of high school chemistry classes are revived as the over-powering rotten egg stench of sulphur wafts your way.

Less dramatically, but with the same degree of smell-o-rama, a large number of hot springs rise from deep underground and are now built over by hot spring resorts. These were originally started by the Japanese colonists, the most impressive of which is at Peitou.

Sulphur mining took place in Yangmingshan up until the park was declared in 1985. This practice was started by immigrants from Mainland China who came as early as the Ming Dynasty and used it as the raw material to make gunpowder. Prior to that the area was occupied by aborigines, but with the arrival of Han Chinese, the tribes have disappeared through intermarriage and migration to more mountainous regions.

A rich legacy of flora and fauna remains however. From its lower reaches the park progresses from sub-tropical rainforest to warm-temperate forest, grassland and above 900m some alpine vegetation. This wide range of bio-diversity is home to many varieties of mammals, reptiles and butterflies. March is the best time to watch over 100 bird species resident in the park.

The 260 bus from Taipei Main Station will take you to within 10 minutes walk of the park entrance. Also nearby is the visitor's centre where the 108 bus to Lengshuikeng can be taken. Alternatively the 230 bus runs from Peitou into the park.