A Day in Town: East, North, Xiangshan (Hsinchu City)

I just completed my sixth trip under "A Day in Town," my multi-year backpacking plan of spending a day in approximately 350 townships in my country. My destination this time was Hsinchu City, the second smallest among the 20 subnational divisions of Taiwan after Chiayi City, densely populated with over 470,000 people. Despite its size, the historical, cultural, and economic influences of the city are by no means small. For one thing, it was home to the first city wall built in northern Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty (1733), under which the administration would rule the entire northern Taiwan (north of the Dajia River). It is also home to the Hsinchu Science Park, where TSMC, the semiconductor giant representing Taiwan's Silicon Shield, is headquartered. Moreover, it's home to research institutions of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Tsing Hua University, of which I was lucky enough to be an alumnus. On this trip, I visited all three districts of the city: East, North, and Xiangshan.

I spent my first day in East District, where Hsinchu Train Station is located. I took a train there and started exploring the district on foot. With a population of over 220,000, East is the most populous among the three districts of the city. Walking around it engendered an indescribable sense of nostalgia because I lived here for six years studying at university and later in a two-year training program. East administers 53 villages, which are grouped into six village unions, and I visited all six village unions during my day there.

Though I once lived in the neighborhood, I discovered this place only this time: the Dark Street, said to be the first street formed in Hsinchu after the Han Chinese settled here in the late 17th century. The first Han Chinese settlers arrived in 1691, led by Wang Shijie, a Kinmen native. They settled in what is known as the Dark Street today and started making and expanding their livelihoods from there. Wang is arguably the most notable person in Hsinchu's history not just because of his great success in being a pioneer, a trailblazer, and a community leader, but also because of his countless donations for the benefit of the public, his contemporaries, and future generations alike. He was killed by the Taokas, the indigenous people of Hsinchu, in 1721, at the age of 60. However, his legacy remains to this day, with his memorial tablet enshrined in many temples in the city, including the iconic Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple, for his generous donations of money and land.

Among the many nostalgic spots I visited during the day, this was the one that made me smile: National Hsinchu Girls' Senior High School. East District boasts its academic neighborhood, featuring not just renowned universities, but also its public high schools, arguably among the best in the country, too, in terms of college admissions. To this end, National Hsinchu Senior High School (alma mater of Ko Wenje, former Mayor of Taipei City), National Tsing Hua University, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (my alma mater), were all located around Eighteen-Peak Mountain, an iconic landmark and a hilly recreational park today but considered remote in the old days. Therefore, my classmates and I often joked with one another that our campus was so remote that "even birds didn't bother to fly here to lay eggs". On the other hand, Hsinchu Girls' Senior High School was conveniently located at the intersection of Tungmen Street and Chunghua Road, just a five-minute walk from city center. So we were all envious of students at Girls' Senior High School. Nearly half a century on, however, I could hardly feel any remoteness in the densely populated East District, and could not help but laugh to myself.

I spent my second day in North District where historical and cultural roots remain strong today, showcasing Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple and many others. I started by taking a bus to Nanliao, the northernmost village of the district and the city at large where Touqian River, the main river of the city, makes its way into the Taiwan Strait. Near the estuary is Nanliao Fishery Port, arguably the largest of its kind in northern Taiwan, alongside a vast seaside recreational park. From Nanliao, I walked southeastward, visiting all five village unions that consist of a total of 45 villages under the administration of North District.

To my amazement, I stumbled upon Jiougang Village, an island in Touqian River near its estuary. I didn't know if there are other islands  like this in the river but it's totally new to me, though I had visited Nanliao, its bordering village, countless times. The name Jiougang literally means "old port". I read the related literature and learned that Jiougang was the gateway to and from Hsinchu by sea since the 18th century, from here ships set sail for other ports in Taiwan, and even Chinese ports of Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Xiamen. Therefore, Jiougang was once the most prosperous area of Hsinchu, alongside its downtown area centered on Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple. Over time, however, it became silted up and the port was abandoned in the 1950s.

Strolling back to downtown, I visited Changho Temple, a temple dedicated to Mazu, the Chinese Goddess of the Sea and patron deity of fishermen, sailors and any occupation related to sea or ocean. There are countless Mazu temples in Taiwan, and what makes Changho Temple special is that it was built in 1742, making it the first of its kind built in Hsinchu. Interestingly, another Mazu temple, just one kilometer away, was built in 1747, and legend has it that Changho Temple was built and maintained by Minnan settlers, so it was not convenient for Hakka settlers, the second largest ethnic Chinese group after Minnan, to worship there. As a result, the second Mazu temple was built soon after for Hakka worshippers. This anecdote reflects the infighting among the Han Chinese settlers, in this case between those of Minnan origin and those of Hakka origin. Fighting and conflicts between and within various groups of indigenous peoples and Han Chinese settlers were rife throughout the Qing Dynasty in Taiwan, which is simply unimaginable today.

On the third day, I visited Xiangshan, the largest district occupying 56% of the city, with a population of about 80,000, just over one-sixth of the city's population. Xiangshan literally means "fragrance mountain", euphemistically renamed from Fanshan, which literally means "savage mountain", the landmark mountain area stretching through the district from north to south, which was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taokas people. Since the district was quite large, I decided to ride a bike, in addition to walking, so I could cover it in a single day. I began by taking a bus to Nangang, the southernmost village of the district bordering Miaoli County to the south. From there, I rented a bike and traveled northward, visiting 15 of the 24 villages administered by the district. I edited this image with two smiling faces as the names of the villages were very confusing: Nangang, the southernmost village, and Gangnan, the northernmost village.

Xiangshan boasts its vast wetland conservation, which accounts for nearly a third of the district. Visitors can best appreciate it by traveling on a 17-kilometer bike route, linking Nangang in the south to Gangnan in the north. I did just that. The image shows a giant sculpture of a bird, symbolizing the rich diversity of birds and other creatures, including various animal and plant species, that are thriving here. I embarked on my bike ride from here and enjoyed the breathtaking seashore scenery and experienced the ecosystem diversity of the wetland along the way. Upon returning the bike to the rental spot located just outside the wetland conservation, I suddenly realized that I was standing on yet another piece of "special" land: the reclaimed land measuring 6% of Xiangshan which was part of the ocean just 70 years ago. I heard of this land reclamation project, the first of its kind in Taiwan, but never thought of setting foot on it, so it felt surreal.

During the coastal bike ride, I detoured to the mountains after which the district was named, where I explored the neighborhood called Sanxinchiao, literally meaning "three-surname bridge", where I learned, for the first time,  the fascinating story behind the name: Han Chinese settlers surnamed Chen, Tseng and Hsu were among those who first set foot here, but were killed by the Taokas people, the historical inhabitants of the land. In memory of the three pioneers who perished, future Han Chinese settlers first built a bridge in their name, hence "three-surname bridge", or Sanxinchiao in mandarin. Thereafter, the name "Sanxin" (three-surname) has prevailed to this day, and visitors can see it everywhere in the neighborhood, from the train station to a mom-and-pop shop.

As my backpacking in the city came to an end, my mind continued to wander. Having lived in Hsinchu City for six years, I have considered it my second hometown. When I visited the old campus of National Chiao Tung University (its name before merging with National Yang-Ming University) in East District, I "saw" my younger self, arriving on campus as a freshman nearly 48 years ago. I also saw "him" return 12 years later, having worked for some years and then deciding to improve himself, and joining the International Trade Institute (ITI), a two-year intensive training program focused on English proficiency and international trade. The campus of ITI was right next to the old campus of National Chiao Tung University. I remain amused by this coincidence to this day.

 

My hostel near Hsinchu Train Station offered everything I needed as a backpacker. I'm sure I'll return and stay for my future backpacking travels in the neighboring administrative divisions like Hsinchu County and Miaoli County. Finally, before taking a train home I visited an old noodle shop that was established in 1950. This was the same shop that I first visited 48 years ago, and the food still tasted the same. I chatted with the shopkeepers who were the son and daughter-in-law of the long-deceased shop founder, whose face I could still vaguely recall. This has been the most nostalgic and refreshing travel experience I have had so far.