Xianshan Hiking Trail Introduction
Xianshan is located on the eastern side of Shitan Township in Miaoli County, with an elevation of 967 meters, considerably more well-known than its neighboring peak, Bagualishi Mountain. Xianshan was originally named Hongmaoguan Mountain, derived from its proximity to Penglai Village in Nanzhuang Township (formerly known as Hongmaoguan). Xianshan's fame in Miaoli is on par with that of Shitou Mountain, and many Miaoli residents have visited. The journey to Xianshan begins from the red archway of Lingdong Palace in Xindian Village, Shitan Township. The trail from the archway to Lingdong Palace at the mid-mountain has a total length of six kilometers. The steep terrain of Xianshan rises prominently above the flatlands, giving the impression of a pillar reaching for the sky, with a winding road leading up flanked by lush greenery, and a sea of clouds overhead, creating a sense that "the mountain exists in an ethereal realm." Xianshan is renowned for its sweet and refreshing mountain spring water, which is attributed to a rather legendary story. Over sixty years ago, someone discovered the healing properties of the spring water from Xianshan, and the wet mud produced in the area also proved to be effective for treating wounds, leading to the belief that the mountain exhibited divine signs, and thus it was named Xianshan. Nowadays, during weekends, it is bustling with visitors, who either come to collect sacred spring water, pray for guidance, or go hiking, creating a steady flow of people. Special Landscapes and Ecological Environment: Xiangdongmen: There are currently two well-maintained stone step paths leading up to Xieling Palace to reach Xianshan, but the true ancient path ascends alongside the left stone step path via a stone-slab trail. Climbing up the ancient path leads to a small platform in the middle section, where only a few people can stand. Behind is a towering cliff, seemingly the end of the road; however, after climbing a few steps beside the stone wall, on the left side, there is an entrance to a cave that only allows one person to pass through, known as Xiangdongmen, where everyone must bow and contract their abdomen to enter, making for an amusing experience. Summit of Xianshan: The summit of Xianshan offers a vast view, with the Jialishan mountain range to the east featuring connected peaks and layers of greenery; to the west lies the parallel Bajiaodeng mountain range, gazing across the Shitan Valley. On clear days, one can see the rolling hills of Miaoli and Zhunan stretching into the misty waves of the Taiwan Strait. Plant Resources: From Lingdong Palace at an altitude of 710 meters to the Xianshan triangulation point at 967 meters, except for the indigenous plants mostly cut down between Lingdong Palace and Xieling Palace, the majority traverses through original broadleaf forests, with incredibly complex surrounding vegetation. Nearby Lingdong Palace, there are many fragrant nanmu trees, large-leaved halberds, and camphor trees, intermixed with soil nanmu, white ash, and duck-foot wood. As the elevation increases, the variety of tree species grows, with the trail featuring ink dot cherries, mountain pepper, and Russian persimmons, while near the summit, one can find Taiwan’s horse poison wood, cloud leaves, large mandarin oranges, round fruit genus oaks, conical fruit oaks, and holly. Near the triangulation point, there are many small-leaved red nanmu trees. The diversity of trail flora features many rare species, such as Taiwan’s horse poison wood and cloud leaves, which are significant in terms of ecological plant resources. (Plant resource data provided by Mr. Chen Yunzhao, Associate Researcher at Miaoli Agricultural Research Station)
