Lion Head Mountain Ancient Trail Introduction
Shitou Mountain is located on the border between Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County and Emei Township in Hsinchu County. The entire mountain is rugged and lush, featuring odd rock formations and an ethereal atmosphere. There are currently eleven temples within the mountain, most of which are built into natural rock caves, nestled among the greenery, creating a serene and tranquil ambiance, making it a renowned sacred site for the promotion of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism in Taiwan. Shitou Mountain is filled with towering ancient trees, providing shade and calmness, with temples scattered throughout. On weekends, one can escape the hustle and bustle of life to rest for a night, take a short vacation, practice Buddhism and meditation, and find a sense of peace amidst the morning bells and evening drums. It is a solemn and tranquil sightseeing destination. As one of the twelve scenic spots in Taiwan, Shitou Mountain lies between Nanzhuang and Emei Townships. The southern part of the watershed belongs to Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County, while the northern part is under the jurisdiction of Emei Township in Hsinchu County. The southern side features steep cliffs, directly opposite Elephant Nose Mountain across the Sanwan Creek, while the northern slopes roll gently, resembling a lion crouching. During the Qing Dynasty, during the Daoguang period, the Tamsui governor Li Shenyi named it "Shitou Mountain" for its shape. Shitou Mountain rises to an elevation of 496 meters, forming a standard pigback-shaped ridge. The peak is often shrouded in mist, resembling a winding dragon. Bamboo forests and sparse trees grow among the rocks, and the stone steps wind through dense shade, almost blocking out the sunlight, making it cool even in summer. The half-mountain cliff stands tall, about several tens of feet high. The Shitou Mountain Trail, with Wangyue Pavilion as the border marker between the bamboo and Miaoli counties, is divided into two parts: the front mountain of Nanzhuang Township and the back mountain of Emei Township. The front mountain section has over a thousand well-preserved stone steps, while the back mountain section has been entirely converted to cement paths, leaving only small stone steps in front of each temple. The front mountain's terrain is steeper and more challenging, while the back mountain has a gentler slope. Before 1965, visitors to Shitou Mountain had to ascend via an old trail before the surrounding mountain road was built, allowing access to the Raoyiyuan, Lingta, and Quanhua Hall. This stone trail has been popular for decades among those seeking solitude or fitness, with dancing bamboo and babbling streams enhancing its charm. A normal walking pace would take about twenty minutes to reach Quanhua Hall. Currently, most visitors park at the square below Quanhua Hall and start their walk through Liu Jiao Pavilion to Futian Temple, then up to Quanhua Hall. By turning left at Dao De Men, one can reach Shali Cave and Kaishan Temple in a ten-minute round trip. If one continues straight and climbs, passing by the Large Rock Wall, it is about 600 meters to Wangyue Pavilion, taking roughly twenty minutes. The front mountain stone staircase meditation path, aside from a very few sections awaiting repair, is largely complete and easy to traverse. Starting from Wangyue Pavilion, the entire descent to Shitui Mountain Trail is approximately three kilometers of cement farm road. Along the way, the temples include Shiyan Cave, Haihui An, Lingxia Cave, Jingang Temple, and Wanfo An, leading from Shitui Mountain Trail to Fanyin Temple (Shuilian Cave). Among them, Yuanguang Temple, built 107 years ago, is the earliest Buddhist temple in the Shitou Mountain area, followed by Quanhua Hall, which has a history of 101 years, both carrying significant historical importance.
