Shih Tou Mountain Old Trail Introduction
Lion's Head Mountain is located at the border between Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County and Emei Township in Hsinchu County. The mountain features layers of lush peaks, with unique rock formations that stand tall, showcasing its exceptional beauty away from the mundane. There are currently eleven temples within the mountain, most built into natural caves, nestled among green mountains and trees, creating a serene atmosphere. It is renowned as a holy site for the promotion of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in Taiwan. The mountain is filled with ancient trees, providing shaded areas, and the temples are scattered across the landscape, creating a tranquil ambiance. It is a perfect place to take a brief respite on weekends, or for short vacations, to worship and meditate, where the sounds of morning and evening bells cleanse the mind and dispel worldly worries, making it a solemn and peaceful tourist destination. Lion's Head Mountain is one of Taiwan's twelve scenic spots, located within the realms of Nanzhuang and Emei Townships. The southern side of the watershed belongs to Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County, while the northern side is under the jurisdiction of Emei Township in Hsinchu County. To the south, imposing cliffs face Xiangbi Mountain across the Sanwan Creek; to the north, rolling hills stretch between Liu Liao of Tengtian Village, shaping the mountain in the likeness of a lion crouching. During the Qing Dynasty's Daoguang era, the Tamsui County magistrate Li Shenyi named it "Lion's Head Mountain" for its shape. The mountain stands at an elevation of 496 meters, characterized by a typical ridge-like formation. Its peak is often shrouded in mist and clouds, with the landscape resembling a coiled dragon. Bamboo forests and mixed trees grow among the rocks. The stone steps wind through the dense shade of the forest, seldom seeing sunlight, and remain cool even in summer. The half-cliff ridge rises steeply, approximately several tens of meters high. The Lion's Head Mountain Trail is marked at the Yue Viewing Pavilion, which serves as the boundary stone between Miaoli and Hsinchu counties, and is divided into two sections: the front mountain of Nanzhuang Township and the back mountain of Emei Township. The front mountain features a well-preserved stone stairway of over a thousand steps, while the back mountain has been entirely converted into a concrete path, with only small sections of stone steps remaining in front of each temple. The front mountain's steep terrain is more challenging to navigate, while the back mountain has gentler slopes. Before 1965, visitors to Lion's Head Mountain had to ascend the old trail, as the circular mountain road had not been built yet, reaching Raoyiyuan, the Spiritual Pagoda, and the Quanhua Hall. This section of the stone hiking path has remained popular among those seeking tranquility or fitness for decades, with dancing bamboo and bubbling streams along the way, and extraordinary rocks standing tall. A normal walking pace takes about twenty minutes to reach Quanhua Hall. Today, most visitors park at the square below Quanhua Hall, starting their walk through the Hexagonal Pavilion to enter Futiangong, then upward to Quanhua Hall. By turning left at Daode Gate, one can reach Shili Cave and Kaishan Temple, with a round trip taking about ten minutes. Continuing straight ahead up the steep path through the large cliff to the Yue Viewing Pavilion spans about 600 meters and takes approximately twenty minutes. Aside from a few minor sections awaiting repairs, the stone steps on the front mountain's Zen path are largely complete and easy to traverse. Starting from the Yue Viewing Pavilion, the path gently descends about three kilometers to the Lion's Tail Trailhead, entirely along a concrete farm road. Along the way, there are temples such as Shiyan Cave, Haihui An, Lingxia Cave, Jingang Temple, and Wanfo An, leading from the Lion's Tail Trailhead to Fanyin Temple (Shuilian Cave). Among them, Yuanguang Temple has been established for 107 years, making it the earliest Buddhist temple in the Lion's Head Mountain area, followed by Quanhua Hall, which has existed for 101 years, both holding significant historical value.
