Zhongshan Park Introduction
Established in 1915, Chungshan Park is located at the intersection of Zhonghua Road and Gongyuan Road in Pingtung City, covering an area of 23,715 pings. The park is home to a wide variety of tree species, especially its old tree clusters, which are remarkable in terms of type, quantity, and growth range, earning it the title of "Home of Old Trees." In addition, the park features a children's playground, plant shade structures, a palm tree avenue, a monument for events, and preserves remnants from the Japanese colonial period, including a pond, arched bridge, pavilion, and air raid shelter, making it a park that blends leisure and historical culture. Chungshan Park’s vast expanse is most captivating for its greenery, with banyan trees, camphor trees, Terminalia catappa, casuarinas, and frangipani trees showcasing their most charming forms. The banyan trees have long, dense aerial roots, resembling a bearded elder, exuding a sense of warmth; the camphor tree's bark appears crinkled, akin to a texture inscribed with text, presenting an air of scholarly quality; and the Terminalia catappa, with its tall stature and spreading branches, displays a brown-black trunk reminiscent of a hardworking farmer. For tree lovers, Chungshan Park offers ample opportunities to appreciate these magnificent trees. During the Japanese rule, shrines were commonly established, and Chungshan Park had a "Suehiro Inari Shrine," which was demolished after Taiwan's retrocession, with the original site transformed into a hexagonal pavilion, while the base was repurposed as an air raid shelter. The pond and arched bridge were preserved in their original state and hold historical significance, especially the arched bridge, which features a rounded bridge surface, and the railings and handrails are also rounded, complementing the other parts designed with square short columns to create an elegant and beautiful appearance, making it a distinctive architecture within the park.
