Shih Pai Park Introduction
Shihpai Park, known as "Monkey Cave Mountain" during the Qing Dynasty, got its name because it was originally a habitat for monkeys. During the Japanese colonial period, it was renamed "Hengchun Park." Since ancient times, Monkey Cave Mountain was often used by indigenous people for rituals honoring deities and ancestors, leading Han settlers during the Qing Dynasty to also refer to it as "Xiang Mountain." According to legend, Monkey Cave Mountain is the dragon vein of Hengchun, characterized by good geographical feng shui. In the Qing Dynasty, a pavilion called Chengxin Pavilion (later changed to Confucius Temple) and a listening rain study were built at the mountain's peak. Many scholars and literati gathered here, and with nearby temples such as Guangning Temple, Tianhou Temple, Longquan Rock, and Fude Temple, the area gradually became a cultural and religious center at that time. The unique feature of Monkey Cave Mountain is its oddly shaped coral reef stones, making it the only urban coral reef park in Taiwan, which was recognized as one of the Eight Sights of Hengchun during the Qing rule. At the entrance of Shihpai Park, visitors first see four stone monuments remaining from the Japanese colonial era, including the Loyalty Monument, Arms Maintenance Memorial, a monument commemorating the Japanese army's conquest of Hengchun City, and the boundary marker of the southernmost point of Taiwan under Japanese rule, all recording fragments of history during the Japanese governance of Hengchun. The park also features pavilions, viewing platforms, hiking trails, and enhanced greenery, allowing visitors to appreciate the unique scenery of coral reef rocks and enjoy a panoramic view of Hengchun Town, creating a natural, simple, leisurely, and relaxed recreational environment. In the "Hengchun Old Town Regeneration Project" promoted by the Pingtung County Government, Shihpai Park will be transformed into a natural performance area. This project aims to integrate Monkey Cave Mountain Park with nearby old houses, refurbishing the existing trails within the park and adding wooden platforms, public art at the entrance, styled canopied performance stages, and terraced grassy slopes, establishing the location as a cultural and artistic performance center in Hengchun Old Town.
