Hengchun Shihpai Park Introduction
Shihpai Park, known as "Monkey Cave Mountain" during the Qing Dynasty, was originally a habitat for monkeys. During the Japanese occupation, it was renamed "Hengchun Park." The indigenous people often used Monkey Cave Mountain for ceremonies to worship deities and ancestors, which led the Han settlers in the Qing Dynasty to refer to it as "Xiang Mountain." Legend has it that Monkey Cave Mountain is the dragon vein associated with the establishment of Hengchun city and has excellent geographical feng shui. During the Qing Dynasty, a pavilion known as Chengxin Pavilion (later converted into a Confucius Temple) and a rain-viewing villa were built at the mountain's summit, attracting many scholars and literati to gather there. Nearby temples such as Guangning Temple, Tianhou Temple, Longquan Cave, and Fude Temple gradually transformed the area into a cultural and religious center at the time. One of the unique features of Monkey Cave Mountain is the bizarre coral reef rocks in the area, making it the only urban coral reef park in Taiwan, and it was listed as one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Hengchun during the Qing Dynasty. At the entrance of Shihpai Park, four stone tablets from the Japanese occupation period can be seen, including the Loyalty Monument, the Arms Maintenance Monument, the Commemoration of the Japanese Army's Capture of Hengchun City, and the Boundary Marker of Japan's Southernmost Point in Taiwan, which record fragments of Japanese rule over Hengchun. The park is also equipped with pavilions, observation platforms, hiking trails, and enhanced greenery, offering visitors not only a chance to appreciate the unique coral reef rock formations but also panoramic views of Hengchun town. It provides a natural, simple, leisurely, and relaxed recreational environment. As part of the "Hengchun Ancient City Regeneration Project" promoted by the Pingtung County Government, Shihpai Park is set to be transformed into a natural performance venue. This project aims to integrate Monkey Cave Mountain Park with nearby old houses, refurbishing the existing trails and adding wooden platforms, entrance public artworks, a sculptural performance stage with a canopy, and terraced grass seating, thereby shaping the area into the cultural performance center of Hengchun Ancient City.
