Pengkengkou Introduction
Pangquan Tunnel, also known as the "Tunnel Entrance," commonly refers to the Pangquan Tunnel in Jiufen Mountain. Its width was originally designed to accommodate bidirectional traffic for light vehicles, but it currently only allows a single van to pass through. The tunnel is made of hard rock, and water often drips from the crevices in the stones, particularly noticeable during heavy rainfall. The Wujin-Jiufen area has several Pangquan Tunnels used for vehicle passage, all related to the light railway. During the gold rush in Jiufen, the traditional human transportation methods on Zouqi Road and Baojia Road were no longer sufficient. Therefore, Yan Guo-nian established the Ruifang Light Railway Company to lay tracks for the Ruifang-Light Rail Jinguashi Line, which is approximately 6 kilometers long, completed and opened in November 1931. This railway served as a connecting corridor between Ruifang, Jiufen, and Jinguashi. The stations along the route included: Ruifang Yuanzaitang, Ling Ganping, Jiufen Jilongshan Foot Tunnel No. 6, and Jinguashi. Ruifang Station connects to the Keelung Light Railway, providing access to Keelung. Shortly after its completion, this railway was merged into operations by the "Keelung Light Railway Company" and became a major transportation tool for Jiufen, significantly enhancing the speed of cargo supply and product circulation, and impacting the status of Gangziliao Harbor (now Ruibin Fishing Port), making Ruifang a key supply point for Jiufen's materials. On the route between Liulangtou and Liulangjiao, the slope was too steep for humans to manage, and vehicles risked slipping and causing accidents, so the use of the liulang (basket) for traction was adopted. A hook on the light vehicle would connect to the liulang cable, which was pulled by the hook to move the vehicle. This short 6-kilometer light railway traversed three Pangquan Tunnels: the first is the Pangquan Tunnel on the Liulangjiao Scenic Path, the second is the Jiufen Mountain Pangquan Tunnel, about 50 meters long, and the third is the Jilongshan Foot Pangquan Tunnel, approximately 100 meters long. However, the third tunnel has been closed due to the risk of rock falls caused by the intersection of sandstone and andesite. Although the Pangquan Tunnel is just a tunnel, it has become an intangible symbol marking the end of the Jiufen settlement. There are some residents and homestays on both sides of the tunnel, and to the west, there are no more inhabitants. Vehicles traveling from west to east must make an immediate 90-degree turn upon entering the tunnel, leading unfamiliar drivers to often think that the road ends there. After the right turn, the view opens up dramatically, revealing Songde Park, followed by the Songde community, and subsequently the junction of the light railway and Jishan Street, gradually becoming lively. The scenes at both ends of the Pangquan Tunnel resemble the division between two different worlds. Reference Information: On-site interviews, "Jiufen: Oral History Book of Taiyang River Liuwang."
