Bang Keng Kou Introduction
Bangkuangkou, also known as "Tunnel Entrance", primarily refers to the Jiufen Mountain Bangkuangkou. Its width allows for two-way traffic of light vehicles in the past, but currently only accommodates a single van. The rock is very hard, and mountain spring water often drips from the crevices within the tunnel, particularly noticeable after heavy rain. There are several Bangkuangkous in the Wujin-Jiu area that facilitate vehicle passage, which are all related to the light railway. During the gold rush in Jiufen, traditional human transport using the Shuqi Road and Baojia Road became insufficient, leading Yan Guonian to establish the Ruifang Light Railway Company, which laid the Ruifang-Light-Guishan Line. Completed in November 1931, this railway served as a connection between Ruifang, Jiufen, and Jinguashi. The stations along the route include Ruifang Yuanzaitang, Lingganpingli (Liulong), (Jiufen Mountain Bangkuangkou), Jiufen Jilong Mountain Foot Tunnel No. 6, and Jinguashi. Ruifang Station connects to the Keelung Light Railway to reach Keelung. Shortly after the completion of this railway, it was merged into the "Keelung Light Railway" (Keelung Light Railway Co., Ltd.), becoming a primary means of transportation for Jiufen, significantly enhancing the speed of goods supply and circulation, while impacting the status of Gangziliao Port (now Ruibin Fishing Port), making Ruifang an important supply base for Jiufen. This section between Liulongtou and Liulongjiao is too steep for human labor and poses a potential risk of vehicle slipping, hence a liulong (a type of traditional basket used for transportation) was employed to haul the lightweight vehicles. The brief 6-kilometer light railway passes through three Bangkuangkous: the Bangkuangkou on the Liulangjiao Scenic Trail, the Jiufen Mountain Bangkuangkou approximately 50 meters long before entering Jiufen from the light railway tail, and the Jilong Mountain Foot Bangkuangkou approximately 100 meters long, which is now closed due to a fault zone formed by the intersection of sandstone and andesite that is prone to rockfalls. Although Bangkuangkou is merely a tunnel, it has become an intangible symbol marking the terminus of the Jiufen settlement. There are some households and guesthouses on either side of Bangkuangkou, and beyond the west, there are no more residences. Vehicles traveling from west to east must make an immediate 90-degree turn upon crossing Bangkuangkou, which often leads unfamiliar drivers to mistakenly believe the road ends there. After the right turn, the scenery opens up with Songde Park immediately visible, followed by the Songde community's housing cluster, and then the junction of the light railway and Jishan Street, becoming increasingly lively. The scenes at either end of Bangkuangkou seem to represent two different worlds. Reference: On-site interview, "Jiufen: Oral History of the Taoyang River and Liangwang"
