Niou Ma Tou Ruins Cultural Park Introduction
The "Niumatou Site" is located in the Qingshui District of Taichung (formerly known as Niumatou) on Mount Aofeng, within the specific area of Taichung Port's town park, originally the site of the Qingshui Military Camp. The "Niumatou Site" represents the mid-Neolithic culture of central Taiwan and is named after this geographical location, also being the first designated site in the country. The excavated pottery predominantly consists of red and brown cord-marked ceramics. The cultural park at the Niumatou Site on Mount Aofeng is named after this important representative of mid-Neolithic culture discovered in Taichung. The area contains significant cultural strata beneath the surface, reflecting various historical phases over time. The name "Niumatou" derives from the Papora indigenous group's settlement, Gomach. The planning of the park aims to preserve cultural heritage while serving educational purposes. It not only showcases information about cultural relics, artifacts unearthed, and archaeological excavation methods to help the public understand the past lifestyles and land reclamation processes of central Taiwan, but also features remnants of a shrine from the Japanese colonial period and buildings from the original military camp, making it a space rich in historical and cultural significance. Over four thousand years ago, the site of the Niumatou Site preserved remnants of the "Niumatou Culture," "Yingpu Culture," and "Fanziyuan Culture," which were interrelated and influenced each other, including contact with the southern "Niu Chouzi Culture." The Papora people originally lived here through fishing, hunting, and cultivation until the mid-17th century when they began to experience changes in lifestyle and traditional culture due to the Dutch rule and a significant influx of Han Chinese during the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Japanese colonial period beginning in 1895, the Japanese first established a sports field here due to the beautiful environment, followed by the construction of the "Qingshui Shrine," which served as a representation of the political-religious integration of Japanese spirit, also functioning as a tool to control the beliefs of the colonized people. After Taiwan's retrocession, the site was converted into the Qingshui Military Camp for artillery units. Following the camp's consolidation and the return of land to the Taichung City Government, the Niumatou Site was designated as a city-protected site and revitalized into the Niumatou Site Cultural Park upon recommendations from various scholars and experts. At the entrance of the park, there is a ceramic marker symbolizing the Niumatou culture, dating from approximately 4,500 to 3,000 years ago, primarily represented by red and brown cord-marked ceramics. Inside the park, the original military barracks have been repurposed as exhibition spaces, with the barrack numbers still visible on the walls, bearing witness to the historical past. However, the Qingshui Shrine from the Japanese era was destroyed and dismantled by the public and military after Taiwan's retrocession, leaving only a few remnants such as a pair of stone lions beside the command platform, the base of a stone lantern along the worship path, and some railings, allowing visitors to reminisce about the shrine's former glory. Additionally, the park features a viewing platform that offers a panoramic view of Qingshui District. The nearby rear worship path allows visitors to experience the historical pilgrimage route to the shrine, making it a delightful and educational spot suitable for family outings on holidays.► For related site management regulations, please refer to the downloadable attachments on the official website.
