Dagangshan Scenic Area Introduction
Dagang Mountain spans four districts: Gangshan, Yanchao, Alian, and Tienliao. It covers a vast area with an elevation of 312 meters, providing a commanding view. In the past, it served as a closed military stronghold requiring permission for entry; today's Dagang Mountain Scenic Area is home to ancient temples and famous pagodas, popular hiking trails, and intriguing limestone formations worth exploring. The scenic area is densely forested, showcasing an original ecosystem with coral reef limestone geology and unique stepped fault structures that create diverse and enchanting natural landscapes. As early as the Qing Dynasty, it gained recognition as one of the "Eight Views of Fengshan" known as "Gangshan Tree Color." Covering a significant area, it consists of three main sections: Ru Yi Park at the front, a religious area, and a natural ecology zone, all interconnected by various trails for hikers. The front area is filled with ancient temples and pagodas, frequented by worshippers, while the back offers rare limestone geological wonders such as the Longpan Gorge and the 'One Line Sky,' attracting many visitors in awe. Ru Yi Park, adjacent to the entrance of Alian District, features a large children's playground and green lawn for family fun, with a century-old banyan tree and treehouse being the park's highlights. The plaza is suitable for large events, particularly the annually held "Dagang Mountain Longan Honey Cultural Festival," which is very popular among locals. The religious area, due to its serene mountain scenery, is dotted with temples, earning Dagang Mountain the nickname "Buddha Mountain of Taiwan," with Chaofeng Temple, over 200 years old, being particularly renowned as one of Kaohsiung’s eight scenic spots known as “Chaofeng Evening Bell.” Visiting the tranquil temples or ancient pagodas in the solemn atmosphere of morning bells and evening drums offers a spiritually purifying experience. Tianling Cave, a limestone formation emerging from the sea, is said to have been a hiding place for a general surnamed Yan during the Qing Dynasty to evade pursuers; it was originally named "Yan Cave." In 1987, the Ling Tian Temple in Songshan, Taipei, designated it as the site for founding and renamed it "Tianling Cave." The cave is naturally formed into a gourd shape with entrances on both the east and west sides, enshrining gods like the God of Wealth, Guan Yu, and Jikong. The cave allows one person to enter at a time, and its length is relatively short, quickly leading to another end, which reveals another world with a pavilion at the exit offering a panoramic view of Gangshan. Dagang Mountain's triangulation point, also known as Dagangshan, stands at 312 meters and is listed as one of Taiwan's minor peaks (No. 74), as well as one of the top ten mountains in the former Kaohsiung County. It sits at the watershed between the Erjen River and the Agongdian River, with a third-class triangulation point 499 marked, but the benchmark is located within a military camp, inaccessible to the public. The official triangulation point was replaced by the "Provincial Government Topographic Supplement" for Gangshan Camp, with a concrete pillar adjacent to the benchmark. The Dagang Mountain Natural Ecology Area covers eighty hectares, featuring winding forest trails connecting beautiful pavilions and platforms for visitors to rest and enjoy the scenery. Towering green bamboo, acacia trees, tropical almond, cherry blossom trails, and golden trumpet trees bloom according to the seasons, allowing visitors to appreciate the ecological beauty of Dagang Mountain, with a lotus pond being the best spot for observing birds and aquatic life. Rich natural ecosystems and cultural landscapes can be witnessed throughout the Dagang Mountain Natural Ecology Area, resembling a paradise, while the nighttime view of the twinkling lights below provides a different charm. Shimu Ru and One Line Sky is situated in the back mountain of Dagang Mountain, accessible from Chao Yuan Temple in Tienliao District. The back mountain sees fewer tourists and more pristine, natural greenery. Dagang Mountain features coral reef limestone terrain, with trails revealing numerous caves and grooves, enhancing the original forest’s mysterious atmosphere. The limestone cliffs have undergone geological melting for centuries, and the textures on the rock face resemble flowing waterfalls, creating a fantastical view. The limestone deposits behind the Bichihua Cave formed stalactites over long periods of time, and the continuous dripping from these unique formations is locally known as Shimu Ru. Walking on the mountain path beside Shimu Ru, one encounters dramatic canyons rising two to three meters high, evoking a sense of the grandeur of nature. Legend has it that in the Ming Dynasty, Dagang Mountain suddenly emitted a "mountain sound," causing the ridge to crack from south to north, creating a ravine approximately one hundred meters long. Because one can see the sky forming a line when looking up from within, it is named "One Line Sky." The One Line Sky is located within a limestone fault valley, with eroded limestone formations visible everywhere, making it an excellent place to observe nature’s geological artistry. The Longpan Gorge of One Line Sky, located in the back mountain of Dagang Mountain, measures 285 meters long, and its depth is not well-documented. It is said to have been discovered by a local association during a geological survey a few years ago, and it, along with Shimu Ru and One Line Sky, shares the same limestone geological features and formations. Walking in the gorge makes one feel exceptionally small, surrounded by steep cliffs, and looking up reveals the spectacular vista of the canyon. Named for the mulberries growing on the rocks above, the Longpan Gorge One Line Sky is surrounded by dense green foliage at the top, shading much of the sunlight but bringing vitality to the shadowy canyon. This location is hidden and not easily found, accessible via a mountain trail behind the Xinliang Pavilion in the ecology park, marked with temporary signs along the way. It takes about 30 minutes to reach, though this route is not a well-planned hiking trail, so visitors should pay attention to their safety and consider being guided by someone familiar with the mountain paths. *Note that this area has many mosquitoes, so please take precautions against them in advance.*
