Sandiaojiao Trail Introduction
The "Sanduanzai Old Trail" is located at the junction of Xinpu and Xionglin Township in Hsinchu County. It was originally a path taken by farmers from the mountainous village of Xionglin to transport citrus and other agricultural products to Xinpu for sale, dating back to the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. With the opening of highways and industrial roads, the function of the old trail for transportation has significantly declined, and it now serves merely as a rural mountain road. However, along the way, one can still enjoy the sight of sprawling citrus orchards, the quaint cobblestone steps, and the ancient camphor trees accompanying the old stone shrine of the local Earth God, quietly narrating the bygone years of this trail. The term "崎" in Hakka refers to "hillside" or "slope"; "Sanduanzai" indicates that this old trail has three sections of stone steps along the slopes (Shizizai). To travel from Sanduanzai in Xinpu to Xionglin Township, one must cross over Shitoukeng Mountain, passing through three sections of stone steps, hence the name.
