Batongguan Ancient Trail Introduction
The Batongguan Old Trail passes through Hougou Pit in Shanchongli, which was once a settlement of the Pingpu people. This location sits on a flat hilltop, making it a defensible spot. Archaeological findings such as stone knives, stone axes, and stone holes prove that this area was once inhabited. During the late Qing Dynasty, it also served as a military camp for Fuk'anggan to quell the Lin Shuangwen Incident, with Ganquan Well becoming a reference for settlement. There are two stories regarding Ganquan Well: one is that the spring water comes from Nonghui Mountain and never dries up, with water levels higher than the surrounding ground, which is a rarity; the other is about collecting water at noon during the Dragon Boat Festival, used for bathing and remedying disasters. Additionally, the stone deity next to the well, originally meant to guard it, has now become one of the only two stone deities along the Batongguan Sheliao trail, due to its location on the essential route of Batongguan. This site also delineated the "Tuunghou Red Line" boundary during the early Qing rule, marking the entry point for opening up the mountains and pacifying the indigenous people.
