Tropic of Cancer Marker Park Introduction
The Tropic of Cancer Marker Park is located on the Ruisei Baguashi Tableland, featuring a white sundial shape, making it a must-take photo spot for travelers passing through the Baguashi Tableland. The park is equipped with an outdoor parking lot, a giant teapot-shaped installation art, restrooms, walking paths, and rest areas. The walking path from the parking lot to the park is designed as an accessible trail, allowing travelers of all ages to easily walk to take pictures with the Tropic of Cancer marker and the teapot installation, or browse the informative signs that provide insights about the 24 constellations and celestial phenomena, while enjoying the breathtaking views of tea plantations and mountains surrounding the Ruisei Tableland. The wooden corridors on both sides of the park are filled with numerous informative boards related to celestial phenomena, climate, solar terms, and Earth sciences. Nearby, vendors sell honey-scented black tea and Ruisei coffee, offering travelers a chance to rest and enjoy a good cup of tea or coffee, experiencing the local flavors while also being able to take home souvenirs. During the summer, it is the time to observe the unique celestial phenomena of the Tropic of Cancer and is also an excellent time for photographing the tea plantations and the Central Mountain Range. The clear blue sky, the bright Tropic of Cancer, the lush green tea fields, and the distant Central Mountain Range create the most iconic scenery on the Ruisei Tableland, making it a beautiful sight for passersby. The Tropic of Cancer marks the furthest point in the Northern Hemisphere where the sun can shine directly overhead, situated at 23.5 degrees North latitude. On the day of the summer solstice, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer, producing the unique phenomenon of "no shadow at noon." Furthermore, most countries and regions that the Tropic of Cancer passes through are desert, making Taiwan a rare oasis on this latitude line, where its island climate and monsoons create a unique geographical landscape. In Taiwan, there are three Tropic of Cancer markers located in Shuishang Township, Chiayi; Ruisei Township, Hualien; and Fengbin Township. The marker in Ruisei was established in 1933 and was originally located on the west side of the Ruisei Railway Station but was later relocated due to the expansion of the eastern railway line. However, the actual point where the Tropic of Cancer crosses Provincial Highway 9 is approximately two kilometers south of the current Tropic of Cancer marker.
