Tropic of Cancer Marker Park Introduction
The Tropic of Cancer Marker Park is located on the Ruishui Wuzhu Plateau, featuring a white sundial design that has become a must-photograph spot for travelers passing through the plateau. The park is equipped with an outdoor parking lot, a large teapot-shaped art installation, restrooms, walking trails, and a resting area. The walking path from the parking lot to the park is designed to be barrier-free, allowing visitors of all ages to easily walk to take photos with the Tropic of Cancer marker and the teapot installation, or browse the explanatory signs in all directions to learn about the 24 lunar mansions and celestial phenomena while enjoying the scenic views of the surrounding tea plantations and mountains. On both sides of the park, there are wooden corridors featuring numerous informational signs related to celestial phenomena, climate, solar terms, and Earth sciences. Beside the park, there are vendors selling honey-flavored black tea and Wuzhu coffee, providing travelers a chance to rest and enjoy a good cup of tea or coffee, and take home local delicacies as souvenirs. In the summer, it is the perfect time to observe the special celestial phenomena associated with the Tropic of Cancer, as well as to capture exquisite photos of the tea gardens and the Central Mountain Range. The blue sky, bright Tropic of Cancer, green tea fields, and the distant Central Mountain Range together form the most iconic landscape of the Ruishui Wuzhu Plateau, often captured by those passing through. The Tropic of Cancer marks the northernmost point where the sun can directly shine in the Northern Hemisphere, located at 23.5 degrees north latitude. On the summer solstice, the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer, creating the unique phenomenon of "no shadow at midday." Additionally, most countries and regions along the Tropic of Cancer are desert, making Taiwan a rare oasis on this line, where its island climate and monsoons create this unique geographical landscape. There are three locations in Taiwan where the Tropic of Cancer markers are set up, located in Shueishang Township in Chiayi, Ruishui Township in Hualien, and Fengbin Township. The marker in Ruishui was established in 1933, initially located on the west side of the Ruishui Train Station, but was later moved to its current location due to the expansion of the Eastern Railway. However, the exact point where the Tropic of Cancer crosses Provincial Highway No. 9 is actually about two kilometers south of the current marker location.
