Shuling Tower Introduction
The creation of the Tree Spirit Tower was a response to the Japanese development of the Alishan forestry, which involved extensive logging, including the felling of numerous trees over a thousand years old. The Japanese believed that all things have a spirit, thus they constructed the Tree Spirit Tower to honor the tree spirits and to provide psychological comfort for the forestry workers. The establishment of the Tree Spirit Tower reflects the Japanese respect for nature, which was quite rare at the time. The design of the Tree Spirit Tower is based on a deformed pagoda, consisting of a base, a tower body, and a pinnacle. The base is a six-tiered circular structure, where each circular step represents a tree ring, with each tier symbolizing five hundred years, collectively totaling six tiers to represent the three thousand years of the divine wooden tree spirit. The tower body symbolizes a thick tree trunk, conveying a robust image, and features the inscription "Tree Spirit Tower" without any additional text. At the base, there are three short columns of varying heights radiating outwards in different directions, representing the gaps left by felled trees, emphasizing the pain of tree cutting. The belief in the spirit of all things should not be overlooked; this notion was particularly exceptional at the time, which is why it has been designated as a county-designated historical monument.
