Guanmen Historic Trail

The Guanmen Historic Trail, which spans across Jiji Town in Nantou County and Ruisui Township in Hualien County, began construction in 1886 and completed the following year.

The trail is about 105 km in length, starts from Jiji in the west and reaches Fuyuan in the east. It was the last road excavated for regulating indigenous people during the Qing period. However, it was infrequently used by the officials.   During the Japanese occupation, this trail was used by the Government-General in Taiwan to forcibly relocate the Kashe and Danshe groups of the Bunun tribe to another village.  Today, since the 921 Jiji earthquake occurred in 1999, many parts of the Guanmen Historic Trail have collapsed causing dangerous road conditions, and making it difficult to pass.

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The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielu-Sang Hamlet
The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielu-Sang Hamlet
The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielu-Sang Hamlet

古道地圖

Attractions
Shuanglong Village
雙龍村
Shuanglong Village資訊

Shuanglong Village is located in the northern part of Xinyi Township. It is adjacent to Dili Village and Zhuoshui River in the north, the central mountain range and Hualien County in the east, and Dongpu Village and Renhe Village in the south. Originally a part of Renhe Village, Shuanglong village was officially established in September 1958, when the northern and northeastern parts of the original Renhe Village expanded. 

 

Today, the residents of Shuanglong Village are mainly composed of old Bunun tribes such as Iskan, Lafflang, and Qanituan. From Dili Village on Provincial Highway 16, you can cross the Zhuoshui River to the south to reach the village. The environment is peaceful and quiet. Walking in the village, you can see creative wall sculptures everywhere, telling the history of Shuanglong and Bunun culture. Shuanglong Elementary School is the earliest building with character and is also the first building in the country to have indigenous cultural connotations.

 

 

Bazaishan
清晨時分從富源火車站向西眺望,可清楚的看見拔仔山,即照片左邊雲霧中的山頭。
Bazaishan資訊

Bazaishan is located in Wanrong Township, Hualien County, above the Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area, at an altitude of 1,755 meters. It is the first mountain to reach from the east section of Guanmen Historic Trail. 

 

Looking west from Fuyuan Railway Station in the early morning, you can clearly see Bazaishan, which is the mountain top in the mist on the left side in the photo. However, it is usually cloudy and covered in the afternoon. Bazaishan is rich in ecology. The Fuyuan Forest Recreation Area at the foot of the mountain is a well-known place for viewing butterflies. Especially from March to August every year, you can see more than 30 kinds of butterflies such as the common bluebottle, hebomoia glaucippe formosana, and  minois dryas.

 

Bazaishan Water Source
布農族人認為湧泉是祖靈所賜予的,因此取用泉水時都會先感謝祖靈,並且在泉水旁祈禱祭拜。
Bazaishan Water Source資訊

The water source of Bazaishan is located between Bazaishan and Xinglujun mountain. It is about 1,800 meters above sea level on the ridge line. It emerges directly from the ground. It is one of the very important water sources on the eastern section of the Guanmen Historic Trail. Starting from the industrial road at the foot of Bazaishan, it takes about a day on foot to reach this spring. There are no other water sources on the way, therefore, this water source is particularly precious. The Bunun people believe that the spring is bestowed by the ancestors, so when they use the spring water, they will thank the ancestors first, pray and worship beside the spring.

Matai’an River
馬太鞍溪
Matai’an River資訊

Mataian River originates from the north of Danda Mountain and is one of the tributaries of Hualien River. After the Guanmen Historic Trail crosses the highest point in the eastern section of the Luntaiwen Mountain, it first descends along the ridge to the west saddle of Luntaiwen, then goes down around two big ravines, and then descends along the northwest ridge to the upper reaches of Matai’an River at an altitude of 1,800 meters. On the lower stream, there is a wide flat land, where the camp of Qing army was stationed. There are seven red cypress trees that are more than 15 meters tall and so it was called "Giant Tree Camp Site". The stream there is crystal-clear, knee-deep, and there are white boulders everywhere with lush forests on both sides of the stream, making it very peaceful.

Historic Trail near Mahouwanshan
影像為馬猴宛山附近一段寬敞平坦的古道,馬侯宛山標高2026公尺,古道從北側繞過。
Historic Trail near Mahouwanshan資訊

The eastern section of Guanmen Historic Trail starts from Bazai Village to the ridge of Bazai Mountain, bypasses Xinglujun Mountain and Mahouwanshan, then goes up along the southeast ridge of Luntaiwen Mountain, After bypassing the top of Luntaiwen Mountain, it then descends steeply to Matai’an River, and then climb from the bottom of Matai'an River to the south three-section ridge line. Head north for another one kilometer you will reach the Guanmen Pond at the foot of Guanmen Mountain.

 

Tamarowan Hamlet (Dili Village)
位於南投縣信義鄉的地利村街景
Tamarowan Hamlet (Dili Village)資訊

Tamarowan Hamlet is located on the river terrace on the north bank of the upper reaches of Zhuoshui River in Dili Village, Xinyi Township, Nantou County. Traditionally the Bunun named the place Tumazuan, also known as Damaluan.

In the early days of the Japanese occupation, this area was a forest. After the implementation of the relocation policy by the Government-General in Taiwan, the Bunun people from Shuanlong Hamlet of the Luanshe group and the Danda Hamlet, Tai-ersan Hamlet, Kanetwan Hamlet of the Danshe group successively moved here and formed a new Tamarowan Hamlet.

Today, you can reach Dili Village from the Provincial Highway 16 in Shuili Township, Nantou County, and the outpost is the gateway into the old Bunun hamlet sites and the Danda Forest Road.

Bakuras Hamlet
巴庫拉斯社遺址內尚存堪稱完整的石板屋
Bakuras Hamlet資訊

The Bakuras Hamlet in Dili Village, Xinyi Township, Nantou County, is about 550 meters above sea level. It was mainly formed by the relocation of the Bunun people from Wenwen Hamlet and Jiali Moan Hamlet of the Kashe group.

During the Japanese Occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan set up a police post and education center here, but under the implementation of the relocation policy, Bunun people moved to Dili, Shuanglong and Tannan successively in 1936.

Today, you can reach Bakuras hamlet from Dili Village along Provincial Highway 16. The site of the former police post is now the Bakuras Farm, where the owner has restored two slate houses from the ruins.

 

Wenwen Hamlet
文文社遺址內的石板屋牆面
Wenwen Hamlet資訊

Wenwen Hamlet is located on the west bank river terrace where the Kashe River and Zhuoshui River converge in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County. It was where the Bunun people from the Ka Hamlet migrated 220 years ago. However, influenza occurred during the Japanese occupation, which led to a dozen deaths in the hamlet.

Today, there are two routes that lead to Wenwen Hamlet. One is from Puli, where you head straight to the end of Dingdongpu, enter the Zhuoshe Forest Road, pass through the crossroads of Lianjiu hamlet to the end of the road, and then go down to the road that connects Wanda and Bakuras. After reaching Fenfenshan, head east and you will arrive at the site of Wenwen hamlet.

The other route is to go from the road northbound of Bakuras Hamlet. Today, there are still around ten slate houses on the site.

Ka Hamlet
遍地石板的卡社遺址
Ka Hamlet資訊

Ka Hamlet, located in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, was the administrative center of the Bunun from the Kashe group. There are two theories about the origin of this place. It is said that it was the migration from Sheliao Village in Zhushan County, Taichung Prefecture.  The other saying is that it was the migration from Kategelan hamlet of Xingao group in Taichung Prefecture.

There are two routes to reach Ka hamlet. You can head north from Bakuras, walk along the road from Wanda to Bakuras to arrive in Wenwen hamlet, then follow the ridgeline and walk down the Kashe River. From there, continue crossing the river to get to the other side, and walk along the hunting road to reach it. Alternatively, climb from the checkpoint at Danda Forest Road to the east saddle of Mount Kashe, and then walk along the Guanmen Historic Trail.

Today, the Ka Hamlet ruins are widely spread out, and are covered with Makino bamboo.

 

Lafulan Hamlet
拉夫朗社遺址內的石板屋
Lafulan Hamlet資訊

Lafulang Hamlet in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, is located on the flat terrace at the lower reaches of Danda River. It is about 1,400 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet of the Bunun from the Kashe group that branched out from the Luanda hamlet during migration. This is also where the Guard Road joins the Guanmen Historic Trail, and the starting point of the Guard Road.

Today, Lafulang Hamlet can be reached by climbing up a small trail about 2.5 km from the third checkpoint of Danda Forest Road. Since Lafulang Hamlet is an easy-to-reach site, it has held many activities, such as “return to the ancestral land”, at the site. For this reason, slate houses were repaired and restored. House plates were hung in front of the house so that the descendants could identify their ancestor’s house.

Jia-nian-duan Hamlet
滿布桂竹的加年端社遺址
Jia-nian-duan Hamlet資訊

Jia-nian-duan Hamlet is located on the right bank of the lower reaches of Danda river, on the southern mountainside of Mount Jia-nian-duan in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,550 meters above sea level, and is a hamlet formed by the Bunun people of the Luan group who migrated here.

During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan set up a police post and an education center in Jia-nian-duan Hamlet. The formation of the building can still be clearly seen today, and there are three-tier terraces on the foundation platform. Jia-nian-duan Hamlet ruins can be reached from going down a path that is about 8 km away from the Danda Forest Road checkpoint.

Nowadays, there are around eight slate houses remaining that are relatively complete in shape but are covered with a forest of bamboo. 

 

Hahabi Hamlet
從關門越嶺古道遠眺哈哈比社
Hahabi Hamlet資訊

Hahabi Hamlet is located on the north bank of Danda river, extending south above Tielusang Hamlet in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,460 meters above sea level and faces Danda Hamlet across the Danda River.

If you want to go to Hahabi, you can go down the afforestation road from the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road leading to Danda Suspension Bridge. After reaching an altitude of about 1,280 meters, there is a fork to Guanmen Historic Trail. Walk west for about 20 minutes and you will reach the ruins of Hahabi Hamlet. There are about two well-preserved slate houses. Five steps below the tribal ruins is where the fort was erected by the Government-General in Taiwan during the Danda Incident in the Japanese Occupation period.

Tielusang Hamlet
帖鹿桑社遺址內的石板屋
Tielusang Hamlet資訊

The Tielusang Hamlet is located on the slope opposite the confluence of east and west of Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 2,080 meters above sea level. It belongs to the Bunun Danshe group who migrated from Danda Hamlet.

If you want to go to Tielusang Hamlet, you can go down the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road. However, due to soil erosion and road damage from typhoons and earthquakes, the site is in poor condition. There are only two well preserved slate houses. In addition, continuing down from Tielusang Hamlet is the Guanmen Historic Trail, at an altitude of 1,280 meters.

Danda Hamlet
丹大社遺址內的石板屋牆面
Danda Hamlet資訊

Danda Hamlet is located on the flat river terrace near the confluence of the Danda River on the east and west in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, about 1,250 meters above sea level.

It used to be the administrative center of the Bunun from the Danshe group during the Japanese occupation, and the Government-General in Taiwan once set up a police post and education center there. Later, many tribal people were infected with influenza, resulting in the death toll of up to 70 people.

Today, the  former site of Danda Hamlet can be reached by going down the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, and passing by Tielusang Hamlet and the Danda Suspension Bridge. However, since the suspension bridge has not been maintained over the years, it is required to cross Danda River and re-connect to the path leading to Danda Hamlet. Currently there are still more than 10 slate houses in the ruins.

 

Kanmuzu Hamlet
勘姆卒社遺址內的石板屋
Kanmuzu Hamlet資訊

Kanmuzu Hamlet is located on the east side of the ridge saddle at the confluence of the east Danda River and Kanmuzu River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,600 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet formed from the migration from the Danda hamlet.

There is Kanmuzu Hot Spring next to the hamlet. During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan used to have a police post here.

Nowadays, if you want to go to Kanmuzu Hamlet, you can enter from the afforestation road near the Seventh checkpoint on Danda Forest Road and walk down the fire prevention alleyway along the ridge line. However, the ridge line is quite long, and the path is not clear. The slate houses in the hamlet are distributed on the ridge line.

Ka'alang Hamlet
卡阿郎社遺址旁的造林工寮
Ka'alang Hamlet資訊

Ka’alang Hamlet is located on the right bank of the Wuming stream in the upper reaches of the east Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,600 meters above sea level and was a hamlet formed from the migration from Danda Hamlet.

Nowadays, to get to Ka’alang Hamlet, enter from the afforestation road near the seventh checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, go around the Ka’alang ridge and then go down to arrive at the destination. Currently there are eight slate houses remaining at the site, distributed on the steep slope. Fragments of pottery shards and porcelain bowls from the Japanese occupation period can still be found scattered inside the house.

Haba'ang Hamlet
哈巴昂社遺址的屋牆和陶甕
Haba'ang Hamlet資訊

Haba’ang Hamlet is located on the right bank of the Haba’ang River in the upper reaches of the east Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. The hamlet is about 1,600 meters above sea level, at the end of the ridge line extending from the west edge of Mount Guanmen. It belongs to the Danshe group of the Bunun tribe.

During the Japanese occupation, influenza occurred which led to the death of the tribal people.

Today, due to the afforestation by the Forestry Bureau, there is almost no weed growing in the area. In addition, the remote location that resulted in few visitors was able to preserve the ruins. There are about 10 slate houses scattered on a wide platform. There are neatly stacked stone walls, and earthen pots at the door of many houses. Unfortunately, many of them have been damaged.

 

Mixikewan Hamlet
從高處俯瞰密西可灣社遺址,上方為人造林
Mixikewan Hamlet資訊

Mixikewan Hamlet is located on the left bank of the Mixikewan River, a branch of the west Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,300 meters above sea level, and was a hamlet formed from the migration of people from the Kategelan Hamlet.

During the Japanese occupation, influenza broke out and resulted in the death toll as high as 73 people in the hamlet.

Nowadays, to get to the Mixikenwan Hamlet, enter from the afforestation road of the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road, pass the Tielusang Hamlet and Danda Hamlet, continue south to the confluence estuary of west Danda River and Mixikewan River, and then climb from the estuary to the platform of the river terrace. There are three slate houses on the uppermost terrace, which is the lower part of the Mixikewan Hamlet.

The stone steps on the southeast edge of Luntaiwen
佈滿青苔的石階群,保存良好
The stone steps on the southeast edge of Luntaiwen資訊

The stone steps on Mount Luntaiwen are located on the steep ridge line of Mount Guanmen and Mount Luntaiwen in the east section of the Guanmen Historic Trail.

To get to Mount Luntaiwen, start from Bazai village and head up to Bazaishan, then go around Xinlujunshan and Mahouwanshan. After that, go up along the southeastern edge of Mount Luntaiwen, and the historic trail from Bazaishan to Mount Luntaiwen is roughly on the ridge line. As the arrow bamboos are very sparse here, it is possible to clearly see the moss-covered stone steps. In addition, the location is remote and inaccessible, and so the stone steps are well preserved.

Guanmen Pond
周圍是大片平緩箭竹草坡的關門水池
Guanmen Pond資訊

Guanmen Pond is located in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, beside Guanmen Mountain on the third section of the Central Mountain Range. It is an important water source on the third section of the Central Mountain Range. The surrounding large flat land of arrow bamboos was the former site of the Mount Guanmen Camp. In addition, there are wooden pillar holes on the small hill next to the Guanmen Pond. Next to the pillar holes there is also a small hole, which is the hole for the gate.

 

Danda Hot Spring
位於丹大東溪和卡阿郎溪匯流河口的丹大溫泉
Danda Hot Spring資訊

Danda Hot Spring is located at the confluence estuary of east Danda River and Ka’alang River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is in the south of Kanmuzu Hamlet, at the end of Moung Guanmen west ridge, and is about 1,100 meters above sea level.

Above the hot spring there is a campsite left from the Qing period, called Hot Spring Camp. There used to be a railway bridge that crossed the stream above Danda Hot Spring, but no longer exists today. The Guanshan Historic Trail is also broken and cannot be passed. Nowadays, to get to Danda Hot Spring, walk down from the sixth or seventh checkpoint on Danda Forest Road. 

 

The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielusang Hamlet
位於帖鹿桑社的丹社群尋根祖居地紀念碑
The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielusang Hamlet 資訊

The Monument of Seeking the Root of Tielusang Hamlet is located on a slope opposite the confluence of Danda River in the west and east in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, at an altitude of about 2,080 meters.

Tielusang Hamlet can be reached by going down from the afforestation road near the sixth checkpoint on Danda Forest Road. However, roads are damaged from typhoons and earthquakes, and the site is in poor condition. Continuing down from Tielusang Hamlet, about 1,280m above sea level, there is a fork road, which is the Guanmen Historic Trail. Located in the Tielusang Hamlet. The monument was erected in 2003 and was inscribed by Tian Bingyuan, the then mayor of Xinyi Township.

Slate house in Haba'ang Hamlet
哈巴昂社遺址中規模最大的石板屋
Slate house in Haba'ang Hamlet資訊

Haba’ang Hamlet is located on the right bank of the Haba’ang River in the upper reaches of the east Danda River in Xinyi Township, Nantou County. It is about 1,600 meters above sea level, at the end of the ridge line extending from the west edge of Mount Guanmen. It belongs to the Danshe group of the Bunun tribe.

During the Japanese Occupation period, influenza occurred, leading to the death of many tribal people.

Today, due to the afforestation by the Forestry Bureau, there is almost no weed growing there. In addition, due to the remote location and little traffic, the ruins have been well-preserved. There are about 10 slate houses scattered on a wide platform. The neatly stacked stone walls and earthen pots are located by the door of many houses. Unfortunately, many of them have been damaged.

 

Stone steps in Bazai Mountain
拔仔山往那實達社方向路段的石階群
Stone steps in Bazai Mountain資訊

The stone steps in Bazaishan are located in Ruisui Township, Hualien County.

Bazaishan is the first mountain on the eastern section of the Guanmen Historic Trail. The entrance to the trail is in the Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area. Enter from the industrial road outside the Butterfly Valley, go through the old afforestation path to reach Nasida Hamlet, and the stone steps are on the road to the hamlet.

Due to the steepness, there are many stone steps along the way, especially on the road close to the forest triangle point, where the stone steps are very dense. Road closer to Nashida Hamlet is gentle and therefore, has less stone steps.

 

Marshland in the east section of Guanmen Historic Trail
拔仔山往那實達社方向路段的石階群
Marshland in the east section of Guanmen Historic Trail資訊

The Guanmen Historic Trail, which straddles Jiji Township of Nantou County and Ruisui Township of Hualien County, began construction in 1886 and completed in the following year. The trail starts from Jiji in the west and reaches Fuyuan in the east, about 105 km in length. It was the last excavated road during the Qing period but was not frequently used by the officials then.

During the Japanese occupation, the trail was used by the Government-General in Taiwan to force the Kashe group and Danshe group of the Bunun tribe to move to a concentrated village.

Nowadays, there is a marshland in the east section of the Guanmen Historic Trail, which is located below the ridge line of Bazaishan. Due to the humid and rainy climate here, many sections of the road are quite muddy. Although the terrain is wide, flat and covered with short grass, the bottom is full of mud and is easy to sink in when walking on it.