Syakaro Historic Trail

Qingquan No. 1 Suspension Bridge is located in Qingquan Hamlet, Taoshan Village, Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County. It is about 535 meters above sea level and crosses Shangping River. Qingquan No. 1 Suspension Bridge also connects to Qingquan Police Station. It is about 157 meters long, 25 meters high, and 1.4 meters wide, and is the highest suspension bridge in the Qingquan area. You can overlook the entire Qingquan area from the bridge. Where the bridge is standing was the original site for the Inoue Railway Bridge during Japanese rule. Both ends of the bridge still have sections of the Syakaro guard road remaining from those time. The Railway Bridge was damaged due to disrepair for a long period of time and in 1996 the current bridge was rebuilt on the same site.

Shilu Hamlet is located on the south-facing long ridge of a small hill in the east of Mindu Mountain. In the early days, this area was rich in magnolia compressa, thus, the Atayal people called this place Skaru. Skaru refers to the magnolia compressa tree, which is widely distributed in the broad-leaved forests of middle and low altitudes in Taiwan. In the 2nd year of Taisho (1913), the Aiyong Supervision Office was set up in this area. It was named Syakaro, after the transliteration of Skaru, which got transliterated later as "Shilu". This image shows the current situation of the Shilu hamlet, and above the hamlet is the Syakaro police post from the Japanese occupation period, which was renamed the Shilu Police Station after the war.

he Forestry Bureau has set up an explanatory board by the entrance (Shilu end) of the Syakaro National Trail in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County. Syakaro Historic Trail, also known as Shilu Historic Trail, has two entry points, one in Qingquang, Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, and the other end is in Xiuluan Village, Jianshi Township. The Syakaro incident happened twice in the sixth year and ninth year of Taisho (1917 & 1920). At that time, there was only one Aiyong border within the old Hsinchu Prefecture. Therefore, in mid-November of the 9th year of Taisho (1920), it was planned to dig a new Lifan road from Shangping to the dispatch station to suppress and monitor the Syakaro group.
At the end of March in the 11th year of Taisho (1922), the "Syakaro Trail" was completed. In April of the same year, a total of 19 new police posts were successively established along the trail. In the 13th year of Taisho (1924), the security stations at both ends of the trail were changed to police posts to improve the security of the entire road.

The northwest saddle of Syakaro Mountain is the crossing point of the entire trail. The Japanese excavated the saddle to facilitate passage, forming a door-like passage. The local Atayal people named it Belefun, which means "door".
Going eastward from the saddle for a few minutes and the ridgeline on the right leads to the entry of Syakaro Mountain. From there, walk for about 20 minutes and the northern saddle of the mountain will be on the left. It takes about 1.5 hours round trip to climb Syakaro Mountain. Due to the strategic location, Matsushita police post was set up there in Taisho 11 (1922), which is the highest police post along the Syakaro Trail.

The Baishi Suspension Bridge was first built in the 10th year of Taisho (1921) and rebuilt in 1947. The bridge is about 145 meters long and 90 centimeters wide, crossing the main stream of Sakyacin Creek. Skayacin means white stone (Baishi) in the Atayal language. Sakyacin Creek originates from the west side of the north edge of Dabajian Mountain, and is one of the two major tributaries of the upper reaches of Dahan River. In recent years, due to the increase in the number of tourists, it has been renovated again in consideration of safety, and an explanatory board is set up beside the bridge.

Departing from the entrance at the Yanglao end, heading towards the millet garden, you will see orchards on both sides of the road. The entrance at the Yanglao end is about 1250 meters. After passing the orchard, it is a gentle uphill slope. Since this is a  middle altitude area, there are many different broad-leaved tree species, such as green maple, Taiwan alder, liquidambar, and some coniferous trees. The trail is about 3.5 kilometers and takes an hour. When entering the osmanthus bamboo forest, you will see a round charcoal kiln by the trail.

The location of the Yanglao Police Post from the Japanese rule has been converted into a working house today due to the widening of the road. Yanglao Hamlet belongs to Xiuluan Village, Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County. It is located on the left bank of Xiuluan River and the northern foot of Mount Sinaji, at an altitude of 900 to 1500 meters. The mountainside belongs to the Kinaji group of the Atayal ethnic group. Yanglao is a transliteration of Yuluw in the Atayal language, which refers to the rat board under the barn.

Where Taigang and Baishi River join is called Yufeng River. After crossing Xiuluan, you can see a huge rock on the other side of the river that looks like a sailing warship protruding from Yufeng River. During the Japanese rule, there was a suspension bridge that led to Zhishengmaotai Mountain on the opposite bank. The bridge was demolished in the 1970s because it was unsafe for crossing. In addition to the Xiuluan Hot Spring below the Xiuluan hamlet, you can also see bubbling river surface below the Junjianyan (Warship Rock), were hot spring gushes out from the rock crevices. It is the outcrop of Junjianyan Natural Hot Spring, a carbonated spring with a water temperature of about 50 degrees celcius. It is suitable for bathing when the temperature is adjusted through mixing stream water and hot springs. Tourists often camp near Warship Rock during holidays.

The Laihu Police Post is located on a convex ridge  south-west of Mount Mingdouyo with a panoramic view. It is at an altitude of about 1,030 meters and on a 1,000 square meters wide foundation. In the early days of the Japanese occupation, when the Governor-General in Taiwan sent its troops to set up the Aiyong Border, it first set up a checkpoint here. Later in 1922, the Laihu Police Post was set up, facing Atayal’s Yehmakan Hamlet of the Syakaro group across the river.

In the early post-war period, the National Government took over and used it as a police station. It was renamed successively to Minsheng Police Station and Yunshan Police Station. Finally, when it was converted into a brick structure in 1963, the name was changed back to Minsheng Police Station.

Today, the police station has been relocated to the opposite bank of the Syakaro River. Only the foundation and stacked stone walls remain at the former site.

Songben Police Post is located on a convex ridge south-west of Mount Mingdouyo. It is about 1,360 meters above sea level and faces Atayal’s Rokkaho Hamlet (Lwax khu) of the Syakaro group across the stream. In the early days of the Japanese occupation, the Governor-General in Taiwan implemented a five-year (Lifan) indigenes management plan. The high-pressure governance measures caused dissatisfaction among the Atayal people and so in 1917, they fought with the Japanese which resulted in the Syakaro incident. Since it was an important strategic location, the Governor-General immediately set up a checkpoint in the following year. The Songben Police Post was then established in 1922, but was withdrawn after the people of Shishe of Syakaro group took refuge in the Beikeng River basin. To this day, the police post has been rebuilt into residential houses.

Syakaro Police Post is stationed on the south-facing long ridge, east side of Mount Mingdouyo, about 1,510 meters above sea level. Before the Syakaro Historic Trail was opened by the Governor-General in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation, the police post was the most penetrating official force in the mountain. In the early days of Japanese rule, the Governor-General set up the Syakaro Aiyong Supervision Office, and then in 1922 the Syakaro Police Post was set up with more than 20 guards. In the post-war period, the National Government changed its name to Shilu Police Station. 

To date, there are two parts of the former police post remaining on the site. The upper part remains the rammed earthen walls of the patrolling officer dormitory. The roof of the police post has collapsed and is unusable.

The Xiaolin Police Post, located on the first long ridge to the east of the Syakaro Police Post, was established in 1922, and named after the first Japanese supervisor’s surname. However, the police post was withdrawn after a lapse of 8 years. In order to cope with topographical changes, the foundation of Xiaolin police post is mainly L-shaped, with stone ridges built in the front and rear, which are still complete today.

Zhuangzi Police Post is located above the parking lot at the entrance of the present Syakaro National Trail, about 1,780 meters above sea level. After the construction of the Syakaro trail was completed during the Japanese colonial period, the Governor-General in Taiwan believed that this was an important strategic location. Therefore in 1922, the Zhuangzi Police Post was established with a foundation of more than 100 square meters. After a lapse of 2 years, it was removed because the area was considered quiet. 

Today, due to the widening of industrial roads and the excavation of the parking lot, the forecourt of Zhuangzi Police Post has collapsed. The remaining building structures that are still visible are rammed earthen walls, fort foundations, and stone ridges. 

Tianchuntai Police Post is located at the mountainside of 1998 peak and Mount Gaoqiao in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County. It was established in 1922, and was named after the surname of the first police officer in charge, Tamura Yuichi (Tianchun Yongyi). The traditional Atayal name for the place is Tarofun. In the early days of the Japanese occupation, after two occurrences of the Syakaro incident, the Governor-General in Taiwan named this place Mukaraka Highland, and excavated the Luchang Lianling Road in 1925. Tiancuntai was the road’s starting point.

Today, Tianchuntai Police Post is located in the plantation area of Japanese Cedar. Due to the afforestation work, some sites of the police post have been destroyed. Only the gate ramps, stacked stone foundations and fort sites remain visible.

Sakayachin Police Post is located on the north side of Zuotengshan (Mount Sato) along the 2328 peak to the tail ridge in the northeast. It was established in 1922 and is about 1,630 meters above sea level. It was the most important stronghold on the Syakaro Historic Trail during the Japanese occupation, equipped with 30 guards. In the post-war period, the National Government changed its name to Baishi Police Station, and rebuilt the office dormitory in 1969. As a fact, the back door of the Baishi Police Station is the entrance to the road leading to Zuotengshan (Mount Sato). The road is not used nowadays and therefore, the Forestry Bureau put up warning signs to prevent hikers from entering by mistake.

The Wusheng Police Post is located on the northwestern edge of Mount Bunugari, about 1,430 meters above sea level. It was established in 1922, when the Syakaro Trail was completed during the Japanese occupation. It was the peak of the police force, however, after a lapse of 5 years, the police post was withdrawn when the police force was deployed. In the past, the Wusheng Police Post faced the Jianfan Police Post on the opposite bank of Skayacin Creek.

To this day, the police post still maintains a complete slope and stone ridge, and the Forestry Bureau set up an information board introducing Wusheng Police Post, its story and the spatial configuration at that time.

The Ma’an Police Post, established in 1922, is located on the small saddle on the western edge of Yanglaoshan (Mount Yoro), about 1,460 meters above sea level, on a foundation of more than 400 square meters. Based on legend, the name of the first Atayal who came here to reclaim the land was Bawan, and so, the traditional Atayal name of this place was named after him. Later in the Japanese Occupation period, the Governor-General in Taiwan transliterated it as Ma’an.

In the early post-war period, the National Government took over and turned it into the Ma’an Police Station, which was later abandoned in 1959. Today, the remains of rammed earthen houses and walls of the police post can still be seen on site.

The Tarakkas Police Post (Suyuan Police Station) is located on the northern branch of the western edge of Yanglaoshan (Mount Yoro), about 1,415 meters above sea level and has a foundation of more than 400 square meters. It was established in 1920, at which time, the Syakaro Trail had not been opened. Originally, there was a hamlet named Trakis, which means millet. During the Japanese occupation, the Governor-General in Taiwan used the name and pronounced it タラッカス (Tarakkas).

In the early post-war period, the National Government took over and renamed it Suyuan Police Station, which was abandoned in 1959. Today, Tarakkas Police Post is in the plantation area of makino bamboos. The plantation has caused great damage to the foundation, but there are still traces of rammed earthen house foundations, houses and walls.