The Hengduan Road Excavation Monument

The Hengduan Road Excavation Monument is located next to Provincial Highway 9 in Gancheng Village, Ji’an Township, Hualien County. It was set up by the Governor-General in Taiwan for the road excavation team to commemorate the completion of the east section of the Nenggao Traversing Historic Trail. The whole trail is 90 km from Chuyin to Wushe, and the east section is about 44 km long. Due to the steep terrain in the east section, the construction was arduous, and many were injured or died. Therefore, the monument was set up when the road was completed in 1918. The inscription on the monument details the labor and cost of excavating the road, and records the names of those who died in the construction.