Nantun and Wufeng: An Old Blacksmiths' Street, the Lin Family Mansion and the 921 Earthquake Museum — A Two-Day Stamp Route in Taichung
Taichung · 8 places Nantun Old Street before Wanhe Temple, the Lin family mansion in Wufeng and the broken running track at the 921 museum.
Taichung's oldest market street isn't in front of the train station. It's in Nantun.
Nantun's old name was Litoudian, "plowshare shop." In the Qing dynasty, blacksmiths lined the street, forging plowshares for the farms around it. Further south, the Lin family of Wufeng was once one of the most powerful families in central Taiwan, and left behind a whole estate of official residences and a theater stage. And on the other side of Wufeng, the fault line and collapsed school buildings left by the 921 earthquake have been preserved just as they were.
This route goes from Nantun to Wufeng. Eight places and eight stamps take you through Taichung's old streets, old mansions and the power of the earth in two days.
The route at a glance
| Place | Category | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Fongle Sculpture Park | Park & garden | Nantun |
| Wanhe Temple | Place of worship | Nantun |
| Nantun Old Street | Historic district | Nantun |
| National Chung Hsing University | Campus | South |
| Wufeng Lin Family Gongbaodi Estate | Heritage site | Wufeng |
| 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan | Museum | Wufeng |
| Asia Museum of Modern Art | Art museum | Wufeng |
| Tree Roots Wood Workshop | Factory tour | South |
Spend the first day in Nantun and the South District, and the second day further south in Wufeng, where three of the places are close together. Driving or riding a scooter is the easiest way to link them up.
Fongle Sculpture Park: outdoor sculptures on the lawns
Fongle Sculpture Park covers about six hectares, with dozens of outdoor sculptures scattered across the lawns and around the lake.
Follow the paths and take in the sculptures one by one. It's the easiest way to start the day.
Wanhe Temple: the heart of old Litoudian
Built in the Yongzheng era of the Qing dynasty, Wanhe Temple is an old Mazu temple and the spiritual center of the Litoudian area.
Step inside to light a stick of incense, look at the cut-tile figures on the eaves and the wood carvings, then walk out of the temple into the old street.
Nantun Old Street: the sound of the forge and a century-old bakery
Nantun Old Street runs in front of Wanhe Temple and is Taichung's oldest market street. There's still a blacksmith's shop where you can hear the hammering as you pass, and a bakery more than a hundred years old.
After the walk, buy a box of pastries to take with you as a souvenir of the day.
National Chung Hsing University: Chung Hsing Lake in the evening
National Chung Hsing University is one of central Taiwan's long-established national universities. In the evening, people from the neighborhood come to stroll around Chung Hsing Lake, where the campus trees are reflected in the water.
Follow the walkers around the lake and collect your stamp by the water.
Wufeng Lin Family Gongbaodi Estate: Taiwan's only Fuzhou-style stage
The Gongbaodi estate is the group of official residences of the Qing-era Lin family of Wufeng. Walk into the Fujian-style Gongbaodi, where courtyard after courtyard leads further in, then on to the Great Flower Hall to see Taiwan's only Fuzhou-style theater stage.
The estate is large, so leave a whole morning to explore it slowly.
921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan: a running track torn apart
The 921 Earthquake Museum stands on the site of Guangfu Junior High School, where the earthquake struck. The Chelungpu Fault runs beneath the sports field. The quake tore up and lifted the running track, and the collapsed school buildings have been kept as they were.
Standing before the broken track, it's hard not to fall silent. This is the stop you'll remember most.
Asia Museum of Modern Art: Tadao Ando's triangle
The Asia Museum of Modern Art sits on the campus of Asia University. Designed by Tadao Ando, it's a triangular building of bare concrete.
Walk around the gray walls and watch the light and shadow move across them, then go inside for the exhibitions.
Tree Roots Wood Workshop: giant roots and a magic castle
The last stop takes you back to the South District. Tree Roots Wood Workshop is a woodworking factory with huge tree-root carvings and an interior like a magic castle.
It's especially good with kids. Collect your eighth stamp among the roots and the route is complete.
Two-day plan
Day 1: Nantun and the South District
- Walk in Fongle Sculpture Park in the morning
- Visit Wanhe Temple around midday and have lunch on Nantun Old Street
- Visit Tree Roots Wood Workshop in the afternoon
- Stroll around Chung Hsing Lake at National Chung Hsing University in the evening
Day 2: Wufeng
- Visit the Wufeng Lin Family Gongbaodi Estate in the morning
- Visit the 921 Earthquake Museum in the afternoon
- End at the Asia Museum of Modern Art in the late afternoon
Before you go
- Opening hours, closing days and ticket prices can change, so check each place's official website before you set off. The 921 Earthquake Museum and the Asia Museum of Modern Art both have regular closing days.
- Nantun and Wufeng are some distance apart, so driving or riding a scooter is easier, though buses run between them too.
- National Chung Hsing University and Asia University are working universities. Follow the campus visitor rules and don't disturb classes.
Collecting this route with ExploreStamp
Open ExploreStamp, find "Nantun Old Street to the Lin Mansion" among the themed routes and tap "Check in" at each place you reach. The app confirms you're within range, adds the place's stamp to your stamp book and records the date of your first visit. Collect all eight, and an old street, a mansion and a broken running track will all live in your stamp book.
See the other routes under Explore.
Cover photo: Winston Chen / Unsplash