Our van ran rapidly atop the Hsinsheng Elevated Freeway, and within 15 minutes we were in the foothills of Mt. Yangming. As our driver began shifting gears, we became aware that the hawkings and hagglings of busy Taipei had faded gradually away....
Tall trees line Yangte Drive, winding up to long-famous Yangming Park. We came to Western-style buildings half-hidden among the cherry blossoms of age old trees, now showing tender, green, newly-sprouted leaves. As our party stood rapt, totally fascinated by the beauty of the scene, our guide, Hsu Wen-lung, one of the national park planners, interrupted us, starting his introductory talk with comments on two pioneering national parks in the United States.
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the first, largest, and best known national park in the United States, famous for hot-water geysers of volcanic origin. Yosemite National Park in central California was made a national park in 1890, and features giant sequoia groves with trees thousands of years old and many points of geological interest. Hsu wanted to assure we would consider our new national park from an international perspective.
Now, after 35 years of rapid economic growth and technological development have enabled the Republic of China on Taiwan to be ranked among the developed countries, the people here are actively concerned with protecting their environment. On June 13, 1972, the government promulgated the "National Park Law," establishing firm goals for conservation, research, and recreation.
In 1977, President Chiang Ching-kuo, then Premier, instructed a Cabinet meeting to plan for the Kenting area to become Taiwan's first national park. From then on, planning for the establishment of national parks has proceeded actively. In September of last year, the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) formally announced designation of Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan, and, in November, two additional national parks—at Jade Mountain and Yangmingshan. Implementation of long-range development plans is in process. A group of youthful staff members at the department of national parks of the Construction & Planning Administration are responsible for the projects.
Among the three national parks, Kenting features oceanic ecology and tropical forest; Jade Mountain, soaring ranges and rich highland resources; and Yangmingshan, sulfuric fumaroles, hot springs, and waterfalls.
Yangte Drive forked before us, one leg leading to Yangming Park, which attracts more than two million visitors during the annual spring flower season—from the middle of February to the beginning of April. A poem reads:
Spring touches first upon
Yangming Park,
Where heavy branches riot with color.
Pine trees and brooks play musical
delights,
And even knitted brows have to unfold.
From deep in the bowels of earth, thermal waters vent their spleen
We did not, however, stop to visit this long-developed park, now just a part of a greater expanse. Instead, we went on to the farther areas of the new national recreation area. As the van laboriously climbed the narrow road, a mountain in the shape of the black hat once worn by noblemen or high officials of former times, appeared to our left front. The mountain is called Shamao, named exactly for its hat-like shape.
Taking the volcanic prominences of Mt. Tatun and Mt. Chihsing as its center, Yangmingshan National Park spreads over 10,000 hectares. It is bounded on the east by Mt. Huangtsui and the western foothills of Mt. Mientien; on the north by Chutzushan; and on the south by the southern edges of Mt. Shamao and the valley of Pingteng village.
We were approaching the park from its southern boundary at Mt. Shamao, travelling a flatter road, when the laughter of several country women, washing clothes, rose up from a nearby, clear-as-crystal stream on our right. For the twinkling of an eye, the road was almost devoured by the bushes along it; then, in the next moment, manicured, terraced rice fields appeared in a valley to our left. Light yellow smoke from the sublimation of sulfur rose gradually from a sulfur mine on the mountain slope to our right.
We headed onward to Lake Dream, passing meadows, surmounting a mountain peak, and stopping in view of a valley. The mountain is called Chihsing. We had stopped at the end of a narrow path, and now hiked down a steep slope. The lake was right there, so serene that we felt like intruders.
At the edges of the cold, clear waters of the lake, tall reeds fluttered in the wind. Hsu said that in the summer's morning mists, the lake is a fantasy vision, and that the summer meadows carpeting the valley floor are dotted with berries and ground orchids.
An ancient caldera, mouth still agape, breathes silent fumes where the thunder of volcanic cataclysm once reigned.
Originally, the lake was "heaven's pond," one story goes. Every year, in the early warmth of spring, when all the flowers bloomed, fairy maidens would descend to this site in the mortal world to enjoy the beautiful scene. They would remove their colorful costumes and play in the pond. There came a year when a young hunter happened along. Seeing the beauties, he tiptoed to the pond, grabbed one of the fairies' dresses, and ran away and hid. The nymphs, frightened, donned their costumes and left the scene as fast as they could. But the celestial whose clothes were stolen could not go back to heaven, and she and the hunter became lovers. However, the authorities in heaven allowed them to live together for only five years.
When the period expired, the young man saw his beautiful consort leave, sailing on low clouds and riding the mist. His broken-hearted cries shook the wild lands of Mt. Chihsing. Chill winds and cold rains flashed and swirled through the mountain air, the stuff of dreams.
Almost all year the lake is covered with fog. Only on summer days, does the veil lift. Lake Dream is the only source in Taiwan of the water leek (Isoetes taiwanesis), a perennial appearing in cool-weather zones. Where did the rare plant come from? "Maybe migratory birds brought the seeds from the Yangtze River Basin on the mainland," suggested Hsu.
We left the lake, climbed the slope, and drove on the same road back to a trail we had seen earlier. The van was left on the roadside, and we descended the trail. Golden rays of sunlight sifted through leafy filters to create a dim light, and soothing breezes blew across the way. Toward the end of the trail were the flower and vegetable gardens of Chinshan Farm. Then, we passed a small temple to the God of Earth by an old banyan tree and came to two diverging paths—one to Sun Valley and the other to the Silk Waterfall. We chose to visit the latter first.
The water falls from its heights like thousands upon thousands of silk threads. Standing on the trail, we heard only the sounds of the watery threads hissing off the rocks below. We went to sit on the rocks and enjoy the splashing of cool water, rising to touch our faces.
The narrow lane leading to Sun Valley (Chingtienkang) is lined with bamboo trees. We met a group of high school students going our way.
Nature's flirtations are conducted with flowers; in the new National Park, the temptress is at her most engaging
After passing through the bamboos, we came to a prairie, desolate of trees. When the sun occasionally peered from the clouds, the rays warmed the whole valley.
As we were traveling against time that day, we left the area and drove directly via Yangchin Highway toward Mt. Tatun, 3,000 meters above sea level. Somewhere along the highway we turned left onto a zig-zag paved road with low arrow-bamboo groves lining its edges. Every year, during the spring season, countryside women from down the mountain climb up there to dig the pink, sweet, tender, pen-sized bamboo shoots. Later, they gather at roadside markets, selling the delicate vegetable to hikers and tourists. The thin stalks of the plants can be made into screens, door curtains, and other decorative objects.
The tomb of Yu Yu-jen, an elder statesman of this country, dominates the slope to the left of the road. From its high position, it overlooks the Taiwan Straits at the edge of the horizon. A red, Chinese-style pavilion, called "Yangchi" (Admiration), stands a few steps higher. During the summer season, butterflies of more than 100 species and various colors dot the whole valley. Thus, this has become the best vantage for butterfly viewers in northern Taiwan.
The low arrow-bamboo groves now became denser and denser, and we found ourselves at the gate of a telecommunications receiving and sending station at the top of Mt. Tatun. At the edge of the peak, looking below, we were distant from the demands of human society and felt the peace that comes with solitude. Time seemed to pause....
The whole mountain slope, not too far below us, was covered with the low arrow-bamboo, like a soft blanket. How we wished we could be children and turn somersaults on it! "Wait a minute;" cautioned Hsu, "that region is under the wild boar's rule. They love to play there in the groves and to eat the sweet, tender shoots."
Around us was the cool, unbroken green of forested mountains—Tatun West Peak, Tatun South Peak, Mt. Mientien, Mt. Tsaikungkeng. We reveled in an on-the-top-of-the-world feeling. To our left, we could see, in the far distance, the Tamsui River flowing into gray, mist-shrouded ocean waters.
On the island of Taiwan, the volcanoes are dormant. However, volcanic traces, such as hot springs, calderas, and solfatara vents, can be seen, especially in the region of the Tatun volcanic group—special features of Yangmingshan National Park.
Nature's flirtations are conducted with flowers; in the new National Park, the temptress is at her most engaging
Geologically, the region was formed as a result of volcanic activities over 1.2 million years ago. The 20 dormant volcanoes gather there look like cones or bells. Since they are no longer active, their centers have become valleys, shaped like funnels or bowls. Among the calderas, Lieuhuangku (Sulfur Valley) is the most famous. The big, golden hole can be seen from Yangchin Highway. Steam escapes with a hissing sound.
The average temperatures in the region range from 15 to 19°C. Foggy days appear most of the year, and in autumn, it rains often. There are about 46 species of residential and migratory birds in the area, and during the spring season, rhododendrons, particularly the Tatun species, embellish the green forests.
We continued onward to Matsao (the Manger), where many tourists bathe in the hot springs in all four seasons. The sources of the thermal waters are Mt. Huangtsui, Mt. Chiku, and the other dormant cones. Usually, it drizzles, and clouds and fog linger, drifting, all day. A few isolated rain splashes hit the van as we were starting to leave.
Luchiaokeng (Deerhorn Hole), located at the confluence of Mt. Yangming and Chinshan County, was our next stop. The whole area, spreading 800 hectares, is covered with dense, unspoiled virgin woods.
When the northeastern monsoon hits the region in the winter, the Tatuns volcanic troupe becomes a barrier to its spread. Clear skies stretch to the south. But, on climbing across Mt. Chihsing and reaching Yako, this whole area sinks into a vast expanse of clouds and fog; the pines and broadleaved trees appear and disappear in the mists. In the winter, the air here is fragrant with the scent of conifers. The pine gives the air a penetrating tinge that lingers in the mind. In the dense woods, the cold wind condenses the mist into water droplets which fall to the ground and coalesce into small creeks. These trickle through the valley and nourish numerous plants, insects, shrimp, crabs, wild boars, and such rare animals as white-nosed owls, Taiwan mountain monkeys, and big-crown eagles.
It was 4:00 p.m., and we were forced to end our quick tour of Yangmingshan National Park. As we walked the trail back to our van, tiny water drops on the foliage, disturbed by our passage, drizzled onto our hair and shoulders. Surely, we had enjoyed the wonders of nature.