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Jiji (集集; also written as Chichi) is a quaint railway town beside the foothills of Taiwan's central mountain range.
Besides being on a well-town tourist railway line, Jiji is known as the epicenter of "921", Taiwan's deadly earthquake of the century that shook the whole island in 1999.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Jiji is in Nantou County, flourished during the Japanese era with the construction of the Jiji railway line.
On September 21, 1999, a massive earthquake hit Taiwan, with its center near Jiji. Thousands of people were killed by collapsing buildings across Nantou and Taichung counties, and even some in Taipei. In Jiji itself, even single-family houses were badly damaged, and residents lived in tents outside their homes for months afterwards. There are still a number of reminders of the disaster scattered around the area, such as the collapsed Wuchang Temple.
To avoid your Taiwanese friends making fun of you, make sure to avoid pronouncing the town's name with two level tones, which results in a children's word for male genitals. The correct pronunciation of the name uses a rising tone for each syllable, as if each one is a question.
Though not the closest town to either, Jiji is a reasonable base for trips to Sun Moon Lake and Xitou, which can both be reached by bus in about an hour.
Get in
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By train
[edit | edit source]The TRA Jiji line runs through the township, and the area can be accessed via the following stations:
- 1 Jiji Station (集集車站). The main station for Jiji town, and the namesake station of the Jiji Line railway, it was opened for operation on 14 January 1922, during Japanese rule. The station relocated to its current location on 2 February 1930. The station was severely damaged in the 1999 Jiji earthquake (921 earthquake) on 21 September 1999 and was reconstructed in 2001, but still preserves a wooden Japanese architectural style.
- 2 Longquan Station (龍泉車站). The station was opened for operation on 14 January 1922. It's located outside of the town proper, at an outlying village by the entrance to an army base.
By bus
[edit | edit source]The area is served by the Yuanlin and All Day bus companies. There is service to and from Sun Moon Lake every two hours during daylight.
Get around
[edit | edit source]Bicycles and scooters can be rented from rental stores near the train stations, such as:
- 1 Taiwan Bike Rental (台灣租車行), No. 180-200, Minsheng Road, Jiji Township, Nantou County, ☏ +886 4 9276 3981. Directly across the street from Jiji station.
- 2 Asia-wide Bike Rental (亞大租車行), No. 119, Minsheng Road, Jiji Township, Nantou County.
Some accommodations in town may lend or rent bicycles as well.
See
[edit | edit source]Historical sites
[edit | edit source]- 1 Mingxin Academy (明新書院). Built in 1885 during the Qing Dynasty rule as the first private school within the area, the complex is a well-preserved example of the pre-colonial educational system in Taiwan.
- 2 Jiji Wuchang Temple (武昌宮). The remains of a temple that collapsed during the earthquake in 1999. No one died, and staff risked their safety to recover the deity statues from the collapsed building - a deed that they believe has brought good fortune. And sure enough, an even bigger temple, impressive on its own, has been been rebuilt in front of the collapsed on. free.
- 3 Taishun Gallery Bridge (泰順廊橋). A picturesque life-sized replica of one of the historic covered bridges of Taishun County in Wenzhou, Mainland China, built from wood without any nails. The bridge was built for Wuchang Temple as a gift from an associated temple in China. Free entry during daylight hours.
Museums
[edit | edit source]- 4 Jiji Military History Park (集集軍史公園). An open-air museum featuring examples of Republic of China military hardware.
- Conservation Education Center.
- 5 Taiwan Water Museum (台灣水資源館), No. 2, Lanhe Rd, Jiji Township, Nantou County.
Nature
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- 6 Shenxian Falls (神仙瀑布).
Architecture
[edit | edit source]- 7 Jiji Weir (集集攔河堰). A large modern overflow dam. On land near the dam's north end is a stone inscribed with a slogan during the Qing Dynasty era (1800s) to commemorate the opening of the Nantou frontier to Chinese industry (the county had previously been self-governed by its Formosan aboriginal inhabitants).
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Jiji Banana (集元果觀光工廠), No. 38, Daping Ln, Jiji Township, ☏ +886 4 9276 4562. 09:00-17:30. You can participate in making various banana delicacies.
Go-karting
[edit | edit source]- 2 Lavender Go-kart (風車花園小型賽車場), No. 507, Minquan Road, Jiji Township, Nantou County.
- 3 Chi-Chi Jie Rims Kart Track (集集捷軨小型賽車場), No. 400, Minquan Road, Jiji Township, Nantou County.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 3 First herbal nature Biotechnology Park (本草自然生技園區), No.18, Chenggong Rd, ☏ +886 49 2760919. 08:30–17:30. Selling various body care products made with Indian borage.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- 1 Ba Zhang Beef noodles (八張牛肉麵), No.11, Ln. 291, Wenxin St, ☏ +886 49 2764539. 10:30–14:30、16:30–20:00, closed Sun.
- 2 Grandma's Stinky Tofu (阿嬤臭豆腐), No.18, Jimin St, ☏ +886 49 2762334. 14:00–18:30. NT$ 50.
Night market
[edit | edit source]- 3 Jiji Night Market (集集夜市), No. 188, Yucai Street, Jiji Township, Nantou County. Tue Sat 17:30-22:30.
Vegetarian
[edit | edit source]- 4 Natural Vegetarian (天然素食), No.256, Minsheng Rd, ☏ +886 49 2762725. A vegetarian restaurant a short walk from Jiji Station. NT$ 30 –NT$50.
Drink
[edit | edit source]- 1 Chocachoca tea shop (潮客時尚茶飲), No.71, Minsheng Rd, ☏ +886 49 2764816. 09:30–19:00, close Tue. Bubble tea shop.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Fu Li's home (富麗的家), No.62, Ln. 291, Minquan Rd, ☏ +886 49 2761989. NT$ 2300/Double room, NT$ 3300/Quad room.
- 2 JiJi Art Backpackers Hostel (集集藝術家背包客之家). For people who prefer casual hostels with character over the shiny corporate ones popular in Taiwan. A single cluttered room, with very good bunk beds separated by curtains and temporary dividers around the sides. Air conditioned at night. Free spin-dryer and laundry line for handwashed clothes. Run by a fun elderly woman who is often not around - use your translate app's camera mode to read the instructional notes posted around the place. Across the street from a 7-11 with 24-hour seating. About 15 minutes' walk from the train station, and one block from a bus stop for Sun Moon Lake or Xitou Forest. NT$580/bed.
Cope
[edit | edit source]Although this is considered a "mountain" destination due to its surroundings, it's not far above sea level, so don't expect it to be cooler than anywhere else in Taiwan's lowlands during the summertime. Prepare for very hot weather.
Go next
[edit | edit source]- Shuili - the next and last township on the Jiji Line railroad, featuring one more sizable town and the scenic tourist village of Checheng
- Xitou Forest - Forest trails and cute tourist village higher in the mountains, with modestly cooler weather. Just 1 hour from Jiji on bus 6801 (make sure to get on in the right direction, or you'll end up at Sun Moon Lake instead).
- Sun Moon Lake - Taiwan's biggest lake and one of its top tourism destinations. Unfortunately located well beyond the end of the train line, but easily accessible by road, including by bus (Route 6801, in the opposite direction from Xitou)
- Jhushan - another town to visit for earthquake history (not on the railway line)
- Nantou City - the less-touristed capital city of Nantou County