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| Dasi Old Flagstone Path |
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 THE HISTORIC SITES IN TAOYUAN COUNTY
Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County Government
Date of Announcement: January 13, 2004
Registered Category: Other Historic SitesAddress: 41 Puji Road, Dasi
Township
Tel: (03) 3888312 (Dasi Township Administration Office) |
Dasi Old Flagstone Path, one of the nine old paths in Dasi, situated at the end of Heping Road namely Dasi Old Street. The old path was entirely paved with flagstones, thereby called the ¡§Old Flagstone Path¡¨. Furthermore, it was the main passage leading to the wharf of Dahan Stream in the old days and therefore it was also known as the ¡§Old Wharf Path¡¨. Finally, it is said that most of those coolies carrying heavy goods at the wharf at that time lived on Caodianwei Street near the Path. As the Old Flagstone Path was their essential passage to go home and consequently local people used to call it Old Caodianwei Path¡¨.
The Old Flagstone Path was built in the late years of Cing Dynasty. There were frequently 70 to 80 freighters berthed at the bank of Dakekan Stream (now Dahan Stream), thereby making a flourishing scene of a forest of masts. The said coolies at the wharf ganged up, hastened to carry goods, and walked to and fro unceasingly on the old path.
Before the light railway connecting Taoyuan and Dasi was built, the Old Flagstone Path was the only passage to the inland mountain area like Jiaoban Hill for people living in Taoyuan and Jhongli. In this regard, products of the mountain regions like tea and camphor had to be carried out by coolies through the Old Path to the wharf for shipping out. It is obvious that the Path was the most important point of control for Dasi Old Streets in terms of transportation and defense at that time.
Note: The nine old paths in Dasi are distributed on both banks of Dahan Stream and the mountain regions. On the west bank there are Panlongci Old Path, Jhaiming Temple Old Path, and Yucheng Old Path; on the east bank, except the Old Flagstone Path there are Yuemei Old Path, Weiliaoci Old Path, Siaojiaozaici Old Path, Datieliao Old Path, and Dajioucyong Old Path. |
| Drawing of Layout |
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Dacing Tunnel & Dasi Suspension Bridge built during Jhaohe Years of the Japanese Colonial Rule beside the Old Path -- one of the eight beautiful scenes in Dasi, ¡§Flying Bridge, Lying Waves¡¨ |
Starting from the bank of Dahan Stream, Dasi Old Flagstone Path zigzags up the hill. The old path is divided into four sectors and therefore the views change as you go along the path. Imagining yourself as a coolie at the wharf carrying goods unloaded from the boats with a pole upon the shoulder, gathering together in groups to get ready for walking up the path, and going to the city. Let¡¦s take a trip of experience!
With the steep stairs rising right before your eyes you carry the pole on your shoulder and start to go up the stairs. You arrive at the first turning-corner in no time. When you turn around, you see not far away a natural protruding cape dividing the port into an outport for loading and unloading goods and an inner port for ships to berth at night. Presently Dacing Tunnel has been excavated and pierced through the cape. Stop and gather breath as the gradient becomes easy here. Though buildings built beside the path later on block your fields of view, there are pots of plants and flowers along the path for you to appreciate and help you forget the bitterness of climbing.
Following the path and turning left again, you come to the starting point of another painstaking route. Please watch out your steps because this big curve is of roughly 180 degrees. In addition, the gradient starts to get steep with a dangerous side slope on the left and a mountain wall on the right. If you run into someone coming your way, you have to be extremely careful to pass by him. It was thanks to Mrs. Jiang Huang Guei-ying who made a contribution to build the fence in August 1975 and consequently it is safer to walk on the path now.
Then you come to a fork. If you continue to go straight, you will arrive at Puji Temple, an important temple of Dasi. If you take the right fork of the path, you come to the highest spot of the path. Look up and you will vaguely see the rising roof of the Huang Family¡¦s Temple, the red gable of its wing, the old structure selling ferry tickets, and the curved Old Flagstone Path that constitute a beautiful painting to greet visitors to enter Dasi Old Streets.
You will find a big tree beside the path but with only the trunk left now. There are a number of large stones under the tree where the coolies used to take a rest in the cool and wait for the freighters to enter the port in the old days. When you sit here, you can see the magnificent river terrace of Dahan Stream as well as Wuling Bridge that spans Dahan Stream before your very eyes. Imagine the bustling scenes of a good many ships sailing across the river; one of the eight beautiful scenes in Dasi, the so-called ¡§Returning sails of Kanjin¡¨ speaks for itself. However, now that ships and big trees are both history, we are left with the setting sun and the flowing stream to ponder on the past. |
The old structure selling ferry tickets beside the path is now a coffee shop. |
The old path is still a part of the living of the residents nearby. |
Big tree and large stones beside the path where coolies used to rest in the cool. |
Turning round and looking at Dahan Stream and Wuling Bridge from the top of the path |
The steep slope of the old path is built with stone stairs and a fence. Please feel at ease to walk slowly. |
The chief deity of Puji Temple is Guangong; his pilgrimage procession is held annually on his birthday, namely June 24th of the lunar calendar. |
The Old Flagstone Path runs sigzag along a terrace cliff roughly 30 meters high. The width of each sector of the path ranges from 2.1 meters to 1.5 meters. Most of the path is composed of stairs while a small part is slope. The path is paved with fringe stones of roughly 15 cm wide in a lengthwise direction on both sides.
The flagstones used to pave the old path are obtained from the bottom of Dahan Stream. The width of the stones ranges from 15 cm to 20 cm while the length of small stones is roughly 50 cm and that of the big ones can reach 120 cm. As the height of the stairs ranges from 5 cm to 10 cm and the depth thereof ranges from 30 cm to 60 cm, it is very easy for people to lift his foot and walk along the steps. With regard to those coolies carrying and moving goods along the path in the old days, it may also make it easier for them to advance with lighter steps, thereby alleviating their burden. |
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The Path zigzags up the hill, thereby views changing constantly. 
Flagstones of the old path obtained from the bottom of Dahan Stream |
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By Bus  Take Taoyuan Passenger Bus in Taoyuan or Jhongli to the last stop, Dasi. The journey takes about 60 minutes and regular buses are scheduled.
By Car Take the 2nd Northern Highway to Dasi exit; take Tai-4 Route, cross Wuling Bridge and arrive at Dasi; turn right to arrive at the parking lot beside the Jhongjheng Park; walk to the intersection of Puji Road and Heping Road and arrive at the Old Flagstone Path. |
Supervised by: Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County Government
Administered by: Mei Shan Jin Co., Ltd.
Organized by: Graduate School of Architecture and Historic Preservation, Taipei National University of the Arts
Text: Chaobo Jhang
English Editor: Mingsyue Lai
Calligraphy: Yihong Li
Diagram/Layout: Huaisyuan Huang
Photographer: Cibin Gao
Published in May 2004
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---Taoyuan Culture Center(English Version)---
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Address:No.21 Sianfu Rd.,Taoyuan city, Taoyuan County 330 Taiwan
Tel:(03)3322592 Fax:(03)3318634
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