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Located right in the town center, near the train station and cycling routes, the National Jiji Museum sign is often considered the starting point for cycling tours in Jiji.
The sign for the National Jiji Museum - the starting point of a cycling tour to explore Jiji.
From this area, routes branch out in many directions, passing through Jiji Station, the old town, and surrounding attractions, forming a continuous cycling network throughout the town.
Jiji Military History Park
Military History Park, located near the town center, is an outdoor exhibition space showcasing military artifacts. The area is organized around a tall brick gate and a large courtyard in front, with exhibits displayed directly outdoors in clusters.
Jiji Military History Park is an outdoor park, identifiable by its tall, red brick gate.
Inside, there are armored vehicles, artillery, and various old military equipment, all preserved in their original size. An airplane is mounted on the grounds, easily recognizable from afar and often becoming a popular spot for photos. The entire area is open to the public, allowing visitors to tour the site without a ticket.
When cycling through this area, people often stop briefly, park their bikes outside, and walk in to take a look before continuing their journey.
Military artifacts are displayed outdoors.
Rural Scene - Statues depicting rural life
Along the streets of Jiji town, interspersed among cycling spots, "Rural Scene" statues are placed as a way to add a layer of cultural and lifestyle content.
These statues often depict a farmer at work, with a dog following him below – a common motif in outdoor sculptures in Taiwan, used to portray rural life.
A statue depicting Taiwanese farmers on a cycling route.
Yongchang Temple - Local Temple
Yongchang Temple dates back to the late Qing Dynasty (around the late 19th century), closely linked to the formation and development of the community in Jiji. Over time, the structure has been renovated and rebuilt many times, especially after natural disasters, to preserve its function as a place of worship and its overall structure.
Nine-sided view of Yongchang Temple
The temple primarily worships Xuantian Shangdi, an important deity in Taoist belief, often considered a guardian deity of the North and responsible for warding off evil spirits. In addition, the temple may also house altars to other minor deities, depending on local religious customs.
The temple is dedicated to Huyền Thiên Thượng Đế, and also houses statues of many other deities according to local beliefs.
The temple's architecture follows traditional Taiwanese style with multi-layered tiled roofs, curved eaves, and dense ornamentation. Details such as dragon statues, mythical creatures, and reliefs are concentrated on the eaves and roof ridge. A row of large, intricately carved columns leads to the main sanctuary located deep inside. The interior space is often adorned with red lanterns and wooden plaques inscribed with characters.
Details such as dragon statues, mythical creatures, and reliefs are concentrated on the eaves and roof ridge.
This is a still-active temple, frequented by locals who come and light incense throughout the day. When cycling past, you can stop at the front courtyard, step inside to observe the space, and then continue on your way. The space isn't large, but it clearly demonstrates how a traditional temple exists within the daily life of the town.
Wuchang Temple - Remnants of the devastating earthquake
Wuchang Temple, first built in 1923, is a place of worship for Guan Yu (Guan Gong) by the local community. The original structure was a small-scale, traditional temple.
The nameplate of the old Wuchang Temple.
On September 21, 1999, the magnitude 921 earthquake, with its epicenter in the Jiji area, caused the entire temple complex to collapse and shift its structure. The concrete floors were displaced and piled on top of each other, the columns tilted, and some sections broke, but the entire structure remained intact after the collapse. This part was not dismantled but preserved as a relic of the earthquake.
The old Wuchang Temple, which collapsed due to an earthquake, has been preserved in its original state since 1999.
The new temple, built after the 1999 earthquake, is located in front of the old temple to continue the local people's worship of Guan Yu. The structure uses reinforced concrete, is low-rise in scale, and is organized into a single main block with a centralized worship space.
The new temple was built in front of the old one, with a more solid structure.
The facade opens directly onto the courtyard and the street in front, without many intermediate layers of space. The roof is a traditional, multi-layered, heavily decorated structure, concentrated at the eaves and apex, surrounded by large supporting columns in predominantly yellow and white colors.
Compared to the multi-story structure that collapsed behind it, the new temple is more compact, with fewer intricate details and no vertical expansion. Its primary role lies not in architectural expression, but in maintaining religious practices and standing alongside the ruins behind it, creating a direct contrast between the periods before and after the earthquake.
Today, the temple continues to maintain the religious practices of the local people.
Ancient camphor tree at Jiji
The cycling route passes by an ancient camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) located in the center of Jiji. With its large trunk, numerous low-hanging main branches, and wide canopy, the tree forms a green mass covering almost the entire courtyard below. The trunk has many hollows and large branches, which serve as nests for nocturnal birds, especially owls.
Ancient camphor tree at Jiji
The tree, estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old, is classified as a local heritage tree. Given that Jiji was once a logging area during the Japanese occupation, the tree's continued existence demonstrates its preservation through various stages of development, gradually becoming a natural landmark within the town. Currently, the area around the tree's stump is marked with informational signs and a protective fence, indicating that it is a protected and managed object.
The tree trunk has many cavities that serve as nests for nocturnal birds, especially owls.
In addition to its ecological value with its large canopy providing shade and regulating the microclimate, the tree also holds cultural significance, often seen as a symbol of longevity and stability in the local community.
Jiji Railway Station - One of the oldest wooden train stations in Taiwan.
Located in the heart of Jiji Township, this station is one of the most striking examples of the Japanese presence in Taiwan. Built in the early 20th century and rebuilt after the 1999 earthquake, the station retains the traditional wooden structure with its low-sloping roof, dark wood walls, and compact size. While most train stations in Taiwan have been replaced with concrete, Jiji stands as one of the few preserved Japanese-style wooden stations, and is considered a significant historical and cultural landmark of the area.
Jiji Railway Station is one of the oldest wooden train stations in Taiwan.
The station is small in scale, consisting of a main wooden building with a low-sloping roof and a veranda extending along the platform. The cypress wood used in its construction helps maintain the building's durability and distinctive color over time.
The station platform isn't very large, the tracks stretch straight ahead, and a train passes by only occasionally. It's not just a transportation hub, but almost a "preserved memory" amidst modern life.
This train station is like a "preserved memory" amidst modern life.
From the cycling routes in town, a path leads directly to the station area. The road opens onto a platform, with the station roof visible right in front of the eye. Cyclists often stop at the edge of the platform, park their bikes, and then walk along the platform or stand and watch the railway tracks stretch through the town. This is a short stop, often chosen as the starting or ending point for a cycling trip in Jiji.
