Fengyuan Wugongqi Trail | Martyrs’ Shrine, Gonglaoping Viewpoints and Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park

Visit Fengyuan Martyrs’ Shrine, Gonglaoping Viewpoints and Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park

For a Fengyuan outing that combines hiking with local history and scenery, start on the Wugongqi Trail and walk up to Gonglaoping. Depending on your energy, continue to Fengyuan Martyrs’ Shrine, the Gonglaoping viewing platforms along the road and Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park, taking your time to enjoy the hills beyond the city.

1. Wugongqi Historic Trail: An Old Route to Gonglaoping

The century-old Wugongqi Trail in Fengyuan’s Gonglaoping area once connected the Banzhang neighborhood at the foot of the hill with Gonglaoping, before the road along Pingding Lane, Shuiyuan Road was built. Residents relied on this path to carry supplies and farm produce, earning it the nickname “salt-carrying trail.” Its winding course resembles a centipede, which gave Wugongqi its name. The route preserves memories of everyday journeys between the hills and the town. Damage from the September 21 earthquake and the completion of alternative roads later left the old trail neglected and in disrepair. In 2020, Taichung City Government’s Tourism and Travel Bureau restored it as a recreational hiking trail.

The lower trailhead is near Nanweng Fude Temple, by Fuyang Road and Fuweng Street in Banzhang, on Fengyuan’s eastern outskirts. The name Banzhang refers to the large proportion of residents with the surname Zhang; many are descendants of Zhang Dajing, historically known by the nickname “Fan-a Fuma.” Follow the signs uphill along woodland paths and stone steps to experience how the old route follows the contours of the hillside. The upper end meets Pingding Lane, Shuiyuan Road, beside an electricity pylon near the entrance to Fengyuan Golf Club, close to Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park and Fengyuan Martyrs’ Shrine. The memorial park is approximately 290 meters from the upper trailhead. To reach it, leave the historic trail and follow the roadside boardwalk and pedestrian areas, passing Gonglaoping’s well-known viewing platforms along the way.

The restored Wugongqi Trail is 690 meters long and suits a short hike. It is a recreational nature trail for families to enjoy outdoor exercise together, but it includes slopes and steps rather than a flat walk throughout. Improvements include wooden boardwalks, pebble steps, coarse wood-chip surfaces and log steps. Signs and interpretive panels about local plants and wildlife form a self-guided trail system to help visitors find their way and learn about the surroundings.

2. Fengyuan Martyrs’ Shrine: A Place of Remembrance on Gonglaoping

At the upper end of the historic trail, Fengyuan District Martyrs’ Shrine, formerly Taichung County Martyrs’ Shrine, stands across the road. Ministry of the Interior records date its establishment to 1983. It remains a venue for spring and autumn national memorial ceremonies honoring martyrs and notable predecessors, adding a cultural stop to this hillside walk. Check opening hours before visiting, as entry is not available at all times. Ceremony arrangements are subject to announcements from the managing authority. Please remain quiet, respect ceremonies in progress and check for approaching traffic before crossing the road.

• Address: No. 23-5, Pingding Lane, Shuiyuan Road, Fengyuan District, Taichung City

3. Gonglaoping Viewpoints: Hillside Panoramas and City Lights

Continue from the upper trailhead toward Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park to pass Gonglaoping’s roadside viewing platforms. Wooden boardwalks connect two viewing platforms with the memorial park, offering places to pause and enjoy the Fengyuan cityscape after the historic trail. The appeal lies in the open views and the changing light. During the day, you can make out the city and surrounding hills; toward evening, the sunset transforms the scene. Visibility depends on the weather, and on clear days the view can extend to the coast and the mouth of the Dajia River. If sunset is your main goal, finish the historic trail while it is still light, then plan your viewing stop and return journey. Do not wait until after enjoying the city lights to descend the mountain path in the dark. Although Gonglaoping is a popular night-view spot, most evening visitors drive or ride up by road. Walking the hiking trail at night is not recommended.

4. Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park: Scenery and Local History

Continue past the viewpoints to reach Qiu Fengjia Memorial Park on foot. According to the Fengyuan District Office, the park was established in 1969 to commemorate Qiu Fengjia. Set halfway up the hillside on Pingding Lane, Shuiyuan Road, it combines historical remembrance with views over the city. Besides the memorial, look for the stone commemorating Qiu’s attainment of the jinshi degree in the imperial examinations. Registered by Taichung City’s Cultural Heritage Department as the “Qiu Fengjia Jinshi Commemorative Stone,” it was erected after he earned that distinction and came from his residence, Baizhuang. This artifact offers another perspective on Qiu as a poet, educator and historical figure in resistance to Japanese rule. Read the on-site information and enjoy the memorial structures and distant views, but do not climb on or touch the artifacts. Follow on-site instructions if maintenance or partial closures are in effect.

5. Getting to the Trailheads and Preparing for Your Visit

If driving, locate the Wugongqi trailhead near Nanweng Fude Temple and Wengzi Park, confirm where to park and then continue on foot. The address listed in official attraction information is No. 342-2, Lane 235, Fuyang Road, Fengyuan District, Taichung City. During the day, you can also park at Fengyuan Golf Club’s parking lot or the forecourt parking area at the Martyrs’ Shrine and enter from the upper trailhead.

If taking a bus, search for the “Wugongqi Trail Entrance” stop (蜈蚣崎步道口) in Taichung’s official bus information service. Check the route, direction of travel and return services. The bus stop is not the trailhead itself, so allow time to walk between them.

• Wear shoes with good grip and bring drinking water, sun protection and insect repellent. Stone surfaces and wooden boardwalks can be slippery after rain.

• When walking with older adults or children, choose a turnaround point that suits everyone’s fitness. A short trail is not necessarily flat or suitable for strollers.

• The route beyond the upper trailhead follows roadside areas. Watch for traffic when visiting the Martyrs’ Shrine or heading to the viewpoints.

• If you park at the lower trailhead, plan how and when you will return to your vehicle. Do not improvise a shortcut down an unfamiliar road.

• The trail, shrine and nearby facilities have their own access limits. Check the weather and on-site notices on the day of your visit, and do not cross barriers or enter closed areas.