Guanyin Trail

The Guanyin Trail is 100 meters above sea level. Its entire length is paved with flagstones, with few steep slopes, making it very hiker-friendly. During the tung blossom season in April and May each year, the tung blossoms fall like snow, covering the trail and creating a unique charm. Strolling along the Guanyin Trail, one can discover the diverse changes in forest types. From broadleaf tung tree forests, it transitions to moso bamboo groves. The entire trail is shaded by trees, and the temperature is cool and pleasant. Along the way, you will pass a pavilion where you can take a short rest. Although surrounded by lush greenery without distant views, a gentle breeze continuously blows, relieving hikers of the heat after exercise. Continue forward, and you will arrive at an observation deck, where the stone-paved trail also ends. To see the century-old waterwheel, you need to take the nearby stone steps back to Zhú 45 Line Road. Then, follow the "Shuitou Hedibogong" sign. Along the way, you will pass vibrant green rice paddies before reaching the "Shuitou Hedibogong" stone-carved shrine. This shrine is dedicated to "Shuitou Bogong" and "Hedibogong," serving as one of the villagers' traditional centers of faith and showcasing the Hakka ancestors' cultural heritage of revering heaven and loving the earth. Following a nearby path, you can see the Nanpu Canal, built in 1845, making it over a century old and one of the most important irrigation facilities in the area. Listening to the murmuring water, follow the winding canal for about 5 minutes, and you will reach the location of the century-old waterwheel. Besides the blades, the waterwheel also features halved bamboo tubes, all bearing the marks left by time. The waterwheel operates by relying on water flow to turn its blades. After drawing water, the bamboo tubes pour the water into a higher collection trough. This design by early settlers was intended to divert water from the Nanpu Canal to higher grounds for irrigation. It is also one of Taiwan's few remaining and continuously operating bamboo-tube waterwheels, making it an important cultural asset of Nanpu Township. Nanpu Village Guanyin Trail (Diaoshuili Ancient Trail). Type: Suburban mountain trail. Difficulty: Low. Length: 1.47 kilometers. Surface condition: Stone steps, flagstone path, wooden boardwalk. Trailheads: Century-old waterwheel entrance / Jingang Temple.