Jinshan

Jinshan District is located in the northeastern corner of Taiwan, backed by mountains and facing the sea, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and the Taiwan Strait. Its old name was "Jinbaoli," which was translated from the name of a Pingpu indigenous tribe. This area was originally developed by the Pingpu people. In the late Qing Dynasty, immigrants from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in Fujian successively came here to develop and settle down. Because this area is surrounded by mountains on three sides, during the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese retained the "Jin" character from "Jinbaoli" and renamed it "Jinshan." After World War II, it was renamed "Jinshan District" based on its original name. The people of Jinshan originally focused on farming. In recent years, due to economic growth and other factors, agriculture has gradually declined. Its more representative specialties are mainly sweet potatoes and water bamboo shoots, while specialties from the mid-mountain areas are mostly flowers, nurseries, bamboo shoots, and vegetables. Today's Jinshan boasts a network of well-developed roads, allowing access to Shimen and Tamsui to the west, Wanli and Keelung to the east, and Yangmingshan National Park to the south. It serves as a central hub for tourism in the northern region, offering opportunities for both mountain excursions and water activities, making it a popular tourist destination in northern Taiwan. Jinbaoli Old Street is the oldest street in Jinshan. In the western section of this street, there is a Kaizhang Shengwang Temple, which serves as proof that the ancestors of Jinshan District came from Zhangzhou, Fujian. Most of the buildings on both sides of the old street have been reconstructed, with only a few retaining their original appearance. Cihu Temple is where Jinshan residents worship Mazu and is also the spiritual center for the locals. Due to its remarkable efficacy, it enjoys a thriving following. The snack stall in front of Guang'an Temple at the end of Jinshan Old Street, selling duck meat (Tufan duck), is unique throughout Taiwan. Although it has no signboard, its business is so good that the ground floor of about a dozen neighboring households along the entire street is used by it. On holidays and weekends, it's even harder to find a seat. Despite traffic jams and parking issues, gourmets still flock to it. The beautiful coastal scenery of Candlelight Islets is a characteristic feature of Jinshan. Located 450 meters east of Jinshan Cape, there are two small islands called "Candlelight Islets," which were formed by uplifted, eroded coral reefs from the seabed. New Jinshan Beach Swimming Area boasts a long sandy beach and clean water, attracting large crowds of people to enjoy water activities every summer. The Jinshan Youth Activity Center, operated by the China Youth Corps, is the largest and first-established activity center, located approximately at the 43-kilometer mark of Provincial Highway 2. Its facilities are comprehensive, including accommodation, dining, a conference center, barbecue areas, camping grounds, as well as a beautiful swimming beach and a hot spring fitness center spanning 4,000 ping (approximately 13,223 square meters). Dharma Drum Mountain was founded by Master Sheng-yen with the aim of revitalizing Buddhism and establishing a Buddhist sanctuary that integrates education, culture, spiritual practice, and dharma propagation, based on the philosophy of "uplifting the quality of humanity and building a pure land on earth."