Mianyue Stone Monkey (Currently closed)

The Alishan Forest Railway's Mianyue Line, which is 9.2 kilometers long, opened in 1983 and winds its way through mountains and ridges at an elevation of over 2,000 meters. Its terminal station was the once-famous "Stone Monkey Recreation Area." The name "Stone Monkey" originated from a small hilltop next to the Mianyue Line's terminal station, where a pile of giant rocks once stood, about 31 meters high and 9 meters in diameter. This pile of rocks resembled a macaque monkey, squatting and gazing into the distance, hence it was called "Stone Monkey." From another perspective, it also looked like Bodhidharma meditating, so it was also known as "Bodhidharma Rock." After the Alishan Sacred Tree was felled artificially in 1997, the "Stone Monkey" area, due to its beautiful scenery and iconic status, was chosen as a landmark of Alishan. The Directorate General of Posts even selected the Stone Monkey as the postmark for the Alishan Scenic Area in August 1999. However, less than two months later, the Mianyue Railway Line was severely damaged in the 921 earthquake and has not yet been fully repaired and reopened. The head of the Stone Monkey also fell off, making it three to four meters shorter. The entire landmark's appearance was completely transformed, and its original look is no longer discernible. The Stone Monkey Recreation Area had previously experienced a forest fire. After the smaller vegetation was burned away, only tall, dead pine and fir trees remained. These fire-damaged trees, exposed to long-term wind, sun, and rain, gradually turned white, creating a striking "White Wood Forest" spectacle. The recreation area also once had traditional camphor distilleries, bamboo shoot kilns, and charcoal kilns, making it suitable for a roughly one-hour tour. Currently, the Chiayi Forest District Office is repairing the Mianyue Line section by section, and the Stone Monkey Recreation Area has therefore been closed for a long time. At present, only the Tashan Trail offers a distant view of the Stone Monkey, but what is seen is no longer its lifelike appearance of the past.