The History of Our Ancestors Witnessed by the Jinbaoli Trail

Imagine the sight of porters taking the risky walk through the Jinbaoli Trail in the darkness of the nights during the Japanese Occupation Period to earn a living. What was it like as they walked through the steep Baierkan stairs with carrying poles loaded with fresh seafood on their shoulders? From now until December 31, 2020, Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters is holding "Jinbaoli Trail Exploring Mission - The Treasure Hunt of Time-traveling Porters". It is an activity where everyone is invited to travel back in time to experience the historical elements our ancestors also experienced on their walks through the Jinbaoli Trail, and savor the natural scenery of the four seasons.

There is a well-known proverb that describes the climate and culture of Yangmingshan: "The wind that caresses the grass on the mountain; the rain that falls into the Zhuzihu Lake; Jinbaoli Trail". The "Jinbaoli Trail” mentioned in the proverb is formerly a transportation shortcut between Jinshan and Shilin, and a route for residents to transport seafood, tea leaf, and sulfur.Also known as the "Yulu Historical Trail", it is the first historical trail restored by the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters.

The Jinbaoli Trail stretches from Lingtouyan at Qingtiangang to the hiking trail entrance at Shanghuangxi Parking Lot. The trail is about 3.5 kilometers long and takes 2 to 3 hours to walk through. Along the trail, there are many traces of history from the Qing Dynasty and Japanese Occupation Period, such as the simple appliances used to sell pastries and porridge, Hanbing’s House which served passing travelers, the Xuyan Bridge that was built to facilitate tea leaf transportation, the famous Jinbaoli Gate, Dashigong, Laizai's House, mine ruins, sulfur watch camp, and the Earth God Temple. These sites are all important and essential in helping us understand the lives of our ancestors.

 An Offline Game that can be Played on Tablets or Phones

Visitors who are taking part in this mission may obtain activity maps from the staff on duty at the Yangmingshan National Park Visitor Center or the Qingtiangang Service Station. Scan the QR code on the map and follow the directions on the game website. Search for the answers to the 6 challenges and the 4 Easter egg boxes along the trail. Piece the puzzles together to obtain information for the passphrases and get the prize. It should be noted that, after logging into the game page, the game will automatically switch to offline mode, but it will remain usable. Even if the network signal becomes poor on the trail, just return to the previous page to continue the game.

 Fully Charge Your Phone or Tablet and Go On the Journey of Time-traveling Porters!

For visitors who take public transportation, after collecting all the passphrases on the map, you can walk to the Shanghuangxi Parking Lot to catch Royal Bus 1717, which comes every 30 to 50 minutes. Head to the Visitor Center and present your accomplishment to obtain a souvenir: Year of the Rat Commemorative Badge (offered until limited stocks run out). You can fill out the activity survey to receive an additional secret gift.