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The Yangmingshan National Park
The Yangmingshan National Park is the only national park in Taiwan that has volcanic geography and hot springs. It is next to Sha Mao Shan (Shamao Mountain) and Chi Hsing Shan (Chihsing Mountain), with Da Tun Shan (Datun Mountain) on the right and Kuan Yin Shan (Kuanyin Mountain) in its front. The magnificent mountainous scenery and comfortable weather have made the Yangmingshan National Park a perfect summer resort. The Yangmingshan National Park was established on September 16, 1985. Although it is located in the subtropical zone, its vegetation differs from other areas at similar latitudes for two reasons. First, the volcanic activity that created the area means that the soil in the park is unusually warm, lacking in calcium, and strongly acidic. Second, the winter monsoon brings superabundant rainfall and markedly lower temperatures. This means that in addition to subtropical rain forests, temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests, and mountain-ridge short grassy plains, the park contains alpine plants that grow in Taiwan's Central Range at a height of 2500 meters (8,202 feets) above sea level. There are currently some 1,359 species of plants in the Yangmingshan National Park, growing in water and earth based propagation environments. The land plant environments can roughly be divided into grassy plain, arrow bamboo forest, broad-leaved forest, and afforestation zones. Although the Yangmingshan National Park is an unsuitable habitat for large mammals due to its steep terrain and frequent human activity, the park's complex forest physiognomy still provides ideal nesting and feeding places for many medium and small wild animals. Mammals such as the Formosan rock-monkey (macaque), Formosan boar, Formosan hare, red-bellied squirrel, Formosan gem-faced civet, Formosan blind mole, spinous country-rat and Taiwan bandicoot rat are often to be seen in the park's conservation zones. For the most part, they are found in the natural broad-leaved forest and grassland in the Luchiukeng Stream and Mt. Huangtsui areas. The red-bellied squirrel is particularly common, being widely seen all over the park. Here is an interesting article to read:
Yangming Park Within the Yangmingshan National Park is the Yangming Park, which covers an area of 125 hectares. The park is designed in traditional Chinese style, and its natural beauty has won it the reputation as urban forest and the Taipei Garden. The Yangming Park is characterized by a large clock made of flowers with a diameter of 22 feet. Water runs around the flower clock and music is played every hour. Yangming Academy Yangming Academy was a hot-spring villa during Japan's colonial rule of Taiwan (1895-1945). After Taiwan was returned to the ROC government in 1945, the late president Chiang Kai-shek loved the beautiful scenery here and built the Chung Hsing Hotel to accommodate foreign guests in summer. The hotel was later reconstructed as Yangming Academy. After the death of Chiang in 1975, historical documents of the Kuomintang (KMT) were moved to Yangming Academy for exhibition in memory of Chiang. The KMT donated the academy to the Ministry of Interior in 1996, providing a recreational and educational space for citizens in Taipei. Yangming Academy is a two-story traditional Chinese building. The first floor contains a theater, VIP rooms, offices and a restaurant. The second floor was used by Mr and Mrs Chiang, and their paintings and some personal belongings can still be found here. On the wall of the Chiangs' bedroom, there is a wedding photo taken in Shanghai on December 1, 1927. In addition, there are other photos of the couple visiting different places. Yangming Academy is located in Chungshing Road in Taipei City's Yangmingshan area. It opens from 9am to 4:30pm from Tuesday to Sunday. |
The
Yangmingshan National Park is located in Beitou District in the north
of Taipei City. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945),
Yang Ming Shan (Yangming Mountain) was called Tsaoshan (Grass Mountain)
because it was covered with grass and seldom visited. After the Second
World War, the ROC government on Taiwan renamed the mountain Yang Ming
Shan in honor of the Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yang-ming (1472-1529).