Tiehchan Mountain (Tieh Chan Shan)

Tiehchan Mountain (Tieh Chan Shan) is so named because it looks like an iron anvil from the distance. On the top of the mountain is the famous Chien Well, or Sword Well. According to legends, this is where Zheng Cheng-gong (or Koxinga) dug with his sword for water.

Zheng Cheng-gong and his soldiers were around this area when they ran out of food and water. Because the weather was scorching, many soldiers and horses had died from thirst. Zheng felt hopeless. As he kneeled down to pray to the gods in heaven for water, he dug his sword into the ground. The gods answered his prayers and pure water came out of the ground, saving the lives of people and horses. From then on, in order to commemorate this great miracle, people call this well the Chien Well (Sword Well) or the Koxinga Well.

The ancient well was rebuilt in 1953, and fences were set up to keep people and animals from falling into the well. The well is the most famous tourist spot in Tiehchan Mountain.