Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, National Park Service, Ministry of the InteriorShei-Pa National Park Headquarters, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior

As most national park systems of the world, the National Park Department of Taiwan operates under the overriding dual purposes of protecting the natural and cultural resources of the nation and of providing quality recreational opportunities for the citizens.

More specifically, the goals of the National Park System in Taiwan include: the protection of ecologically significant areas, the conservation of gene pools, the provision of nature-related recreational opportunities, the promotion of scientific research and environmental education, and the stimulation of regional economic growth through compatible tourism development.

Today, the Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters is actively engaged in studying the natural resources and history of the area in order to improve conservation and expand education programs for the public about environmental issues. The park authorities hope both to improve the quality of leisure activities in the park and to expand academic studies.

The purpose of this short publication is to present to English speaking visitors an introductory look at Shei-Pa National Park. Hopefully, the words and photographs will encourage readers to visit Shei-Pa National Park and, when they do, to respect national treasures.

Travelling is not just travelling; what is more important is to take an easy attitude to absorb information, enjoy life, and grow up through travelling. Your visit is very welcome.

Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters

This is a region of magnificent mountains: within the park are 51 peaks over 3,000 meters high. The range of altitudes in the park is from 760 meters above sea level in the Da-an River Valley to 3,886 meters at the top of Syue Mountain.

The name, Shei-Pa, refers to two notable mountains in the park: Syue Mountain and Dabajian Mountain. Syue Mountain (Xue Mountain or Snow Mountain) is the highest point of the Syue Mountain Range, which stretches northeast-southwest across Taiwan from Sandiaojiao to the Jhuoshuei River. At 3,886 meters, Syue Mountain is the second highest mountain in Taiwan, only a little lower than Jade Mountain, 3,952 meters, the highest mountain in Taiwan, or in all Eastern Asia. Syue Mountain is one of the "Taiwan Quintuple Mountains." Dabajian Mountain, 3,492 meters, is considered one of Taiwan's natural wonders because of its astonishing, awe-inspiring shape. An old legend of the local aborigines, the Atayal, tells how the whole human race originated from a couple who came out of a rock at the base of the mountain. The Atayal venerated Dabajian Mountain and would not ascend it without special reason; it was not until 1927 that mountain climbers from other places began to go up to it.

The Daba area is mainly thick-bedded sandstone. 'Horst' is a famous geographical feature. (Dongbajian Mountain).

The ridge stretches between Syue Mountain and Jhihjiayang Mountain.

The mountains around Syue Mountain are connected by high ridges, of 3,300 to 3,500 meters in altitude. Shengling Trail, along the north-south ridge connecting the two mountains, is held in high honor both by aborigines and by mountain climbers. It is only some 10 kilometers on the map, but there are 7 other mountains over 3,000 meters on the way, which is difficult and dangerous going. Mountain climbers, starting from the border of the park, plan six days to complete the journey along the trail. In 1928, a Japanese explorer, Numatetu Tarou, writing about the Daba region, said he doubted if anyone could truly express the awesome mystery and beauty experienced along the Shengling Trail. Since many who go there share his feelings, the ridge is very often called the Holy Ridge.

The rock formations exposed in Shei-Pa National Park are mainly slightly metamor-phosed rocks from the Eocene to Miocene epochs of the Tertiary period. The degree of metamorphism decreases along an axis from southeast to northwest. Rock types include sandstones, shales and slates. Folded strata and high-angle reverse faults are commonly seen structures. Owing to the effects of the collision in eastern Taiwan of the Philippine Plate, moving northwest, with the Eurasian Plate, most fold axis planes and fault planes lie in a northeast to southwest orientation, with a curvature towards the northwest.

A geographical feature in the Syue Mountain region which has aroused much interest and discussion is the broken down rock faces around Syue Mountain. Before the evidence of glacial activity in the area became clear, geologists thought that the force of wind on the rock made it crumble into pieces which then slid down the slopes, leading to the formation of "landslide valleys." However, the later discovery of glacial phenomena such as glacial thresholds, U shaped valleys, glacial cols and glacial striation proved that glaciers did once occur around Syue Mountain.

Dasyue Mountain.

"Cirque" is a general term in topography; it means a kind of circular hollowed-out place with an opening facing downhill and a very steep slope at the upper end. Glacial cirques are a feature of glacial topography, one type of cirque; the name indicates a circular hollow situated where the head of a mountain glacier was, hollowed out by the action of ice, snow and the glacier, and shaped like a great amphitheatre or basin, with very steep cliffs on the upper side.

Glacial Cirque No.1, the largest in Taiwan, has the rock slope on the upper side.

'Box fold' is a widely famous geographical feature on Pintian Mountain.

In the Syue Mountain area, these oval-shaped hollows are thirty seven in number; among them the glacial cirque below the summit of Main Peak of Syue Mountain, called "Glacial Cirque Number one" is the largest in Taiwan and has the finest form. The glacial cirque on the lower slopes of North Peak of Syue Mountain, called "Glacial Cirque Number two," has the most representative glacial cirque shape. Also in the Syue Mountain area, Cuei Pond and lower Cuei Pond were formed by glacial action and so can be called "glacial cirque ponds."

Because of Taiwan's small area, dense population and steep terrain, it has few large lakes to act as natural reservoirs. Thus, water for public consumption, irrigation, and industry depends on artificial reservoirs. This makes water and soil conservation in the high mountain watershed areas particularly important. Shei-Pa cares for a large mountain area right in the middle of the northern half of Taiwan, and water from the park goes to supply northern, northeastern and central Taiwan. Watersheds divide the streams and rivers in the park into four systems:

* The northeast corner is drained by the Takejin Creek, flowing down from the Dabajian Mountain region to join the Danshuei River, which supplies water for Taipei City.

* The streams on the southeast slopes of the Syue Mountain Range join the great the Dajia River, which is more than 120 km long, feeds the Deji Reservoir and supplies water for Taichung City.

* The western half of the park is the watershed area of the Da-an River, which provides water for Miaoli County and Taichung City. The larger upper branches of the Da-an River include the Syueshan Creek coming down from the Syue Mountain Range, and, to the north, the Madara Creek. Madara is the aboriginal name and means "brown unclear water," a reference to the red-brown color of the river bed.

* In the northwest corner of the park, the slopes north of Le and Kuai Mountains drain into the Toucian River, which supplies water to Hsinchu City.

Taoshan Waterfall

Yousheng Creek.

The water's gurgle is the voice of my father's father.
The rivers are our brothers;
they quench our thirst.
The rivers, between the tender arms of their banks, carry our canoes where they will.
~~ Chief Seattle

The conservation work of the park includes the task of maintaining the quality of the water leaving its boundaries. Agricultural activity in the park can involve over-exploitation of mountain slope land and excessive land clearance, leading to soil erosion and overuse of agrichemicals, causing pollution of the streams. The park authorities endeavor to keep a balance between agricultural development and the maintenance of water quality.

There are not many high mountain lakes in Taiwan, but there are four or five in the park, including Cuei Pond near Syue Mountain, which, at the altitude of 3,530 meters, is the highest lake in Taiwan.