Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
The sights in Sanyi are spread out and it's not that easy to see everything in a day without
your own transport. If you're on foot, and starting at the Sanyi train station, walk out and
up to Jungjeng Rd, the main thoroughfare in town, and turn left (everything you want to
see is left). The turn-offs for the old train station and the woodcarving museum (which
are in opposite directions) are about 2km down the road. The Sheng Shing train station is
another 5km away, however, and the museum is about 1km. The main commercial street
with all the woodcarving shops is straight ahead. There are signs in English.
Woodcarving
Woodcarving is the lifeblood of the town, and on Jungjeng Rd alone there are over 200
shops selling an array of carved items. We're not talking dull signposts here, but 3m-tall
cypress statues of savage-faced folk gods, delicate lattice windows and beautiful tradi-
tional furniture. You can come here with the intention of buying, but if you just like to
browse and enjoy the work of skilled artisans you won't be disappointed.
Most stores are clustered on a few blocks of Jungjeng Rd just down from the wood
museum, and around the wood museum itself. Stores close around 6pm, though a few
stay open until 10pm or later on weekends.
Miaoli Wood Sculpture Museum
MUSEUM
(Miáolì Mùdiāo Bówùguǎn; 9am-5pm)
Exhibits include informative displays on the
origins of woodcarving in Sanyi, a knockout collection of Buddhas and Taoist gods,
some gorgeous traditional household furniture and temple architectural features. Unfortu-
nately, there is very little English.
Sheng Shing Train Station
SCENIC AREA
(Shèngxīng Huǒchēzhàn)
Built during the Japanese era and without the use of nails, this
charming train station was once the highest stop (at 480m) along the Western Trunk
Line. After it closed in 1997, a small tourist village soon popped up, filling the old brick
houses with all manner of teahouses, cafes and Hakka restaurants.
Four kilometres past the station stand the picturesque ruins of the
Long Deng Viaduct
(Lóngténg Duàn Qiáo), destroyed in a 7.3-magnitude earthquake in 1930. The terracotta
brick arches are held together with a sticky-rice and clam-shell mortar.
If you have a vehicle (especially a bike) consider continuing up the road to pretty
Liyu
Reservoir
(Lǐyú Tán Shuǐkù).
