photo credit: http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?
sNo=0002108Photo
Hsiangshan Wetlands
Enjoy a visit to the Hsiangshan Wetlands.
There are countless varieties of small an-
imals here—particularly fiddler crabs,
molluscs and a several species of fish. As
the tide recedes, the tidal mudflats retain
a dense cross-section of the marine eco-
system in an easily viewed environment.
Bird-watching is another popular pur-
suit at Hsiangshan, so be sure to bring a
pair of binoculars for the children. This
protected wetland environment official-
ly stretches from the delta of Keya Creek
to Hsinchu's border with Miaoli county.
Cultural Activities
Hsinchu's city centre and surrounding
countryside are surprisingly rich in cul-
tural attractions. The city is home to an
impressive array of specialised muse-
ums, each exploring a unique facet of
Hsinchu's history. Religious sites repre-
senting a variety of creeds are open for
tours, and many are regularly frequent-
ed by worshippers. In many cases, visi-
tors and tourists are encouraged to join
in traditional customs at these religious
sites, enriching cross-cultural exchange.
Chenghuang Temple
Hsinchu City god Temple (Chenghuang
Temple) is regarded as the highest-rank-
ing of all City God temples in Taiwan,
due to the superior spiritual power of
its City God in protecting the town.
In front of the temple is a market
with a lot of small stalls selling deli-
cious Taiwanese snacks, including rice
noodles, meat balls, thick cuttlefish
broth, and Zhuqian Biscuit (Zhuqian
is the original name of Hsinchu).
Hsinchu is famous for a number of spe-
cialty foods, especially Hsinchu rice noo-
dles, which are produced in Nanshr
Village, Hsinchu City. Another famous
product of Hsinchu is shiangfen, a tra-
ditional cosmetic powder which was
used by women through out Taiwan be-
fore the arrival of foreign-style cosmet-
ic products. The powder is also used in
offerings to Qiniangma, the guardian
spirit of children. Only one store, run by
the Tsai Family in Julian Street, still pro-
duces this powder. Although there are
many stalls from which Hsinchu meat-
balls can be purchased, many are concen-
trated around the Chenghuang Temple.
http://dep-tourismen.hccg.gov.tw/
Coastline
Hsinchu’s coastline is quite far from the
downtown. Nonetheless, the city gov-
ernment has beautified the seaside, and
Nanliao’s old fishing harbor has been
converted into a place for recreation.
Bicycles-only paths link Nanliao to
the city’s southern limits; bikes can be
rented on weekends and public holi-
days. If you decide to ride the whole
distance, you’ll see a variety of land-
scapes: beaches, windbreak forests, re-
claimed land, and a row of electrici-
ty-producing wind turbines. Hisnchu is
famous for the “windy city“ so the wind
turbine is placed along the coastline.

The Municipal Glass Arts
and Craft Museum
The museum building was reconstruct-
ed from Hsinchu Civic Hall that was built
as the Japanese royalty residence and
a banquet hall in 1936. After Taiwan re-
stored in 1945, the building was uti-
lized by Takeover Committee, American
army consultant delegation, and Hsinchu
military police station. The Municipal
Glass Arts and Craft Museum has been
the central player in an ongoing mis-
sion to promote the work of local glass-
workers. Before silicon took centre
stage in the computer industry, glass
was widely used here in the tradition-
al production of glassware. During
the annual Glass Festival, a number of
events are held at the museum as well
as in the surrounding Hsinchu Park.
The city of Hsinchu was originally known
as Zhuqian. In 1733, a bamboo wall was
built around the city under Danshui vice
prefect Hsu Chih-min. In 1826, Cheng
Yung-hsi and other members of the local
gentry successfully petitioned the Qing
emperor for permission to rebuild the
wall, work on which began the follow-
Departmet of Tourism ing year. The new wall was 2,838 meters
Hisinchu City Government in circumference, 4.6 meters high, and 4.9
meters wide. It had four gates: the "Yingxi
• TEL: 03-5225264 Gate" in the east, the "Yishuang Gate" in
the west, the "Gexun Gate" in the south,
• Fax: 03-526-6021 and the "Gongchen Gate" in the north. All
but the eastern gate were torn down in
• Email: 1902 to make way for road construction.
hc2700@ems.hccg.gov.tw Once marking the main entry to Hsinchu,
the East Gate sits on a granite base
http://dep-tourismen.hccg.gov.tw/
pierced by an arched walkway. On the
upper half of the gate is a building orig-
inally constructed of wood and later re-
built in concrete. The building is sup-
Welcome
ported by 24 columns on which sit a
double-eaved roof with a short upturned
ridge that adds to the power of the de-
sign. In front of the gate is a stone stele
to recounting the history of the construc-
tion of the Hsinchu City wall. There is
also a public square that joins both tra-
Hsinchu ditional and modern elements at the
front of this major Hsinchu landmark.