Guanshan Township is located in northern Taitung County, in the southern section of the Huadong Valley, nestled between the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range. Formerly known as Lilong, it was renamed Guanshan during the Japanese colonial period due to its location at the foot of Daguan Mountain.
Guanshan is famous throughout Taiwan for producing high-quality rice. The Guanshan Township Bike Loop is Taiwan’s first dedicated cycling route, stretching approximately 12 kilometers. Along the way, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of rice fields and mountain landscapes, making it an ideal destination for family outings.
(Photo credit: @y.s.lien)
Memories of a Century Beneath the Grid-Pattern Streets
A hundred years ago, Guanshan was the administrative center of the East Rift Valley. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese government established the local district office here and constructed a grid-patterned street layout based on colonial urban planning concepts. Official residences, railway facilities, staff quarters, and schools were built, forming the early blueprint of today’s town. Even now, traditional Japanese cypress-wood houses, old government residences, and police dormitories remain, quietly preserving the traces of history.
(Photo credit: Guanshan Township)
Blessed with flat terrain and abundant water sources, Guanshan has attracted settlers since the Qing Dynasty, including Hoklo and Hakka migrants who gradually integrated with local Indigenous communities. Agriculture, pig raising, and pickling traditions took root here—especially Hakka food customs and festival rituals, which have endowed Guanshan with rich cultural depth.
(Photo credit: @zi_yuan888)
In recent years, local communities have restored historic streets and old buildings, turning them into spaces that showcase everyday life and historical heritage. Walking through the streets of Guanshan, surrounded by rice fields and mountain views, one can feel a mountain town that has lived through generations, continuing the stories and memories of this land with warmth and resilience.
