Alishan Mountain is known for its breathtaking views, clean air and untouched nature. It's one of Taiwan's top travel destinations, attracting masses of local as well as foreign visitors every year. Among those are visitors from People's Republic of China, who have created their own particular tourist landscape in the past 4 years, since they are allowed to visit Taiwan. It was for me interesting to observe, how different the two peoples are exploring and experiencing Alishan and today I would like to share with you some photos, that highlight this phenomenon.
Although natives of communist China are allowed to travel around Taiwan individually, most prefer group travel, which is organized by various travel agencies back at home and in cooperation with local Taiwanese agents and bus companies. These cross-strait joint ventures most likely get the biggest piece of the pie in this multi-billion business and I'm sure, that they are the harbingers of some kind of unity, even if as fake as the one among the figurines on the picture above.
So what do Chinese brethren do, when they arrive on Alishan village?
So what do Chinese brethren do, when they arrive on Alishan village?
I admit, that I was a little shocked to see so many people in this small mountain resort - and it's not about where they come from. The problem lays within the agencies, who push for the mass tourism and the government, that allows it. If Taiwan wants to preserve the beautiful nature up there for the future generations, this is just not the way to do it. Zhongzheng, a.k.a. Alishan Village is a big parking lot next to a bigger parking lot. It's surrounded with a mix of run-down neoclassical Chinese architecture and those tiled generic boxes, seen throughout Taiwan's cities, which are practical, but ugly. Fortunately, you can see some very beautiful buildings as well such as the main railway station, made of wood. But the real reason, why you should visit Alishan, is outside Zhongzheng: It's the beautiful forests, lakes and breathtaking views, that will mystify you. That's what lures most of Taiwanese up there.
Unlike patriotic Taiwanese visitors, who see Alishan as one of their biggest national gems, most Chinese group travelers just take it as one of the must-see destinations in the "breakaway province": They take few photos, buy a souvenir and leave (that's the impression I got). And I couldn't blame them: After all, they have the Forbidden City, the Yangtze river, the Yellow river, Xian, Guilin, the Great Wall... even Mount Everest is half in China. So how can the relatively small Alishan meet their grand expectations?
Taiwan in general is very small for visitors from China, they've seen the most of it in a few days, something which is impossible when traveling around their home country. Those of us, who happen to live here, see things much differently, because it's our home. We are connected to the history, even if it's only a few hundred years old. We appreciate the small things such as an old tree trunk or cherry blossoms. I'm not saying Chinese are not like that back at home or while visiting Taiwan, but when it comes to Alishan, the difference pretty obvious.
So what do Taiwanese do, when they arrive on Alishan village?
From what it seems to me, Chinese and Taiwanese are still living in parallel worlds and taking the political and historic reality into consideration, this is not surprising. It's also no shocker, that there are two different ways of enjoying holidays and traveling. I hope, that this post won't shy you away from visiting Alishan, it's still worth it, because the area is huge and you don't need to go where the masses go. Avoid weekends or holidays and you should be fine.
▷ Some interesting blog posts from Chinese visitors to Alishan:
• 山间小溪的博客: Seeing Taiwan - Alishan
• 彭友驿站: Taiwan travel: Discovering Alishan
• 沐流尘 -- 腾讯博客: Taiwan @ Alishan scenery
Next post: Cherry blossoms on Alishan>>
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