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All Taiwan Xiulin Township Eternal Spring Shrine

Eternal Spring Shrine

A waterfall runs right through the middle of this Taiwanese shrine to the hundreds of workers killed while building a nearby highway.

Xiulin Township, Taiwan

Added By
Sue Olivier
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Eternal Spring Shrine   Joe Lewis on Flickr
Eternal Spring Shrine   Joe Lewis on Flickr
The Eternal Spring Shrine at the entrance to Taroko Gorge, Taiwan.   Suzanne Olivier
Eternal Spring Shrine   Alan Wu on Flickr
  icatsstaci / Atlas Obscura User
Looking back at the rebuilt bridge   MikeInSanFrancisco / Atlas Obscura User
  MikeInSanFrancisco / Atlas Obscura User
  MikeInSanFrancisco / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Built right into a lush Taiwanese cliffside, the Eternal Spring Shrine (Changchun Shrine) in the Taroko Gorge combines the beauty of the surrounding natural features with calming temple architecture to create a serene and picturesque tribute to the workers who died while building an important mountain road.

Named after the waterfall that runs beneath it year round, the beautiful little temple was built in the late 1950s while the nearby Cross-Island Highway was still under construction. The road was built by Taiwanese veterans and tragically over 200 of them perished during the effort. These brave workers are remembered by a small temple and adjoining pavilion that are connected by the bridge spanning the titular falls, all of which makes up the shrine complex.

Visitors to the shrine who are willing to do a little exploring will find a number of wonders hidden behind the shrine as well including a cave with statues of a handful of Taoist gods, and trails leading to more secluded towers and sites hidden among the natural features.

The shrine has been damaged and nearly destroyed a couple of times due to landslides on its verdant mountainside, but each time, the site has been rebuilt and continues to stand as a beautiful monument to the human cost of progress.   

Related Tags

Temples Shrines Waterfalls Water

Know Before You Go

Situated on a cliffside in Taroko National Park in Taiwan, in Hualien County near town of Xiulin.

Community Contributors

Added By

solivier

Edited By

Martin, EricGrundhauser, MikeInSanFrancisco, icatsstaci

  • Martin
  • EricGrundhauser
  • MikeInSanFrancisco
  • icatsstaci

Published

February 26, 2015

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Sources
  • http://www.rtaiwanr.com/eternal-spring-shrine-changchun-shrine
  • http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/?mm=5&sm=1&page=7
  • http://www.amazingplacesonearth.com/eternal-spring-shrine-taiwan/
  • http://www.chinapost.com.tw/travel/taiwan-east/hualien/2005/10/06/69769/Changchun-Eternal.htm
Eternal Spring Shrine
Xiulin Township, 972
Taiwan
24.161131, 121.602231

Nearby Places

Taroko Gorge

Xiulin Township, Taiwan

miles away

Sanshing Green Onion Culture Palace

Su'ao, Taiwan

miles away

Robert Y Museum

Su'ao, Taiwan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Xiulin Township

Xiulin Township

Taiwan

Places 2

Nearby Places

Taroko Gorge

Xiulin Township, Taiwan

miles away

Sanshing Green Onion Culture Palace

Su'ao, Taiwan

miles away

Robert Y Museum

Su'ao, Taiwan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Xiulin Township

Xiulin Township

Taiwan

Places 2

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