Alishan’s Train Lunch for Lumberjacks: Chiayi County, Part 2

TaiwanPlus News

Once a lifeline for transporting lumber during Japan’s colonial rule in Taiwan, the Alishan Forest Railway has since become a breathtaking mode of slow travel. In part two of our five-part series “Where’s the Chiayi County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan boards the iconic Alishan Forest Railway and uncovers the story behind Taiwan’s best-known train station meal. He also encounters the goddess Mazu, an unlikely passenger on one of the first trains to the summit after a 15-year hiatus for renovations.

Transcript

00:00The ultimate mode of slow travel, a century-old Taiwanese train route known as one of the

00:22most beautiful high mountain railways in the world.

00:26This is the Alishan Forest Railway, built during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan to

00:31transport lumber down from the mountains.

00:34It entered service in 1912.

00:37But after they put an end to logging in 1963, the railway became a popular tourist attraction.

00:56The unique way the railway was built is a huge draw for train nerds like me.

01:08There are spiral-shaped tracks and curved alignments that hug the mountains, in addition

01:14to the zigzagging switchbacks.

01:17Together, these help the train climb 2,400 meters over a 78-kilometer journey.

01:23The railway is not only one of Taiwan's most renowned cultural landmarks, it's also the

01:28highest narrow-gauge train route in all of Asia.

01:32But the high altitude also makes the railway vulnerable to the elements.

01:36In 2009, Typhoon Morakot brought the worst flooding in 50 years, washing out sections

01:42of the track.

01:44The only way to get to the top was by bus.

01:47After 15 years of repairs, they've finally restored service to the entire line, with

01:53some new options for train buffs.

02:15One of the first new trains bringing travelers to the top had a very unusual passenger on board.

02:21This is incredible.

02:22This is the first time that I've ever seen anything like this, and they tell me it's

02:26the first time they've ever done this.

02:28Basically, it's the goddess Matu, who is one of the most popular goddesses in all of Taiwan,

02:33the goddess of the sea.

02:34She's come down from Jiayu City, and she's come up to the top of this most popular tourist

02:39destination of all of Taiwan, bringing blessings and good wishes for all the people on the way.

02:44I've never seen a goddess take a train before.

02:47I guess she has to fit into a seat as well.

02:51One of the biggest draws for visitors to this train station, Fenqi Hu, is the bento box lunches

03:00called biandang in Taiwan.

03:02In the old days, the early morning train from Jiayu City would arrive here by midday.

03:07Lumberjacks and tourists would hop off and grab lunch while workers changed the engines

03:12on the train.

03:13At its peak, this diner sold thousands of biandang every day.

03:19Now, the fourth generation owner has given each biandang a special name.

03:49One of the most popular offerings is called the engine driver.

03:56It contains chicken, rice, several fresh local veggies, and plums pickled with tea grown

04:03right here in these mountains.

04:05These days, you can buy Fenqi Hu boxed lunches at convenience stores all across Taiwan.

04:11But that doesn't stop people from making tracks back up the mountain for the taste of days

04:17gone by.

04:18Devin Tsai, Joseph Wu, Peachy Zhuang, and Andrew Ryan for Taiwan Plus.

04:26Coming up in part three of our series, we're going to take a look at the most popular

04:30Here's a hint.

04:31It's a condiment that packs a punch.

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