Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Watchtower

頂山鹽警槍樓

Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Watchtower

June 11th, 2023

Dingshan Watchtower (頂山鹽警槍樓) is a heritage building located in the remote coastal wetlands of Qigu, Tainan. Constructed in 1949, it was one of approximately 25 watchtowers overlooking a vast expanse of state-owned salt evaporation ponds along the southwestern coast of Taiwan. It guarded the eastern approach to the Dingshan Production Area (第一生產區) of Qigu Saltworks (七股鹽場). With the end of the salt monopoly in 1977 these watchtowers were abandoned and left to the elements and many have since been destroyed.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower 七股頂山鹽警槍樓 — Approaching the watchtower at dusk. This view is looking east.

All three remaining watchtowers¹ were designated cultural assets in 2009, but progress on restoration has been mixed. This particular watchtower was reinforced with steel supports after it was damaged in the 2010 Kaohsiung Earthquake (2010年高雄地震), but wasn’t otherwise restored when I visited in 2017.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower 七股頂山鹽警槍樓 — Approaching the Dingshan Saltworks Watchtower.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower 七股頂山鹽警槍樓 — A portrait of the watchtower at dusk.

Reflections of the Dingshan Saltern Watchtower — Reflections of the watchtower.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower Side View — Steel supports are required in these earthquake-prone lands.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower Front View — The former watchtower against the pale blue sky.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower at Ground Level — A porthole at ground level.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower Porthole — Gazing straight through the watchtower.

A Glimpse Inside Dingshan Saltern Watchtower — A hazy glimpse inside the old watchtower.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower (七股頂山鹽警槍樓) — The watchtower and the surrounding wetlands.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower 七股頂山鹽警槍樓 — Artificial channels for managing water levels in the former saltworks.

Lavatory at Dingshan Saltern Watchtower — The red brick remains of a former outhouse.

Dingshan Saltern Watchtower on the Horizon — The watchtower from the southwest.

The Leaning Dingshan Saltern Watchtower — The leaning watchtower of Dingshan.

The Last Salt Police Watchtower in Tainan — A parting glance at the former saltworks watchtower.

Apart from this one, the other two are Qieding Jhuhu Saltworks Watchtower (茄萣竹滬鹽灘鹽警槍樓) in Qieding, Kaohsiung, and the Taiqu Watchtower (台區鹽警槍樓) in the nearby Taiqu Production Area (台區生產區), which collapsed in the earthquake in 2010 and lost its heritage status. ↩

Map

Warning: this location is abandoned, hazardous, or otherwise neglected and may be unsafe and even dangerous! Exercise appropriate precautions when visiting.

警告：此處已廢棄或長期無人管理，可能存在潛在危險。造訪時請務必提高警覺，並做好相關安全防護措施。

Details

Status:Idle (閒置)
Heritage designation:Historic Building (歷史建築)
Coordinates:

Recorded On

July 24th, 2017

Links

Cultural Assets Bureau (文化部文化資產局)
Taipei Times
Lost Places
Pixnet: A-heng Wild Fun (阿衡野趣哪)

Themes

KMT Authoritarian Era Taiwan (國民政府時期)
Military Fortifications in Taiwan (台灣碉堡)
Salt Industry in Taiwan (台灣鹽業)

Series: Taiwan Summer Road Trip 2017

In the summer of 2017 I borrowed a scooter to ride to a music festival in Nantou and only returned it several months later. It wasn’t a continuous road trip—I’d leave the scooter parked at various HSR stations as I slowly made my way around central and southern Taiwan—but each leg of the trip usually involved 3 or 4 days of riding. In the end I gathered enough material for 60 or 70 posts, only some of which have been published.

Taiwan Summer Road Trip 2017: Taichung to Nantou
Dongping Tobacco Barn (東平菸樓)
Ganfeng Suspension Bridge (乾峰吊橋遺跡)
Puli Tuberculosis Sanatorium (埔里肺結核療養所)
Shuili Huye Temple (水里虎爺廟)
Postcards From Zhushan (竹山明信片)
Zhushan Kezikeng New Community (竹山柯子坑新社區)
Nanyun Gas Station (南雲加油站)
Postcards From Linnei (林內明信片)
Yixin Vocational High School (益新工商職業學校)
Postcards From Ershui (二水明信片)
Ershui Public Hall (二水公會堂)
Xizhou Theater (溪州戲院)
Xiluo Bridge (西螺大橋)
Xiluo Theater (西螺大戲院)
Xiluo Yisheng Theater (西螺一生戲院)
Postcards From Xiluo (西螺明信片)
Dingyuan Radio Station (雲林定遠電臺)
Beigang Theater (北港戲院)
Liujiao Brick Kiln (六腳磚窯)
Tainan Second Air Force New Village (台南二空眷村)
Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Watchtower (頂山鹽警槍樓)
Alian Theater (阿蓮戲院)
Qieding Jhuhu Saltworks Watchtower (茄萣竹滬鹽灘鹽警槍樓)
Suantou Sugar Factory (蒜頭糖廠)
Suantou Sugar Factory Shinto Shrine (蒜頭神社)
Shuangxikou Brick Kiln (雙溪口磚窯)
Wang De-lu Tomb (王得祿墓)
Xingang Fengtian Temple (新港奉天宮)
Hsin Kang Theater (新港戲院)
Dalin Wanguo Theater (大林萬國戲院)
Dalin Xinxing Theater (大林新興戲院)
Dounan Unfinished Building (斗南爛尾樓)
Xizhou RSEA Factory (彰化溪州榮民工廠)
Lingxiao Temple (凌霄殿)
Mingjian 921 Leaning Tower (南投九二一地震斜塔紀念地)

Backlinks

Qigu Saltworks (七股鹽場)
Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Production Area (七股鹽場頂山生產區)
Qigu Saltworks Taiqu Production Area (七股鹽場台區生產區)

Nearby Locations

Dingshan Chen Ji Residence (頂山陳集古厝)—0.57 km
Dingshan Zhang Family Residence (頂山張家古厝)—0.63 km
Dingshan Chen Family Residence Yingchuan Hall (頂山陳家古厝穎川堂)—0.70 km
Dingshan Elementary School (頂山國民小學)—0.78 km
Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Production Area (七股鹽場頂山生產區)—1.02 km
Qigu Dongnan Rice Mill (七股東南碾米廠)—1.78 km
Hougang Salt Police Dormitory (後港鹽警宿舍)—1.96 km
Qigu Saltworks (七股鹽場)—2.84 km
Qingkunshen Fan-Shaped Saltworks (青鯤鯓扇形鹽田)—3.02 km
Qigu Saltworks Railway Workshop (臺鹽七股機車庫)—3.13 km
Qigu Saltworks Taiqu Production Area (七股鹽場台區生產區)—3.45 km
Qigu Longshan Temple (七股龍山宮)—4.45 km

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