Jianshi

Jianshi (尖石), named for a pointed rock at the confluence of two streams, is a rugged mountain township in southeastern Hsinchu County and the traditional homeland of the Tayal Indigenous people. The largest township in Hsinchu by area, its terrain rises from 200 meters to peaks exceeding 3,000 meters, including six of Taiwan’s Hundred Peaks. During the Japanese colonial era, the colonial government built an extensive network of forts, police garrisons, and guard trails to subjugate Tayal communities; Lidongshan Old Fort, perched on a remote mountaintop, is now a popular hiking destination, while the Baishi Police Garrison along the Syakaro Historic Trail (霞喀羅古道) has been restored for visitors. The quirky Lidong Lodge, built by a KMT veteran and now run by a local Tayal man, serves as a trailhead and small museum of Indigenous artifacts.