Zhuqi

Zhuqi (竹崎) is a mountain township in Chiayi County where the Alishan Forest Railway begins its ascent from the plains. Zhuqi Station, established in 1912 at 127 meters elevation, marks the transition point where steam locomotives were historically swapped for more powerful engines; its triangular junction allows trains to reverse direction for the climb. Fenqihu (奮起湖), located midway up the line, developed as a lunch stop for railway passengers and preserves a Shinto shrine and tourist-friendly old street. The township also contains the former residence and tomb of Wu Feng (吳鳳), a controversial Qing figure once celebrated for ending headhunting, a narrative later rejected by Indigenous communities.