Zuozhen

Zuǒzhèn (左鎮) is a rural district in eastern Tainan bordering Kaohsiung. It is characterized by dramatic badlands landscapes that extend from neighboring Tianliao and exceptional fossil deposits showcased at the Zuozhen Fossil Park. The district preserves strong Siraya Indigenous heritage through syncretic temples such as Laojun Temple, which uniquely venerates both anti-Japanese martyrs and the Indigenous deity Alizu (阿立祖). During the Japanese colonial period Zuozhen was connected to the sugar railway network via the Yuzuo Line (玉左線), which provided passenger service from 1953 to 1973 before the entire line was abolished in 1975.