歡迎光臨高雄市新聞局

Dashu

◎Written by Chen Ting-fang

◎Photos by Zeng Sin-yao

◎English translation by Lin Yu-ciao

　To appreciate natural scenery and a variety of fauna and flora, take a train to Jiuqutang TRA Station in Kaohsiung's Dashu District, rent a C-Bike (the city government's shared-bike scheme), and then pedal toward the Railway Bridge Marsh Park. Along the way, you can look back through time at Dashu's Caogong Canal.

　Dashu enjoys favorable water supplies. As a result agriculture thrives, and this has led to the development of other industries. In recent years, Dashu has been well-known for its Yuherbau litchis, yet it is pineapples that first gave the district its reputation as a fruit kingdom. Pineapples have long been Dashu's signature agricultural product, thanks to fertile soil, flat terrain, and good drainage. In the early days, back when Taiwan exported a huge amount of canned pineapple, Dashu was dubbed “Pineapple Mountain.”

　The pineapple cannery opposite Jiuqutang TRA Station is the only Japanese-era cannery which still exists. The cannery was renovated last August, and relaunched as Taiwan Pineapple Museum. The building's historic architecture makes it an ideal venue for cultural and historical exhibitions which teach visitors about the once-thriving pineapple industry and its contribution to the country's economy. In addition, visitors can also gain hands-on experience by attending pineapple workshops where they create their own labels and paste them onto pineapple cans.

　Aside from its pineapple industry, Dashu is also renowned for developing “phoenix-fiber paper.” So named because the first character of pineapple when written in Chinese is fong (meaning “phoenix”), this is a way to add value to the local pineapple crop and help visitors understand the area's history and culture. The paper is made from fibers extracted from pineapple leaves.

　Another prominent historic site near the Railway Bridge Marsh Park is Sanhe Brick Kiln. This business dates back to 1918, and the kiln itself has been designated a third-class relic. It has been listed as one of Kaohsiung's ten key historic buildings, and one of Taiwan's hundred most important historic sites. The kiln has recently been transformed into a cultural-creative industry that sells bricks, tiles, and other ceramic items. They continue to craft traditional tiles and gables for temples and other traditional buildings. Visitors can watch the production process and even have a go themselves. Sanhe Brick Kiln is an example of how Dashu's traditions and culture are still vivid in the minds of local people.