Traditional Chinese Gardens in Hsinchu 縣福園公園

Discovering Zhubei

Zhubei isn’t exactly known for its history. While the city across Qiantou River does have an old downtown, it can not compare with Hsinchu. Starting out as nothing more than rice paddies and farmland, Zhubei has grown from being a vast empty space to one of the most up-and-coming neighborhoods in all of Hsinchu. With the success of Hsinchu’s Science Park, Zhubei has become the home of many engineers and millionaires.

Even with all of the new glistening buildings and wide avenues, Zhubei has still been able to preserve and create what little culture it has. In terms of history, a handful of century-old Sanheyuan homes still exist within the city. Even with a lack of monuments, this has not stopped Zhubei from building romantic arch bridges and traditional Chinese gardens.

Want to check out more parks in Hsinchu? Be sure to visit the weekend flower market at Hsinchu Park!

Traditional Chinese Gardens

Across the Taiwan Strait, China is well known for its traditional gardens. With their meandering paths, these parks are not only an escape from the concrete jungle, but are also a place for locals to get together, exercise, play music, and sing. These outdoor showcases of traditional sculptures and architecture preserve local culture and history.

In Taiwan, these traditional parks are few in number. Most parks take after a more modern model with playground equipment for children, wide-open spaces for sports, and walking tracks to exercise. Among all of the newly paved wide streets in Zhubei, is one of the few traditional Chinese parks in Taiwan. Hidden away behind a line of trees, Xianfuyuan Park (縣福園公園) is not in plain view. Only a few of the curved traditional roofs can be seen peeking through the leaves, attracting curious travelers.

This traditional Chinese style park can be found at the intersection of Guangming 6th Road (光明六路) and Highway One (國道一號). A short walk away from Xianfuyuan Park you’ll find the Hsinchu County Hall and several other surrounding parks.

Another popular spot to travel to in Zhubei is the famous Tofu Rocks! Read more about them here!

Xianfuyuan Park

Xianfuyuan Park was built around 2010 with a 50 million NT investment by the Hsinchu County government. The nearly 3000 square meter plot of land was transformed into a traditional Chinese park, also known as a Lingnan Garden (嶺南園林). Much like many other similar gardens, Xianfuyuan consists of towering artificial rocks, wide courtyards, and meandering paths. Sprinkled throughout the park are many small pavillions where you can find some lingering elderly folks putzing through the day.

This traditional Chinese park once had waterfalls, a full pond, and even fish jumping out of the water. Today, the garden has been neglected and has started to show its age. Only a few puddles are left at the bottom of the lake and all of the arches and pavilions are slowly starting to succumb to the elements. With a little bit of care and maintenance, Xianfuyaun Park could be just as beautiful as it was when it first opened.

Want to get more off the beaten path in Hsinchu? You can find the remains of a Shinto Temple at Lingyin Temple!

Carving Out Culture

For those who have spent any time in China, you’ll know how mesmerizing traditional Chinese gardens are. Taiwan is very much a different culture when compared with its brothers from across the strait. This does not mean that there is not still a lingering imprint, however. Lingnan Gardens can be found around the island, but are nowhere near as large and grandiose as China. Many of these parks lack any historical relevance but rather mirror romantic images conjured up through stories that one would hear from childhood.

Xianfuyuan Park in Zhubei is a hidden gem despite its lack of roots in Hsinchu. The traditional architecture and tranquil setting drown out the blaring cars from the nearby highway. One can only hope that the park will not be overlooked by the local Zhubei government and can be continued to be enjoyed by generations to come.

You can find even more things to do in Hsinchu on our complete list here!