Hengshan Township

The Youluo Creek, which traverses the entire township, is Hengshan’s lifeline. It nurtures a variety of unique minerals—black stone, red-yellow stone, tortoiseshell stone, quartz, and igneous rock—whose textures and colors form breathtaking natural artworks, attracting gem enthusiasts from far and wide and creating a local culture of stone appreciation. Hengshan was once famed for its pears; later, limestone mining and citrus cultivation became the mainstays. The Neiwan Branch Line remains the area’s economic artery, transporting local products. While limestone mining once drove prosperity, today agritourism orchards and community-led firefly conservation projects are breathing new life into the township.

Hengshan Township Office

Leek

Hengshan’s leeks are primarily grown in Tianliao Village, where a dedicated cultivation zone produces a variety with shorter veins but exceptionally tender and juicy leaves compared to typical market leeks.

Hengshan Pear

Introduced by tea merchants during the Guangxu era of the Qing dynasty, the Hengshan pear was once renowned throughout Taiwan. While many original grafts still survive, recent shifts in local agriculture have made genuine Hengshan pear orchards increasingly rare.

High-Mountain Tea

Tea was once a major product here, with varieties such as Taiwan Tea No. 12, Wuyi, and Oolong. At its peak, Hengshan’s Oriental Beauty tea was world-famous. In recent years, population shifts and labor shortages have dramatically reduced tea plantations, leaving only a few small gardens on the western slopes.