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COMPASS MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2001. VOL. 8 ISSUE 9

Chi Chi Rebuilt: Returning to the Epicenter of the 9-21 Earthquake

By Cheryl Robbins Translated by Rachel Chiou

Two years ago, on September 21, 1999, Chi Chi was the epicenter of the devastating, unforgettable 7.6 earthquake that left thousands dead, and thousands more injured and homeless. Hear from some of the Chi Chi residents.

Today, Chi Chi appears to have made a good recovery with many homes and businesses already rebuilt and occupied and new tourist facilities completed. During the rebuilding process, the emphasis was placed on improving the quality of life for residents and attracting tourists. Although Chi Chi is a small town, with a population of only about 12,000, there is enough to do here to create a great weekend getaway. Fortunately, I had my personal tour guide, local resident Chen Dao-chen, who helpfully showed me around his hometown.

Probably the first stop for most tourists is the Chi Chi train station (located at the corner of Min Sheng Rd. and Min Chuan Rd.). This station was originally built in 1933 and is one of only a few wooden, Japanese colonial era train stations in Taiwan. Although this landmark was very badly damaged during the 9-21 earthquake, it was rebuilt and will officially re-open this month.

A popular tourist activity is to take the narrow gauge railroad from the Chi Chi station to Er Shui or Shui Li. A one-way trip to Shui Li takes about 10 minutes and costs only about NT$15 per person. A one-way trip to Er Shui takes about 50 minutes and costs about NT$30 per person. At the time Compass went to press, the train schedule was undergoing changes. For current departure times, check at the Chi Chi Train Station.

Beginning in front of the train station and running parallel to the train tracks is a picturesque 1.6-kilometer bike path, complete with artistic sculptures and Victorian-style street lamps. Single-person and tandem bikes are available for rent for NT$50 per person at two shops located across the street from the station.

This path ends at Ming Hsin Hsu Yuan (4, Tung Chang Lane, Yung Chang Li; tel: 049-2762374), a temple devoted to scholars. This is where students go to pray for good grades and test scores. Built during the Ching Dynasty, Ming Hsin Hsu Yuan was originally a school. The three-sided compound includes a main building, which is now the temple area, and side rooms. These side rooms house a library decorated in Ching Dynasty style as well as classrooms, reminders of its earlier days.

	The Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute (1, Min Sheng East Rd.; tel: 049-2761331; open 9 am-4:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday) rubs up against Ming Hsin Hsu Yuan. The purpose of this institute is to survey Taiwan's endemic species and promote conservation of Taiwan's unique ecosystems. This institute includes an exhibition hall and outdoor gardens. Exhibition areas include "Taiwan's Ecosystems", "Taiwan's Endemic Animals", "Taiwan's
Endemic Plants", and "Environmental Conservation". In addition, there are hands-on nature classrooms for students and pre-school children, special exhibit galleries and theaters. Admission is NT$50 for adults and NT$30 for children.

	From the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, take Min Sheng East Road toward the train station. Turn right onto Min Sheng Road, then turn right again onto Pa Chang Street. Follow this street until you reach the Wu Chang Gung Earthquake Memorial (89, Lane 34, Min Sheng Rd.; tel: 049-2762496, 2764229). This is a temple that collapsed during the 9-21 earthquake. As one Chi Chi resident aptly described it, the temple appears to have simply "sat down". It is being left
unrepaired to serve as a memorial to the earthquake victims. Across the street from this temple is a temporary housing community that includes the Chi Chi Police Station, comprised of pre-fab buildings set up during the aftermath of the 9-21 earthquake.

From the Wu Chang Gung Earthquake Memorial turn left onto Pa Chang Street, then turn left again onto Huan Shan Street. Follow this road until you see the sign for the road leading to the Chi Chi Waterfall. Turn right onto this small road and follow it up a steep hill. In the dry season, this waterfall is nothing more than a trickle, but it becomes spectacular after a heavy rain. Near the waterfall are gazebos for enjoying the surrounding quiet and hillside scenery. Behind the waterfall is a small cave temple.

Going back down the hill, turn left onto Huan Shan Street. Continue on this road as it narrows and winds its way up into the hills. A 10 or 15-minute drive will bring you to the Tibetan-style Chen Kuo Si Buddhist temple and monastery. In addition to the temple and monastery buildings, there is a Buddhist library and outdoor gardens. The temple itself is a large domed building that can be seen from most places in town. The first floor contains a large Buddhist statue and is used for worship. Upstairs is a row of Tibetan-style prayer wheels and spectacular views of the surrounding hills and mountains.

If you are planning to stay in Chi Chi overnight, the only large hotel in town is the appropriately named Chi Chi Hotel (113, Min Sheng Rd.; tel: 049-2760778). Room rates range from NT$2,500 to NT$3,600. Near the hotel, along Min Sheng Road, are a number of small restaurants serving simple Chinese dishes such as fried rice and noodles.

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Getting There: From Taichung take the Taichung-Nantou Highway (No. 63) to the very end. Driving oneself, take the Chungshan Freeway's Changhua exit and follow the signs first to Nantou City and then to Ming Chien. From Ming Chien, take Provincial Highway 16 and follow the signs to Chi Chi. Or, for a more scenic route from Ming Chien, take Provincial Highway 152, a tree-lined winding road with little traffic.

Chi Chi Residents Interviewed
Lu Kuai-hua	Chen Teng-ko	Yang Feng-yian	Although Chi Chi appears well on its way to recovery, many residents continue to face frustration and hardship. Cheryl Robbins and Annie Liou sat down with a group of Chi Chi residents, Chen Teng-ko, Yang Feng-yian and Lu Kuai-hua, and asked them about the human side of the rebuilding process. Here's how they responded:
Q: Looking back over these two years since the 9-21 earthquake, what are your feelings? A: A lot of homes collapsed to the point where the second floor literally became the first floor. If you haven't experienced that kind of devastation yourself, it is really hard to understand what it feels like. Q: Have the residents of Chi Chi been able to rebuild their lives? A: A lot of people are still relying on charities for help. Even the schools were rebuilt through donations. There are also people living in temporary houses donated by the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation and Nike. Those houses are small and very hot in the summer. But, the people living in them don't have the money to rebuild their homes and don't have the collateral to obtain a loan. The government provided a subsidy of NT$200,000 for homes that collapsed, but to rebuild or buy a home takes millions of NT dollars. Some people cannot come up with that kind of money, so they continue to stay in temporary shelters. But, the temporary houses are scheduled for return in February of 2003. It's hard to say what will happen to those people when the temporary houses are taken away. Q: Why are there so many people still left homeless? A: In addition to those people who can't afford to rebuild their home, some people were renting the land their homes were built on. They owned the house but not the land. After the earthquake, landlords took the land back leaving the tenants no place to go. Q: Are you optimistic about the future of Chi Chi? A: Those with the money to rebuild their home are able to go on with their lives. But, those without money still have a lot of difficulties to face. The economic downturn is adding to the hardship. Some people have had to move to other cities to stay with relatives. But, even with all of this there is some optimism that things will get better.