A fun trip on the TTJ 53 Bus Line

Words and photos by Taichung City Government
Translated by Naomi Lai

Following one of the most important roads in Taichung, the TTJ Bus 53 WenXin Line travels along length of C-shaped WenXin Road, connecting with Taichung Port, GongYi, WuQuan West and DaYa roads, as well as many other important routes. The line stretches from Beitun to Nantun districts, passing WenXin Forest Park and FengLe Sculpture Park on its way to the Dali City area in Taichung County. The many stops along this line serve many business and residential areas, providing urban transportation benefits to many business commuters.

1.Taiyuan Station
Taiyuan Station in Beitun district was set up in response to the government's decision to merge the railway and metro systems. The budget for this station was passed in 2001 and it was officially opened in November, 2002. Although it's only a small regional station, it has still helped reduce many traffic problems in the surrounding Beitun commercial circle and Dakeng Scenic Area, providing a more convenient transport link to the public. Every weekend many bicyclists come to enjoy bicycle paths near the station and a Giant Bicycle store near the station also provides easy-access bike rentals.

2. WenXin Road and ChangPing Road
ChangPing Road, also known as "Shoe Street", was once famous for its handmade shoes and lined with various shoe stores, packed every weekend with shoppers from around town. Over time, these shops changed to match changing consumer and market trends, and a new slogan, "Walk at ChangPing", was created to help further promote business. In October, 2008, Shoe Street also officially became Taichung's 11th commercial circle, bringing new business opportunities to the various shops there.

Recommended: ChangPing Road delicious delights
You will find many tasty treats along ChangPing Road, with most food stands clustered at the crossroads of ChangPing and BeiPing roads. These include many well-known older vendors such as ChangPing Road Fried Chicken, Mei Ting BBQ, and Stinky Tofu and Noodles. Also popular is Chia Chia Green Bean Soup, which serves a specially-made green bean soup with thoroughly-cooked but not mushy beans. Other desserts at this store include Red Job's Tears and Lotus Seeds.

3. WenXin Road and ShanXi Road
Shenzhao Hall on ShanXi Road, Section 2 is the oldest Buddhist temple in Taichung, and was set up by Yeh Pu-Jung during the Qing Dynasty. Yeh brought Buddha statues from Fujian province and finally settled on ShanXi Road in 1987 after four location changes, providing the public with a quiet, meditative place within the noisy city. The architecture here follows that of traditional Chinese Han-style temples. The Hall of Mahavira worships three Buddha statues with stone carvings around the ceiling that combine Buddhist and artistic elements. Two hallways on the sides of the building connect to a back hall which worships the Guanyin Buddha statues that have been at the temple for over 200 years.

4. WenXin Road and ZhongQing Road
Taking WenXin Road until you reach the crossroads of ZhongQing and DaYa roads will give you easy access to various inter-city bus stations along ZhongQing Road, which also connects to National Freeway No. 1, the Zhongzhang (Rt. 74) Expressway and Taichung Airport. The nearby Shui Nan Market is the largest privately-run traditional market in Taichung and is situated along ChangAn Road, Section 2 and ZhongQing Road, Lane 65. With its hundreds of stalls offering cheap food and entertainment, the decades-old market still maintains its popularity.

5. WenXin Road and Taichung Port Road
Coming from Beitun district via WenXin Road, you will encounter the WenXin Road Jade Market on your right after crossing Taichung Port (Taichung Kang) Road. The jade market is open Fridays to Sundays and is often packed with treasure hunters seeking something special. The market sells not only jade products but also antiques, wood sculptures, Buddhist artifacts, vases, tea pots, stones and pottery. Taking a stroll through this market is like journeying through a giant treasure box, giving you the chance to experience the rich artistic atmosphere and learn more about these treasures from the many store owners.

6. WenXin Forest Park
WenXin Forest Park has been a favorite weekend getaway for Taichung residents since it opened in 2006. Besides the park's well-planned bicycle paths and skating rink, it also holds the Fulfillment Amphitheater, which can seat several thousand people, making this park the best location in Taichung for cultural performances and events. For example, the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival has been held here in recent years. The spacious park grounds, with its green slopes, make the WenXin Forest Park all the more inviting for visitors.

7. FengLe Sculpture Park
Built in 1994, the FengLe Sculpture Park combines aesthetic beauty with recreational features within its 6.4-hectare grounds. The park includes a hiking trail, large expanses of grass, a children's playground, a man-made lake and waterfall. During weekends, the park is packed with local and foreign visitors, drawn here by the various snack and toy booths surround the park, the small trains, and swan boats cruising in the park. The park's name comes from its dozens of artistic sculptures, making it a great place for photographs.

Recommended: WenXin South Road Tourist Nightmarket
If you're a nightmarket lover, you must visit the WenXin South Road Tourist Nightmarket. With over 100 booths, this famous Taichung traditional nightmarket is open daily except for Mondays and Thursdays. It various vendors selling cheap, delicious snacks, such as Wu's Fried Pork, Mongolia BBQ, Bean Curd Chicken and A-Jen's BBQ.

8. Taichung English & Art Museum
Located in the Sports Park in Dali City, Taichung County is Taiwan's first children's museum--the Taichung English & Art Museum--built by the Taichung County Government. There are four floors here providing children with an environment to experience theater, animation, art, dancing and music. The museum exterior also resembles a windmill castle. There are 10 main themes at the museum, including a Forest Theater, Starlight Stage, Doodling Stage and Diagon Alley.

TTJ 53 WenXin Line Stops
Taiyuan Station→Sanchuan Fude Temple→HanXi East Road→DongShan Road→Sanhe Village→Lian An Hospital→Shiwei Elementary School→WenXin Road and ChangPing Road→WenXin Road and ReHe Road→WenXin Road and ChongDe Road→Wenxin Elementary School→WenXin Road and MeiChuan West Road→WenXin Road and ShanXi Road→WenXin Road and QingDao West Street→WenXin Road and ZhongQing Road→ShanXi Road→Taiwan Daily→Chongcing Elementary School→WenXin Road and HeNan Road→Wen Hua Senior High School→WenXin Road and GanSu Road→WenXin Road and XiTun Road→WenXin Road and Sichuan Road→WenXin Road and Taichung Port Road→Taichung City Police Department→Bureau of National Health Insurance→WenXin Road and ShiZheng Road→WenXin Road and GongYi Road→WenXin Forest Park→WenXin Road and XiangXin Road→WenXin Road and WuQuan West Road→WenXin Road and NanTun Road→YongChung East Road→FengLe Sculpture Park→WenXin Road and SanMin West Road→Chung Shan Medical University→Test Rite Retail(Te Li Wu)→WenXin Road and DaQing Street→GaoGong Road and WenXin South Road→Taichung Industrial High School→Yongxing Village→GongXue 1st Street→Chiao Tai High School→DaMing Road and ShuangWen Road→DaMing Road and GuoGuang Road→DaMing Road and YiMin Road→Chong Guang Elementary School→National Dali Senior High School→YiMin Road and DeFang Road→Yimin Elementary School→Lizen High School→Xianeixin→Taichung English & Art Museum