Dongshih, Taichung

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Dongshih (東勢, Hakka: Tung-si) is an urban township in eastern Taichung County, Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. A majority of the residents are of Hakka ethnicity, making it an enclave in an otherwise non-Hakka county. It's Hakka dialect is very distinct compared to the dialects of other counties.

[edit] Geography

Dongshih is situated on a narrow, north-south oriented plain, flanked by the Da Jia River to the west and a mountain ridge to the east. It is this sense of being pressed up against that ridge, at the easternmost edge of the large west-central plain, that gives the town its name. Its elevation ranges from about 330 meters along the Dajia River to more than 725 meters in the foothills of the Central Mountain Range.

The township is bounded by (clockwise from the north) Jhuolan Township (Miaoli County), Heping Rural Township, Sinshe Rural Township, Shihgang Rural Township, Fongyuan City, Houli, Taichung, Houli Rural Township, and Sanyi Rural Township (Miaoli County).

[edit] Famous Features

Dongshih includes some greenspace and significant farmland; largely orchards. Dongshih is known for its pears, which are large and almost spherical with a thin, light yellowish-brown rugose skin. In a good year, their flavor is excellent. Intensive topwork at the start of each season involves grafting Japanese pear bud slips to the tree stock.

Dongshih Hakka Culture Area

The old train station has been converted into a Hakka Cultural Area (東勢客家文化園區.) Historial Hakka cultural artifacts along with modern works of art are on display. This area also marks the southern terminus of the Dongshih-Fongyuan Bicycle Greenway (東豐自行車綠廊.) This greenway was converted from a former railway track. Unfortunately, the bridge crossing the Dajia River was damaged in the 2006 due to heavy flooding and is impassible. The town is also noted for two large forest parks in the mountainous eastern parts of the county. Dongshi Forest Park (東勢林場) and Sihjiaolin (四角林林場) are managed by the Changhua County and Taichung County Agricultural Committees respectively.