Wuling (, el 3275 m), formerly known as , is a

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration t ...

located in

Ren'ai, Nantou Ren'ai Township ( zh, t=仁愛鄉, p=Rén'ài Xiāng, w=Jen2-ai4 Hsiang1) is a Township (Taiwan), mountain indigenous township in Nantou County, Taiwan. It has a population total of 15,670 and an area of 1,273.5312 km2, making it the secon ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, transversing the

Central Mountain Range The Central Mountain Range is the principal mountain range on the island of Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south. It acts as a barrier between the east and west coasts, hindering travel. The tallest peak of the range is ...

near the peak of

Hehuanshan Mount Hehuan (; also called Joy Mountain) is a mountain in Central Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between ...

within

Taroko National Park Taroko National Park () is one of the nine wonders in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River. The park spans Taichung Municipality, Nantou County, and Hualien County and is located ...

. It is the highest paved road in elevation in Taiwan.

History

Originally, a trail was built by the

Atayal people The Atayal (Atayal language, Atayal: Tayal), also known as the Tayal and the Tayan, are a Taiwanese indigenous peoples, Taiwanese indigenous people. The Atayal people number around 90,000, approximately 15.9% of Taiwan's total indigenous popula ...

at the same location. During the

Japanese occupation of Taiwan The island of Taiwan, together with the Penghu Islands, became an annexed territory of the Empire of Japan in 1895, when the Qing dynasty ceded Fujian-Taiwan Province in the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the Japanese victory in the First Sino-J ...

, the

Governor-General of Taiwan The governor-general of Taiwan (, shinjitai: ) was the head of the Government-General of Taiwan in the Japanese era (including Formosa and the Pescadores) when they were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945. The Japanese governors- ...

Sakuma Samata General Count was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and 5th Governor-General of Taiwan from 11 April 1906 to May 1915. He participated in domestic conflicts, wars with Russia and was a leader of the expedition of Taiwan. Biography Sakum ...

, ordered the construction of a road through the same trail as part of the

Five years plan to governing aborigines Five-year plan for governing aborigines, or the Five Year Plan to Subdue the Savages, was a program aimed to use military force to suppress the aborigine populations in Taiwan during the early years of the Japanese rule. It was enacted by the f ...

to better transport supplies in the

Truku War The Truku War (, Truku language: ''Tnegjyalan Truku'') was a series of events that happened between May and August 1914, involving the Truku people, Truku indigenous group in an Rebellion, uprising against colonial Empire of Japan, Japanese force ...

. The pass was named "Sakuma Pass" in the general's honor. After the change of governance to the Kuomintang, the

Nationalist government The Nationalist government, officially the National Government of the Republic of China, refers to the government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China from 1 July 1925 to 20 May 1948, led by the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT ...

continued to work on the highway. Chiang Kai-shek visited the highway, renaming the site as "Wuling". Since the

Central Cross-Island Highway The Central Cross-Island Highway () or Provincial Highway 8 is one of three highway systems that connect the west coast with the east of Taiwan. Construction The construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway began on July 7, 1956 and was ...

is closed due to typhoon damage, Wuling became the only route in the area transversing the Central Mountain Range.

Recreation

Wuling is a popular destination for

road cycling Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling in which cyclists ride on paved roadways. It includes recreational, racing, commuting, and utility cycling. As users of the road, road cyclists are generally expected to obey the same laws a ...

. The three possible routes include: * From the east (85 km, 3,215 m elevation): Beginning in

Taroko Gorge Taroko National Park () is one of the nine wonders in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River. The park spans Taichung Municipality, Nantou County, and Hualien County and is located ...

, the route follows Highway 8 to

Dayuling Dayuling (, el. 2565 m), formerly Hehuan Pass (), is a mountain pass in Taiwan transversing the Central Mountain Range between Hehuanshan and Mt. Bilu (畢祿山), within Taroko National Park. Administratively, it is located in Xiulin, Hua ...

, where the route turns south to the peak. Regarded as the toughest route of the three. * From the west (53 km, 2,800 m elevation): Beginning in

Puli, Nantou Puli Township () is an township (Taiwan), urban township in Nantou County, Taiwan. The township is located within the Puli Basin. It is the geographic center of Taiwan. Name In the 19th century the city was known as Posia () or Po-li-sia (). ...

, the route follows Highway 14 and 14A through

Qingjing Farm The Qingjing Farm (), also known as Cingjing Farm, is a tourist attraction farm in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island o ...

. * From the north (62 km, 2,300 m elevation): Beginning in

Wuling Farm Wuling Farm () is a tourist attraction farm in Heping District, Taichung, Taiwan. History The farm was established in 1963 to provide employment for retired servicemen. At the beginning of the reclamation phase, the first director of the farm ...

, the route follows Highway 7A to Lishan, where it takes Provincial Highway 8 to Dayuling, then 14A to the peak. Many races are held to ride to Wuling, most notably the

Taiwan KOM Challenge The Taiwan KOM Challenge is a one-day road cycling race held annually in Taiwan. Created in 2012, the event is recognized as one of the most difficult cycling races in the world due having nearly 3500m of climbing over a 105 kilometer course. Vinc ...

, a non-

UCI UCI most commonly refers to: * University of California, Irvine, a public university in Irvine, California, United States * Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for the sport of cycling UCI may also refer to: * Uganda Cancer In ...

sanctioned race beginning in

Qixingtan Beach The Qixingtan Beach or Chihsingtan Beach or in Sakizaya language Malongayangay () is a beach in Xincheng Township, Hualien County, Taiwan facing the Pacific Ocean. Naming and history Qixingtan Beach was originally located at the east of Hualien ...

and following the eastern route. The 107 km race is regarded as an intense climb within the cycling community, with Grand Tour winner

Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo Nibali (; born 14 November 1984) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional from 2005 to 2022. He is one of seven cyclists who have won all three of cycling's Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours i ...

commenting: "I've never ridden such a long and hard climb before in my entire life." Wuling is also a popular

stargazing Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, some amateur astronomers ...

and

bird-watching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...

location. Common birds include the Taiwan rosefinch, white-whiskered laughingthrush, and

collared bush robin The collared bush-robin or Johnstone's robin (''Tarsiger johnstoniae'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to Taiwan, living in montane and subalpine forests. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) h ...

Gallery

References

{{reflist Mountain passes of Taiwan Landforms of Nantou County