Theme Park near Putian Temple – Guqifeng Amusement Park: A nice outing near Hsinchu City is the Putian Temple and the museum below it (Putian Temple Folk Art Museum, 普天宮民俗文物館). Anyone interested in Chinese culture should definitely visit. There are beautiful sculptures, furniture pieces, miniature temple models, and other items that are surprisingly detailed.
Below the temple begins Guqifeng Park, which unfortunately has been abandoned. It must have once been a beautiful park, decorated with sculptures from Buddhism and Taoism. Built in 1967 (Year 56 of the ROC calendar), Guqifeng Amusement Park features Chinese folk culture and traditions. The park includes a folk artifacts museum, a folk amusement area, a Terracotta Warriors exhibition hall, a Western-style park, a Chinese ancient war chariot exhibition, and more. It was a well-known tourist destination in Hsinchu City. There is a mythical creature (神獸) here with the inscription “wipes away all diseases”. Many people find it quite eerie and are often startled by it.
Although much of it is artificial or imitative, the designers showed incredible skill and tasteful creativity. It was apparently very popular with families for picnics and barbecues. The park is now abandoned, with no one maintaining it — anyone who enters does so at their own risk.
As you go further down, the street turns into a path, with abandoned halls and stalls along the way. Old photos online show that about 11 months ago, the park already appeared very neglected; now (September 2025), the decay has worsened significantly.
Eventually, you arrive at the ponds. There is a large bridge with a beautiful view over the overgrown lake and numerous pavilions. However, you’ll need a bush knife and rubber boots, because it’s dangerous — the water holes are hard to see, and snakes are known to live there.
Many locations visible in online photos I haven’t been able to find in person.
