Jinguashi

Jinguashi

Jinguashi is located in Ruifang Township, New Taipei City. In the past, it was a sparsely populated wilderness. It wasn’t until the 14th year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign that five farming families moved to Beiwai, built five thatched huts, and settled down—giving rise to the place name “Five Number Hut” (Wuhao Liao). By the 19th year of Guangxu, someone discovered that the outcrop of the Big Golden Melon contained a gold vein, prompting a large number of residents to relocate here and join the gold mining efforts. By the 21st year of Guangxu, during the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese came to Jinguashi to mine gold, causing the population to surge once again. The Jinguashi area flourished as a result, leading to the further development of areas such as Guashanli and Sanjian’an. Gradually, it formed a self-contained local community, earning Jinguashi the title of “The Gold Capital of East Asia.” However, as the mining industry declined, Jinguashi was spared from excessive commercial development, helping to preserve the area’s original mining landscape.