Bao'an Station

　　    Located in Rende Township, Tainan County, Taiwan, Bao'an Station is a railway station that was originally built about 1.5 kilometers to the south of its present site. It was established in November of the 13th year before the Republic of China (1924) and was named after the local village “Chelushuei.” Later, due to the needs of sugar transport, it was relocated to its current location in October of the 3rd year of the Republic of China (1914), where it has remained ever since. In December of the 51st year of the Republic of China (1962), “Chelushuei Village” was renamed “Bao'an Village,” and the station was accordingly renamed Bao'an Station, a name it retains to this day.

　　    Bao'an Station has always been a small station on the Taiwan Railways Administration’s West Coast Line, primarily used by local residents and students from two nearby universities, with only local trains stopping there. It gained unexpected fame when railway enthusiasts discovered that train tickets from Yongkang to Bao'an displayed the characters for “Yong-An-Bao-Kang” (永保安康), which sounded like a wish for peace and health. This led to a sudden influx of tourists, resulting in a tourism boom at the time.

　　    Bao'an Station is also one of the best-preserved wooden railway stations still in operation by the Taiwan Railways. Its structure, mainly built from cypress wood from Alishan, features a main frame entirely free of nails, constructed entirely with mortise-and-tenon joints. The architectural style has a distinct Japanese influence, using white as the primary color tone and featuring an elegant design. Having stood for over 90 years since its construction, it has withstood multiple earthquakes and floods and remains standing, which is quite remarkable. Additionally, outside the station, there is a restaurant converted from an old TRA warehouse. Nearby, the railway has creatively used a large number of discarded railway sleepers for landscaping, including outdoor seating, flower stands, railings, and signs, all contributing to the area's quaint charm.

　　    Baoan Railway Station     Must-visit reason: One of Taiwan’s rarest surviving wooden railway stations

　　    Rende District [Rende District]