Pingxi Mini Trip Essay / Hidden Beyond the Lens – An Off-the-Beaten-Path Map

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Sitting in the carriage of the Pingxi Line train, it was so crowded it was hard to breathe.

Listening to them carefully carrying their expensive cameras,

excitedly discussing how they should frame their shots later,

their level of expertise was like that of students from art or design departments,

and this trip to Pingxi had been a long-planned dream of theirs.

I couldn’t help but think,

when we start a trip, we’re always bursting with excitement,

barely noticing the scenery along the way,

and yet when it’s time to leave, we’re eager to return, barely glancing at anything either,

is the meaning of travel really just the destination?

I’d long heard of the fame of each station on the Pingxi Line, but had never visited any after coming to Taipei.

Probably because my father used to like taking us to undeveloped tourist spots to relax when I was young,

which had long made me develop a dislike for popular attractions.

To cure this habit, I decided that no matter what, I had to go this time.

The train windows were like a comic strip of interconnected frames, connected yet each with its own charm.

After exiting the underground railway at Taipei Main Station,

we headed north all the way to Songshan, which was being renovated and preparing to take off.

Large cranes moved in one after another, heavy equipment welcoming a fast-approaching future.

Next came the sentimental Xizhi, making its entrance, different from Songshan’s obvious new image.

Xizhi had a bit more melancholy and an air of aging, with tiny raindrops occasionally splashing on the windows.

It was just her way of reminiscing about the past when she could soak her feet anytime.

Walking to the other side of the tracks, the tidied-up old mining pit,

greeted every visitor with a smile as if by nature.

After saying hello, I continued along the asphalt road in another direction.

Travel is always more fun when there’s an element of the unknown.

A small path suddenly branching off the mountainside and a dilapidated tunnel gave me a jolt.

Shh, turns out you can also go play with the little monkeys too.

The continuously ascending stone steps. Originally, this was home to Taiwan’s only remaining wooden torii gate.

The approach paths from all four directions have now been swallowed by the endless green grass along the mountainside.

The shrine has returned to its original tranquility. Though the shrine ruins are long gone, the torii gate alone stands as a silent witness to its solemn past.

Sitting on the platform of the ruins,

I’ve always believed that the meaning of travel lies in the destination, but also not entirely.

The fleeting scenery along the way is about exploring the unknown and savoring the experience.

Beauty isn’t in the scenery itself, but in the moment it moves the traveler.

Recall each of your small trips to Pingxi—did they leave different ripples in your heart? Do you still remember the wishes written on the sky lanterns?
Turn your thoughts into words! Write your own story.

Pingxi Travel Writing Contest