Hidden filming location of idol drama revealed: Shiding Yong’an Community resembles Qiandao Lake

▲ Shiding Yong’an Community's Qiandao Lake. (Photo / Source)Shiding Yong’an Community: Qiandao Lake, Bagua Tea Garden, Yong’an Scenic Trail – Facebook Fan Page)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan has its own Qiandao Lake too！ The scenic landscapes of the Feitsui Reservoir in New Taipei City have always been captivating. Especially when viewed from Yong’an Community in Shiding District, the reservoir is divided by surrounding mountains into numerous small lakes, resembling China’s famous Qiandao Lake. Recently, the TV idol drama “Gentle Mercy” was filmed here in Yong’an Community. What was once a secluded spot known only to a few has gained immense popularity thanks to the drama, attracting large crowds of tourists every holiday.

The surrounding Qiandao Lake scenery, Bagua Tea Garden, and Yong’an Scenic Trail are all popular attractions. The idol drama crew shot scenes at the Bagua Tea Garden. Locals say that many netizens recognized the filming locations as being in Yong’an Community, prompting fans to visit. Currently, Yong’an Community’s “Qiandao Lake” attracts about 300 to 400 visitors daily, with tourist numbers surging to nearly 2,000 on holidays.

▲ Filming location of the idol drama “Gentle Mercy”: Bagua Tea Garden in Yong’an Community (left) and the real view of Yong’an Community (right). (Photo / Adapted from online sources; Shiding Yong’an Community: Qiandao Lake, Bagua Tea Garden, Yong’an Scenic Trail – Facebook Fan Page)

The Feitsui Reservoir spans a catchment area of over 300 square kilometers across multiple districts, including the entire Pinglin District, Shuangxi, parts of Shiding, and part of Xindian District. Notably, from Yong’an Community in Shiding, the reservoir is divided by mountains and valleys into patches of small lakes, much like the renowned Qiandao Lake formed by the Xin’anjiang Reservoir in Zhejiang, China — a breathtaking scene of golden and emerald hues.

▲ Shiding Yong’an Community’s Qiandao Lake. The left image shows the view of Qiandao Lake from kilometer 26.5 of the Beiyi Highway in the early morning. (Photo / Source: Shiding Yong’an Community: Qiandao Lake, Bagua Tea Garden, Yong’an Scenic Trail – Facebook Fan Page)

Unlike another major reservoir in northern Taiwan, the Shimen Reservoir, the Feitsui Reservoir is not open for tourism. Access to the reservoir area requires prior application. As a result, visitors flock to Yong’an Community to enjoy the reservoir’s beauty. The public can reach it by turning right onto Tutan Road in Yong’an Li from kilometer 27 of the Beiyi Highway in Shiding District, entering Yong’an Community to experience the “beauty of Feitsui.”