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All Taiwan Pagoda of the Tree Spirit
AO Edited

Pagoda of the Tree Spirit

A monument to placate the spirits of an ancient forest.

Alishan, Taiwan

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  Jpatokal
  Jpatokal
  女王
  Yeehonge
  mmmyoso / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Every year, tourists flock to Alishan, a mountainous cloud forest in the heart of Taiwan, famous for its stunning "sea of clouds." Among the many visitors, few people stop to look at this unique monument.

In 1935, the Japanese colonial government in Taiwan erected the Pagoda of the Tree Spirit to honor the souls of 77 loggers who died on the job, as well as to placate the spirits of 100,000 felled trees.

Each concentric circle around the base symbolizes 500 years of tree growth. Notches on the sides symbolize saw cuts. Towering cypress trees surround the monument, creating an eerie image when shrouded in the forest's daily fog.

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Ao Loves Halloween Memorials Pagodas Ghosts Monuments Forest Forests

Know Before You Go

The easiest way to make it to to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area is by bus or train from the Alishan Forest Railway Station in Chiayi. Entrance to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area is 300 NTD, but once inside the pagoda is free to access.

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Added By

gettyhesse

Edited By

mmmyoso

  • mmmyoso

Published

July 19, 2024

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Pagoda of the Tree Spirit
Alishan, 605
Taiwan
23.517305, 120.80854

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Alishan Sacred Tree Relics

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Alishan Sacred Tree Relics

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