aeeble

The ancient salt road is located in Jiu Hu village, Tong Luo township and Nan He village, Tong Xiao township. It was a government-built road during the Daoguang period of the Qing dynasty. Its original purpose was to connect Yuanli, Tongxiao and Tongluo. The road was used to transport sea salt produced in Tongxiao to Tongluo. The road was difficult to climb, especially when it rained. In 1865, local philanthropists donated money and labor to build a stone staircase with 1237 steps. The road got its name because of its winding path that resembles a “grain pounding hook”. The ancient salt road stretches from Nan He village, Tong Xiao township to Jiu Hu village, Tong Luo township. The road is divided into two parts: the upper and lower sections. The entrance to the lower section is located at 4.5 km on Provincial Highway 38, which connects Tong Xiao to Tong Luo. This section is about 300 meters long. The upper section is about 700 meters long and can be reached by continuing on for another 100 meters. The whole trail is mostly located in a forest of tung oil trees and Chinese parasol trees. There is also a section with a group of Ficus benjamina trees. The trail is about 1 kilometer long and has a gentle slope, making it suitable for family hiking. Walking on the smooth stone steps and seeing the footprints left by previous travelers, one can imagine the hardships faced by early immigrants. The top of the trail offers a panoramic view of Dajia Stream and Iron Anvil Mountain. On the way back, one can choose to walk back or take Provincial Highway 38. The ancient salt road was an important transportation route during the Qing dynasty. It connected Tongxiao and Tongluo. The road was initially built for the exchange of goods between coastal and mountainous areas. The road is located on a terrace formed by the Tongluo Fault. The vegetation on the road is a low-altitude broadleaf forest, dominated by Chinese parasol trees, tung oil trees, and banyan trees. The trail is famous for its tung flowers that bloom in April and May.