FIVE THINGS TO DO DAXI
Cihu Mausoleum
Dried beancurd
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3. Tasty Tofu
4. Cihu Mausoleum
After exploring the Daxi Old Street area, you might want to sit down for a snack or a proper lunch. Rest assured, there is no shortage of eateries in this town. The specialty here is dried tofu, or dried beancurd. Daxi tofu is darker than the tofu you find in other parts of Taiwan (in Chinese it’s called “black dried beancurd”), and it’s also firmer than your regular dried beancurd. The dried-tofu industry was started in Daxi in the 1920s when a man named Huang Wu gave tofu production a try. He refined his product over many years of experimentation, developing a unique way of preserving the tofu and making it more fragrant (“fiveflavors beancurd”). Today the Huang clan continues to produce its distinctive product, under the brand name Hwang Dah Mu. Visit the shop of the same name at No. 39, Heping Road in Daxi.
Next, hop on the next Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus and get off at the last stop, Cihu. This is the site of a park with more than 200 statues of Chiang Kai-shek (and 27 of Dr. Sun Yat-sen), gathered from around Taiwan, among them busts as well as full-sized statues of the Generalissimo sitting, standing, riding a horse, and so on. From the park it’s a walk of about 15 minutes to the Chiang Kaishek mausoleum. Cihu – this place name refers to the enchanting local lake surrounded by lush mountains – was once the site of one of the president’s numerous residences, today used as the mausoleum. Inside, you can have a look at the black sarcophagus – a bow in respect is customary – and outside you’ll have the chance to witness the changing of the guard, staged at regular intervals during the day.
Travel in Taiwan
Tea containers at Daxi Tea Factory