Monkey Coal Mine Museum, Journey Back to the Mining Era

Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Chailiao Road, Houtong

4.1

Introduction

Houtong is located in Ruifang District, New Taipei City, and includes the villages of Guangfu, Gongqiao, and Houtong. It used to be a train and coal transportation hub, with unique surroundings that include a Japanese shrine, a monument ancient pathway, the Sandiaoling Waterfall, and the Houtong train station. The main production activity in Houtong used to be coal mining, but today the industry is almost extinct. However, the mining settlement remains intact and presents a unique historical atmosphere. In recent years, the New Taipei City government has spent five years and two billion New Taiwan dollars to plan and renovate relevant factories and facilities in the mining area, and established the "Houtong Coal Mine Museum Area", showing the unique features of the industrial ecological settlement of Houtong coal mines and allowing visitors to experience the real past of the mining era. Today, Houtong has become a cultural attraction in northern Taiwan, with convenient parking for cars and bikes, and an easily accessible layout for visitors to appreciate its unique atmosphere – a place worth savoring.