Zhaishan Tunnel

Coordinates: 24°23′25.1″N 118°19′14.8″E / 24.390306°N 118.320778°E / 24.390306; 118.320778
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Zhaishan Tunnel
Overview
Official name翟山坑道
LocationJincheng, Kinmen, Taiwan
Coordinates24°23′25.1″N 118°19′14.8″E / 24.390306°N 118.320778°E / 24.390306; 118.320778
Operation
Work begun1961
Opened22 March 1966
Closed1986
Reopened1998
OperatorKinmen National Park
Technical
Length101 meters
Tunnel clearance3.5 meters
Width6 meters
Tunnel entrance signboard

The Zhaishan Tunnel (Chinese: 翟山坑道; pinyin: Zháishān Kēngdào; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chú-soaⁿ Khiⁿ-tō) is a tunnel in Jincheng Township, Kinmen County, Taiwan.

History[edit]

Construction of the tunnel started in 1961 and was completed on 22 March 1966, a few years after the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958 between the Republic of China Armed Forces and People's Liberation Army. Due to the lack of manpower and money to maintain the tunnel, it was closed and abandoned in 1986. Later on, there was growing interest in preserving the national heritage and remembering those who fought for Kinmen, thus on 23 May 1997, the Kinmen National Park took over the management of the tunnel. The tunnel was opened to the public in 1998.[1]

Structures[edit]

The tunnel is 101 m (110 yd) in length, 6 m (20 ft) in width and 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) in height.[2] There are seven rooms inside that serve as barracks. The tunnel features an A-shaped waterway with 357 meters in length, 11.5 meters in width and 8 meters in height. It was used to conceal small naval vessels.[3]

Activities[edit]

The tunnel has been the venue for the Kinmen Tunnel Music Festival since 2019.[4][5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Elaine Hou. "Kinmen National Park preserves military history, natural environment". Taiwan Today. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  2. ^ Spencer, David (1 December 2017). "Taiwan's Top 10 man-made marvels". Taiwan News. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Zhaishan Tunnel". Classic Kinmen Travel. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  4. ^ Huang, Huei-min; Mazzetta, Matthew (19 October 2019). "Kinmen music festival opens in former military waterway". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  5. ^ Taiwan Today Agencies (28 April 2019). "Taiwan's Kinmen boasts wealth of fascinating military memorials, museums". Taiwan News. Retrieved 12 June 2021.