Zhushan Old Street 竹山老街

Background:

Zhushan Township, formerly called “Linyipu” (in Taiwanese: Lîm-kí-poo; in Bunun: Linkipu), dates back to 1665 under the rule of Zheng Jing of the Kingdom of Tungning. Zheng established a military farming system to expand into indigenous lands, sending officer Lin Yi with 200 soldiers from Douliu to settle the area. They crossed the Qingshui River and fought with the Tsou indigenous people of the Lufudu group, eventually driving them east to Yanping. In 1668, the Tsou launched a night attack that killed Lin Yi and over 100 men, but later Han reinforcements defeated the Tsou and named the occupied land “Linyipu” after Lin Yi. Other settlers expanded nearby, making Zhushan one of the earliest Han-developed areas in Nantou. By the Qing Dynasty, it had become a trading town and a key route to Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range. In 1886, it briefly served as the seat of Yunlin County, earning the nickname “the first city before the mountains,” before the county seat moved to Douliu after a major flood. During Japanese rule, it was renamed Zhushan (“Bamboo Mountain”) in 1920, became Zhushan Town in 1931, and after WWII, it was first placed under Taichung County, then under Nantou County in 1950.

Linyipu Old Street, with over 250 years of history, was once a lively and prosperous area and among the first places settled by pioneers in Zhushan. Later, it was redesigned with a bamboo motif and laid out in a grid pattern known as “three horizontal and four vertical” streets. The old street is filled with local specialty shops, temples, and traditional snacks — such as the five-generation-old Laifa Blacksmith Shop, a drink stall that’s been popular for over 40 years, and the Qiming Rice Flour Shop known for its traditional flavors — making it a rewarding place to explore slowly.

Price:

Free

Hours:

Most shops are open from about 9 AM to 6 PM, with some closed on Wednesdays.

Cherry Blossom Season:

Cherry Blossoms can be seen in the park from February to late March. Check out our full guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Taiwan here. 

How to get around Nantou:

As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also a great deal of Miaoli by taking the train to Taichung and then switching to an inter-city bus, or local bus. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county. 
Scooter Rental: Looking for scooter rental in Nantou? Search Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
Car Rental: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
By Bus: You can book tickets to travel to Nantou via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
By Train: You can book tickets to Taichung via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here, then switch to a bus to Nantou. 
Bicycle Rental: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. 

Tours: 

​There are many tours and activities available in Nantou such as river Tracing, paragliding, Shanlinxi Forest Recreation Area 杉林溪, Cona’s Chocolate Castle, Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, JOJOZOO Park, and Aowanda Forest Recreation Area.
You can find more tours of Nantou on Klook here or KKday here. 

Where to Stay:

We have stayed at and recommend Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a hot spring hotel near the mystical Lushan hot spring, and Maple Leaf Holiday Villa (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a lodge with a great view and within walking distance of Cingjing Farm. I also have stayed at and recommend Kirin Villa (you can book on Agoda here), a mountain resort in Puli near Sun Moon Lake. 
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality accommodation on the islands.

Map:

Check out the map above.

Our Journey:

I have been to Zhushan three times. The Old Street here is not the normal touristy old street that you would think of, closed off for pedestrian use. If you didn’t know better, you might mistake it for any other street in Taiwan. But this street is significant because it was the first area settled by Han settlers during the kingdom of Tungning.

Map of the old street and the surrounding area.

林圮埔老街遊覽圖
Lin Pi Pu Old Street Tourist Map
竹山鎮老街文化資產
Zhushan Township Old Street Cultural Heritage
這張地圖介紹了竹山老街的歷史與文化景點，包括寺廟、老屋、製茶工廠與傳統商店。
This map introduces the history and cultural attractions of Zhushan Old Street, including temples, historical buildings, tea factories, and traditional shops.

竹山．竹寶趣
Zhushan – The Charm of Bamboo Treasures
人文歷史：
Humanities and History:
竹山舊稱「林圮埔」，可追溯至西元1666年鄭成功之子鄭經時期，由林義率兵屯墾，為南投最早開發的地區之一。
Zhushan was formerly called “Lin Pi Pu.” It dates back to 1666 during the era of Zheng Jing (son of Koxinga), when Lin Yi led troops to cultivate the land. It became one of the earliest developed areas in Nantou.

地理環境：
Geography:
位於南投縣西南方，東接鹿谷鄉，西臨雲林縣，南接竹崎鄉，北連集集鎮。
Located in southwestern Nantou County, Zhushan borders Lugu Township to the east, Yunlin County to the west, Zhuqi Township to the south, and Jiji Township to the north.

竹山的十個大主題
Ten Major Themes of Zhushan:
外山文化園區 — Waisan Cultural Park
竹山紫南宮 — Zhushan Zinan Temple
竹山老街 — Zhushan Old Street
太極峽谷 — Taichi Canyon
竹藝博物館 — Bamboo Art Museum
溪頭自然教育園區 — Xitou Nature Education Area
杉林溪森林遊樂區 — Shanlinxi Forest Recreation Area
竹山文化園區 — Zhushan Cultural Park
大鞍山茶文化區 — Da’an Mountain Tea Culture Area
溪頭妖怪村 — Xitou Monster Village

專車半日遊路線建議：
Suggested Half-Day Tour Route:
竹山老街 → 竹山文化園區 → 紫南宮 → 外山文化園區 → 太極峽谷
Zhushan Old Street → Zhushan Cultural Park → Zinan Temple → Waisan Cultural Park → Taichi Canyon

資訊服務：
Information:
竹山鎮公所文化觀光課
地址：南投縣竹山鎮延平里公所街120號
電話：(049)2657688
傳真：(049)2656192
Zhushan Township Office, Department of Culture and Tourism
Address: No. 120, Gongso St., Yanping Village, Zhushan Township, Nantou County
Tel: (049) 2657688
Fax: (049) 2656192

Another map of the area.

Some graves and old brick houses near the old street.

A few tea houses along the old street. The old street is actually just like any other street in Taiwan. There were actually not that many specialty shops that we noticed.

I did run across these interesting Japanese-era looking houses near the old street.

Another well-preserved Japanese-era house.

Another view along Linyi Street.

Not much to see on Linyi Street.

Older-looking area of the street.

I admit that I did not explore the area thoroughly enough, and there is an area of the old street that has lanterns hung that I missed. So if you go by the area, search Google Maps a little better than me and go find those hidden gems.

Check out our full guide to Nantou County here.
Check out our guide to Taiwan here.