Bike club takes cyclists off the beaten path with tours of Taipei’s cemeteries

If you think you''ve seen all Taipei has to offer, think again. You may have visited all the famous landmarks in urban Taipei, but do you know what relics are lurking in the surrounding hills? If you want to discover some hidden gems, Chen Ying-ching is your man. Since retiring from the publishing business, Chen has dedicated himself to exploring his city by bicycle. Through his many trips, he''s formed a bike club where members enjoy the stunning beauty of Taipei''s less beaten paths. Our Sunday special report.

Chen Ying-ching
Bike club founder
The first time I came here and saw the scenery, I sat over here for one hour. I didn’t want to leave. This is the lookout with the best views that I have come across in my trips around greater Taipei. It overlooks the city’s landmarks.

This is Chen, an avid biker nicknamed “Old Cat.” After retiring from the publishing business, he left his days between bookshelves behind, to explore greater Taipei on two wheels.

Chen Ying-ching
Former publisher
Back in the day, Yu Yonghe sailed in through the Tamsui River’s estuary to this place, which back then was known as the Guandu pass. He would’ve seen an extremely narrow path through the mountains. Once he sailed through, he was greeted by this vast open space, a lake as far as the eye could see. Back then, this area was known as the “Kangxi Taipei Lake.”

Mountains encircle the Taipei basin, where many rivers converge to the sea. But as Taipei grew and modernized, its residents gradually forgot the city’s original appearance.

Chen Ying-ching
Bike club founder
Taipei prospered thanks to its rivers, and the mountains gave it its grandeur. If you don’t ride a bicycle and you always stick to flat roads, you forget that Taipei was once a city deeply intertwined with its mountains and waterways.

Nowadays, buses and the MRT form the backbone of Taipei’s transport networks. Add cars in the mix, and no place is ever out of reach. But speeding about the city comes at the cost of missing out on a more profound experience.

Chen Ying-ching
Bike club founder
One of the trails I bike on is called “The History and Development of Taipei.” I link up Xinzhuang Old Street, Monga, Dadaocheng and Dalongdong into one route. It happens to match up quite well with the order in which the different old streets in greater Taipei developed.

The bike tours take participants to breathtaking sights. It all started with Chen riding alone. Now, he leads a bike club that has gained more than 1,200 members in just over a year.

Chen Ying-ching
Bike club founder
Over here, we can all see a lot of mosaics that look like old vinyl covers. That’s because last century, before CDs were invented, Sanchong was the main hub for vinyl production in Taiwan.

As part of Chen’s bike club, you can ride a bicycle while learning about history. Members from all walks of life have joined. The oldest cyclist in the club is Liu Ping-fa, who’s 76 years old.

Liu Ping-fa
Cyclist
When you bike, the muscles in the leg, the quads – they get conditioned. I’m old, so I can’t avoid feeling some pain and soreness in my joints, but if I cycle, I can recover from pain faster than if I weren’t exercising.

Liu’s bicycle is more than 20 years old and has joined him in many a challenging ride.

Liu Ping-fa
Cyclist
A bicycle expands your scope of activity. You can cover more distance than by walking or hiking. When it’s not raining, I ride my bike to Tamsui, Maokong or Wulai. They are all beautiful places.

The youngest in the group is still in middle school.

Kao Jui-jung
Cyclist
My dad thinks biking is great and he really hoped I would go cycle. So I joined this bike club. Every time we go out, it’s very rewarding. We don’t just bike, we also hear about the history of the places.

Martin Zhang is one of the club’s enthusiastic volunteers. Before the group sets off on adventures, he helps newcomers make sure their bikes are ship-shape.

Today, the route starts at the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Square, then continues uphill along Chongde Road. Chen says the slope isn’t too steep, making it a great route for training. Here you can also find biggest burial grounds in Taipei. Follow the road and you pass the Muslim Cemetery…

…the Bai Chongxi Cemetery…

…and a graveyard for victims of the White Terror.

One of the better-known figures buried here is woodcut artist Huang Jung-tsan, who carved an iconic print about the February 28 incident

Chen Ying-ching
Bike club founder
Huang Jung-tsan was a woodblock artist. He carved a print portraying the 228 Incident called “The Terrible Inspection.” It shows his feelings at the moment of the inspection. He was later arrested.

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