Shitan in Miaoli is a small mountain Hakka town with a short old street in the Xinzhen neighborhood — yet it is one of the important origins of Taiwan's grass jelly cuisine. "Xianshan Xiancao" (Immortal Mountain Grass Jelly) has been going for nearly sixty years, using a deeply concentrated pot of simmered grass jelly liquid to sell grass jelly chicken hot pot in winter and hot grass jelly in summer, bringing this Hakka health-food tradition to a larger dining stage. Shitan, along with neighboring Yangmei in Taoyuan and Tongluo in Miaoli, is one of Taiwan's main grass jelly growing areas — and a rare Miaoli Hakka signature that spans both the savory-soup and sweet-dessert tracks.
What is Shitan Grass Jelly
Grass jelly is an annual herb of the mint family, scientific name Mesona chinensis. It flowers in summer and is harvested in autumn; once dried, it is simmered to produce a dark brown-black grass jelly liquid. Mixed with tapioca starch or sweet potato starch and cooled, it sets into "grass jelly" (xiancao dong); sweetened, diluted, and served hot, it becomes "hot grass jelly" (shao xiancao). The Shitan and Tongluo area has a mild climate and well-drained mountain terrain — ideal for growing grass jelly — and the Hakka village tradition of cultivating grass jelly for cooling herbal tea gradually developed into a representative local industry. Grass jelly has cooling properties; Hakka people regard it as a health ingredient for relieving heat in summer and nourishing warmth in winter.
"Xianshan Xiancao," the landmark of Shitan Township's Xinzhen Old Street, has been going for about 60 years, running two main lines from the same pot of freshly simmered grass jelly liquid: the grass jelly chicken hot pot in winter (free-range chicken braised with grass jelly liquid) and the hot grass jelly and grass jelly cold desserts as the summer focus. Beyond Xianshan Xiancao, both Shitan and Tongluo townships have dedicated grass jelly growing areas and long-established local shops; the Tongluo Township Farmers' Association even hosts an annual Grass Jelly Festival to promote the crop. Shitan grass jelly, anchored by its old street landmark and years of word-of-mouth reputation, has become a frequent stop on Miaoli mountain-road tourism itineraries.
How to enjoy it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified facts (sponsor-filtered)
- Xianshan Xiancao is the landmark of Shitan's Xinzhen Old Street, a grass jelly restaurant of nearly 60 years.
- Shitan and Tongluo are among Taiwan's main grass jelly growing areas; the Tongluo Township Farmers' Association holds an annual Grass Jelly Festival.
- The Miaoli County Government Tourism Bureau lists Shitan Old Street as a Hakka mountain town recreation destination.
Tips for visiting
- Grass jelly chicken hot pot is the main winter offering; in summer, only hot grass jelly and cold dessert versions may be available.
- Shitan Old Street is small — combining it with Nanzhuang and Dahu along Provincial Highway 3 for a one-day trip makes it more worthwhile.
- Parking on the old street is limited on holidays; parking outside and walking in is recommended.
Information compiled from the Miaoli County Government Tourism Bureau, township and district farmers' associations, and large-scale public reviews; sponsored listings have been excluded. Photos to be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.