Taiwan Food Atlas

Zhutian Station (Dunwu Station)

A Japanese-era wooden freight station transformed into a Hakka creative cultural village
📍 Pingtung · Zhutian Township · Zhutian Village⛩️ Historic Sites & Temples🔖 1940 wooden station building, Hakka Music Festival, Chishang Bookstore

Zhutian Station was built in 1940 during the Japanese colonial era, originally serving as a railway freight station on the Pingtung Line. In the local Hakka dialect, it was called "Dunwu," meaning a place for storing goods. The wooden station building has remained intact after more than eighty years and has been transformed into a Hakka cultural exhibition space. It is one of the few historical sites on the Pingtung Plain that still retains the architectural character of Japanese-era railway buildings.

Highlights of Zhutian Station

The station building is constructed of cypress; the roof ridge, canopy eaves, and waiting platform together form a vocabulary typical of Japanese colonial-era architecture. The building itself has been designated a historic building; inside, some Japanese colonial-era railway artifacts and Hakka pioneer settlement historical records have been re-created. The old railway corridor behind the station has been preserved, with surrounding plantings providing shade; the overall atmosphere is quiet, making it a rare space for a slow, unhurried pace on the Pingtung Plain.

Within the station area, "Chishang Bookstore" continues the spirit of a 1950s-era old bookstore from Zhutian Township. It offers local publications and second-hand books, and also houses an art gallery exhibiting works by Pingtung Hakka artists. An irregular Hakka Music Festival is held here each year, presenting cross-genre fusions of Hakka folk songs and contemporary music in an open-air stage format (for performance dates, please check official announcements).

How to make the most of your visit

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Arriving by train is the best way to experience itTake Taiwan Railways to Zhutian Station and alight — you arrive right at the destination. The platform itself is part of the attraction, allowing you to feel the authentic atmosphere of railway time still in operation.
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Browsing Chishang BookstorePick up a local publication or an old map, and sit under the eaves to browse — the slowest way to travel, and the best way to absorb the Hakka literary sensibility.
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Keep an eye on the Music Festival scheduleThe Hakka Music Festival is mostly held in autumn. The live performances blend traditional Hakka folk songs with contemporary musical styles; checking the annual schedule in advance is recommended.
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Extended cycling routesThe plains around Zhutian are flat, and you can cycle to nearby Hakka village communities; the scenery along irrigation channels and rice paddies is pleasant, making it suitable for a half-day trip.

Practical information

Getting there and timing

  • Taiwan Railways Pingtung Line — Zhutian Station. Less than one minute's walk from the exit to the station building.
  • The exterior is open for viewing at all hours; the indoor exhibition space has fixed opening times. It is recommended to check announcements from the Zhutian Township Office or the station area before setting out.
  • Quiet on weekdays with few visitors; slightly more visitors on weekends, but it remains a low-key, niche attraction overall.

Nearby connections

  • Can be paired with Wanluan Pork Knuckle Old Street, about 15 minutes away by car, for a combined south Pingtung Hakka half-day itinerary.
  • Neipu Hakka Cultural Museum also belongs within the Liudui Hakka cultural sphere and offers further insight into the history of the Liudui pioneer settlements.

Sources: Pingtung County Government Cultural Affairs Department; Zhutian Township Office. Building date cited from the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture registration records. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own shots.

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