Ruifang District () is a suburban

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

in eastern

New Taipei City New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

History

During Japanese rule, Ruifang was called , and was administered as part of of

Taihoku Prefecture Taihoku Prefecture (臺北州; ''Taihoku-shū'') was an administrative division of Taiwan created in 1920, during Japanese rule. The prefecture consisted of modern-day Keelung, New Taipei City, Taipei and Yilan County. Its government office, ...

. Mining was an important industry in Ruifang (then known as ''Sui-hong'') in the early 20th century.

Gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

was mined in Kyūfun and Kinkaseki while

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

was mined in ''Kau-tong'' ( 猴硐; ''Houtong''). After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

in 1945, Ruifang was organized as an urban township of

Taipei County New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...

. The mining sites became popular tourist destinations after 1990. On 25 December 2010, Taipei County was upgraded into a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

named New Taipei City and Ruifang became a district of the municipality. In March 2012, it was named one of the ''Top 10 Small Tourist Towns'' by the

Tourism Bureau The Tourism Administration, MOTC () is the government agency under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Taiwan (Republic of China) responsible for the administration of domestic and international tourism policy making, execution ...

Administrative divisions

There are thirty-four urban villages in the district which are divided between four election districts: *Election District One **Longtan (), Longxing (), Longzhen (), Longan (), Longshan (), Longchuan (), Zhaofeng (), Xinfeng (), Tunghe (), Ganping (), Houtong (), Guangfu (), Gongqiao (), Shuoren () *Election District Two **Jiqing (), Jian (), Shangtian (), Jieyu () *Election District Three **Fuzhu (), Chongwen (), Jishan (), Songde (), Yongqing (), Xinshan (), Tongshan (), Shishan (), Guashan () *Election District Four **Bitou (), Lianxin (), Liandong (), Nanya (), Haibin (), Ruibin (), Shenao ()

Education

New Taipei Municipal Jui-Fang Industrial High School New Taipei Municipal Jui-Fang Industrial High School is a professional school located in New Taipei City of Taiwan. The industrial high school's address is at No.60, Ruifang St., Ruifang District Ruifang District () is a suburban District ...

Tourist attractions

Bitou Cape The Bitou Cape () is a cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety ...

Bitoujiao Lighthouse The Bitoujiao Lighthouse or Pitou Chiao Lighthouse () is a lighthouse at Bitou Cape in Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan. History The lighthouse was originally built by the Japanese in 1897. In 1971, it was repaired due to damages caused b ...

Golden Waterfall The Golden Waterfall () is a waterfall located near a village named Jiufen in Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan. Geology The waterfall runs off into what is called the Yin-Yang Sea, and because of the color of the water, it has long been ass ...

Houtong Cat Village The Houtong Cat Village or Houdong Cat Village () is a village in Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan known for its cat population. Name Houtong was originally called ''Kau-tong'' () due to the existence of a cave inhabited by monkeys in the ea ...

Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park The Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park () is a former coal mine in Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan. History The park used to be a coal mine in the region. The mine began operating in 1930 and was taken over by the Ruisan Mining Company in 1 ...

* Jinguashi *

Jiufen Jiufen, also spelled Jioufen or Chiufen (), is a seaside mountain area in Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Jiufen Old Street is a narrow, winding alleyway with shops, teahouses, and restaurants that offers tourists a view of traditional ...

(

Shengping Theater The Shengping Theater () is a theater in Jiufen, Ruifang District, New Taipei, Taiwan. History In 1916, the land where the theater stands today was donated by Yan Yun-nian. The Taihoku Prefecture government then raised fund to construct a thea ...

, Taiyang Gold Mine Office) * Jiufen Gold Mine Museum *

Jiufen Kite Museum Jiufen, also spelled Jioufen or Chiufen (), is a seaside mountain area in Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Jiufen Old Street is a narrow, winding alleyway with shops, teahouses, and restaurants that offers tourists a view of traditional ...

* New Taipei City Gold Museum * Remains of the 13 Levels * Shen'ao Fishing Port * Yin Yang Sea

Transportation

Ruifang is served by the Yilan Line of Taiwan Railways. There are four stations in Ruifang Township, which are

Ruifang Station Ruifang () is a railway station in New Taipei, Taiwan served by Taiwan Railways. History The station was opened on 5 May 1919. Structure There are two island platforms and one side platform. See also * List of railway stations in Taiwan A ...

, Houtong Station, Sijiaoting Station and Sandiaoling Station. Provincial Highway 62 passes Ruifang and provides a convenient connection to

Keelung City Keelung ( ; zh, p=Jīlóng, c=基隆, poj=Ke-lâng), Chilung or Jilong ( ; ), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port Provincial city (Taiwan), city in northeastern Taiwan. The city is part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan are ...

Notable natives

* Gau Ming-ho, mountaineer *

Wu Nien-jen Wu Nien-jen (; born ; 5 August 1952) is a Taiwanese screenwriter, director, and writer. He is one of the most prolific and highly regarded scriptwriters in Taiwan and a leading member of the New Taiwanese Cinema, although he has also acted in a n ...

, scriptwriter, director and author

References

External links

* {{Districts in Taiwan Districts of New Taipei