County-Designated Historic Site: Tree Spirit Pagoda. The creation of the Tree Spirit Pagoda was due to the Japanese development of Alishan forestry, which involved extensive logging, including many trees over a thousand years old. The Japanese believed that all things have spirits,. The creation of the Tree Spirit Pagoda was due to the Japanese development of Alishan forestry, which involved extensive logging, including many trees over a thousand years old. The Japanese believed that all things have spirits, and therefore built the Tree Spirit Pagoda to appease the spirits of the trees and to provide psychological comfort to the forestry workers. The creation of the Tree Spirit Pagoda reflects the Japanese reverence for nature, which was quite rare at the time. The design of the Tree Spirit Pagoda is based on a modified Buddhist stupa, consisting of a base, body, and finial. The base is a six-tiered circle, with each circular step representing 500 years, signifying that the six tiers represent the 3,000-year-old spirit of the ancient trees. The pagoda body represents a thick trunk, symbolizing robustness. The words "Tree Spirit Pagoda" are directly inscribed on the body, without any other inscriptions. The base of the pagoda features uneven, low cylindrical columns radiating outwards in three directions, representing the gaps formed after the trees were felled, emphasizing the pain of the felled trees and the belief that all things have spirits and should not be ignored. This was quite rare at the time, hence its designation as a county-designated historic site.
Address: 嘉義縣阿里山鄉嘉義縣阿里山遊樂區內
Hours: 00:00–23:59
Chiayi County