By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) is hoping that Cishan District (旗山區) can soon serve as a model for stronger tourism planning in the city, arguing that some attractions in Kaohsiung still lack a clear and integrated theme.
Speaking during a recent city council policy report session, Chen said Cishan’s Gushan Park (鼓山公園) reflects both the district’s strengths and its current limitations. While the area has a rich historical background, he said, its overall tourism theme remains somewhat scattered.
Gushan Park, one of Cishan’s best-known historic sites, was first established in 1904 during the Japanese colonial period and, according to Wikipedia, is regarded as the oldest park in Kaohsiung. The 31-hectare hilltop park has been reshaped over the last 120-some years and today includes layers of Japanese-era and postwar history, including the Cishan Confucius Temple, the ruins of the former Cishan Shrine, and the Thirty-Three Martyrs Monument (dedicated to Japanese killed in the early days of the colonial era). After World War II, it was renamed Zhongshan Park, before later reverting to Gushan Park following renovation work completed in 2012.
Chen said the city plans to continue working toward more systematic integration of tourist attractions, with Cishan as an example. He said that would involve linking cultural heritage, distinctive local sites, and themed travel routes to create a more coherent visitor experience.
The mayor said the broader goal is to make Kaohsiung’s tourism planning more organized and easier for visitors to follow, rather than relying on individual attractions to stand alone. He suggested that better connections between sites, history, and local identity could help improve the appeal of places like Cishan.
