Introduction to Famous Attractions Around Railways in Central Taiwan

Baishatun Station, located in Tongxiao Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan, is a third-class station on the Coast Line of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA). Although the station is not large in scale, it holds a pivotal position in Taiwan's railway and religious culture because it is the most important transportation hub for believers from all over Taiwan to visit and worship at the "Baishatun Gongtian Temple."

Normally, Baishatun Station is a coastal station full of a slow-paced atmosphere with few passengers, where you can hear the distant sound of waves and the whistling sea breeze. However, during the Lunar New Year or the "Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage on Foot," this small station is instantly flooded with tens of thousands of "Xiang Deng Jiao" (pilgrims). The station is packed with crowds inside and out, demonstrating the powerful cohesion of Taiwanese folk beliefs.
As soon as you walk into Baishatun Station, you can feel a profound atmosphere of faith. To echo the local Mazu culture, you can often see cute, chibi-style Mazu figures, totems of Clairvoyant (Qianliyan) and Clairaudient (Shunfeng'er), as well as the yellow "Yong" (Brave) character and command flags commonly seen during the pilgrimage decorating the inside and outside of the station. For many believers, arriving at the station marks the true beginning of their sacred pilgrimage.
Since many of the pilgrims are elderly, the TRA has upgraded and renovated Baishatun Station in recent years to improve safety and convenience. Not only were the platforms extended to accommodate longer trains, but cross-station overpasses and accessible elevators were also added, making it easier for passengers with heavy luggage or limited mobility to enter and exit the station smoothly.
Baishatun Station is not only a religious gateway but also a starting point for exploring the coastal scenery of Miaoli. Starting from the station, in addition to walking to Gongtian Temple, you can also head to the nearby Baishatun Beach to admire the spectacular giant wind turbines and beautiful sunset ocean views. It is a journey that offers both spiritual precipitation and natural beauty.