Soul Mining- Jinguashi

When heading out to Jiu-fen, most people will only pass by Jin-gua-shi. For tourists, Jiu-fen has delicious taro balls, nostalgic locations from the Hou Hsiao-hsien film City of Sadness, and historical atmosphere. Every weekend, the small town becomes as crowded as a vegetable market as it fills up with visitors buying up nostalgia and romance. And if nearby Jin-gua-shi isn't just passed by on the way there, it's forgotten completely.

Many people are unaware that many scenes in City of Sadness were filmed in Jin-gua-shi, and that the film made its debut there. It might be that the town just hasn't been marketed correctly, but the spotlight has never been on it.

For years, time seemed to stand still there. The young moved away, and few visitors came. Just when it seemed that this historic gold-mining outpost was going to fall into ruin, a few young people decided to move back to their old hometown and relive their cherished childhood memories.

Wu Qian-zheng, who runs a guesthouse and works as a cultural and historical tour guide, completed his mandatory military service in 1992. Though it was easier to make money in Tai-pei, the tranquility and nature of home were never far from his mind. After returning to Jin-gua-shi, he and some local elders came to a decision to preserve Jin-gua-shi's culture and history. Community residents would use their lifestyle as a calling card and develop an "economy of happiness."

Because there were abundant mineral resources in the old days, Jin-gua-shi was districted as a mining area and the locals didn't have the right to own land there. Because of that, it was difficult to get legal permission and financing to build or renovate properties, and growth was slow. But those same factors allowed the town to maintain its unadorned, natural beauty. That and the town's rich mining history made it very suitable for the development of tourism.

Currently there are more than 20 guesthouses in Jin-gua-shi, each with its own style. In October 2010, five of them introduced a "work for stay" model, by which a half-day's work straightening up community pathways or gardening can be given in exchange for a free night's stay. Giving and sharing make happiness for all.

Wu believes that happiness is a state of mind and he'd rather have more time than more visitors, so every-one who comes can really relax and enjoy the slower pace. The mines are abandoned and the gold rush is over, but those who come looking for peace and tranquility might "strike it rich" in their own way!

Whether in the community or in seclusion, happiness is just around the corner.