Lungtung Rock Climbing Guide

Late in 1998 the Lungtung Rock Climbing Guide arrived. I'm quite impressed with the outcome and highly recommend this guide to anyone planning to visit the crag. (I've left the web page of topo papers up for those who want to use the dated material there for whatever reason.) The guide's authors, Rae Kyung Park (a.k.a. Yum Yum) and Chin Yin Lu, did a nice job of including photos of each cliff band for easy identification. Some general information (rock type, what else to do in the area, etc.) and maps with directions to the climbing area are included. The guide is bilingual (Chinese-English) and appears to have more information in English than Chinese about the actual climbs. A minimal guide to Big Cannon Cliff is also included (click here for an online BCC guide). I suspect you will be able to track down a copy for sale at the prominent Taiwan gear stores or you can get a friend to help you locate it. I only have three criticisms of the guide. I would like to see a little more detail as to recommended gear, clearly distinguishing the trad routes from the bolted routes or from the bolted routes that need a little trad gear to make them safer. Secondly, there are quite a few grammatical errors in the English, but that's not any real problem if you just read carefully. (Hey Yum Yum, I'll proof the second edition in exchange for an autographed copy.) Finally, I would like to see all of the information in both Chinese and English, including route name translations (click here for my suggested route name translations). The list price of $260 NT shouldn't scare anyone off from buying a nice guide to Taiwan's best climbing location.
Lungtung Rock Climbing Guide, by Rae Kyung Park and Chin Yin Lu, Yama Books, Taiwan; (03) 470-8818; 1998. Softcover; 261 pages; black-and-white photos and illustrations; $260 NT.  ISBN 957-8966-72-5.