Bangka Old Street (Wanhua): the origin of Taipei

Bangka is the birthplace of Taipei; in the 1820s, it was the economic, political and military center of the northern part of Taiwan. Unfortunately economic development also brought fighting among the different family groups that had settled in the area and led to strong resentment between families. This fighting later hindered trade opportunities with foreign countries and dampened local economic development. The decline of Bangka led to the rise of Dadaocheng further down the Tamsui River, which later became the economic center of Taipei.

The development of Bangka started on today’s Guiyang Street (貴陽街), Taipei’s first street. Original Western-style buildings, traditional grocery hawkers, bakeries, and incense shops are still found in the area today. The Xinxiehe Chinese Medicine Store (新協和藥行, which has been in business for more than a century), Bangka Church (built by George Mackay, the first Western missionary to Taiwan), and Qingshan Temple (青山宮, a national historic site) are all located on Guiyang Street.

The construction of Longshan Temple (龍山寺) led to the development of Guangzhou Street (廣州街) and Xiyuan Road (西園路). A significant number of Buddhist shops and embroidery stores can still be found along Xiyuan Road. However along Guangzhou Street most of the buildings have either been rebuilt or restored: the Bangka Fortified Gate (艋舺隘門) and Danbei Orphanage (淡北育嬰堂) have both vanished, although ruins of the original Huang Ancestral Hall (黃氏大宗祠) and a stele from the Orphanage can still be seen.

Further along Xiyuan Road at the intersection of Guilin Road (桂林路) was a concentration of shops and suppliers. Today, this area is home to Chinese medicine shops and Buddhist stores. One of the better preserved streets of old Bangka is Bopiliao (剝皮寮) on the southern side of Laosong Elementary School (老松國小). This street is frequently visited by tourists to the area.

Dadaocheng: prosperity arrives in Taipei

Zhuang Yongming (莊永明) was born in and grew up in Dadaocheng. He began collecting Taiwanese cultural and historical data, stamps and books when he was a student in junior high school. His lifelong work has been to preserve the cultural heritage and the historical significance surrounding the birth of Taipei and modern Taiwan. He frequently lectures on the historical importance of early Taipei and often serves as a tour guide in the Zhuangxiefa Cultural History Pavilion (莊協發港町文史講亭). As a lifelong resident of this area, Mr. Zhuang is intimately acquainted with the area and can tell the story of each scene and object.

Today, the area of Dadaocheng covers Dalongdong (大龍峒) and the Datong District (大同區). The early settlers in this area built northern Taiwan’s first Confucius Temple (孔廟), Wenchang Temple (文昌祠), and Bao’an Temple (保安宮); all historically important buildings in Northern Taiwan.

The economy of Dadaocheng began to flourish in 1865 when British merchant John Dodd established a market for exporting tea to the West. He assisted local farmers in obtaining Oolong tea (烏龍茶) plants from Anxi (安溪), near Quanzhou (泉州). Later this tea was processed and exported to the West. When Queen Victoria of England tasted it, she remarked that it was sweet and began to refer to the tea as “oriental beauty.” This led to the widespread fame of “Oriental Beauty Tea” (東方美人茶) within England, Europe and North America. The fame of this tea began to attract other foreign interest and soon five foreign companies operated branch offices in Dadaocheng. These companies brought exotic architectural styles, new religions, and different cultures to the region.

In 1885, the Qing Dynasty government assigned Liu Mingchuan (劉銘傳) as the first Governor of Taiwan. Liu began construction on the first train system on the site of what is now Taipei Main Station. He also established the “Tea PCT Bureau” (茶釐局), the “Uniformed Machinery Bureau” (軍裝機器局, for the repair of railway equipment), and other public sector institutions. This rapid growth led to the formation of an industrial district. A number of new construction projects allowed Taipei to claim the title of biggest city in Taiwan. The completion of the north/south railway permitted easy transportation of goods, cloth, and traditional Chinese medicine, and this trade further benefited the now booming area of Dadaocheng.

During the period of Japanese rule, Taipei natives initiated a non-violent resistance to Japan. This movement garnered the name “New Taiwan Culture Movement” (臺灣新文化運動). The inaugural conference of the Taiwan Culture Association was held in what is now the auditorium of Blessed Imelda’s School (靜修女中). The most famous area of Dadaocheng is Dihua Street (迪化街). During the period of Japanese rule general stores and tea businesses prospered along this street. After the Japanese occupation, the rice trade and traditional Chinese medicine gained in popularity here. Nearby Yongle Market (永樂市場) and cloth stores were beneficiaries of Taiwan’s economic miracle of the 1960s. Taipei XiaHai ChengHuang Temple (台北霞海城隍廟), Fazhugong Temple (法主公廟), and Cisheng Temple (慈聖宮) collectively are referred to as the three main temples in Dadaocheng. No trip to Dadaocheng is complete without a visit to one of these scenic structures.

The Inner City: witness to the changes of the times

The area of Taipei commonly known as “the inner city“ was built during the Guangxu (光緒) period of the Qing Dynasty. This was once a walled city area with four distinct sides. The east wall was located along what is now Zhongshan South Road (中山南路), the south wall along Aiguo West Road (愛國西路), the west wall followed Zhonghua Road (中華路), and the north wall was on Zhongxiao West Road (忠孝西路). Today, all that remains of the original walled city are the North, South, Small South (Xiaonan) and East Gates. These gates have all been designated as Level One National Historic Sites.

The walls of “the inner city” were torn down during the Japanese Period. This period also saw the removal of buildings that were vacant at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The governor’s office, Wenwu Temple (文武廟), and other buildings were removed in accordance with the Meiji Restoration, to promote the Westernization Movement and to build a strong cohesive city. Office of the President (總統府), the Control Yuan (監察院), the Supreme Court building (最高法院), the Taipei Guest House (臺北賓館), the head office for the Bank of Taiwan (臺灣銀行), National Taiwan Museum (國立臺灣博物館), and Taipei Zhongshan Hall (中山堂) are among the many buildings that were erected during this era.

To fully discover the history and development of Taipei, Mr. Zhuang recommends that you begin with a visit to the Bangka district, as this is where settlers first established trade and temples. A deeper exploration of this area is often referred to as a "religious trip" and includes visits to Bangka Qingshuiyanzushi Temple (艋舺清水巖祖師廟), Longshan Temple, Qingshan Temple, and Bopiliao. After Bangka, continue the journey to the three well-known streets of Dadaocheng: Guide Street, Yanping North Road (延平北路), and Dihua Street. Finally, take a look around the old “inner city” and trace the footsteps of some of the first residents of Taipei. A thorough tour of these three areas will give the traveler a good taste of the early years of Taipei, as well as a glimpse of how the city first became prosperous during the Japanese Period.

In the 21st century, Taipei is a bustling and modern metropolis, but with clear and distinct roots in the past. Travelling through these three areas will allow the visitor to gain knowledge of the old city and also experience firsthand what life may have been like when Taipei was young.