We drove the scooter for a long time today, and it's almost getting dark. Before heading back home, my husband took me to Jiufen, which is one of the most popular places near Taipei.
I had never seen an old street before, but these kinds of places seem very crowded. Sometimes it was difficult to pass by and go to another place on these very narrow streets. I particularly liked the view of the many lanterns hanging up along the streets.
Jiufen village used to be the center of gold mining, with operations starting in 1892. During the Japanese era, Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Wudankeng were the three most important "golden mountains." In 1903-1904, the amount of gold produced in these three areas was comparable to the amount produced in Japan. Jiufen was under the management of Taiyang Mining during the Japanese occupation until the end of the war. Gold mining resumed in 1945 but started to decline after 1957. After gold mining officially ended in 1971, many miners shifted their focus to coal mining.
The name "Jiufen" means "nine portions." Legend has it that nine families lived in this village. Whenever one family went shopping, they would divide what they bought and share it among the nine families since the shops were far away.
Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)
Jiufen Old Street (九份老街) is the most popular street in Jiufen. It used to be called the "dark street" in the past because it was a gathering place for people at night. One of the oldest shops here is a tea house with over 100 years of historical architecture. Another street in the area, called Chigasaki Road, has over 300 stone steps and is lined with many tea houses. On this road, you will also see the Shengping Theatre building, which was the first cinema in Taiwan.
Jiufen Old Street is really small and extremely crowded. You can find a wide variety of food and souvenir shops here, and enjoy the nice view. The streets form a small maze with plenty of shops, and there are many tiny alleys connecting the main roads.
Around the streets, you can see many lanterns, which look the best after dark. The village is located on hills, allowing you to enjoy views of the mountains and the sea. Unfortunately, it's getting dark soon, and since we arrived here by scooter, we have to head home before all those lanterns light up the darkness.
0 komentarze:
Post a Comment