Yunlin Travel: Beigang Old Street - Lunar New Year travel

Beigang Old Street (北港老街)

Beigang Old Street, located on Zhongshan Road in Beigang Town, Yunlin, has been a significant center of life for the people of Yunlin since the Qing Dynasty. It is not only the oldest old street in Beigang but also the development center of the area. The ancient street has a history of more than 300 years. The buildings on the street are mainly divided into two categories: daily life-related shops such as ginseng medicine shops and clinics, and buildings related to temple visits, including the famous Chaotian Palace in Beigang.

The busiest area in Beigang is Zhongshan Road in front of Chaotian Palace, which was formerly known as Gongkou Street. Although there aren't many ancient houses on both sides of the road, it has a history of more than 300 years since the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. The buildings on Beigang Old Street are mostly made of red bricks, adorned with a large number of Chinese auspicious totems on their facades. The combination of Chinese and Western styles gives the street a gorgeous and interesting atmosphere. When visiting Beigang, it is a must to try the local snacks, such as Beigang peanuts and sesame oil, which are popular souvenirs. Additionally, don't miss out on the famous Rixingtang Bakery. It is said that people from Chiayi come to Beigang or Xingang to order cakes for their weddings.

Beigang Sightseeing Bridge

Beigang Sightseeing Bridge, completed in 1992, connects Chaotian Palace in Beigang Township, Yunlin County, with Narcissus Palace in Xingang Township, Chiayi County. Spanning Beigang Creek, the bridge adopts Nelson's arch design with a red main body. The bridge is supported by green and golden steel cables, resembling a flying dragon. Vehicles are prohibited from entering the bridge. Looking down from the bridge, you can see Riverside Park, which used to be the Beigang cattle market. Along the Beigang River, you can also spot the Beigang Mazu Bridge.

Beigang Chaotian Palace (北港朝天宮)

Beigang Chaotian Palace is the center of belief for the people of Beigang. The prosperity of the goddess Mazu also drives the economic development of the old street and the surrounding businesses. Formerly known as Tianfei Temple or Tianhou Palace, it was renamed Chaotian Palace to commemorate the separation of spirits from the ancestral temple "Chaotian Pavilion" in Meizhou. With a history of 300 years, it is a second-class historic site recognized by the state.

Rixingtang Wedding Cake Shop (日興堂喜餅)

Rixingtang Wedding Cake Shop showcases a Baroque-style building that houses the only remaining theater in Beigang, the Zhenxing Theater. The owner of Rixingtang, Guo Xianyu, cares deeply about local culture and bought the Beigang Zhenxing Theater to preserve the historical building. The Cake Shop operates in the front, while the Tourist Art Museum is located at the back. Established in 1980, Rixingtang initially baked cakes using charcoal, but now they use electric stoves. Mr. Guo Xianyu's perseverance and determination made him the number one Chinese wedding cake maker in Taiwan. The signature Zhuangyuan wedding cake from Rixingtang is known for its mung bean paste filling, crispy green onion, meat floss, stewed pork, egg yolk, and other ingredients prepared in a fixed ratio, particularly the fine and dense taste of the mung bean paste.

Address:

1. Beigang Old Street: 651雲林縣北港鎮中山路
2. Beigang Chaotian Temple: 651雲林縣北港鎮中山路178號
3. Rixingtang Wedding Cake Shop 日興堂喜餅: 651雲林縣北港鎮中山路3號

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Yunlin Travel: Xiluo Old Street during Lunar New Year

Xiluo Old Street - Yanping Old Street (延平老街)

Xiluo Old Street, also known as Yanping Road, was a bustling market in early Taiwan, serving as a trading hub for rice, vegetables, and fruits, as well as a center for water and land transportation. Over 170 years ago, Xiluo Street was formed, and today, Yanping Road remains part of the core area of Xiluo Market Street. The Yanping Historic District encompasses Datong Road, Zhongxing Road, Xiuwen Road, Zhongshan Road, and Renhe Street.

Most of the ancient western-style buildings in Xiluo Old Street were constructed in the 1930s. During that time, the Japanese government promoted the construction of narrow-faced, single-room buildings, diverging from the traditional large-faced, wide-street courtyard structures. This architectural fashion influenced Taiwanese craftsmen under Japanese rule, and Yanping Road became a representative example of street house architecture during that era.

The buildings on Xiluo Yanping Old Street and Douliu Taiping Old Street belong to the same period. They feature Baroque-style architecture introduced during the Japanese occupation, with a history of over 60 years. Most of these two- or three-story buildings are constructed using mold printing, stone washing, and veneering bricks. The parapet walls with various shapes on the front of each house are the most striking features of these buildings.

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Xiluo East Market (西螺東市場)

Xiluo East Market, a traditional market with a history tracing back to the Qing Dynasty, used to be located near the ferry station in Zhuoshui River. Over time, a market gradually developed in the back streets of the city. The market building itself was constructed in the 1950s using leftover wood from the construction of Xiluo Bridge. The reinforced concrete section was completed in 1965. Due to the shift of the business district, the market experienced a decline. The East Market faced demolition disputes, but in 2007, the Luoyang Cultural and Educational Foundation initiated the "Revitalization of Stores in Xiluo Historic District and Reconstruction of Old Houses," which led to the preservation of the East Market. The restoration work was completed in 2011, and it was registered as a historic building in Yunlin County in 2010.

See also: Xiluo Soy Sauce Factory

Xiluo Fuxing Palace (西螺福興宮)

Xiluo Fuxing Palace is a temple that enshrines Mazu. Its origin dates back to 1717 when Minghai, a monk from Yongquan Temple in Fujian, came to Taiwan and enshrined the statue of Mazu from Meizhou, building a temple in Xiluo. In 1770, the old temple was demolished, and a new temple was relocated to the main street with the agreement of Xiluo officials. In 1800, renovations were made, expanding the temple's scale to two entrances, which were completed in 1874. Fuxing Palace is the first stop for Dajia Mazu to rest upon entering Yunlin, and it is the only temple where Dajia Mazu will drive back and forth.

Xiluo Theatre (西螺大戲院)

Xiluo Theatre has been known to me for some time, although I have never visited it myself. We visit Xiluo every year, but it was our first time exploring this theater. The Yunlin County government designated the theater as a heritage property in 2001, but its future remains uncertain. The theater is privately owned by the Lin family. Completed sometime between 1937 and 1940, this reinforced concrete and brick building replaced a wooden theater that was originally built in the 1920s. The new theater survived the war unscathed and flourished during the golden age of Taiwanese cinema in the 1950s. However, business declined in the early 1980s, and the theater was abandoned in 1988. Besides film screenings, Xiluo Theater hosted traditional puppet shows, opera troupes, concerts, and other performances, with a seating capacity of over 500 people. Nowadays, the theater is in ruins, and it is not possible to enter unless one is willing to brave a dilapidated structure. You can find a significant number of indoor pictures of this theater on the website spectralcodex.com

Xiluo Bridge (西螺大橋)

Xiluo Bridge is decorated each year during the Lunar New Year, attracting visitors to the park surrounding the bridge.

Address:

1. Yanping Old Street: 648雲林縣西螺鎮延平路130號往東
2. East Market: 648雲林縣西螺鎮延平路47號
3. Fuxing Temple: 648雲林縣西螺鎮延平路180號
4. Xiluo Theatre: 648雲林縣西螺鎮觀音街2 號
5. Xiluo Bridge: 648雲林縣西螺鎮西螺大橋

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Lunar New Year in Taiwan

Happy Lunar New Year! This year, we're celebrating the Year of the Rabbit. The festivities during this holiday last for a week, which some might find a bit too long. As usual, we visited my parents-in-law's place, although I've mentioned in my blog before that I'm not particularly fond of being there. Unfortunately, the atmosphere wasn't pleasant, so we decided to return home earlier than expected.

During Lunar New Year, the colors red and gold can be seen everywhere. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, does not have a fixed date and is typically celebrated at the end of January or the beginning of February according to the Lunar Calendar. In Taiwan, although the country follows the Gregorian Calendar, traditional holidays are still celebrated based on the Lunar Calendar.

Chinese New Year starts on the first day of the lunar month and lasts until the 15th day, which is known as the Lantern Festival. Traditionally, Lunar New Year was a time for praying to the gods for a prosperous planting and harvesting season, as well as honoring ancestors. Many older people have a separate room dedicated to the gods, where they offer food and prayers.

During Chinese New Year's Eve, people set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. They also burn fake paper money and gold bars as offerings to their ancestors. Gift exchanges are common during this holiday, and children often receive lucky money in red envelopes.

Special foods are enjoyed during this time, such as tangyuan (sticky rice balls in sweet soup), nian gao (sticky rice cake), and fa gao (steamed rice flour cake). It is customary to clean the house before Chinese New Year and prepare food in advance to avoid any work during the holidays. Sweeping, using knives or scissors, and cutting hair during this time are considered bad luck, as they may symbolically sweep away good fortune.

Homes are adorned with red decorations, symbolizing good luck, while the color white, associated with funerals, is avoided.

See also: Lunar New Year Traditions

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