Travel Date: 2018/12/10
We are planning to visit Christmasland today, but first, we will make a stop in Daxi to explore the area. Finding parking space in Daxi can be quite challenging. It took us around 15 minutes to find an available spot, and unfortunately, it was over 1 km away from Old Street. I felt a bit upset today, especially after witnessing a woman lying on the road with no one seeming to care. People were passing by without stopping...
Daxi is renowned for its dried tofu and production of wooden furniture. You can also visit the mausoleum of Chiang Kai-shek and his son, Chiang Ching-kuo. The area is dotted with tea plantations and a tea factory. We recently visited Shihmen Reservoir and Bald Pine Avenue in this vicinity as well.
Daxi Old Street (大溪老街)
Daxi is considered one of the top ten popular small tourist towns. Daxi Old Street is one of the most fascinating old streets in Taiwan. The buildings along Heping Road have beautiful facades that are unique to this area. If you want to take pictures of buildings without people around, I recommend exploring the nearby streets. One of the streets resembles an Old Street but without shops and the usual crowd. Additionally, you'll notice the Cikang Overpass next to Daxi Old Street, designed to have an antique appearance and add to the street's atmosphere.
In the past, the Daxi area was known as Dagu, inhabited by the Atayal people. Dagu, meaning "big water," was later renamed Daxu in the 1860s due to superstitions surrounding its name. In 1920, it was changed to Daxi, a name that is still used today.
In the 1810s, agriculture began to flourish, and Dahanxi shipping played a significant role in the area's prosperity. A small market was established during that time. In 1890, with the establishment of the North Road Sulfur Monopoly Bureau, Daxi became a distribution center for camphor, tea, and wood.
During the Japanese era in 1918, a wave of street reconstruction occurred. Two brothers, Chen Wanglai and Chen Sanchuan, learned skills from the Japanese and applied them to the temple's architecture, including shearing and cross-toe burning of the archway facade. Their unique style attracted others to follow suit, resulting in the intricate decorations adorning the facades of the houses along the streets. These Baroque-style buildings are a perfect blend of Eastern and Western influences.
See also: Christmasland
See also: Sankeng Old Street
In this old part of town, you can also find several temples. The first one, located on Heping Road, is Furen Temple, built in 1813. Inside, you can find deities from the Hakka, Taochew, and Quanzhou traditions, which is quite rare. During the Japanese era, the temple served as a military hospital. After two reconstructions, it has become one of the largest temples in Daxi.
The Puji Temple, constructed in 1902, has undergone three stages of development. Initially built as a private shrine for the Jiang family, it later transformed into an ancestral hall influenced by Furen Palace Temple. In 1907, the Puji Temple was opened to the public. It holds one of the most significant celebrations in town.
Daxi is most famous for its tofu. Daxi Old Street is filled with street food stalls offering a variety of delicacies. One of the popular treats here is peanut candy, along with rice ice creams. I also came across yam pancakes, which had a unique mix of yellow and purple colors. There is an abundance of special food to try in this area. However, be prepared for long waits, as many shops are crowded, with some lines lasting over half an hour.
Along Heping Road, you can find traditional shops selling wooden toys for children. I spotted many folklore toys made of wood, which were quite different from those of my childhood. I also loved the postcards made of wood in the shape of Taiwan with various decorations.
One of the houses was open to the public, allowing visitors to step inside and experience the style of an old building. Although there weren't many items inside, they did provide a few pictures and explanations, although only in Chinese.
