Di Hua Street, one of the oldest streets in Taipei’s Da Dao Cheng District, is an important wholesale center steeped in history. You can find purveyors of Chinese medicinal herbs, tea, dried food, sundry items, fabric and all manner of Taiwan delicacies.
No doubt, many of us have visited Di Hua Old Street, as it is also known, to purchase fabrics and clothing accessories. In October, however, I joined the WTIC’s Art and Culture Activity Group which organized a very interesting and culturally educational tour of Di Hua Street. Our guide , Mr. Ye Lun Hui (葉倫會) is a well-known historian, who gave us an “insiders” tour of the street and its shops.
Our first stop was the Yi He Scallion Garlic shop (義和蔥蒜行) run by Mr. Ke Shun Yao (柯順耀) . He greeted us by singing two Taiwanese songs and then workers at his shop demonstrated how they dry garlic cloves. Over a period of 90 minutes, we strolled down this 800 meter street, which is lined on either side by row-house-like buildings. And like row houses, the exterior appearance does not necessarily give you many clues about what you will discover inside. We were invited into several shop houses, which a little bit like traveling in time to view Taipei’s past and then returning back to the present.
The earliest buildings that are still standing on Di Hua Street were constructed during mid-nineteenth century. The architecture of these early single-story structures reflects the influence of Chinese immigrants from southern Fujian. The facades of other buildings on the street are done in a Baroque style, which was popular during Japan’s Taisho period. Still others reflect contemporary building styles.
We also visited the Lin Wu Hu Numerology Hall (林五湖擇曰館). Two of the Lin family’s seven brothers greeted us at the entrance of their fortune-telling shop which the Lin family started in 1864. The building itself is older, and dates to 1851 and is an example of southern Fujian-style architecture. The high ceiling in the entry foyer accommodates a loft that is brightened by skylights. The building itself is deep and narrow, and each room was slightly more elevated that the previous one. Midway through the building is a courtyard that separates the business area from the family living quarters at the back. The courtyard provides a natural and environmentally refreshing transition between these two areas. We were told that only important visitors were invited to enter the back rooms, which are decorated traditional Chinese fashion. One of the rooms is used as a shrine dedicated to Guiguzi, the guardian of fortune telling.
Another building built over a century ago houses Gallery URS127, which stands for Urban Regeneration Station, located at 127 Di Hua Street. The Department of Architecture of Tam Kang University manages the gallery, which includes an exhibition area, teaching space, and a workshop. Like many other buildings on Di Hua Street, great attention is given to historic preservation of the fa?ade and interior space. The original character of the building is evident in the exposed timber beams of the roof and the original red brick walls. This respect for the heritage of the past seems to blend harmoniously with the building’s modern interior decoration. I felt like we returned to the present era when we stopped at Santo’s (宅邸食旅), a coffee and pastry shop that also includes a showroom for custom contemporary kitchens. Somehow, the past and present seem to blend effortlessly on Di Hua Street. If you would like to experience the old and new in Taipei, it is well worth spending some time exploring this fascinating district.
Many thanks to Ms. Susan Sue and Dorothy Lin who organized our visit.
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