Hakka Old Streets - In Search of Nostalgia in Old Miaoli Towns

Because of their isolation, Nanzhuang and Beipu have retained a lot of their preindustrial character

When a thoroughfare changes from being simply “old” to an “Old Street,” it undergoes a striking physical metamorphosis. The buildings are scrubbed clean; modern accretions like air-conditioning units, stainless-steel water tanks, and television cables are hidden, either behind the houses or beneath the road; and the asphalt road surface is replaced with stone slabs. Entrepreneurs move in and begin selling goods that tourists like to buy — often snacks and souvenirs, sometimes antiques.

Almost every town in Taiwan, it seems, has an Old Street. Some, like Daxi near Taoyuan, have two or three, depending on who's counting. Xinhua, just outside Tainan, has what I consider to be Taiwan’s finest Old Street — superb early-1920s architecture and businesses that still cater largely to locals, not visitors.

Nanzhuang and Beipu, two small towns in north Taiwan’s interior, have well-known old streets too. Both are far from the coast and on the edge of the mountains. Because of their isolation they’ve retained a lot of their preindustrial character. They’re also blessed with stunning surroundings. Near Nanzhuang there are aboriginal villages and the historical temples of Lion’s Head Mountain. Beipu and its hinterland are dominated by Hakka, a Han Chinese sub-ethnic group that retains its own language and customs.

Folk with their own vehicles can “do” both Nanzhuang and Beipu in the same day. But unless you’ve got a plane to catch, budgeting 48 hours for the region is a much better idea.

Travelers who lack their own set of wheels should continue reading, as both towns can be reached by public transportation. Frequent buses link Nanzhuang with Hsinchu (a city with a characterful old thoroughfare of its own, Beimen Street) and Toufen. There are also some buses from Miaoli which, like Hsinchu, is well-served by north-south express trains.

Getting to Beipu involves a bus trip from Hsinchu to Zhudong, and then a second bus from Zhudong to the destination. This isn't as troublesome as it sounds — services on both routes are very frequent.

Nanzhuang has two antiquated thoroughfares: the official one, the narrow pedestrians-only lane everyone refers to as Nanzhuang Old Street, and an “unofficial” one, Zhongzheng Road.

The former is packed with businesses and eateries that tourists will find interesting. But before you explore these, there are a couple of things worth seeing along the southern end of the street, across the road from the visitor information center.

The function of the first is obvious if someone happens to be using it when you arrive. Otherwise, you might mistake it for a bus shelter. This is a place where, in the days of yore, the townsfolk would come to do their laundry; a few residents still use it for this purpose. Clean water from the hill above is channeled into a large tub, and rutted slabs of stone serve as washboards.

Right above it there’s a small shrine dedicated to the local earth god. In most Taiwanese towns and villages the earth god is referred to as Tudigong (in Mandarin) or Todeygong (in Taiwanese). In Hakka areas like Nanzhuang and Beipu the deity is called Bogong.

If you’ve just arrived in Taiwan, it’s likely you’ve never before seen some of the snacks being sold along the Old Street. Few of them are labeled in English, and not many of the vendors speak a foreign language. The good news is that this doesn’t matter one jot: Most stores offer morsel-sized samples to passersby, with no obligation to buy if you accept.

Near the northern end of the Old Street are two landmarks. One is Nanzhuang’s biggest place of worship, Yongchang Temple. The other is the 109-year-old former post office. Rebuilt once, after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in 1935, the post office was renovated for a second time in the past decade and converted into the Nanzhuang Culture Hall. It’s a classic single-story wooden structure faithful to its era of origin, and a favorite with photographers.

Many of the buildings along Zhongzheng Road are 50 years or more old; they have a concrete first floor and clapboard second floor (logging used to be a major industry in these parts). Perhaps the most delightful shop is Yongliang Ice Factory, at no. 47. Step inside this 1950s-style popsicle vendor to see old-fashioned ice-making equipment that’s still in daily use. Patrons have included at least one ROC president, two vice presidents and one presidential hopeful; the boss, Mr. Zhang, has the photos to prove it. He also runs a small homestay just around the corner.

Nanzhuang’s retail market is worth wandering around, especially if you’re hungry. The vendors here do business from about six o’clock in the morning until just after lunch, but the two restaurants inside serve up authentic Hakka dishes until dusk.