Taishan Gouzaiqian Old Street 泰山溝仔墘老街

Historical Background:

Gouzaiqian Old Street in Taishan District, New Taipei City—originally a key Qing-era route linking Xinzhuang and Linkou—whose name means “by the irrigation ditch,” and which today survives as Taishan’s only old street along Mingzhi Road, symbolizing growing local identity despite the area’s faded past prosperity. It traces Taishan’s historical development from early Minnan (Anxi, Quanzhou) settlement, through Qing and Japanese administration, to its separation from Xinzhuang in 1950 and upgrade to a district in 2010, with its name derived from the local deity temples Upper and Lower Taishan Temples. Nearby attractions include the two Taishan temples, Mingzhi Academy, and the Taishan Doll Industry Cultural Museum.

Hours:

24/7

Price:

Free

Where to stay:

We recommend Fullon Hotel, which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). 
We have stayed at and recommend ​Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. ​You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here.  You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here. 
We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home, which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). 

Activities in Taipei:

There are many activities available to enjoy in Taipei, such as kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP/paddle boarding, water biking, and more activities, which you can book on Klook here or KKday here. 

How to get there:

By Car/Scooter: From Taipei, take Provincial Highway 1 southwest to Taishan and then turn onto Highway 106. The old street is on the left. There is paid parking under the Taishan Doll Industry Cultural Museum.
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By MRT/Bus: Take the airport line MRT to Xinzhuang Fuduxin. The old street is within walking distance. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bicycle: 
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:

Please see below to see:

Our Journey:

I have been to Taishan Old Street once. It is a surprisingly quiet old pedestrian walkway, next to a very busy main street in Taishan. There are some cool buildings to explore here, and is some good signage showing the history of the area. Come check it out if you are interested in Taiwan’s history!

From here, you would probably never guess there was an old street nearby.

The old street starts out at this stone wall/monument.

Old Street Splendor

“When Taiwan was predominantly agrarian, the area between the main irrigation canals of Tucheng River and Kuitzihleng River was criss-crossed with ditches and waterways. Indeed, a channel carrying water from Tiktung River served to flow beneath the pavement in front of the Town Government building. Often this irrigation served nearby agricultural land; homes built on either side of the channel used it as their primary source of water. Today Lane 256, Section 1, Mingchi Road is known as ‘Old Street.’ It can be difficult to associate this area with the better-known images of old streets in Sanhsia, Hsinchu or Hualien, because off to one side of the structures were mud buildings with straw roofs and no baroque-type stores. Many years ago this area had no large downtown streets, though Kuitzihleng was known to those who lived at the foot of the mountain as ‘Shiqiuping Street.’ However, the beauty of this old street lies in the fact that it was neither the site of brisk commercial activity, nor the scene of important historical events. Indeed, with monuments of space and time, people, events and objects of any place have their own irreplaceable nostalgia and unique shared memory.”

Panel 2 – Decorative Architectural Style

“Often the most exquisite decorative elements of a building are concentrated on the façade, front and elevated points. As such, to truly appreciate the beauty of a traditional home it is often useful to start with the very front of the building and the roof. Because these features function as protection against the elements, two commonly seen decorations are ‘Cut-and-Paste’ and ‘Clay sculptures.’ ‘Cut-and-Paste’ are made from a steel wire frame which is covered and shaped using plaster. A craftsman then cuts out different colored decorative pieces in a radial pattern. Although the work is free-flowing, it is also very difficult. The finished result highlights a special decorative beauty.”

Walking down the street we see some old brick buildings. Someone parks a car up this thing!

Historical house covered in a tin roof.

Another small alleyway. The main old house here was under construction.

Another historical house on the old street.

Closer view of another historical brick house.

Older two-story brick house.

And you can see on of the most beautiful old brick houses here was destroyed.

A sign pointing to Taishan Lower Temple, Century-old Well, and the Township office.

Century-old Well 百年古井

View of the 100-year-old well.

View down into the well, which still has fresh water.

An old wall which has now been turned into a dragon fruit garden.

A hallow shell of a house.

Another old house.

Three-sided courtyard.

You can also check out this hiking trail that connects to the hills in the back.

Taishan Lower Temple 下泰山巖顯應祖師

At the end of the old street, you will come to Taishan Lower Temple.

Lower Taishan Yan (Xia Taishan Yan) is a temple on Mingzhi Road in Taishan District, New Taipei City, dedicated to the monk Xianying Zushi from Anxi, Quanzhou, Fujian, and was founded in the late Qing Guangxu era by three clans who brought a divided spirit from Qijiao Taishan Yan, giving rise to the distinction between “Upper” (Top Taishan Yan) and “Lower” temples and even contributing to the place name “Taishan.” The temple holds annual celebrations on the lunar 9th month, 18th day for Xianying Zushi’s birthday, and enshrines a rich pantheon including guardian generals Lin and Zhang, Mazu with Qianliyan and Shunfeng’er, the Earth God, and on the main altar figures such as Qingshui Zushi, Shennong, the Lord of Law, Laozi, Sun Wukong, Guan Gong, and others, while the upper pavilion venerates the Jade Emperor, Erlang Shen, Pagoda-Bearing Li Tianwang, the Queen Mother of the West, Guanyin, and attendant deities—reflecting the temple’s role as a major local religious and cultural center tied to Gouzaiqian Old Street and Upper Taishan Yan.

Offering tables being set up for the gods.

View of the main shrine.

In front of the temple there is a vegetable market.

View of Mingzhi Road, the main road next to the old street.

Ritualistic supply shops can be found nearby.

You can also find a little hot pot and most other shops you would normally find on a Taiwan main street.

Another peak back into the old street.

Fried chicken and other snacks.

Another view into one of the small alleyways that connects to the old street.

More snacks across the street.

And how could your trip be complete without a trip to KFC?

Taishan Doll Museum 泰山娃娃產業文化館

The Taishan Doll Museum (aka Taishan Barbie / Mattel Museum) is a small museum near the site of Mattel’s former factory in Taiwan, which was once home to the production of most of the world’s Barbie dolls. Here you can learn about the history of Mattel in Taiwan as well as its workers. You can also see hundreds of historical dolls on display here…(read more)

Check out our Taipei Old Street guide here.

Check out our guide to Taipei here.

Check out our full guide to Taiwan here.