With my days in Taiwan on a Fulbright Fellowship coming to an end, I am doing my best to pack in as much adventures as possible. One of my latest was a journey to Jiufen. Jiufen is one of Taiwan's tourist havens. Its streets are often packed every weekend with guests from all over Taiwan. The area was once a remote town in Taiwan's Northern Mountains near the town of Keelung, until gold was discovered there in 1893. The gold rush hastened the village's development, peaking during the period of Japanese occupation.
During the era of Japanese occupation, the region was used as a POW camp, housing many allied soldiers captured in Singapore, who were in turn used to operate the mines. Sadly, by 1971, gold mining declined and the town was soon forgotten. By 1989, the town started a revival as a result of Taiwan's film industry. The film A City of Sadness was filmed there in 1989 touching on the 228 incident, followed by the 2001 film, Spirited Away. These two events have combined to turn Jiufen into a Mecca for ancient Chinese culture, featuring retro Chinese-style cafes, tea shops and souvenir stands.
My day started at the Jingguashin region. Jinguashin is host to two locations, the historical Crown Prince's House, which served as a vacation home to the Japanese prince during the era of Japanese rule and the Jingguashin gold museum. Having previously visited Japan and growing up in Colorado, both locations reminded me of earlier experiences in my life. I could draw many comparisons between the Crown Prince's House and the architecture I saw in Osaka and Kyoto. Featuring both sliding screen doors and wooden floors, one could easily see the Japanese influence.
The second part of my day was spent on Jiufen's historical old street. First and foremost, for anyone interested in visiting here in the future, my suggestion is to be prepared for crowds. If walking through packed streets is not your idea of fun, then I recommend going elsewhere. The shops are very typical for Taiwan; featuring many historical and unique Taiwanese items, which can be found throughout the country, such as traditional Chinese toys, clothing, and food. However, Jiufen did have something which stood out in comparison to the rest of Taiwan, an abundance of authentic leather shops. For those looking for genuine leather at a cheap price, Jiufen offered the perfect opportunity.
Despite all of the shopping, the true secret to Jiufen is its magnificent view of the Taiwanese coastline and the Pacific Ocean. A truly breathtaking scene, one cannot miss it. Taiwan is one of the view places in the world, where each corner features a new breathtaking view. With a combination of seaside cliffs and shoreline, in my opinion, Taiwan at many times is truly reminiscent of the Oregon coast. Overall, I would highly suggest visiting Jiufen. With historical appeal, traditional food and shopping and outstanding views, it truly has something of value for everyone.
References:
Japanese Architecture. http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/japan/architecture.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment