Ximen Market
Constructed in 1908, Xinmen Market is the oldest public shopping centre of Taipei. The bazaar, consist of a two-storey octagon-shaped structure and a one-storey crucifix-shaped building built with red bricks, reflects the city’s transition over the past century.
After China’s Qing Dynasty was defeated by Japan in a sea war in 1894 (see the First Sino–Japanese War) , Taiwan was ceded to Japanese by China in the consequent treaty. Japan began colonising the island in 1896 and decided to modernise it to fill the Japanese financial needs.
Since the late 19th century, merchants had been gathering outside of the western gate of Taipei to sell goods conveyed from the nearby river port. Japanese administration first constructed some shacks for traders in 1896, and then used stones, cement and bricks to build 2 architectures linked together in 1908 as the market expended and needed better space.
The marketplace, which is generally called Ximen Market now, was of mixed Japanese and European style and had its principal part complete around 1910. Inside it was divided into many stalls, a common design in East Asia, whereas outside in the front it resembled a European church. Serving as a shopping center famous for fresh fruit and vegetables, the place played an important role in Japan’s early city planning and citizens’ daily lives.
After the KMT gained control of Taiwan when the World War II ended, a Chinese, Chen Hui Wen, took over the market in 1950s and redecorated the second floor for performances like dramas and storytelling. It soon became a very popular theater to the Chinese who retreated to Taipei with KMT.
Then, Hollywood movies readily emerge as townspeople’s favorite in the 1960s, so the owner made another business decision: renovating the upper storey as a film theater, whilst retaining food service downstairs. For the nearby area was the biggest shopping complex in Taiwan at that time, this move turned out to be a success.
During the 1970s and 1980s, as the urban area grew, the once elegant architecture was gradually surrounded by buildings constructed without licenses. The whole area gradually looked disorderly and confused, but the government did not intervene and normal citizens’ visits diminished.
At the same time, with the copyright laws installed, the movie theater was forced to play cheaper pornography because they could not afford to pay for mainstream western movies. It attracted many homosexuals and helped to enrich some special underground culture, yet for the society was still conservative, its popularity decreased greatly.
In the 1990s, the theater was finally shut down and abandoned. However, amazed by the buildings’ good foundation and unique style, the government designated Ximen Market to be a third-rate historic relic and decided to remodel them in an effort to revitalize the whole area.
Following several years of planning and negotiating with the inhabitants, the government began the renewal project in 2001. In the next year, the octagon-shaped structure ahead often referred as “Red Theater” reopened, within which are a drama theater upstairs and a coffee and souvenir shop downstairs. Afterwards, the back crisscross building became a restaurant, and a commercial complex along the main structures was constructed.
Perhaps for the government’s lack of experience regarding similar issues, the grand plan up to this day does not carry out very well. Although the architectures are generally well built, the whole area is short of a coordinating sector and not managed well, resulting in a deficiency of visitors.
“For its good location (near downtown Taipei and a subway station), if they can’t make this place attract people, they will fail in other similar projects inevitably,” says Huang Yung-chuan, founder of Ximen's Red Theater Culture and Humanity Studio.
Also a third-generation florist at the Ximen Market, Huang points out this cultural and commercial complex as a whole lacks target consumers. He says the theater of elegant style is aimed at drama fans, but the seafood restaurant behind seems to attract blue-collar workers, whereas the side new shopping building of 2 floors has no real identity.
Indeed I find he made some valid points. In one night of the weekends, I saw scarce customers in this area compared to the crowded Shimentin section just nearby. I actually kind of like the serenity, like a retreat away from the turmoil of the outside world, but I cannot imagine how can the merchants make a living for themselves. No wonder the second floor of the new building can only lease out one-tenth of its stands.
Over the years, this market appears to show the contemporary spirit in some way, no matter good or bad. With further proper planning, I hope it can succeed this time and be an example for other “newbies” transformed from “oldies.”
posted by Max.L @ 2:36 PM
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