Dihua Street: Chinese New Year Shopping Street in Taipei

Before I went to Taipei, I told my Taiwanese friend that I will go to Taiwan. She was pleasantly surprised:” if you happen to go to Taipei before Chinese New Year, you can just go the New Year Shopping Street.”

I’m astonished:” New Year Shopping Street? I’m not going to spend my Chinese New Year in Taiwan, and I don’t need to bring them back to Shanghai.”

“I know, but only if you go there, you can experience the atmosphere of how Taipei People spend their Chinese New Year. Besides, you can try the food all the way down the street.”

The Chinese New Year Shopping Street my friend mentioned, it is the Dihua Street. Since 1996, Dihua Street, kept in its original state, has not only become the oldest street in Taipei, but it also has expanded to the largest scale New Year Shopping Street in Taipei before the New Year Eve each year. Also, this street has maintained its business function of wholesale.

The Dihua New Year Shopping Street only open during the certain time, which happen to be the time when we were in Taipei. When we arrived at the Shopping street, we had no idea how large is the alley. So we decided to act separately. While our photographer was shooting empty scenes in the nearby street, director and I decided to walk inside and find a view to photograph.

We kept walking, feeling no end of the street. Later, we also saw a group of busy crowds, revealing the only microphone, and camera. What an interesting thing to happen in the world! We, coming from Shanghai to shoot TV show on food, happen to encounter the team of the hottest Food TV Program of Taipei. Not too far away, I saw the host of “Super Taste” – Xie Zheng-hao – enthusiastically introducing the commodities here.

When I saw them ready to leave this stall, I approached him;” Haozi, I’m coming from Shanghai to shoot TV show here. I like your show ‘Super Taste’ very much. Can I take a photo with you?” He smiled and took the photo with me.

In fact, each year, once the New Year shopping street is open, large or small Television station will come here to report.

Peanuts, candy, rice wine, natural crispy vegetable and fruits, mullet, lotus seed cake, Japanese-styled A-gei, Taiwan Candied fruit, Wanluan pig finger, dried shredded squid, Jinmen dried fish; every stall owner will give you a warm welcome. If you don’t want to buy, that’s fine. You are still welcome to taste. And they will tell you patiently the origin of the products and the tastes. Even after I have returned to Shanghai, I still miss the white cane juice.