Taipei's Wanhua District is a must-visit!
📍I first learned about Wanhua from the movie "Monga" starring Ethan Juan and Mark Chao. I didn't know there was such a fascinating place in Taipei.
🚤Monga originally referred to a small boat, and later came to refer to a place where small boats gathered, which is very fitting for this place's history.
🎊Wanhua is an ancient community in Taipei's Wanhua District and the starting point of Taipei's development. Monga was originally a settlement for indigenous people, but during the Qing Dynasty, it became more prosperous and lively with the increase of Han immigrants. It later experienced the Japanese colonial period and the rise of gangs from other provinces, which added to its mystique.
👉I couldn't wait to visit Longshan Temple in Monga and was lucky enough to meet the owner of Liangfenbo, the most famous dessert shop in Wanhua, who gave me a deeper understanding of the neighborhood. Without her, I might have just visited Longshan Temple and left, which would have been a shame!
🎊Recommended attractions:
[One] Longshan Temple
🏯One of the oldest temples in Taiwan, Longshan Temple was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and has witnessed the development and changes of Taipei. The golden dragon at the entrance glows in the sunset. The temple has several halls, and the main deities worshiped include Guanyin, Guan Yu, and Mazu. The temple is always full of worshipers and tourists chanting and drawing lots.
[Two] Qingshan Temple
🎢Just a few hundred meters from Longshan Temple is Qingshan Temple, a third-class national monument that is very important to locals. It is dedicated to the King of Qingshan. The birthday of the King of Qingshan is a grand celebration that attracts many worshipers and tourists. The temple fair includes religious ceremonies, traditional performances, parades, and temple fair food.
[Three] Monga Night Market
🌇Monga Night Market and its surrounding area have many traditional and famous old shops. The squid, stinky tofu, salty porridge, and Guangxi snail noodles are all worth trying.
[Four] Bopiliao: A park built on the site of the old Bopiliao to promote local culture and history. Many of the stories in the movie "Monga" took place in Bopiliao.
[Five] Huajiang Community
🎢The most amazing thing is this circular building at the intersection of Huanhe South Road and Heping West Road. The three-story circular building connects four communities and 16 buildings, with more than 4,000 households. There is a lot of traffic under the overpass, and the long corridor is lined with clothes and flowers. It is said that this building complex was designed by six famous architects in the 1970s, based on the "mixed-use" design concept of Singapore. In addition to housing, there are also various traditional shops and pawnshops, and the large number of stairs create a maze-like effect. It is a popular filming location for commercials, music videos, and movies, especially horror movies.