December 19, 2003
Hsimenting - History versus Retro Chic

Pubished in Centered on Taipei April 2003

Shirlee Posner went exploring in this dynamic section of Taipei and found space suits , a renovated theater, tutus, 1950's coffee shops, tattoo parlors, body piercing, Spanish saffron and quirky Japanese fashions.....

My first visit to this area was to procure a wig for an impending social do that demanded fancy dress. When I lived in the UK this use to plunge me into the depths of despair but here it's a joy, there are sew amahs, the fabric market and the wonderful shops in Hsimenting that are bursting to the seams to fulfil virtually all dressing up fantasies. For many items you can chose to hire or buy. Having chosen your theme, the shops to complete your outfit with wacky jewelry, hats, bags, scarves or shoes are just a couple of streets away. The best are tucked away in the alleys and lanes around a main pedestrian area.

This area although known for its cult fashion stores and student shopping crowd is also one of the oldest market areas in Taipei which had undergone a decline in popularity for traditional shopping as its original market fell into a state of disrepair and was demolished. The renovation of a red brick built Japanese market (saved because it was a listed building) which re-opened as a cafe exhibition center and theater has now given the area a new lease of life.

The Red House Theater and Hsimen market

The establishment of this area as an important commercial center begins with the building by the Japanese in 1896 of a market to service the increasing population of Taipei. This was wooden and it was decided to replace the original one storey market something a little different. Designed by a Japanese architect Kondojuro the new two storey building it was first known as the Red Tower as it was built from red bricks or Market Octagonal Hall a reference to its shape. It was designated as a market to sell flowers, medicines, coal, books and Japanese foods and other essential items. . An additional one storey cross shaped extension soon followed. The opening of this market began a thriving, prosperous and positively bustling era for local traders right up until the 1970s when other newly built shopping centers with modern department stores began to draw trade away.

The Hsimenting area was also home to first theater built in Taipei in 1897 also by the Japanese. The original site is now one of many cinemas making this a prime destination for movie-goers. To the rear of the Red House a crucifix shaped market in brick (built in 1896) also thrived selling dried foods, daily items and fresh groceries complimenting what was sold in the main section. Over the years Hsimen market gained in popularity and many shops sprung up around it, this happened again in the 1960's with another era of brisk development spilling the market over into the adjacent streets.

In 1951 the second floor of the building started to be used as a venue for Chinese opera. By 1956 it had become such a popular venue that the building was renamed the Red Theater It continued to be used for opera which was sometimes sung in Taiwanese as well until 1963 when it became a movie theater. Locals came in droves even though it was noisy from the busy downstairs market as the admission price was way below the other cinemas in the district. The films shown were not new releases but the theater gained a reputation for showing some art houses film as well as classics and it soon had a cult following until it closed in 1996. In 1997 the building had been given third class historic status and it was decided that it should become a movie museum (the site finally chosen for this was the former US ambassadors residence). In July 2000 a huge fire broke out which destroyed many of the surrounding shops and almost destroyed the Red Theater. In May 2001 what was left of Hsimen market was demolished leaving the site clear around the Red Theater for renovation of the two original Japanese buildings the Red house itself and the crucifix shaped one floor building to the rear.

The Red House Theater re-opened in 2002 as a cafe theater and performance venue and is run by the director of the Paper Windmill Theater group. It is also available to hire for private functions and to date it has been used for fashion shows, business and marketing seminars and more. The majority of the performances are in Chinese but the exhibitions and some of the performances are accessible to non-Mandarin speakers. The cafe and exhibition space downstairs is worth a visit just to see the building.

Opposite the market (which is currently being re-built) are some interesting shops that have survived the downtown of the local economy. Two in particular deserve attention and are located in Xining South Road. The first is Little Garden a shoe shop, making original Shanghai style embroidered shoes and this is the only shop in Taipei that still does. Revered by Japanese tourists who list the shop in their tour guides it's a must see in Taipei. The shoes themselves were used as slippers, traditionally when playing mahjong as they are light and comfortable as well as being extremely attractive. The current owner of this shop is third generation Chinese from Shanghai where the family business started in 1936. In 1949 the family moved to Taipei during the KMT retreat. The shoes used to be hand embroidered, but these are dying skills and whilst some shoes are hand sown many are made instead with pre-embroidered brocade. The display as you enter the shop is dazzling and it would be difficult to choose just one pair from the display and starting at just NT$500 a pair these shoes scream buy me, own me, wear me.
Just a couple of doors away from the rainbow world of Shanghai shoes is a traditional Chinese apothecary. As I approached this shop I couldn't help noticing the smell of a familiar spice in the air. I searched the window display for affirmation, and found tins of Spanish saffron. The owner explained that Saffron is known locally as Rat flour and is thought to be good for improving blood circulation and is taken orally. I hastily purchased a tin in the knowledge that this would end up in a glistening fish stew or paella.

Dressing up and getting down

Walking up Han Chung Street you will come across the costume hire and ballet shops. Tap shoes, leather ballet pumps, adorable tutus for budding ballerinas all compete for business in this location. You'll also find great fitness outfits in sizes up to extra large (in the Asian sense) so most people will find something that's comfortable. Ballroom dancers, cheerleaders and aerobics fans are all catered for here. For fancy dress parties there are half a dozen shops that sell or hire an amazing range of outfits, from a Chinese warrior complete with long plaits to the latest Disney Character the options are endless. Go with friends and try lots of different outfits even if you don't have a fancy dress party to go to, its good therapy!

Formosan tea, coffee and cookies

As you continue to wander around the adjacent streets where you'll find Cheng Tu Road and a shop selling loose Formosan teas (grown exclusively on their own plantations in Taiwan). This is a charming shop thathas not had a refit since it opened. On the counter are two old fashioned weighing scales which are still used, the tea is stored in large green enamel canisters. The prices are competitive with a product list available in English. The green tea I bought here is full of flavor and I am becoming addicted to the taste and the enjoyment of seeing it unfold from the tightest tangle to perfect green leaves as it brews.

Next door two coffee shops also from the same era and both untouched for decades. When I first stood in front of these shops the smell of the coffee and the displays of related equipment transported me to the old part of Lisbon or a street in Madrid for a second. Huge jars of cookies line the counter and at one shop iced coffee being prepared for the afternoon. This was a fascinating set up of two large glass containers with a tube of fresh ground coffee in the center. Ice was packed into the top and cold water poured through. The coffee in the center so tightly packed that the water will simply drip through very slowly taking with it the volatile flavor compounds from the coffee to fill the receptacle beneath it. Cookies of all shapes and sizes were packed in the glass cabinets below, made from mung beans, almonds, red beans and taro they looked stunning lined up with regimental accuracy.

These are just a few of the remaining original shops as this area became so dilapidated that in the early 1990s the ruling party started a clean up project to bring some order to what had become a shanty town of decaying buildings and street markets. Other interesting relics spotted on my tour included a shop (52 Neijiang Street) that sold and sharpens knives and scissors, until now I had no idea of the extent to different styles available for removing hair from various parts of the body for animals and humans ! Also on the same street at number 18 was four floors of catering equipment, huge steamers, saucepans, chopping boards and more in enormous piles. Close by another shop selling all the disposable items you'll ever need.

Today modern paved areas with a central circle (which is used for street performances) and purpose built shops have replaced the chaos. This is one of a few pedestrian areas in Taipei, which has improved the street scene beyond recognition and has transformed the area into a dynamic ghetto for teenagers and students. Music performances on the street in the dedicated circle especially at the weekends are the norm and on my last visit a rap group V2 (ex TAS students) who host a cable music station were recording material for their show. Funky clothes shops, nail artists, body piercers, tattoo parlors and one off cafes and restaurants are all mixed together in a cocktail of cool. Stay on the main drag and you just find the usual high street outlets that can afford the rent but take any of the network of lanes and alleys and the true delights of this area will unfold. Loud music, outrageous clothes, Japanese twee-ness and energy all combine to give this area its contageous appeal and the price tags make shopping here a reality for student budgets.

Although a lot of the items for sale here are definitely geared towards the teenage market a few gems stand out. Two Brushes on Cheng Tu Road which deserves a thorough rummage as it has some great linen and lycra cotton shirts some of which were very stylish plus some wacky evening trousers, some in Chinese brocade.

A visit to the Red House and its exhibition center is an interesting outing in its own right if you are into fashion and groovy clothes. The crucifix market and a project to make a garden square in front of the theater is still currently in progress and will be completed soon. A huge bonus of a visit to Hsimenting is the ease of finding it. Unlike some places in Taipei which have had me compass and map in hand and mobile phone stuck to my ear there is no such problem as the MRT throws you out of the train at the epicenter.

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