Wanhua District

Coordinates: 25°02′00″N 121°28′59″E / 25.0333°N 121.483°E / 25.0333; 121.483
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"Wanhua" redirects here. For other uses, see Wanhua (disambiguation).
Wanhua
萬華區
District
Wanhua District
Ximending (Hsimenting) (西門町)
Ximending (Hsimenting) (西門町)
Wanhua District in Taipei City
Wanhua District in Taipei City
CountryRepublic of China (Taiwan)
RegionWestern Taipei
Divisions
List
  • 36 villages
  • 720 neighborhoods
Area
 • Total8.8522 km2 (3.4179 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 10th of 12
Population
 (January 2023)
 • Total173,209[1]
 • RankRanked 9th of 12
Postal code
108
Websitewhdo.gov.taipei Edit this at Wikidata (in Chinese)
Wanhua District
Traditional Chinese萬華區
Bangka / Monga (native name)
Chinese艋舺

Wanhua District (Chinese: 萬華區; pinyin: Wànhuá Qū), known in Taiwanese Hokkien as Báng-kah khu (Chinese: 艋舺區) and historically as "Monga" or "Monka", is a district in Taipei, Taiwan. It is Taipei's oldest district. The district is home to historic buildings such as the Bangka Lungshan Temple, an iconic historic temple, and the Red House Theater, the first and largest teahouse and playhouse in Taiwan. Taipei's oldest garment district is also located in the district; it is in a state of urban decay.[citation needed]

Overview[edit]

Wanhua District was the first district in Taipei to undergo economic development; as such many of the buildings and cultural sites in the region are older than those in surrounding districts. The large number of temples in this area is attributed to its prosperous past originating from the Qing era. The district can be divided into three sections: northern, central, and southern.[2] The northern area, including Ximending, has become home to many shopping centers and is popular among the younger generation. Central Wanhua is known for its historical sites – including Lungshan Temple, Qingshui Temple, Qingshan Temple and Bopiliao Historic Street – traditional shopping, and local snacks. Southern Wanhua is mainly a residential area with a wide city park, also known as the Youth Park.

Wanhua District is divided up into 36 villages (里) and 722 neighborhoods (鄰). In recent years, the population in the district has been in decline. It also has a higher concentration of mainlanders.[citation needed] Nevertheless, this district continues to be treasured by many as it is representative of some of Taipei's richest historical cultures – for example, the annual temple rituals held at Qingshan Temple, also known as the Qing Shan King Sacrificial Ceremony. This is a grand religious fiesta and celebration that involves a procession within Wanhua District for three consecutive nights.[citation needed]

Etymology[edit]

Wanhua is the Mandarin Chinese pronunciation of Banka (Japanese: 萬華), a name coined by the Japanese because of its phonetic resemblance to the area's former name in Taiwanese Hokkien (Chinese: 艋舺; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Báng-kah).[3] Spellings used in English works circa 1900 include Banka, Manka[4] and Bang-kah.[5] The old Taiwanese Hokkien name possibly derives from bangka (bangka), the Austronesian word from one of the northern Formosan languages for a kind of "outrigger canoe". This is also attributed to the location of Wanhua, which is beside the Tamsui River and was once a prosperous trading port.[citation needed]

History[edit]

Qing Dynasty[edit]

In the late Qing era, Hobe (modern-day Tamsui District) was the treaty port of northern Taiwan, whereas the trade was conducted at Bangka. Therefore, in 1862, the British Consulate succeeded in extending the limits of the port up the Tamsui River to include Banka, which was more than 10 miles (16 km) from the port.[6] Bangka was the largest and most important city of northern Formosa, thoroughly Chinese, and, in the initial experience of missionary George Leslie Mackay, intensely anti-foreign.[7]

Empire of Japan[edit]

In the early 20th century, with a population of about 27,000, Banka was Taiwan's third most populous city, following the nearby suburb of Daitōtei.[8] Both cities were part of the Taihoku (Taipei) capital area but outside of the city proper, which was occupied mainly by the Japanese official class.[9]

Republic of China[edit]

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, the area where Wanhua District covers now used to consist of Longshang District (龍山區) and Shuangyuan District (雙園區). In 1990, the two districts merged and formed Wanhua District.[citation needed]

Tourism and shopping[edit]

Near the famous Lungshan Temple is the Snake Alley Night Market. The market once served snake and turtle delicacies, but changed its focus to seafood upon protest from animal rights groups and environmental groups. The area is also the site of Taipei's former red-light district. Prostitution was outlawed in the 1990s although prostitutes can still be readily found.[citation needed] Today, the night markets are famous among both tourists and locals alike as they present a wide array of local delicacies at affordable prices.[citation needed]

Ximending, another main attraction of Wanhua, serves as a fashionable shopping center and as Taipei's main movie theater district.[citation needed]

Night markets, a staple of Taiwanese culture, are widespread in the district and include the Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market, Xichang Street Night Market, Guangzhou Street Night Market, Wuzhou Street Night Market, and Nanjichang Night Market.[2] In addition, the district has many streets in which traders specialize in items such as herbs, jewelry, hardware, and home furnishings.[citation needed]

The district is also home to the Huannan Market, Taipei First Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market, Taipei First Poultry Wholesale Market, and Taipei Fishery Wholesale Market.[2] It can be said to be Taipei's center for fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats.[citation needed]

Other tourist attractions include the Heritage and Culture Education Center of Taipei City, Qingyunge Art, Wanhua Lin's Mansion and Ximending Mazu Temple.[citation needed]

Education[edit]

Medical Institutions[edit]

High schools[edit]

Junior high schools[edit]

Elementary schools[edit]

Other schools[edit]

Transportation[edit]

Wanhua is served by Longshan Temple and Ximen metro stations of the Taipei Metro. The Taiwan Railways Administration's Western Line has one station in the district, Wanhua Station.[citation needed]

Important roads, highways, and bridges include:

Notable natives[edit]

Movies filmed in Wanhua[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "103年01月各里人口數戶數統計表" (PDF). 萬華區戶政事務所. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
  2. ^ a b c "About Wanhua District". Taipei City Government. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  3. ^ Mair, V. H. (2010). "How to Forget Your Mother Tongue and Remember Your National Language".
  4. ^ Davidson, James W. (1903). The Island of Formosa, Past and Present. London and New York: Macmillan. Index p.3. OCLC 1887893. OL 6931635M. Banka (Manka)
  5. ^ Mackay, George L. (1896). From Far Formosa: the island, its people and missions. New York: F. H. Revell. p. 341. ISBN 978-0-665-54653-2. OL 17959135M.
  6. ^ Davidson (1903), p. 175-6.
  7. ^ Mackay (1896), p. 164.
  8. ^ Takekoshi, Yosaburō (1907). "Chapter XIII: Population and future development of the island resources". Japanese rule in Formosa. London: Longmans, Green, and co. p. 200. OCLC 753129. OL 6986981M.
  9. ^ Chamberlain, B.; Mason, W.B. (1903). A Handbook for Travellers in Japan (7th ed.). London: J. Murray. p. 550. OL 25302448M.
  10. ^ Home. Taipei Korean Elementary School. March 14, 2008. Retrieved on September 21, 2015.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wanhua District, Taipei.
Look up Wanhua in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.


25°02′00″N 121°28′59″E / 25.0333°N 121.483°E / 25.0333; 121.483

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