Night markets in Taiwan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Night markets in Taiwan are similar to those in China and other areas inhabited by ethnic Chinese such as Southeast Asia, and Chinatowns worldwide. A few such as Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market (or Snake Alley) utilize purpose-built marketplaces but most occupy either sidewalks (pavements) adjacent to streets or entire streets that are normal thoroughfares by day. Some night markets in smaller side streets or lanes feature retractable roofs. Most of the markets operate daily and feature a mixture of individual stalls hawking clothing, consumer goods, xiaochi (snacks or fast food; siaochi in Tongyong), and specialty drinks. The atmosphere is usually crowded and noisy with hawkers shouting and fast-paced music playing over loudspeakers.
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[edit] History
Chinese night markets appeared in history as early as the Tang dynasty but Taiwan saw large-scale development of such markets only after World War II. Prior to that time, small numbers of night vendors plied their goods but not on a scale necessary to be considered a night market. With the rising prosperity of the Taiwanese in the 1960s and 1970s and migration to cities, especially Taipei, many night markets sprang up to serve these populations. Since then, night markets have adjusted to changing income levels and trends. Merchandise has gradually improved in quality and pirated consumer merchandise has largely disappeared. Night markets remain popular in Taiwan but, in recent years, the rise of big-box retailers in Taiwan has seen a shift of some purchasing from night markets.
[edit] Night markets in Taiwan today
Night markets in Taiwan are known for their specialty xiaochi food items. Xiaochi translates roughly as "small eats" or substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas. Such foods are either served as carry-out or sometimes at small tables with stools for seating. Specific foods will often change from year to year with passing fads but staples such as oyster omelettes (蚵仔煎 ô-á-chian), chicken shawarma (沙威馬 shāwēimǎ), and stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chhàu tāu-hū) persist. In some cases, one city’s night markets or even one particular market can become famous for a particular type of food. For example, Tainan is known for its noodles (擔仔麵 tàⁿ-á-mī) and "coffin cakes" (棺材板 guāncáibǎn), bread in the shape of a coffin which has been hollowed out and stuffed.
Not only is food served in night markets, but also a lot of other products are sold. There are lots of items sold there; for example, clothes, bags, shoes, trinkets, ironware, etc. There are also some games; customers can play the games by paying a few coins.
Some of Taiwan’s more famous night markets include Shilin Night Market and Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market in Taipei, Fongchia Night Market in Taichung, Siaobei Night Market in Tainan, Liouho Night Market in Kaohsiung, and Miaokou (Temple Gate) Night Market in Keelung.
[edit] See also
[edit] References and further reading
Shuenn-Der Yu. "Hot and Noisy: Taiwan's Night Market Culture." The Minor Arts of Daily Life: Popular Culture in Taiwan. David K. Jordan, Andrew D. Morris, and Marc L. Moskowitz, eds. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawai'i Press, 2004.
