| Wanhua District | |||
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Ximending (Hsimenting) (西門町) |
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| Old name: Bangka (艋舺) | |||
| Region | Western Taipei | ||
| Director | Hong-Yi Wang (王鴻裕) | ||
| Area ■ Total |
Ranked 10th of 12 8.8522 km² |
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| Population ■ Total ■ Density |
Ranked 9th of 12 187,241[1] 21,151/km² |
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| Villages (里; li) | 36 | ||
| Neighborhoods (鄰; lin) | 725 | ||
| ROC zip code | 108 | ||
| Template ■ Discussion ■ WikiProject Taiwan | |||
Wanhua District (Chinese: 萬華區; pinyin: Wànhúa Qū; Wade–Giles: Wan-hua Chü; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Báng-kah-khu), known in Taiwanese as Bangka a.k.a Monga, is Taipei City's oldest district. The district is home to historic buildings such as Longshan Temple, Taipei's oldest temple, and the Red House Theater, the first and largest teahouse and playhouse in Taiwan. Taipei's oldest, but decaying, garment district is also here.
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Wanhua District was Taipei's first district to undergo economic development, but also has many old buildings and cultural sites. 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 (like Longshan Temple), traditional shopping, and local snacks. Southern Wanhua is mainly a residential area with a wide city 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. The district also has population aging and obesity issues compared to other districts. It also has a higher concentration of mainland Chinese.
Wanhua is the Mandarin Chinese reading of the Japanese kanji 萬華 (manka), which were coined for their phonetic resemblance to the Taiwanese name 艋舺 (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: báng-kah).[3] In turn báng-kah is thought to be derived from an even older Austronesian word bangca (bangka), meaning canoe.
Near the famous Longshan Temple is the Huaxi (Huahsi) Street Tourist Night Market (also known as "Snake Alley"). The market once served snake and turtle delicacies, but changed its focus to seafood upon protest from animal and environmental groups. The area is also the site of Taipei's former "red light district". The place has been largely cleaned up since prostitution was outlawed in the 1990s, though prostitutes can still be readily found.
Ximending (Hsimenting), another main attraction of Wanhua, serves as a counter-culture, trendy shopping center and as Taipei's main movie theater district.
Night markets, a staple of Taiwanese culture, are everywhere. Night markets in the district 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 specialized streets that specialize in different items such as herbs, jewelry, hardware, and home furnishings.
The district is also home to three wholesale markets: the 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.
Wanhua is served by the Taipei Metro Banqiao Line and Xiaonanmen Line. The Taiwan Railway Administration's Western Line has one station in the district (Wanhua Station).
Important roads, highways, and bridges include:
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