Jiangong Old Street is a Hakka settlement street in Jiangong Village, Xinpi Township, Pingtung County, part of the Zuodui (Left Detachment) area of the Liudui Hakka community. The district preserves the Jiangong Village East Gate (also known as Huaizhong Gate), built during the Qing Guangxu era and designated a national third-grade historic monument in 1985. The district also retains some Japanese-era brick shophouses with facades showing a Showa-period blend of Hokkien and modernist styles — a microcosm of Zuodui's historical development in Xinpi.
The Jiangong Village East Gate (also called Huaizhong Gate) was built during the Qing Guangxu era, one of the few surviving Hakka village defensive gate structures in Taiwan, and was designated a national third-grade historic monument in 1985. Within the Liudui Hakka system, Xinpi Township belongs to the Zuodui (Left Detachment), together with Jiadong Township — not the Houdui (Rear Detachment), which is actually the western half of Neipu Township.
Highlights of Jiangong Old Street
'Houdui' was the rear-support unit of the Liudui mutual-defense system; Xinpi Township played a logistical role within the Liudui defensive structure. Jiangong Village's streets formed in response to early commercial needs. The arcaded shophouses provided shade and throughway functions — a typical model of traditional commercial street space in small southern Taiwan towns. The Japanese-era brick buildings feature washed stone and red brick exterior walls as their main materials.
Jiangong Village is currently off the popular tourist circuit; commercial activity has quieted, the old street atmosphere is calm, and it suits travelers who enjoy unhurried exploration without the noise of crowds. Preservation of the old street is uneven — some shophouses have been altered — so approach with a mindset of searching for historical details rather than set expectations.
How to Make the Most of It
Practical Information
Getting There & Timing
- Primarily by private vehicle. Turn off Provincial Highway 1 onto Xinpi Township roads. Jiangong Village is not far from the Xinpi Township Office; parking is available on the township road.
- No direct public transport. Combine with nearby attractions to reduce single-trip transport costs.
Nearby Connections
- Jiadong Yang Clan Ancestral Hall is about 15 minutes from Xinpi; arrange a comparative visit to Houdui and Nandui (southern detachment) Hakka architecture.
- Fangshan Zhongxiao Bridge coastal scenery is about 30 minutes from Xinpi; link a mountain old street with a coastal highway for a cross-terrain route.
Sources: Xinpi Township Office historical and cultural records; facts provided by context. Photos pending Dio's on-site photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Liudui detachment does Jiangong Old Street belong to?
Jiangong Old Street is in Xinpi Township, which together with Jiadong Township belongs to the Zuodui (Left Detachment) of the Liudui system — not the Houdui (Rear Detachment), which is actually the western half of Neipu Township.
What is the Jiangong Village East Gate?
The Jiangong Village East Gate, also called Huaizhong Gate, was built during the Qing Guangxu era as a defensive gate for the Hakka settlement and was designated a national third-grade historic monument in 1985.
Is Jiangong Old Street still commercially active today?
Jiangong Village is currently off the popular tourist circuit; commercial activity has quieted, and some shophouses have been altered.
Sources
- 新埤建功東柵門｜開放博物館 — 建功庄東柵門建造年代（清光緒年間）與古蹟等級確認
- 六堆－維基百科 — 確認新埤鄉屬六堆左堆而非後堆（後堆為內埔鄉）