Taiwan Food Atlas

Xinpi Jiangong Old Street

The earliest settlement of Liudui Houdui — Japanese-era brick buildings and Hakka streetscape layered with history
📍 Pingtung · Xinpi Township, Jiangong Village⛩️ Historic Sites & Temples🔖 Hakka Old Street

Jiangong Village is the earliest Hakka settlement developed in Xinpi Township, and a commercial street layout had formed here during the Qing dynasty. The district retains some Japanese-era brick shophouses with facades that show a Showa-period blend of Hokkien and modernist styles. Xinpi Township belongs to the Houdui (rear detachment) area of the Liudui Hakka community; the old street space of Jiangong Village is a microcosm of the Houdui's historical development.

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

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Look for Details on the Brick ShophousesJapanese-era shophouses are concentrated mostly along the core section of the old street. Note the window frame carvings and decorative elements at the tops of the gables — key clues for dating the buildings.
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Walk the Arcaded StreetThe arcaded shophouses provide shaded passageways; stroll along the arcade to feel the spatial scale and compare the facade materials of different eras.
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Talk with Local EldersMany Jiangong Village residents are Hakka descendants; you may hear oral recollections of the Houdui's development history — an important supplement to written records.
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Quiet Exploration with Low CrowdsVisiting on a non-holiday, non-festival day allows you to absorb the old street's atmosphere in peace without placing excessive pressure on the environment.

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.

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