About Dihua Street
Dihua was opened in the 1850s, when merchants from Quanzhou moved here, and over the 19th century it became the address for medicinal herbs, textiles and incense supplies, as well as the processing of Taiwanese tea. That calling hasn't vanished: the surrounding area is still among the busiest commercial districts in Taipei.
The big moment of the year comes in the weeks before Lunar New Year, when the street becomes the place for festive shopping and the sidewalk is contested bag by bag. In the other months the stroll is more relaxed, good for admiring the old facades, the target of preservation efforts, and for browsing the shops without the jostling.
