With the arrival of the Spring Festival, Taiwan’s traditional old street markets are welcoming bustling crowds of people. Dihua Street is the largest distribution center for north-south goods in Taiwan. The New Year Street event held here every year on the eve of the Spring Festi

Xinhua News Agency Taipei, January 24 (Reporters Huang Yang and Zhao Bo) With the arrival of the Spring Festival, Taiwan’s traditional old street markets are welcoming a lively crowd. Old streets are looking forward to new customers, old stores are adding new products, and people are making "new wishes"... The spring breeze brings warmth, and Taiwan's old streets and markets convey a "New Year's flavor" that is different from the past.

Dihua Street is the largest distribution center for north-south goods in Taiwan. The New Year Street event held here every year on the eve of the Spring Festival is the most representative of the market. During the Spring Festival this year, the "2023 Taipei New Year Goods Street" launched a series of cute rabbit mascots, and also arranged activities such as a lantern area to create blessings for the Year of the Rabbit, a lucky red envelope wall, and taking photos with cute rabbits to draw gifts. Xu Qingqi, chairman of the Taipei Dihua Business District Development Promotion Association, told reporters that before the Lunar New Year, the passenger flow of Dihua Street had exceeded one million, a significant increase compared with the past two years.

Before the Lunar New Year, Dihua Street in Taipei City is very busy (photo taken on January 13). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Yang

"I haven't seen such popularity for a long time." Xu Weifeng, who runs a candy and dessert shop on Dihua Street, said, "Although buying sentiment has improved, there is still a gap compared with before the epidemic." It is reported that there are more than 300 merchants participating in the New Year Street activities on Dihua Street this year. Many businesses are looking forward to the end of the epidemic and the return of mainland tourists, which will better drive business recovery.

Transporting goods, tidying up stalls, receiving guests... As the New Year approaches, 29-year-old Li Houde comes to his family's old store "Xin Yisheng" to help out as he did in previous years. Li Houde said that he grew up here and "witnessed the changes in New Year Street along the way."

He recalled that in the past, most people in Taipei would come to Dihua Street for shopping during the New Year and holidays. Later, with the emergence of large shopping malls and online shopping, and the impact of the epidemic, the number of customers during the New Year's Day was no longer what it used to be. How to operate the old store with a new look after the epidemic has become a question he often considers.

"We need new ideas to attract more tourists to spend." Li Houde cooperated with Internet celebrity stores this year to put trendy and exquisite rabbit-shaped desserts on the stalls, attracting the attention of many young tourists.

The Holiday Flower Market located near Renai Road in Taipei City is one of the oldest flower markets in Taipei. Not long ago, it just celebrated its 40th birthday. On the eve of the Lunar New Year, the holiday flower market is open for eight consecutive days to welcome the influx of people buying flowers.

"Every Spring Festival, the store's signature pineapples and Phalaenopsis sell very well, and this year is no exception." Chen Meiman, a florist who has been operating at the holiday flower market for 15 years, said that pineapples have a similar pronunciation to "wanglai" in the Hokkien dialect, while phalaenopsis means "luck comes" and represents the people's expectation for good fortune. This year, the store also added a new product, "Lucky Bamboo," which symbolizes "increasing heights." "I hope the good meaning will bring good business and good luck." Chen Meiman said.

Wu Dianyi, president of the holiday flower market, said that due to increased costs, the price of flowers has increased compared with previous years. However, people’s willingness to buy flowers to celebrate the New Year is still strong. The flower market has been open for several days, and the flower market is always crowded with people.

In the first month of the year, Mr. Dai, who lives in downtown Taipei, is busy organizing good wine and food to entertain the relatives and friends who come to visit. On the coffee table, two pots of newly purchased orchids are graceful and full of vitality. "Of course we should decorate our home with joy during the Chinese New Year. Everyone comes here to get together, lively and cheer each other up," Mr. Dai said.

In Taiwan, there is also the custom of "spring walking" at the beginning of the new year. Many people choose to visit old streets and ancient towns with their family and friends.

"Good health", "Success in job hunting", "Buy a house as soon as possible and have a family"... In Pingxi Town, New Taipei, Taiwan, walking along the locally famous Pingxi Old Street and Jingtong Old Street, you can see bamboo tubes filled with wishes hanging on the roadside, many of which are in new colors.

Guo Qingnong, who runs a shop next to Pingxi Station, told reporters that local legend says that if you write your wishes on a bamboo tube and hang it on the roadside, your wishes will come true. In addition, Pingxi has a tradition of setting off sky lanterns. During festive seasons, Pingxi becomes a tourist attraction for tourists to pray for blessings and make wishes.

Sky lanterns, also known as Kongming lanterns , were originally used for communication. They were brought to Taiwan by immigrants from Fujian during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. They were later used to pray for blessings and make wishes for peace. Pingxi has promoted sky lantern tourism since 1990, encouraging tourists to write their wishes on the sky lanterns. Today, Pingxi sky lanterns have become one of the symbols of Taiwan.

Guo Qingnong said that around the Spring Festival this year, red sky lanterns that pray for family safety and good health are the most popular, while orange sky lanterns that pray for social peace and smooth career have a huge market among young tourists.

During the Spring Festival, Pingxi also tried to add trendy elements to traditional culture, setting up lighting art installations in many local places, and creating special lighting, wishing trees, and light corridors based on the Year of the Rabbit theme, attracting young people from afar to take photos and "check in."

"Three, two, one, Happy New Year!" Accompanied by cheers, the three-five sky lanterns slowly rose, like stars, decorating the New Year's night sky with wishes.

Saying farewell to the old year in the old street, in front of the flowers under the lanterns, the smell of the new year is the expectation of the old going away and the new coming. Amidst the laughter, friendship remains, and what remains unchanged is the desire of relatives and friends from all over the world to reunite.