New Taipei City Travel

When it comes to walled cities in Taiwan, the first places most people think of are Tainan City, Taipei City, and Hengchun Township. The gates of these cities, which were built by officials, still have their gates and even some of their walls, and some of them have had MRT stops named after them (Beimen [north gate] Station, Ximen [west gate] Station or the Taipei MRT line), and are a shared memory among present-day Taiwanese people. But did you know that there is also a walled city in Banqiao, the prime district of New Taipei City?When going from the MRT Fuzhong Station to the Lin Family Mansion and Garden, perceptive travelers will notice that the streetlights in this area are particularly old fashioned, and that they are labelled “Fangqiao Walled City.” On top of that, when looking down, you can see the words “City Border” on the street tiles. The ancient Fangqiao Walled City had five city gates, just like Taipei; additionally, its history is even better known than that of Taipei, primarily due to two major factors that led to the establishment of the city: the Lin family of Banqiao and the Zhang-Quan fighting.Back in the Qing Dynasty, there were frequent fights between Zhangzhou and Quanzhou immigrants; in order to defend themselves from the Quanzhou immigrants, the Banqiao Lin family, who originally came from Zhangzhou, built the Fangqiao Walled City in 1855, stretching out to present-day Ximen [west gate] Street, Beimen [north gate] Street, Nanmen [south gate] Street, and Guanqian West Road. However, during the Japanese occupation, the city was demolished to make place for traffic. Nevertheless, the temples located in the area still show traces of the old city. Cihui Mazu templeLocated at the east side of the Fangqiao Walled City is the most popular Mazu temple in the Banqiao District. The temple is decorated on both the inside and the outside with fragmented ceramic art, sculptures, and color paintings, and the highly refined temple buildings are richly ornamented. In addition, the temple is a popular place for people to pray for prosperity, and local business magnates such as the Banqiao Lin family are all frequent visitors. If you look carefully, you can even find a dragon pillar bearing the business name of the Lin family.Banqiao Jieyun TempleThe Jieyun Temple and the Xinzhuang Dizang Temple, both located near the west gate of Fangqiao Walled City, are historically related to the Zhang-Quan fights; the Dizang Temple was built by the Banqiao gentry to commemorate the Zhangzhou people who died in the altercations. The Jieyun Temple, which is on the other side, was formerly known as the Zhonghe Ciyunyan Temple, but was destroyed during the armed struggles, and its remains were taken over by the Banqiao Jieyun Temple. Its collection contains many precious ancient plaques and scrolls, and there are many wood carvings of flying immortals wrapped in gold foil on both sides of the roof as well as in the main hall, which are very spectacular. The caisson ceiling has a special long oval design, and is of great historical and religious value.Banqiao Diyi TempleThe only one of the four temples to have been a city-designated temple, the Diyi Temple, was built by the Banqiao Lin family to commemorate the people who died fighting; it is also known as the Yuanshuai Temple. In 2021, after it was restored, the temple opened up for the public by appointment. The paintings of the Door Gods and the Qilin murals inside are all made by master painter Mr. Cai Longjin, the winner of the New Taipei Cultural Award. Next time you are in Banqiao, on your way to the Lin Family Mansion and Garden, slow down and closely follow the inscriptions on the ground to explore the former Walled City, and enter the temples to admire the exquisite paintings and craftmanship, and explore the past life of the city!

New Taipei City is renowned for its thriving industries, notably the long-established ceramic industry in Yingge, which has evolved since the Qing Dynasty, and the mining industry in Ruifang. During the export-oriented policy of the 1960s, light industries such as food, textiles, electronics, and others began to flourish. Factories congregated in Sanchong, Wugu, Xinzhuang, Banqiao, and Tucheng along Provincial Highways 1 and 3, contributing to the so-called "Taiwan Economic Miracle". As industries progressed, changes in labor costs and environmental consciousness prompted a gradual outward migration of manufacturing activities. In response to these shifts, some factories underwent a government-guided transformation into tourism-centric establishments, aiming to present traditional industries to citizens in a lively and enjoyable manner. Today, these locations have become popular leisure destinations for families, offering them opportunities to deepen their knowledge and create souvenirs through do-it-yourself (DIY) experiences. This chapter will introduce 8 tourism factories in different fields to satisfy the interests of travelers.【Sanchong】​​Beer Head Tourist BreweryEstablished in the spring of 2015 in Sanchong, the Taiwan Head Brewers, also recognized as the Beer Head, stands as the inaugural craft beer brewery tourism factory in Taipei City and New Taipei City. Spanning nearly 1000 ping, it is situated adjacent to the Xianse Temple MRT station and the Xingfu MRT Station of the Circular Line. The Beer Head prides itself on using primarily local ingredients in its beer production. Its notable offering is the "Twenty-four Solar Terms" beer series, which skillfully infused with Taiwan’s winter melon sugar, Changhua’s Jasmine tea, Pingtung’s cocoa, oriental beauty tea, and various other regional flavors. These beers are crafted to deliver enjoyable brews that capture the distinctive tastes of the island. The Taiwan Head Brewers offers professional tours guided by highly experienced brewers, providing travelers with an in-depth observation of the various beer brewing stages. Visitors can also pour a perfect pint of fresh beer themselves and can their creation under the brewer's guidance to take home!【Sanchong】Indian DIY LeathercraftTaiwan was once a stronghold of the pigskin leather industry but gradually declined due to the rise of environmental awareness and the outward migration of manufacturing activities. Established during this wave of industrial transformation, the Indian DIY Leathercraft is committed to promoting green, non-toxic, eco-friendly, and naturally vegetable-tanned leather crafts, including materials packs, hardware accessories, dyes, and finishing agents in various products. During the tour, professional tour guides will not only provide insights into the history and process of leather production but also offer the opportunity for travelers to engage in a do-it-yourself (DIY) activity, creating their own fashionable leather accessories using this ancient method, which is the oldest known leather-making technique!【Wugu】Fengde Tourism FactorySituated within the New Taipei Industrial Park, Fende is the first food company that began its business from a legally operated slaughterhouse. Apart from having its business scope extended to the supply of pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetables, Fende has also developed a “food and agriculture education”-themed tourism facility dedicated to promoting domestic agricultural products, fostering healthy dietary habits, and cultivating an appreciation for food. The factory is established with a transparent vegetable-and-fruit corridor and a production visiting area, allowing visitors to learn about the process from food processing to packaging and distribution. It also lively presents all kinds of food ingredients in front of visitors through interactive AR and VR guided teachings for them to do FUN DIY activities (such as making colorful mochi, shaking rice balls, and creating red tortoise cake) while enjoying the fun of cuisine.【Bali】PopSmile Popcorn Tourism FactoryRecognized as one of Taiwan's leading brands of flavored popcorn, PopSmile has opened Asia’s first popcorn tourism factory on the left bank of the Tamsui River in Bali. With a vibrant ambiance embellished with colorful themes, the tourism factory features an American small-town setting, making it irresistible for visitors to refrain from capturing photos with their mobile phones. Led by professional tour guides, travelers can explore the history and evolution of popcorn, acquire related life knowledge, and discover the advanced AI automation technology used in production lines. Visitors can also engage in entertaining interactive games and DIY activities. It is a must-visit destination for popcorn enthusiasts.【Linkou】Prince Creative Stationery KingdomPrince Stationery has long been dedicated to the eraser industry and hastened the production of Taiwan's first yellow-barrel ballpoint pen, creating the brand of “high-quality stationery from Taiwan”. Prince Creative Stationery transformed part of its factory site into a tourism facility, becoming the new highlight of Linkou’s tourism scene. Let's follow its mascot, Duke, into the “Time Tunnel of Eraser” and “Celebrity’s Stationery Treasure Box” to catch a glimpse of the eraser production process. Visitors can also create cute and creative stationery using completely non-toxic, eco-friendly materials, providing both adults and children with a delightful and memorable experience.【Yingge】Hsin-Wang Shu Ceramics Memorial MuseumYingge is the capital of ceramics in Taiwan and was home to thousands of ceramic factories during its heyday. Established in 1926, Hsin-Wang Shu Ceramics witnessed the rise and down of of Yingge’s ceramic industry. The Hsin-Wang Shu Ceramics Memorial Museum was established in 2010 and became the first tourism factory that passed the evaluation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The museum has preserved various historical artifacts, including antique-grade gas kilns, kick wheels, and other pottery-making equipment. The experiencing zone is divided into hand-pulling clay, hand-pinching pottery, glaze painting, and mosaic collage experiencing areas, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the joy of creating ceramics.【Tucheng】Wang Ding Time Arts MuseumHave you ever wondered why time appears different everywhere when you travel overseas? Wang Ding, established in 1984, invested significant resources in collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and even sought expertise in Switzerland to develop the "World Time Zone Clock Movement". In 2012, Wang Ding established a time-themed arts museum to explore how the global time zones are determined and the assembly and production process of quartz watches. In the DIY zone, visitors can have an in-depth experience assembling quartz clock movements and designing products in their own style using the craftsmanship of watchmakers, which is both fun and educational!【Banqiao】Yumeeiren Garment Tourism FactoryYumeeiren initially operated as a ready-made garment factory and later transformed into a supplier of maternity clothing and related products. This long-standing clothing factory has been established for over half a century and has endured the decline of traditional industries and the impact of Taiwan’s declining birth rates. Despite these challenges, it continues to insist on maintaining the production line for maternity clothing catered to expectant mothers. From design to production and finally to the finished products, everything originates from Yumeeiren’s factories. It's the first maternity clothing company to receive MIT certification. Come visit the Yumeeiren Garment Tourism Factory to understand the process of creating ready-made garments, try making do-it-yourself baby clothing and fashion T-shirts. Moreover, all family members can also wear the unique, specially weighted maternity clothes available exclusively in Taiwan to experience the weight that mothers carry during their ten-month pregnancy journey.