Shifen (十分), Jiufen (九份). Sap-hoon, kiu-hoon. Chap-hoon, kau-hoon. Ten portions, nine portions. That was how those two places on the Taiwanese map got their names. The story goes that originally there were 10 families living in Shifen and nine families in Jiufen. Whenever supplies arrived, they were divided into 10 and nine portions respectively for distribution to these families. Amazing that these settlements were named after this practical method of ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
In Jiufen, the reason for people settling there more than a hundred years ago was the prospecting of gold in the highlands. The gold rush lasted several decades from the 1890s till the 1970s. When the last mine shut. the town quickly went into decline and was mostly forgotten. Jiufen experienced a surge in tourism during the early 1990s as a result of it being the location for a local film, which ultimately transformed the place into a popular tourist destination centering on their Old Street. Soon, retro Chinese-style cafes, traditional tea houses and souvenir shops sprung up.
After Shifen, a 45-minute bus ride took us to the Jiufen Old Street. Although the guide told us that there would be steps to climb, nothing prepared us for the endless number that confronted us. After a while, I simply lost count of the number of steps. Our attention was diverted to the activities around us. Lining the old passageways on the hilly slopes were shophouses offering various types of Taiwanese street food. There were restaurants, coffee joints and souvenir shops. People were darting in and out of these shops. We asked and were taken to visit a tea shop. We had our taro balls while enjoying our view of the Shen-ao bay in the far distance. And soon, we had to make our way back to the parking lot. Down the countless steps again, this time walking more gingerly than when we walked up. All in, an interesting afternoon.
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