Hsimengding

During early colonial period under Japanese rule, Hsimengding covered about 40 hectares and had only 300 families with total 5,000 residents. Over years accumulated water resulted to poor public hygiene. Till Danshue River left bank dike construction completed, the river flow backward problem was finally solved. And then the authorities proceeded large scale 'Mungchia Basin' land fill project that contributed to close connection among street blocks of Mungchia, Dadaocheng and Taipei Downtown.

After land fill construction completed, Japanese relocated to Hsimengding and formed so-called 'Inland People Street.' The center was the eight-sided hall at Hsimeng Market. While the night was coming down, vendors gathered here. In addition to restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, theaters and film houses run by inland people, this street block developed a prosperous district. Many pretty dress-up geishas lived here, too. Thus, this district had a sort of red light district atmosphere.

After World War II, Hsimengding was once filled with unlicensed buildings everywhere because a large influx of soldiers and civilians from Mainland China settled down here. In 1961 Chunghwa Shopping Mall was built with the height of three floors and the length of 1,700 meters. Since then, the mall changed the appearance of Hsimengding, and neon was glittering all night. Hsimengding, then, merged in flourishing downtown area. Shanghai folks invested and ran department stores that pushed Hsimengding toward its peak. Wuchang Street was nicknamed as 'Movie Street.' Film houses at this street attracted a lot of people and made peripheral industries of apparel, entertainment, retailing, department stores and hotels flourishing. At that time, Hsimengding was the commercial and entertainment center of the country and became a sleepless town.

Hsimengding once declined during 1990s because various transportation projects were under construction, Chunghwa Mall was leveled, and the center of Taipei moved eastward. After the authorities reconstruct Hsimeng Pedestrian Zone and Taipei Mass Rapid Transportation starts service, MRT Hsimeng Station becomes the main stop only second to Taipei Rail Station. A variety of activities are held here. Major film houses are renovated. Reborn Hsimengding attracts more large stores to open new outlets. Again Hsimengding becomes the first choice destination for teenagers to hang out.