Shilin Night Market

The Shilin Night Market is a night market in the Shilin District of Taipei City, Taiwan, often considered to be the largest and most famous night market in the city. Like most night markets in Taiwan, the local businesses and vendors begin opening around 4 p.m. as students begin returning home from school, crowds reach their peak between 8 and 11 p.m. Businesses continue operating well past midnight and close around 1 to 2 a.m.

Historical development

The night market is located near the former location of a wharf on the Keelung River, agricultural produce from farms in Shihlin being shipped to other ports such as Banka and Dadaocheng would typically be sold in this area. The daytime Shilin Market was formally established in this area in 1909. With the influx of customers, many new businesses and food vendors began to establish themselves in the area and the Shilin Night Market was born.

Shilin Night Market has since become the largest and most well known night market in Taiwan, especially with regards to food, and is a favorite focal point for Taipei's night life among residents and visitors alike. The night market encompasses two distinct sections sharing a symbiotic relationship: a section formerly housed in the old Shihlin Market building containing mostly food vendors and small eateries; and the surrounding businesses and shops selling other nonfood items.

Tourist traffic has been boosted in recent years with the opening of the MRT system. The night market is in close proximity to Jiantan Station on the Danshui Line (confusingly, Shilin Station is located further away). Due to safety, sanitation, and fire hazard concerns, the old Shilin Market structure was demolished in October 2002 by the Taipei City Government; the food vendors formerly based within the old structure were relocated to a newer temporary structure a few hundred meters away next to the MRT Jiantan Station.

Most famous foods

*Fried chicken steak (炸雞排)
*Small bun wrapped in large bun (大餅包小餅)
*Fried buns (生煎包)
*Peanut candy (花生糖)
*Oyster omelet (蚵仔煎)
*Tempura (天婦羅)
*Lemon aiyu jelly (檸檬愛玉)
*Pearl tea (青蛙下蛋)
*Bubble tea (珍珠奶茶)
*Braised stinky tofu (紅燒臭豆腐)

ee also

*Night markets in Taiwan
*List of night markets in Taiwan
*Republic of China

External links & references

* [http://www.taipeitravel.net/B/b0101.asp?pcode=2&indexId=77&mrtId=0&uid=2943 Taipei Travel Net]
* [http://www.tabitabi-taipei.com/youyou/200304/index.php Guide to Shilin Night Market (Japanese)]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=18&ll=25.086566,121.525376&spn=0.0036,0.005665&t=k Google Maps]
* [http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/3095354/8807780 BBC Food-Ching He Huang]