Xin Nan Old Street Introduction
If Peace Old Street is like a mainstream song that is still sung today, then Xin Nan Old Street is the independent music of Daxi, not overly bustling but exuding a unique artistic atmosphere that spreads a wonderful charm, making it unforgettable once experienced. The beauty of this old lane is exclusively for the literary youth, with heart-fluttering old memories waiting for you to visit and listen. Xin Nan Old Street, also known as Zhongshan Old Street, is only 500 meters away from Peace Old Street. Unlike the crowded merchants on Peace Old Street, Xin Nan Old Street has been a prestigious area of mansions that integrated politics, economy, and culture since the late Qing Dynasty to the Japanese colonial period. Public institutions such as the Qing Dynasty's Land Reclamation Office, the county office during the Japanese era, post office, elementary school, public hall, and martial arts hall congregated here, resembling today's Taipei "Boai Special Zone." Residents of this area were either wealthy or distinguished; rich merchants like Jian A-Niu, Kato Rinzaku, and scholar Lu Ying-Yang were prominent families of the time. On the odd-numbered side of the old street were the residences of the wealthy, while the even-numbered side housed workers' lodgings, warehouses, and common residences, vividly reflecting the wealth gap. In contrast to Peace Old Street, the street facades of Xin Nan Old Street are more grand and luxurious, showcasing a mix of Western and Eastern Baroque style. Each archway seems to compete in being ostentatious. The most eye-catching "Jian Cheng Commercial House" was the residence of the wealthy Jian A-Niu, featuring a foreign store sign in Romanized characters, a brass-covered central dome, symmetrical gables, and Western-style columns, with a width three times that of an ordinary storefront, highlighting the affluent Jian family's wealth. The adjacent "Yong Chun" and "Xian Ji" archways belong to the prominent Lu family mansion, with a peacock displaying its feathers on the gable, imposing Chinese auspicious carvings such as the Aoy fish, Qilin, and elements like chess, calligraphy, painting that exhibit clever design—all reportedly covered with canvas during construction to prevent imitation. Xin Nan Old Street is also home to prestigious families who moved to Daxi, such as "Wu Yi Old Clan" and "Long Tang Clan," embodying nostalgia for their hometown. Today, with the decline of the affluent families and their descendants moving away from Daxi, the luxurious street houses now only retain their facade and archways to witness the passage of time. The next time you visit Daxi, consider turning into Zhongshan Road, where every house tells a story, and meet the once prosperous Daxi.
