Luzhou Temple Night Market (Image Business District) Introduction
Luzhou, formerly known as "He Shang Zhou" or "Heshangzhou," is a sandbar located along the Tamsui River. The banks are overgrown with reeds, where small fish and shrimp swim freely, and herons gather to forage, which is why it is also called "Luzhou" (Heron Island). During the blooming season of the reeds, the fluffy flowers drift gently in the wind, and the white herons soar gracefully at low altitude. This picturesque natural scene has historically been referred to as "Reed Moonlight." Due to contesting land with water, which was not conducive to agriculture, Luzhou became one of the later developed areas in the Taipei Basin. The Li family from Tong'an County in Quanzhou, Fujian, was one of the earlier groups to cultivate this sandbar, but their efforts were not fruitful. The agricultural conditions in Luzhou improved only after the Tamsui River gradually began to silt. After years of hard work by the Li family, they built a large residence in 1903 that covered over a thousand pings, which is now known as the Luzhou Li Residence located on Zhongzheng Road. Forty years prior to the completion of the Li Residence in 1861, two monks from the Putuo Mountain Xianxiu Temple in Zhejiang took the statue of Guanyin and sailed out to beg for alms, encountering a typhoon and docking in the Tamsui area. This coincidence led them to build a temple in Luzhou for worship, known as Yonglian Temple. Yonglian Temple thrives with worshippers, and the surrounding area gradually developed into Luzhou's earliest commercial street, extending towards Desheng Street and Chenggong Road, forming a business district primarily focused on traditional retail, commonly referred to as the "Temple Market Area." With the completion of the MRT, modern Luzhou is now connected to Taipei City, enhancing transportation convenience. Various markets at different times of the day—morning, noon, and night—allow visitors to purchase items or enjoy local delicacies at any time. The bustling Luzhou Temple Street, centered around Yonglian Temple, has transformed the surrounding streets into markets: the morning serves as a vegetable market, afternoons see life’s necessities sold, while nights turn into a bustling night market for snacks. Many famous old establishment eateries even operate all day. The lively atmosphere with three markets a day attracts a continuous flow of people. Don’t forget to try the famous "Cut Noodles," which are known for their rich, thick pork bone broth, paired with noodles that are just the right texture, providing a refreshing taste that leaves a lasting impression, along with a variety of rich-flavored side dishes, making it suitable for either a main meal or a snack.
