Shiding Old Street Introduction
Shihding Old Street is the earliest developed area in the Shihding region and an important settlement along the Daan Trail. The Shihding and Wutu Creeks converge here to form the Jingmei Creek. Shihding Old Street is divided into East and West Streets by the Wanshou Bridge (Route 47). The West Street developed earlier and is known as a hub for dyeing cloth and tea trading; the East Street rapidly developed after the rise of the coal industry and later became more prosperous. The unique stilt houses and the "no sky street" are must-visit spots in the old street. The stilt houses on East Shihding Street, suspended above the riverbed, are one of the few remaining "no sky streets" in Taiwan. The old houses in Shihding are mostly built using local creek stones, and due to the limited land along the Shihding Creek, stilt house architecture developed, with the houses elevated above the riverbed, supported only by pillars. The rooms on the creek side serve as kitchens while the living rooms are on the mountain side, with a central passageway serving as a pedestrian path and shopping street, creating a unique cultural landscape. Shihding Old Street was once a pivotal area on the southern Daan Trail, linking the tea fragrance route between Pinglin and Wenshan and becoming a center for cargo distribution. Today, most shops in Shihding Old Street are concentrated in the "no sky street" of East Street, featuring long-established businesses like a century-old tofu shop, Shihding Fenghuang tea, tofu ice, and handmade glutinous rice cakes, while the century-old blacksmith shop at the end of the street adds an old-world charm with the sound of clanging metal.
