Donggong Retail Market, Chiayi City Introduction
Dong Market is the first marketplace where farmers living in the mountains brought down fruits and vegetables. It is also known as "Grass Market." During the Qing Dynasty, a large number of people, including officials and their families from the county government's office in Zhuluo City, as well as pilgrims visiting the City God Temple, gathered here, gradually forming a temporary market. During the Japanese colonial period, Dong Market was reorganized and officially opened for business in the third year of the Taisho era (1914), making it over a hundred years old. The architecture is built primarily of cypress wood and has a high ceiling. Despite experiencing multiple fires, earthquakes, and wars, a partial modern cement addition was made in 1987; however, in terms of market architecture, it remains the oldest and most traditional large market in Chiayi City. The older generation of Chiayi residents remembers the sounds of vendors, the bustling crowds, bargaining, selecting, and greeting each other. Gao Jirong, the secretary-general of the Chiayi Language Association, mentioned that Dong Market is like the big kitchen of Chiayi people, providing essential goods for local residents, including everyday vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat, as well as gifts for weddings and offerings for gods, all available in Dong Market. Besides daily necessities, Dong Market is also a large dining hall for Chiayi residents, filled with classic delicacies such as rice cakes, beef offal soup, starfruit juice, crispy pork ribs, and spring rolls, which are must-try foods for both locals and visitors. Surrounding Dong Market are attractions such as the City God Temple, the oldest temple in Chiayi City, Shuangzhong Temple (Marshal Temple), Zhenan Sacred Temple (Wenchang Temple), and Hongmaojing (Lanjing), preserving the unique landscape features of the old city area. Therefore, when the government or private organizations hold historical tours, Dong Market is an important site for guidance and education.
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