Xinfuxiang Cultural Market Introduction
The Xinfu Town Grocery Market was completed in 1935 and is one of the later public markets established during the Japanese colonial period. The buildings within the market showcase various construction materials from that era. The main structure of the market features a horseshoe shape with a flat roof supported by reinforced concrete beams, while the walls are made of reinforced brick. Additionally, there are wooden Japanese-style dormitories and brick public restrooms, with the presence of restrooms symbolizing the modernization process of the market at that time. Unfortunately, not all of these structures have been preserved over time. In 1930, the Taipei Prefectural Government announced the "Grocery Market Regulations," which provided detailed specifications regarding the construction and spatial arrangement of market buildings for hygiene considerations. Against this backdrop, the "Xinfu Grocery Market" was established. Other markets built during the same period, such as the Taiping Town Grocery Market (1938, now demolished), the Xing Town Grocery Market (1938, now "Xing'an Market"), and the Rufeng Town Grocery Market (1938, now "Zhi Xing Market"), have either been remodeled or demolished, making the Xinfu Market a rare example of a public market building from the Japanese colonial period that demonstrates modern sanitary standards and architectural style. The land area when the Xinfu Market was built was approximately 506 ping, and the building area was around 199 ping, surrounded by a red brick wall about 160 cm high. The main building's walls are made of reinforced bricks, featuring refined horizontal decorative lines made of washed gravel on the exterior. Each entrance has an awning above it, and the roof is made of concrete, supported by reinforced concrete beams. The overall architectural style is simple and minimally decorated, yet highly functional. For instance, its horseshoe-shaped floor plan is quite rare among public markets in Taiwan, not only creating a smooth shopping flow but also providing a unique central skylight that fulfills the needs for ventilation and lighting inside the market. (Source: Xinfu Town Cultural Market Website)
