A check-in hotspot from 1976 — Dongmen Market’s time-capsuled memories behind iron doors

Standing at the entrance of Dongmen Market, you can see straight through the central corridor to the very end. Shops on both sides are sparse, with only a handful still lit. “How long do you think it takes to walk from one end to the other? Ten minutes? No, more like three. But back in 1977, that walk would have taken 15 minutes because it was packed with people,” said Chen Hongwei, a guide from Open Door Workshop. Dongmen Market opened in 1900 and remained Taiwan’s largest market until 1945. Covering 3,000 pyeong (approximately 9,900 square meters), its four floors housed 571 stalls, including Taiwan’s first escalator in Hsinchu. Its scale and liveliness back then can only be imagined.

▲ A few scattered food stalls on the market’s first floor.

In its heyday, the first floor was filled with clothing, dried goods, and produce; the second floor featured antiques, suits, and cheongsams; while the third floor hosted music schools, art studios, and rows of hot pot and stir-fry eateries. “Back then, shop assistants from nearby department stores would flock to the third floor for hot pot after work. Dongmen Market was like Hsinchu’s Mitsukoshi or Shin Kong Mitsukoshi today. If check-ins had existed back then, this would’ve been a prime spot,” Chen Hongwei tried to bridge past and present using today’s trendy lingo. But looking at the half-deserted, somewhat bleak market before us, the comparison felt unfamiliar and bittersweet.

▲ Open Door Workshop has added lively murals to the market.

▲ A tailor shop on the second floor.

Walking up from the first to the third floor, the number of shops dwindles floor by floor, and the sounds grow quieter. The empty, weathered atmosphere makes your steps feel heavier. Standing in the middle of the floor, you’re faced with endless cold iron doors, stretching out as if there’s no end — as if all the past prosperity and glamour lie far beyond reach. Strangely, this almost colorless, ruin-like scene holds an inexplicable allure. Excitedly, I asked the photographer to snap a photo of me in the center of the market, planning to write an article with a trendy title like “Hsinchu’s Old Market Is Super Photogenic!” But on the way home, while sorting through the photos, I scrapped the idea.

▲ The third floor was once packed with stir-fry and snack stalls.

The day after our visit, the director of Hsinchu City’s Urban Marketing Office asked for our thoughts on Dongmen Market. The journalists all agreed that we liked it and were deeply impressed. Then he asked, “But what do you think could be done with this place? How can we attract people here?” The room erupted with ideas: “They could host a flea market — simple to execute and appealing!” “It has the vibe of Taichung’s Zhongxin Market — maybe give that a try?” “Hey, how about office chair racing? That’d definitely draw a crowd!” Suddenly, the market — which just yesterday seemed on the brink of being phased out by time and forgotten by the world — seemed to have a glimmer of hope. As if the once-stagnant space had begun to flow again. It’s unclear where it’s headed or what it will become, but one thing is certain: Dongmen Market is more than just “Hsinchu’s Old Market Is Super Photogenic!” It has many, many more stories yet to be told.

▲ Dongmen Market is adjacent to local residences.

Open Door Workshop

Composed of students from various universities in Hsinchu, the workshop promotes a culture of freelance work through establishing youth entrepreneurship hubs, repurposing idle spaces, facilitating cross-disciplinary dialogue, and hosting events. It aims to unite market vendors and residents, creating new visions for public life in aging markets.

Dongmen Market
No. 86, Datong Road, East District, Hsinchu City