Leisurely explore the old-world charm of Banqiao with this off-the-beaten-path itinerary

Have you been moved by nostalgic feelings after watching the movie “Monga”? In fact, not just the Wanhua area in Taipei City, but Banqiao also boasts rich attractions with an “old Taipei” vibe. From various temples and historic sites to the nostalgic face-threading street, you can find them all here. Of course, if you’re a food lover, don’t miss some truly authentic and delicious Taiwanese pastries~

[Recommended Itinerary] Fangqiao Jianxue Stele → Daguang Charity School → Face Threading Street → Fuzhong Fortune-Telling Street → Cihui Temple → Nanguan Pastry Street
[Total Duration] About 5 hours (including meal and transit time)
[Transportation] Take the MRT to Fuzhong Station and walk

Banqiao Elementary School – A Grade III Historic Site
The Fangqiao Jianxue Stele has been designated as a national Grade III historic site. It was erected during the Japanese colonial period to recognize the Lin Benyuan family's contributions to local education. At that time, due to the growing population in Banqiao, the original campus of Fangqiao Public School, located at Daguang Charity School, had become too small. Hence, the Lin Benyuan family donated funds to build additional classrooms at the current site of Banqiao Elementary School. The stele, standing on the right side of the school gate, commemorates the construction process, and its inscriptions were written by the renowned Japanese calligrapher Kusakabe Tō. While visiting the stele, take a look at Banqiao Elementary School on Wenhua Road; after all, elementary schools with a century-long history are quite rare in Taiwan.

Must-visit Temple for Exam-Taking Students: The Wenchang Shrine
The Daguang Charity School was originally a “study hall” established by the Lin Benyuan family next to their mansion in the second year of the Tongzhi era during the Qing Dynasty (1863 AD). It was created to ease tensions and prevent violent clashes between people from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in mainland China. At the time, the study hall directly faced Datun Mountain and Guanyin Mountain (Datun Mountain being the settlement of Zhangzhou people, and Guanyin Mountain that of Quanzhou people), hence the name “Daguang” symbolizing harmony between the two groups. Later, it was expanded and renamed “Daguang Charity School,” enrolling students from both Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, making it the origin of education in Banqiao.

As a national Grade III historic site, although the interior of Daguang Charity School has been renovated, it retains its architectural style from a hundred years ago: the two-courtyard layout, with the main hall enshrining the Wenchang Emperor and Confucius, along with the sword and book boys on both sides—all original artifacts from when the temple was built. Other parts have been remodeled into a kindergarten. The annual Confucius worship ceremony in Taipei County is held here, and during exam seasons, many students come to pray for good luck.

Skillful Face Threading for Good Luck
Located between the Lin Family Garden and Daguang Study Hall, along Wenchang Street, small threading stalls with chairs and tables are lined up beside the rustic stone wall of the Lin Family Garden, and customers come one after another. Though this beauty treatment has become less common in greater Taipei, it remains popular here. The threading masters preserve ancient techniques, skillfully using thin threads to neatly remove fine hair and leave behind smooth, delicate skin. Come here for a threading session to start your day with good fortune and a better mood.

Accurate Fortune-Telling for a Bright Future
Due to its proximity to Cihui Temple, Fuzhong Fortune-Telling Street has gathered around twenty to thirty fortune-telling stalls. Some set up shop under arcade walkways, others hide on the 2nd or 3rd floors of street-front buildings, each displaying their specialties on signs—some even hang banners claiming “three generations of heritage” or “60-year-old shop.” This bustling stretch of Fuzhong Road has become a uniquely characteristic fortune-telling street in Banqiao. Whether you seek answers about destiny, love, or career, you can find insight through methods such as Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), bird divination, rice divination, palmistry, physiognomy, and the I Ching. Come here to uncover your fate and seek your fortune.