Beipu Old Street
北埔老街
Hsinchu's old street, steeped in Hakka culture. The national-designated historic sites Jin Guang Fu Office and Tzu-Tien Temple sit alongside Chiang A-hsin's Western-style building. Lei cha (pounded tea) and dried persimmon cakes are must-tries.
Beipu is a Hakka settlement developed during the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty by the Jin Guang Fu reclamation company. The old street centres on Tzu-Tien Temple, and nearby stand several historic sites, including the Jin Guang Fu Office (a national-designated historic site), Tien-Shui Hall and Chiang A-hsin's Western-style building. Tzu-Tien Temple was built in 1846 and is Beipu's spiritual centre, while the Jin Guang Fu Office was the headquarters of the frontier reclamation effort. Along the old street, you can buy lei cha, Hakka banqiao noodles, Peng Feng tea and dried persimmon cakes, and at a lei cha shop you can grind your own bowl of tea by hand. The old street is free to visit, but Chiang A-hsin's Western-style building requires a ticket. From Zhudong or central Hsinchu City, a bus takes about 40 minutes. You can combine your visit with Emei Lake and Green World on the same day.
Opening hours
Open all day (shops approx. 9:00 am–6:00 pm)
Nearby sights
- Green World Ecological Farm
- Emei Lake
- Hexing Station
- Qingcao Lake & Lingyin Monastery
- Xinwawu Hakka Cultural Preservation Area
- Nanzhuang Old Street (Osmanthus Lane)
- Eighteen Peaks Mountain
- Neiwan Old Street