臺北市政府文化局

When talking about south Wanhua, the area across the Xindian River from Banqiao District in New Taipei City, the old name Gara (meaning “marsh” in the indigenous Ketagalan language) comes to mind. This low-lying region, fed by underground streams from the Xindian River, formed ponds that nurtured the “Three Treasures of Gara”: bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and jasmine flowers.

Recognizing the excellent water quality, the Japanese colonial government promoted the cultivation of bean sprouts and bamboo shoots over traditional crops like sugarcane and flowers. “Bean Sprout Alley” was a neighborhood where, at its peak, nearly every household grew bean sprouts. If you visit the area around Lane 73, Changtai Street, during the daytime now, you’ll mainly see large orange plastic water buckets and walls painted with the Taiwanese word “tik” (meaning “bamboo”). It’s hard to imagine that this was once a hub of bean sprout production.

Bean sprouts turn bitter when exposed to light, ruining their taste and texture. Even with the pristine water here, growers must water and harvest them only in the early hours of the morning. Workers expertly clean the bean sprouts and trim both ends to produce the pristine white “silver sprouts”, before packing them for delivery to nearby wholesale markets. Though not thriving as before, this area still supplies 50% of bean sprouts in Taipei. The sprouts in your bowl of Taiwanese soup noodles or ramen may well have come from Gara.

A 10-minute walk from Bean Sprout Alley along Changtai Street in the direction of Baoxing Street leads to Kuo-Zai-Tou Park, where there are remnants of an open water channel and Yangsheng Temple. These relics help you imagine the golden age of bean sprouts. If you look closely at the water channel, you might even spot a few stray bean sprouts left from the early morning wash!