Come to the Night Market to Cool off?
Text / 関口大樹
Illustration / 慢熟工作室
Picture provided / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
For many foreign travelers who come to Taiwan every year, Taiwanese night markets rank among the must-visit lists. In fact, the charm of night market foods is so far-reaching that besides Taiwan itself, Japan and the United States have also held Taiwan night market events. However, when did the world-famous Taiwan night market actually start to rise?
What is the "Naliang Festival"?
According to the study, the origin of the night market in Taiwan can be traced back 120 years ago to the Beitou Naliang Festival during the Japanese rule. Back then, the festival was a huge event. In an era when entertainment options were scarce, a micro-trip from Taipei to Beitau on the Tamsui Line's "Naliang Train" was the best way to spend a summer's day by tasting a variety of delicacies, enjoying a healing hot spring, watching geisha dances and fireworks, and so on. However, in the Edo period in Japan, Naliang was actually a summer festival. After it was introduced into Taiwan, it became very popular in Beitou and spread throughout Taiwan several decades later, transforming into a prototype close to the modern night market. How did it all evolve? Let's travel back in time and learn about the evolution of the night market together!
The meaning of the word "naliang" (enjoy coolness) in Japanese has evolved over time. In the beginning, it only meant to take a break from the summer heat. For example, “Naliang bed" was a well-known Japanese activity near the Kamogawa River in Kyoto, where one ate while listening to the sound of flowing water, and "Naliang boat" was a way to cool off on a boat. Since then, the definition of enjoying coolness constantly changed based on tradition and gradually included the connotation of summer festivals or events. This concept was largely settled in the Edo period. In modern Japan, "Naliang Festival" and "Naliang Firework Event" also have a “broad meaning” of summer festivals.
Back in the Edo period, the "Sumida River Naliang" was one of the biggest events in Japan. In the cool evening, People gathered along the river to enjoy the delicious food as well as sounds and sights in the restaurants and boathouses, while looking up at the stars and watching the fireworks blossom in the darkness. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, which has been going on for hundreds of years and still exists today, has become a well-known summer festival in Tokyo.
歌川廣重〈京都名所之內 四条河原夕涼〉（Picture provided：The Metropolitan Museum of Art）
The Beitou Naliang Festival, a Fusion of Culture and Technology from Various Countries
By the Meiji period, the summer Naliang activities had undergone a modern evolution. Shortly before the Naliang event began in Taiwan, the Naliang Train had gained popularity in Japan. On summer evenings, tourists boarded the Naliang Train, which connected the city with the hot spring area, and enjoyed beer and fruit while traveling to the area where the Naliang event was held. Visitors sweated and relaxed in the hot springs, tasted cold drinks and meals sold at booths, and enjoyed fireworks, dancing, and other entertainment. At that time, the Naliang Train was a fashionable event that combined traditional Japanese culture with Western railroad technology.
In 1902, the year after the Naliang Train became popular in Japan, the Naliang Train to Beitou also appeared in Taiwan. In an era of limited entertainment, the Naliang Train enjoyed great success, with tickets selling out early each time. In 1913, after the construction of the Western-style park, the fountain, and road, as well as the Beitou public bathhouse, Beitou Hot Springs became a suburban resort for families in Taipei to spend a wonderful time together. In 1913, the "Taipei Grand Naliang Event" was held, and according to a report in the Taiwan Daily News, more than 5,000 people attended the event in one night.
The event was the epitome of "eating, drinking and playing" in Taipei City. Among them, sushi, sandwiches, Taiwanese food and others attract many visitors. There were a variety of Taiwanese, Japanese and Western foods to choose from, which is similar to the modern night market. What is worth mentioning is that the summer temperature in Taiwan was over 32 degrees Celsius then, and in this sweltering environment, cold drinks to cool off the summer heat were very popular. The vendors also provided herbal tea, marble soda, beer, sake and other drinks for children and adults to enjoy. It is said that at the event, all 100 dozen beers and sake were sold out, and the ice cream was bought by visitors as soon as it was prepared.
Besides delicacy, various entertainment activities were also very popular. Music performances and Geisha dances were a breath of fresh air. The lanterns along the road added to the summer night atmosphere, and the fireworks and searchlights kept lighting up the sky. Beitou was as bright as the "City of Light" on this day.
However, during the Japanese rule period, was such a popular event an entertainment option for Taiwanese people?
The answer is "YES". According to the hotel records, all the hotels were full at that time with Taiwanese group tourists among the visitors. It is assumed that Taiwanese people had booked their rooms early and were looking forward to the Beitou Nalang Festival. There were also Taiwanese booths at the venue, serving Taiwanese cuisine.
In this way, the Taipei Grand Naliang Festival held in Beitou Hot Spring proved to be a great success. The food, technology, and culture of Taiwan, Japan, and foreign countries were blended together. Japanese and Taiwanese people jointly participated in the event, which seemed to have taken root on this tropical island.
(Illustration：慢熟工作室)
Is Beitou Naliang Festival the Origin of Taiwan's Night Market Culture?
Since then, the Beitou Naliang Festival was held on a smaller scale, but it was still a long-term event. In addition to Beitou, the Naliang Festival could also be found in Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Taichung, Chungli, Lugang, and Fengshan.
Interestingly, during the Showa years, due to the economic depression, the format of Naliang Festival changed, and "cheap Naliang Event" and "Naliang Market" became popular. Like today's night markets in Taiwan, the "cheap Naliang Event" was run by many merchants, offering not only food and drink options, but also a variety of goods. So far, it seems that Taiwan's Naliang Events have gradually taken a unique route, unlike the Japanese Naliang Event, which has a strong summer element. Instead, the original "non-daily" Naliang Event has been integrated into life, becoming a part of life and society on a "non-daily of the daily” basis.
Although there is not much information about the Naliang events from the late Japanese rule era to the post World War II when the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan, further research is still needed. However, the connection between the night market and the Nariang Festival is certain. Next time when you walk around the night market in Taiwan or fly to Japan to attend the Naliang Festival, you may want to think about the changes of the times and the cultural commonality while walking around.
(Illustration：慢熟工作室)