Taipei City Government

On April 7, Mayor Ko Wen-je visited San Xiu Blacksmith Shop and Healing Herbar in Wanhua to experience the traditional craftsmanship and taste freshly brewed tea.
 
Wanhua, one of the earliest areas of development in Taipei, is a place full of historical interests. Traditional trades, such as blacksmithing, Buddhist implement making and selling, and herb selling, are still practiced in Wanhua and give a cultural character to the area.
 
To help retain traditions and attract tourists, the city government has assisted local businesses to make improvements in aspects such as interior design, space planning, and packaging makeover. Efforts have yielded results as the shops have seen more tourists and customers to stop by.
 
The mayor commented that the city hopes to create a museum without walls—one that is not housed in a building. He envisions a museum that can reflect the city’s identity and the life of its residents, not merely showcasing indoor exhibitions of artifacts that are sourced from all over the city. By breathing new life into the old shops, the shops are transformed into living museums.
 
While the creative process is often a struggle for the public sector and the government does not know the market better than the businesses do, the city government has played a supportive role for innovation efforts of the industries, the mayor added.