A Picturesque Winter Scene at Qingshui Market: A Tour of the Beauty of the Bazaar

Wandering through a local market lets you witness the local terroir.

What this land produces, who lives on this land, what kind of microclimate this land has... To me, two markets that are very close together can still reveal different terroirs and characteristics, and markets spanning different counties and cities are all the more fascinating and colorful. Seeing a lively market, my blood warms up, my footsteps follow the crowd, and my eyes begin busily scanning, afraid of missing some food item. The sensory complexity of a market offers people who love to observe and explore an indescribable thrill; for those passionate about cooking, carrying the ingredients home is another round of excitement as they bring them to the table.

Qingshui is located on this plain at the western foot of Dadu Mountain in central Taiwan, with the Dajia River to the north, Shalu to the south, Taichung Port and Gaomei Wetland to the west, and Aofeng Mountain to the east. In earlier history, this was the active homeland of the Pingpu Babuza tribe's Numataito community, and later during the Japanese colonial era it developed into a progressive, modern town; afterward, Qingshui's population was joined by military dependents' villages formed by immigrant soldiers. After its prosperous past, Qingshui became a nostalgic town with a slow pace. On the west side of the busy Zhongshan Road, a morning market gathers; strolling through it is a lively and interesting experience. Products of the mountains and the sea gather here, and different ethnic groups with different food cultures come together in this small market.

Besides the morning market, the small eateries and drink shops are all delicious, hidden in the alleys and supplying people's greedy stomachs morning and evening: rice cakes, meatballs, flaky pastries, fresh goose meat, and the military dependents' village shops with their hearty and bold rolled noodles and dumplings. Just thinking about it makes winter bellies hungry faster.