Step by Step

Cloth by Cloth Reproducing Elegance:

The Revival of Bihua Cloth Street, Sanchong

布布為盈     碧華布街的東山再起

Bihua Cloth Street is hidden between the bustling1 Bihua Temple shopping district and the MRT St. Ignatius High School Station. Travelers can take the MRT to St. Ignatius High School Station, leave the station from Exit 2, and go on Lane 5 of Section 2, Yong-an North Road to get there.

When travelers walk on Bihua Cloth Street for the first time, they will be surprised at the tranquil atmosphere of this place. The scarcity of crowds and the consistent presence of the word “cloth” on round signboards strongly provide an unusual contrast to the bustling Yitian Temple shopping districts outside. However, when visitors stand for a while and listen carefully, they will hear the laughter of students, the whispers of shop owners, and the soft sounds of cars and motorcycles passing by. Those sounds create a unique atmosphere of the traditional street.

According to the “Smile Taiwan” website , “During the peak in the 1980s, there were over three hundred cloth stores in the area. Domestic and international garment traders flocked here to buy fabrics.” However, as Taiwan’s garment industry moved overseas, Bihua Cloth Street gradually declined. Nowadays, there are only about a hundred stores struggling to survive. 

Even so, Bihua Cloth Street still possesses its vitality. Some cloth merchants pursue modifying the quality of cloth. Others seek to perform industrial transformation. They begin to provide other services and items other than cloth, such as buttons, zips, or other items related to tailoring, they hope that it will help them return to glory.

So far, the customer base has already changed from worldwide cloth merchants to students of the art department or regulars. More and more people also know this street through the Internet, magazines, or the introduction of their relatives. We hope Bihua Cloth Street can be prosperous and vibrant and return to its glory.

中文翻譯

碧華布街藏匿於熱鬧的碧華寺商圈和捷運徐匯中學站之間。旅客可以搭乘捷運前往徐匯中學站，走2號出口，再沿著永安北路二段進入碧華布街。

當旅客第一次踏入碧華布街，會對這裡寧靜的氛圍感到驚訝。與熱鬧的義天宮商圈形成鮮明對比的是，這裡人群稀少，沿路的圓形看板上一個個寫著「布」字。然而，當遊客停下腳步仔細傾聽，會聽到學生們的笑聲、店主們的低語，以及車輛和摩托車緩慢經過的聲音。這些聲音營造了這裡獨特的「傳統」氛圍。

根據「微笑台灣」網站的介紹，「民國七十年代（1980年代）最盛時有三百多家布行，國內外的成衣商都來這裡買布。」然而，隨著台灣的成衣業遷移到海外，碧華布街逐漸走向衰落。現在，這裡僅存約一百家店面苦苦維持生計。

儘管如此，碧華布街仍然保有活力。一些布商致力於提升布料的品質，而另一些則尋求產業轉型。他們開始提供除了布料以外的其他服務和物品，如紐扣、拉鍊或與裁縫有關的用品，希望能夠重回輝煌。

到目前為止，顧客群已從來自世界各地的布商轉變為藝術系學生或一般熟客。越來越多的人也透過網路、雜誌，或是親朋好友的介紹，認識這條街道。我們希望碧華布街能繁榮有活力，重返往日的煇煌時光。

作者Author：陳冠佑（Yoyo）

地址 Address ：新北市三重區碧華街184號

No. 184, Bihua St., Sanchong Dist., New Taipei City 241082, Taiwan (R.O.C.)