The Dilemma of Night Bazaars in Taipei

The fast growth of the Shida Night Bazaar in recent years brings up a number of issues that actually have existed in many cities in Taiwan but never caused serious clashes between the residents and stall owners. Stalls and stands set up in residential areas without complete legal status have been tolerated in Taiwan’s many neighborhoods and by the local governments, considering they absorb the increasing population of unemployed. The “informal spaces” became characteristic cityscapes throughout Taiwan. As the city government attempts to promote tourism and to transform Taipei into a “World Design Capital”, the resulting shopping and tourism have led to an intolerable disturbance of the local people’s daily lives. Along with the sprawl of small businesses in narrow alleys, the problems of urban zoning and the absence of law enforcement have become issues. The discrepancy between the reality and the image the city government tried to construct also raised questions about the false promises of tourism and urban gentrification.