Re-positioning a Market/City: The Urban Processes of Relocating the Jianguo Market in Taichung

• Main Authors: Chia-Wen Liu, 劉嘉文
• Other Authors: Shu-Mei Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/b9bp8k

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 建築與城鄉研究所 === 106 === Taichung Jianguo Market, located at the intersection of Jianguo road and Bade street, was moved to the other side of the railway in late September 2016. Despite the several years fight with the Taichung municipal government, 700 stalls and 176 householders were forced to relocate and reorganize everything they’ve built for more than forty years. As the largest traditional market in Taichung, Jianguo Market is the main suppliers of all kind of foods and groceries of many government branches, retail markets and night markets in the middle of Taiwan. It is also a market for many local people to purchase household food ingredients. Although traditional markets are facing challenges from discount stores and supermarkets in contemporary Taiwan, they have not yet been replaced and are still maintaining its main functions. Relocation and reconstruction of a traditional market might lead to its declining, at the meanwhile, it might also be a way out for these traditional markets: adjusting to nowadays peoples’ habits and routines, so as to continue its vitality and restring up the local food supply chain. When it comes to relocating and rebuilding a local-rooted market that has lasted for forty years, it is definitely not a piece of cake. Accordingly, this research aims to reexamine why the relocation and reconstruction of traditional markets in Taiwan would be such a hard nut to crack? Based on the ethnographic survey approach, participatory observation and several in-depth interviews with the stallholders were conducted between September 2015 - July 2017. There are several stages in the process of relocation and reconstruction. The conclusions of this research can be summarized as follows : Firstly, there is a long process of communication and discussion between the municipal government and the stallholders long before the relocation. They hold different viewpoints for site selection, design and stall allocation, however, the final design results are greatly affected only by the municipal government, since they stand in unequal power positions all the time. The final design results are greatly affected since they not only hold different viewpoints for site selection, design and stall allocation of the new the Jianguo market but also stand in unequal power positions. Secondly, the municipal government eliminates the rental-housing above the market building but without incomplete Act. The tenants, who rely on low-rent lodgings but lose their shelters, could not be resettled to the new market as stall-keepers do. The long-term cumulative neighborhood connections would be broke up. Thirdly, the stallholders’ attempts to resume their business, facing new customers, adjusting to the new structure of the market and management strategies are tiring and unrewarding, in order to survive in the new circumstance, they need to work harder in all aspects. Some stallholders choose to drop out, the other attempt to apply survival skills in order to settle down in the new market. Unless they choose to drop out, they do their best to apply survival skills in order to settle down in the new market. Finally, for the continuity of the long-term faith in the Jianguo Market, the committees, which are responsible for the affairs of Matsu(媽祖) and Village Deity(土地公), proposed to the municipal government for additional space to accommodate these two temples. The process, which the rental housing residents could not have, shows practice of resistance and meditation. Compared to the removed rental-housing , it shows the practice of resistance and meditation. This research asserts that the relocation of a traditional market involves many complicated aspects, and it is not possible to rely only on the municipal government to plan and design everything. It is important that many potential ideas need to be expressed and delivered directly from the stallholders in the process of negotiation, all stallholders must be included during the decision making process. Through the case of the Jianguo Market, it may be able to arouse some inspirations for the future relocation and reconstruction of traditional markets.