First business-oriented street in Tamsui revitalized with a new look

Chongjian Street was the first business-oriented street in Tamsui, but since the renovation of its old houses, the street has taken on a completely new look, with an influx of shops, cafes, and creative industries that blend nostalgia and innovation. In 2010, news that a street widening project was set to begin work triggered a backlash from residents, whose call for protests through social media platforms attracted thousands of people.

No. 14 Chongjian Street is a well-known landmark in Tamsui that used to exhibit traditional puppetry (布袋戲Budaixi). Not wanting to destroy the original appearance of the building, the current owner, Tsai Yi-lun (蔡以倫), simply tidied the place up and gave the walls a lick of paint to create a cultural hub called Herbs Maison, which is dedicated to promoting the local culture of Chongjian Street. In addition to the old houses on Chongjian Street, the walls of the surrounding streets are also painted with beautiful murals, adding a bit of youthful vitality to Tamsui’s old streets.

以下為中文對照

重建街是淡水第一條商業街，街上的老屋在經過整修活化後，成為結合懷舊與創新的文創商店和咖啡館，賦予重建街全新的樣貌。2010年重建街拓寬計畫進行發包並準備動工，引發許多當地居民的不滿，在社群平台上號召發起抗議活動，吸引了上千人參與。

重建街14號是市定古蹟，曾經為布袋戲主題館，在現任屋主蔡以倫以不破壞房屋原貌的前提下，將牆壁重新粉刷、打掃，成為現在的香草文創基地，也致力於推廣重建街周邊文化。除了重建街上的老屋，周邊街道的牆面上也彩繪著許多不同主題的美麗壁畫，為老街增添了幾分年輕活力。

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