Source:
https://international.thenewslens.com/article/86440
PHOTO STORY: The Decline of Taipei's Shaoxing Community
I stumbled upon the community on a sunny Sunday afternoon, as I deviated from the main road to discover pockets of Taipei that I have never come across before. Made up mostly by small shacks that are one or two stories tall, the streets and dark alleys of Shaoxing Community bear the traces of its history. With almost no space to fit anything other than the necessities, it is common to see huge piles of worn-out furniture stockpiled at the back of each house, making the alleys look even darker and smaller. Since most residents depend on government welfare or collecting recycling for a living, the area bears traits typical urban slums everywhere, with residents making use of every nook and cranny to build a life.
On the day I visited, there was an exhibition put together by volunteers who hope to help residents and people in Taipei remember Shaoxing Community. As I walked around the community with my camera, I couldn’t help but sympathize with the residents and the fate of the community. Most of the older generation are veterans who arrived in Taipei with Chiang Kai-Shek, and were gifted wood to start new lives here. With no land or property, they could only build little shacks around CKS Memorial Hall, which used to be the military base back then. Decades have passed, and the community continues to be left out of the government’s consideration when they pass legislation to regulate land ownership.