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Known as the “Taiwanese Jingdezhen,” Yingge is the heart of the island’s ceramic crafts. The Yingge Ceramics Old Street was officially named in 2000; under the guidance of the New Taipei City Government, the old kilns have been reborn as retail shops and DIY studios. “Turning clay into gold” is the perfect description for the district: every lane of Ceramics Street, Jianshanpu Rd., Chongqing St., and Yuying St. is lined with dazzling pottery boutiques. Step into the old quarter and you’ll find streetscapes, gateway icons, and even traffic signs steeped in ceramic aesthetics. Capital of ceramic culture Two centuries ago, residents around Jianshanpu in Yingge began using the sticky local clay, abundant firewood, coal, and convenient water transport to build a thriving pottery industry. During the Japanese period, Yingge ceramics became large-scale and corporate, cementing the town’s industrial status and laying the cultural foundation for its craft. Stroll the old street, chase the trains As you wander Yingge Old Street, you’ll pass tableware specialists, artist studios, DIY classrooms, and factory outlets. Every shop is “pottery-themed,” selling antiques, crystalline-glaze pieces, Wenzhou ware, tea sets, dinnerware, ocarinas—ceramics that are both useful and beautiful. At the entrance, the railway overpass is a must for railfans: from its span you can look down on the old-street rooftops and watch Taiwan Railways trains speed along the western trunk line.