Shenkeng District (Chinese: 深坑區; pinyin: Shēnkēng Qū; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhim-khiⁿ-khu / Chhim-kheⁿ-khu) is a rural district in central New Taipei City in northern Taiwan. Formerly an agricultural and mining town, it is now famous for its numerous tofu restaurants and vendors.
History
The area is first recorded as the preserve of a tribe of Pingpu aborigines during the Qing dynasty period in Taiwan. When Han Chinese farmers eventually moved in to develop the area, they bought the low-lying land from the aborigines and began cultivation in the main valley.[3] The modern name of the township, Shenkeng, literally means deep pit or deep mine. The area used to have several active coal mines.[4] The name has also been explained with reference to the mountains surrounding Shenkeng on all sides, which make the terrain similar to a pit.[5]
On December 25, 2010, Shenkeng Township (深坑鄉) became Shenkeng District (深坑區).[5]
Geography
Map including Shenkeng (labeled as Shen-k’eng (Shinkō) 深坑) (1950)
Politics in Shenkeng have largely been uneventful; the town is considered a safe seat for the Kuomintang. An exception was in 1996, when several members of the council were arrested on suspicion of connection with organised crime.[6]
In the years 2012 to 2017, the population of Shenkeng District hovered around 23,600 with a steadily ageing population.[2]: 5
Education
Shenkeng is home to Tungnan University, a private technical university.[7] There is also a Junior High School and an Elementary School in the town.
Tourist attractions
The economy of Shenkeng is centred on tourism, and that tourism is based largely on tofu. The district is sufficiently well known in culinary circles that it has been a subject of media interest in Japan and Hong Kong.[8] The tofu from Shenkeng has an unusual ratio of soybean to gypsum, giving it a yellowish colour and distinctive flavour.[8] The town has become so readily identified with tofu[9] that it has earned the epithet "The Tofu Capital".[10]
There are also extensive hiking trails, some of which were in use during the Japanese era by anti-Japanese guerilla fighters.[11]
Transportation in Shenkeng is limited to roads only; there is as yet no railway or mass transit service, although proposals have been made to extend the Wenshan Line of the Taipei Metro into Shenkeng.[12] Three bus companies offer passenger services within Shenkeng and between Shenkeng and surrounding settlements.
^ abc行政區域圖. 新北市深坑區公所 Shenkeng District Office, New Taipei City (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 23 November 2015. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2019. 本區土地面積20.58平方公里，行政區域為8里239鄰，深坑里、埔新里、土庫里、賴仲里、萬順里、萬福里、昇高里及阿柔里。
^ abc107年新北市深坑區人口結構及性別分析(PDF). 新北市深坑區公所 Shenkeng District Office, New Taipei City (in Chinese (Taiwan)). August 2018. pp. 2, 5. Retrieved 13 October 2019. 本區 106 年底總人口數為 23,660 人，{...}年度別 總人口 年齡分配 0~14 歲 15~64 歲 65 歲以上 101 年底 23,569 2,968 18,466 2,135 102 年底 23,622 2,846 18,526 2,250 103 年底 23,636 2,720 18,500 2,416 104 年底 23,594 2,523 18,478 2,593 105 年底 23,683 2,447 18,447 2,789 106 年底 23,660 2,311 18,352 2,997
^ ab地方史誌. 新北市深坑區公所 Shenkeng District Office, New Taipei City (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 23 November 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2019. 相傳清高宗20年（西元1755年），閩南大旱，泉州人許宗琴舉族渡海來此地墾拓，初名「簪纓」接著產生「番亂」。獨簪纓以地形易守而倖免，所以改名「深坑」，係本區四面環山，形似坑底，故名。日據時期稱「深坑庄」。臺灣光復後改為「深坑鄉」；民國99年12月25日改制為「新北市深坑區」。
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