Zhonghe Burmese Street Area, New Taipei City

Huaxin Street in Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, also known as "Burmese Street," is one of the areas where immigrants from Yunnan and Myanmar gather in Taiwan. This street area is not only a place for Burmese immigrants to live and reside but also bears witness to the stories of these expatriates striving in Taiwan and working hard to integrate into Taiwanese society. The cultural characteristics of Huaxin Street are evident not only in its shops, signboards, and the daily lives of its households, but also in the temples hidden within the area. These fully reflect how Burmese immigrants, fleeing the turbulent situation in Myanmar across different generations, have strived for survival, fostered a sense of community, and rebuilt new homes in a foreign land after their arrival. Migration is a gamble. My name is Yang Wanli. I was born in Shan State, Myanmar, with ancestral roots in Yunnan. I am the seventh of eight children in my family. Our whole family experienced anti-Chinese incidents by the Myanmar government, and the social situation was chaotic, making it unfavorable for long-term development. So my father began to formulate his grand migration plan, starting in 1984, successively bringing his children across the ocean to Taiwan to seek a place to settle down. We moved many times and finally settled in Huaxin Street in Zhonghe District. This migration process took a full ten years to complete; and we have lived here for over thirty years. My parents, like other residents of Huaxin Street, are law-abiding Burmese immigrants who have made a living in Taiwan. From construction sites to factories, they have done all sorts of jobs. But the one constant is that they have never left Huaxin Street from beginning to end. Over time, a foreign land became home. Like other immigrants, the elders of the community have long recognized this street area, less than 500 meters long, as their home; Taiwan has long become their homeland. Diversity: The Daily Life of the Street Area If you have the chance to walk into Huaxin Street, the aroma of milk tea and rich spices will immediately greet you, and you'll instantly feel a strong exotic atmosphere. This is not just because of the Chinese and Burmese signboards visible everywhere on the street, but also due to the diverse cultures emerging from the blend of different ethnic groups, including Burmese, Yunnanese, Thai, and even Indian-flavored delicacies that have gradually attracted Taiwanese foodies to make a pilgrimage. Hence, it has been dubbed the "Southeast Asian Tourist Food Street." However, this street area does not exist solely for tourists; more importantly, it is also a place for the daily lives of immigrants from Yunnan and Myanmar. Here, multiculturalism is not a slogan, but a daily reality. Every morning, Theravada Buddhist monks, dressed in saffron robes and barefoot, walk along Huaxin Street with alms bowls. Residents respectfully step forward to offer various foods, forming a unique cultural landscape of Huaxin Street every morning. As a middle-aged person, I decided to stand up for the community. When I was ten, I came to Taiwan with my parents and entered an elementary school in the Huaxin Street area. I couldn't keep up with schoolwork, my vocabulary was different, and my lunchbox meals were always unlike those of my classmates. Group life at school always felt out of place, and the adaptation process was exceptionally difficult; classmates often teased me, calling me "Burmese." My parents always told me to swallow my grievances and endure, which I didn't understand as a child. But after growing up, I understood that these elder immigrants from Yunnan and Myanmar came to Taiwan with great difficulty, seeking only a "home" where they could settle down, live peacefully, and allow their children to receive a complete education. I hope to act as a cultural bridge and stand up for the community. I hope our life stories can also be told, recorded, and remembered.