Department of Culture Affairs ─ Historic site turned into first literature space in Taipei

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Historic site turned into first literature space in Taipei

By Psyche Cho
Staff Reporter
Photo courtesy of Kishu An Forest of Literature

The exterior appearance of Kishu An Forest of Literature. Folk art processions, dances, and thundering drumming parades ignited a festive atmosphere in quiet lanes to signal the official opening of Kishu An Forest of Literature December 24 in Taipei.

Billed as the first space devoted to literature-related activities in Taipei, the cultural building located on Tongan Street in the Gongguan area of the city stands next to the relics of Kishu An, a historic site in Taipei City.

Kishu An was a Japanese-styled restaurant erected in 1917 that served guests mostly from the upper class during the Japanese colonial period. Later it was used as a dormitory for public servants during the 1950s.

Among the residents in the area is Taiwanese author Wang Wen-hsing, whose representative work The Change of Home published in the 1970s is considered a classic of modernism in Taiwan’s literary history.

“I once lived on the second floor (of the building),” said Wang at the opening ceremony. He expressed his appreciation to those who contributed to the effort to save and restore the historic site.

The idea of creating the Kishu An Forest of Literature was initiated in 2005, with the aim of creating an organic space reserved exclusively for literature and cultural-related events. The entire space covers the wooden annex from the original structure, the new hall, the park, and the parking lot.

Visitors enjoy a pleasant reading time on the lawn outside the Kishu An Forest of Literature. As part of its functions, seminars designed under a wide range of themes welcome literature lovers to gather for discussions on Wednesday nights. This free program features writers from Taiwan and abroad, with special focuses on literature, movies, poetry and similar cultural areas, to offer a venue for people to share their unique life experiences with others.