Jiufen Food Puzzle Shop Introduction
In this restaurant, you can always hear the melodious songs of the singer Wu Bai while enjoying steaming stinky tofu, and you might suddenly ask, "Boss! Why is your shop called 'Shimeizhan'?" Jiufen Shimeizhan is the first stinky tofu shop in Jiufen. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with dozens of Taiwanese proverbs, allowing guests to understand the wisdom of the Taiwanese people. The wooden couplet on the wall reads, "Taste the deliciousness of the world, riddle with Taiwan's wisdom," which reflects the owner's motivation for naming it "Shimeizhan." The owner has a passion for riddles and proverbs since childhood, often spontaneously quoting sayings and even buying books to study proverbs dictionaries. Eventually, he transformed his shop into a "riddle classroom." In addition to proverbs, the owner's storytelling skills are excellent; he often passionately shares various tales with customers and is well-versed in Jiufen's unique sayings. The owner expresses that modern people, living in a technological and commercial society, have little opportunity to engage with Taiwan's culture and wisdom—Taiwanese proverbs. Hence, he wants everyone to know the wisdom passed down by ancestors and appreciate their meanings. Another intention is to spark discussions among dining guests as they guess the meanings of the sayings, reminiscing about the Taiwanese proverbs that grandparents would often quote.
