Jiufen Shismei Store Introduction
In this place, you can always hear the melodious tunes of the famous singer Wu Bai while enjoying hot stinky tofu, and you might suddenly ask, "Boss! Why is your store called 'Food Riddle Shop'?" Jiufen Food Riddle Shop is the first stinky tofu shop in Jiufen. The walls of the shop are adorned with dozens of Taiwanese proverbs, allowing customers to understand the wisdom of Taiwanese people. The wooden couplet on the wall, "Taste the world's deliciousness, riddles rest on Taiwanese wisdom," reflects the owner's motivation for the shop's name, "Food Riddle Shop." The owner decided to display these proverbs because of a lifelong interest in riddles and proverbs, often spontaneously quoting a proverb and even purchasing books to learn and reference proverb dictionaries, eventually transforming his shop into a "riddle classroom." Besides the proverbs, the owner's storytelling is also captivating, as he often engages customers with various tales and anecdotes, particularly about the unique proverbs of the Jiufen area. The owner states that modern people, living in a technological and commercial society, have almost no opportunity to encounter Taiwanese culture and wisdom – that is, Taiwanese proverbs. Therefore, he hopes to let everyone know the famous sayings passed down by ancestors and understand their meanings. Another purpose is to spark conversations among dining guests, inviting them to guess or discuss the meanings of the proverbs, and to reminisce about the Taiwanese proverbs their grandparents used to recite effortlessly.
