Pising Bookstore Introduction
Pising Bookstore, known as "Pising," means "face" in the Amis language, pronounced as "bi-hsin." It symbolizes our interconnected hearts in this bookstore where everyone gathers. We often say "papising," which means to frequently meet each other. Pising Bookstore evolved from the Pasela’an Slow Book House, which opened in 2021, located next to the Guangfu Railway Station in a century-old wooden house from the Taisho period, accompanied by an old Ryukyu pine and a jackfruit tree. It is expected to be a place for rest and gathering. In May 2024, the bookstore will end its lease and relocate to the "Central Arts and Culture Base" of the Hualien County Cultural Bureau (No. 127-1, Section 1, Zhongzheng Road, Guangfu Township, Hualien County), formerly the old fire station of Guangfu. Despite experiencing a renaming and moving in 2024, Pising Bookstore is located near the Mataran and Tabalang tribes, two ancient Amis tribes, close to the Guangfu district, the First Farmers' Market, and the Hualien Sugar Factory, inheriting rich local cultural resources, aiming to become a mobile service station, a community gathering place, and a reading room for indigenous issues, thus becoming a local reading hub in central Hualien. The bookstore's selection includes books related to indigenous culture or Taiwanese stories, also introducing local history and features from Hualien and Taitung, hoping to use books to let visitors understand the stories of the land beneath their feet while promoting the application of mother languages, allowing the languages of Taiwan’s diverse ethnic groups to accompany daily life. Pising Bookstore was jointly established by principal Awa Liu Yuxian and Liso^so’ Studio head Moli Gade. The store is also cared for by its dog manager, Ms. Kuma, and dog assistant manager, Ms. Ruonong, along with many young individuals who have moved back to their hometowns, participating with their expertise in planning, photography, painting, design, and documentation to jointly hold cultural events. The activities range from picture book production, publication, guided tours, fieldwork workshops, traditional territory marking, language translation courses, singing classes, literary seminars, parent-child reading co-learning, to craft weaving and dyeing workshops, among others. Liso^so’ Studio received the "Best Indigenous Language Promotion Group Award" from the Indigenous Peoples Commission in 2024 and was invited to participate in the Austronesian Language Revitalization Forum to present achievements in Amis language learning and promotion, from creating indigenous language picture books to establishing Pising Bookstore. Pising Bookstore will carry on the spirit of Pasela’an Slow Book House, using the "bookstore" as a medium to cultivate a rich and rooted local culture. "Reading" is like a flame returning to the world, whether it's a spark or a flame, it holds endless knowledge and wisdom in our lives. With the healing companionship of books/reading, we gradually grow inner strength, and even a small light can bring brightness and warmth. We hope the bookstore will be a powerful and illuminating place of companionship. Codad is book, Codah is courage, Cora is light—"Books are the gathering place of courage," Pising Bookstore!
3 Bixin (Photography by Lin Yen-shao)
4 Bixin (Photography by Lin Yen-shao)
