Kishu-An Literature Forest Introduction
The Taipei City Government's Cultural Affairs Department has established the "Kishu An New Pavilion" at the end of Tong'an Street, as Taipei City's first dedicated literary space, which has been operated by the Taiwan Literature Development Foundation since June 2011. The "Kishu An New Pavilion," collectively referred to as the "Kishu An Literary Forest," is integrated with the Southern City Literary Park, providing readers with a comfortable environment to read, write, enjoy tea and coffee, and engage in conversations with fellow literature enthusiasts both indoors and outdoors. Readers and book lovers may even unexpectedly encounter their favorite writers, critics, and publishers here. The historical building of "Kishu An" was once a Japanese-style restaurant during the Japanese colonial period, and after the war, it was converted into quarters for teachers and civil servants. Located in the southern district of the city, it radiates to nearby Tong'an Street, Xiamen Street, Kinmen Street, and Guling Street, extending as far as the National Taiwan Normal University and National Taiwan University areas, making it a significant venue in the history of post-war literary development in Taiwan. It is the birthplace of literary groups like "The Blue Sky Poetry Society," and magazines such as "Literary Magazine," "Modern Literature," "Grassland," and "University." It has also been home to literary organizations like the "China Literature Association," and periodicals such as "The Central Daily News." Various publishing houses, including Jun Literature, Hongfan, Erya, and Yuanliu, along with prominent writers like Lin Haiyin, Lin Liang, Yu Guangzhong, Wang Wenxing, and Yin Di, have all expanded their literary ideals here. Therefore, there is hope for the future to use "Kishu An" and "Kishu An New Pavilion" as core starting points to recreate the historical context and treasures of literature.
