Chongqing South Road Bookstore Street Introduction
● Introduction: Chongqing South Road, originally known as Fuqian Street and Wenwu Street, is a historic bookstore street in Taiwan. At its peak, there were over a hundred bookstores and publishers, making it a favorite place for many literati, intellectuals, and students to spend an afternoon. For them, the bookstore street was akin to their own Xinyi District, their shopping paradise, and it can be said that this street has nurtured many of Taiwan's elites. However, due to various factors, this bookstore street has been gradually declining, with most of the enduring establishments being well-known major publishers. Nevertheless, Chongqing South Road remains the street with the highest density of bookstores in the Taipei area. ● Features and Recommendations: During the Japanese colonial period, the "Taiwan Book Company" was established on Chongqing South Road, specializing in the printing of textbooks at that time. After the end of Japanese rule, it was renamed "Taiwan Bookstore." The literary atmosphere of Chongqing South Road is steeped in historical context. To this day, a large number of bookstores line the street, where one can find books from various fields and for various purposes. Unfortunately, due to changes in the market, a decrease in the number of readers, and the impact of online bookstores among other factors, the number of bookstores has significantly declined. However, despite this, the bookstore street still holds an important position, as many publishers and bookstores continue to strive to serve readers. Upon entering, one can sense the strong aroma of books. Picking up a book and reading slowly, savoring the parts one enjoys, the hours can quickly pass by while immersed in the fragrance of books. This experience resonates for many who visit the bookstores on Chongqing South Road, which has a long history, with older generations recalling that there were over a hundred bookstores and publishers at its peak! There are many established bookstores here, such as Sanmin Bookstore, which boasts a collection of nearly 150,000 titles and introduces the nation’s first "library-style" bookstore, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the vast world of knowledge while browsing. Other bookstores such as Rulin Bookstore, World Bookstore, and Tianlong Bookstore are also prominent in the area, each with its own unique features.
