Chongqing South Road Bookstore Street Introduction
●Introduction: Chongqing South Road, formerly known as Fujian Street and Wenwu Street, is one of Taiwan's historic book streets. At its peak, the number of bookstores and publishing houses exceeded a hundred. Many literati, intellectuals, and students enjoyed wandering here for an afternoon, and for them, the book street was akin to their Xinyi District, a paradise for shopping, thus it can be said that the book street nurtured many of Taiwan's elites. However, due to multiple factors, the book street has been gradually declining, with most of the remaining establishments being well-known large publishing houses. 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 printing textbooks at that time. After the end of Japanese rule, it was renamed "Taiwan Bookstore." The literary atmosphere of Chongqing South Road has historical significance. Even now, a large number of bookstores line the street, where you can find books in all fields and for various purposes. Unfortunately, due to market changes, a decline in the number of readers, and the impact of online bookstores, the number of bookstores here has significantly diminished. However, it still holds an important position, as many publishers and bookstores continue to work hard here to serve readers, and upon entering, one can immediately sense the rich aroma of books. Picking up a book and reading it slowly, savoring the exciting parts word by word, one can easily lose track of the afternoon in the world of literature. This feeling is shared by many who browse the bookstores on Chongqing South Road, which has a long history; older generations say that at its peak, there were over a hundred bookstores and publishing houses! The area is home to many renowned bookstores, such as San Min Bookstore, which houses nearly 150,000 titles and has pioneered the "library-style" bookstore concept in the country, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the vast world of knowledge while browsing. Other bookstores like Rulin Bookstore, World Bookstore, and Tianlong Bookstore are also present, with 20 to 30 establishments, each with its unique characteristics.
