Chongqing South Road - Bookstore Street Introduction
● Introduction: Chongqing South Road, originally known as Fujian Street and Wenwu Street, is one of Taiwan's oldest bookstore streets. At its peak, there were more than a hundred bookstores and publishers, and many literary figures, intellectuals, and students enjoyed wandering here for an afternoon. For them, the bookstore street seemed like their Xinyi District, their shopping paradise, and it can be said that the bookstore street nurtured many of Taiwan's elites. Currently, due to multiple factors impacting the industry, the bookstore street is gradually declining; however, some well-known large publishers still stand firm. Even so, Chongqing South Road remains the street with the highest density of bookstores in the Taipei area. ● Features and Recommendations: During the Japanese colonial period, "Taiwan Book Company" was established on Chongqing South Road, specializing in printing textbooks of the time. After the restoration, it changed to "Taiwan Bookstore." The literary aura of Chongqing South Road has a historical context. Even today, a large number of bookstores stand here, and books of all kinds and purposes can be found. Unfortunately, due to market changes, a decline in readers, the impact of online bookstores, and other factors, the number of bookstores here has significantly decreased. Nevertheless, the bookstore street still holds an important position, and many publishers and bookstores continue to work hard here to serve readers. Upon entering, one can feel the rich aroma of books. Picking up a book and slowly reading, savoring the exciting parts word by word, immersing oneself in the fragrance of books, an afternoon quickly passes by. This feeling resonates with many who visit bookstores on Chongqing South Road. Known as the bookstore street, Chongqing South Road has a long history. Older generations say that at its peak, the number of bookstores and publishers surpassed a hundred! Many long-established bookstores like San Min Bookstore, which has a collection of nearly 150,000 titles and pioneered the "library-style" bookstore in the nation, allow visitors to be immersed in a vast world of knowledge while browsing. Other notable bookstores, such as Rulin Bookstore, World Bookstore, and Tianlong Bookstore, line the street, each featuring its unique characteristics.
