Taiwan Literary Base Introduction
The Taiwan Literature Base is located within the Japanese dormitory complex on Qidong Street, making it one of the few areas in Taiwan where historical buildings are preserved in their entirety. It is also one of the first groups of Japanese dormitories to be preserved under Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. This area includes one designated historic site and nine historical buildings, all imbued with rich local stories and connections to the experiences of the citizens, highlighting the contemporary significance of revitalizing and repurposing the last remaining Japanese dormitory historical cluster in Taipei City. In the neatly arranged center of Taipei, Qidong Street resembles a casual smile, stretching between Jinan Road and Zhongxiao East Road. Behind this smile lies a long history—over two hundred years ago during the Qing Dynasty, this area was once an ancient path called "Sanbanqiao Street," leading to Songshan and connecting to Keelung. At that time, the landscape was dotted with endless rice paddies and ponds. The unbaptized Qidong Street wound its way between the irrigation ditches, rice fields, and ponds, shouldering the heavy responsibility of transporting essential goods such as rice and coal. From 1920 to 1940, during the Japanese colonial period, the Governor-General's Office constructed Japanese civil servant dormitories here, which now form the Qidong Street Japanese Dormitory complex. Simultaneously, various companies and industries gradually gathered in the area, leading to increasingly prosperous commercial activities, which spurred the establishment of the "East City Association." This organization frequently held community lectures, theater performances, and film screenings, creating a vibrant artistic and cultural experience of the time. After World War II, the government continued to use this area as a dormitory for central government officials. Major General Wang Shuming, who was the Deputy Commander of the Air Force at the time, resided at No. 27, Section 2, Jinan Road, and later held the titles of "Commander of the Air Force" and "Chief of the General Staff of the Ministry of National Defense" until his departure from the official residence in 1992. This Japanese house is marked as the "General's Residence." After 2000, Qidong Street, located in the city center, faced the threat of demolition amid rapid urban development. Fortunately, residents from the local community, driven by their recognition of the architectural cluster, old trees, and environment, formed the "Qidong Cultural and Historical Studio" in 2002. With the efforts of residents and experts, they successfully preserved the adjacent nine connected Japanese dormitory historic buildings, which are regarded as "important and invaluable historical cultural assets for the citizens of Taipei City." As urban development continued, new houses, schools, and factories emerged, causing "Sanbanqiao Street" to slowly disappear from the maps, leaving only the smile curve between Jinan Road and Zhongxiao East Road to remind us of its existence. In 2011, the Ministry of Culture commissioned the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Taipei City Government to renovate the Qidong Street Japanese dormitories (No. 25 and 27, Section 2, Jinan Road), naming this historic building "Qidong Poetry House." In July 2014, the National Taiwan Museum of Literature began to operate, manage, and plan exhibitions and literary promotion activities. With the completion of the restoration of five historical buildings on Alley 53 of Qidong Street, the "Taiwan Literature Base," dedicated to innovation and cultural inheritance, officially opened in 2021! (Source: Taiwan Literature Base official website)
