臺北市政府文化局

Countless captivating literary stories lie in the southern part of Taipei. Stepping out of Guting Metro Station and onto Tong'an Street feels like embarking on a magical journey through time. At the end of the street stands the Kishu An Forest of Literature, seemingly a natural extension of this literary ambiance.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, notable literary publishers Belle-Lettres Publisher, Elite Books, Hongfan Bookstore, and Yuan-Liou Publishing Co. were set up in this area. Literary giants such as Yu Kwang-chung and Wang Wen-Hsing also made this place their home. Their lives and writings were deeply intertwined with the locale, chronicling the rich history of southern Taipei. Yu Kwang-chung, for instance, lived at the entrance of Lane 113, off Xiamen Street. In his work The House Where the Sun Never Sets, he describes his interactions with publishers and other writers: 

“At the end of the alley is Tong'an Street. Turn left and walk another three to five minutes, and you’ll arrive at the offices of Literary Review Magazine, a real neighbor. The magazine came out on the 20th of each month, so I would go to Liu’s house to get my copy. Hsia Tsi-An and Wu Luqin would always be there, playing cards and waiting for the new issue to arrive, which brought them joy each time.”

So Yu Kwang-chung must have often passed by the old Shuangji Banyan tree that quietly stands at the intersection of Lane 113, Xiamen Street, and Tong'an Street. Actually a large-leaved banyan tree, it has witnessed the rise and fall of nearby publishers and bookstores, as well as the lives of many literary figures. 

Today, this area has been transformed into Shuangji Banyan Park. Quotations from various writers are inscribed on red bricks. As Yindi, the founder of Elite Books, said: “In our finite lives, we must plant an infinite literary tree.” This quotation is also displayed on the wall of the nearby Elite Books, as if a reminder that this banyan tree holds countless stories and memories, much like an infinite literary tree.

In this bustling city, find a quiet spot under the tree to sit, reflect, and immerse ourselves in the literary atmosphere of southern Taipei, appreciating the significance of the Shuangji Banyan as a witness to Taiwanese literary history in this area.