The Taiwan Literature Base (TLB) is located in the Qidong Street Preservation Area in Zhongzheng District, Taipei City. This area is one of the few in Taiwan where historic Japanese-style buildings have been preserved in their entirety. It was also among the first Japanese dormitory clusters designated for area-wide preservation under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act.
The preservation zone includes one municipal-designated historic site and nine historic buildings, seven of which are located within the Taiwan Literature Base. Beyond preserving rich local stories and community connections, this site highlights the contemporary significance of revitalizing and repurposing one of Taipei's last remaining historic Japanese dormitory clusters.
Amid the grid-like precision of Taipei's city center, Qidong Street meanders like a shape of a carefree smile, curving between Jinan Road and Zhongxiao East Road. Behind this gentle curve lies a long and storied past - over two centuries ago, during the Qing Dynasty, this area was part of an ancient route known as "Sanbanqiao Street", which connected Songshan to Keelung. At that time, the landscape was dominated by endless rice paddies and ponds. As irrigation canals wove through the fields, the yet-unnamed Qidong Street gradually took shape, serving as a vital transport route for rice, coal, and other essential goods.
Between the 1920s and 1940s, during the Japanese ruling period, this area saw the gradual construction of Japanese-style dormitories for civil servants. Over time, it became home to various industrial companies, factories, and institutions, fueling the growth of commercial activity. This economic and cultural expansion led to the formation of "East Town Association," which regularly organized community lectures, theater performances, musical shows, and film screenings—creating a thriving hub for arts and culture in its time.
After the war, the government continued to use these buildings as a residence for central government officials. Major-General Wang Shu-ming, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Air Force, moved into No. 27, Section 2, Jinan Road. He was later promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Ministry of National Defense. This old Japanese house continued to be known as the "General's Resident" even after he moved out in 1992. As urban development progressed, the construction of modern buildings, schools, and factories gradually erased Sanbanqiao Street from the map.
All that remains is the gentle curve between Jinan Road and Zhongxiao East Road - a quiet reminder of its past existence. In 2011, the Ministry of Culture commissioned Taipei City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau to restore the Qidong Street Japanese-era dormitories (No. 25 and No. 27, Section 2, Jinan Road), and named these historical buildings "Qidong Poetry Salon." In July 2014, the National Museum of Taiwan Literature took over administrative responsibilities and began organizing literature-themed exhibitions and events. With the completion of the restoration of five historic buildings at No. 2 to No. 10, Lane 53, Qidong Street, this winding, smile-shaped alley became home to the Taiwan Literature Base - a hub dedicated to innovation and cultural heritage - which officially opened in 2021.
More information: https://tp.nmtl.gov.tw/home/en-us/Features