Contemplate life at "Life Bookstore" in Kaohsiung — don’t wait to make up for things later

Text & photos by Chen Yilin
Taiwan’s Hidden Gems: A Passionate Revival Project – On the Way North

That day, we only caught a fleeting glimpse in Kaohsiung’s Old Juejiang area. The bold characters “Life Bookstore” caught our eyes, and every corner of the shop was adorned with calligraphy and paintings that drew our attention.

“This feels like an amazing place. Going in might even change our lives!” So we went in and started browsing. There were books that looked like they were published years ago, their titles still arranged right-to-left on the covers: “The Love of Human Enemies.”

“This book was super popular back then. It was reprinted several times and even adapted into films and TV dramas!” A uncle with ears as big as the Buddha’s walked over, beaming with a big smile. “Let me show you a few more books!”

As he spoke, he pulled out one Taiwanese original novel after another, and began introducing the calligraphy pieces around us. Looking at the authors’ names, we realized they were all his own work — each proudly marked with the bold letters: Published by Life Bookstore.

The uncle, who had received Japanese education, is now 86 years old and has been running the bookstore for 68 years. The shop specializes in self-published books and calligraphy artwork — most of which are rare titles rarely seen in regular stores. There are accounts of his life in Japanese schools, and even books teaching how to curse in Taiwanese — super cool.

Each book features images of the uncle at different ages. “There was a time when all the students in the Japanese school followed my commands, and as a Taiwanese entrepreneur, I was even invited to stay at a hotel in Japan that costs fifty thousand yen a night — for free.” His life experiences sound incredibly rich.

Don’t let the humble size of this shop fool you. These artworks and calligraphy pieces aren’t just sold here — they’re also distributed in many countries. “I publish these things for just six words: to promote traditional culture. If one day traditional Chinese characters disappear, at least these works will preserve them.”

Before leaving, I said, “We’ll come visit you again next time,” but the uncle just waved his hand:“I can’t promise you that, because life is unpredictable. Many people want to see me, but who knows — maybe I’ll kick the bucket tomorrow. The connections between people are truly mysterious. You came today, and I happened to be in the store, happened to have free time, so I ended up telling you all this. We can never guarantee what the future holds.”

That last bit of his words kept echoing in my mind. Yeah, we always think we can make it up later, especially with those closest to us. We assume there’s plenty of time, which is why we so often hear regrets like, “The tree wants to be still, but the wind won’t stop; the child wants to care for their parents, but the parents are no longer there.”

For those things we wish to protect with our lives, for those people we can’t afford to wait for — even if we know we can only be part of their journey for a while — let’s walk every step without regret, giving it our all. That’s enough.

※ Originally published on“Taiwan’s Hidden Gems: A Passionate Revival Project – On the Way North”Facebook fan page. The opinions expressed do not represent the stance of this publication. Submissions can be sent to editor@ettoday.net

※ Author Chen Yilin, one of the founders of the “On the Way North” team, is currently a freelance designer. The On the Way North team, under the theme “Taiwan’s Hidden Gems: A Passionate Revival Project,” aims to raise public awareness about the things around us, share beauty, foster human connection, and give back through their expertise. They encourage people to return to their hometowns, reshape their local city images, and rediscover and create the beauty that has been forgotten.

Since founding the team in February 2, 2012, they’ve explored Taiwan’s rural areas through slow travel, collecting local culture, stories, grassroots figures, and locations to deeply discover the unnoticed beauty among Taiwan’s towns. They strive to protect Taiwan’s charm from different perspectives.