Passing a bookshop in a street, I was attracted by its door's design of an English-style with nailed old books on it by hand. Opening the door, it also opened the story of the bookshop. And meeting her, it once again opened another door of an obliging story with a dreaming and encouraging mind.
Four hundred pieces of bricks were successively carried to the site with several batches by a motor-cycle. Every brick was carefully painted and made up a book-like model by DIY. Then they were altogether piled up one another before the door, seeming to remind the passengers that reading is able to open a colorful world in our minds.
In the following days, hard paperboards, linen threads and paints were personally assembled to shape those bricks into the forms of English-style classic books. Then, the design of the bookshop's door of antique-like bookshelf was completed. When some passengers asked her from which country the door import from, she smiled sweetly.
In addition, due to the window's frame rusts seriously, she bought a lot of wooden board, sponge, and flannelette to refresh this space. After spending a little work, this narrow space has become one more comfortable corner as a secret base for someone who wants to stay alone silently.
The bookshelf, lion spring washbasin, and the fragrant mini-bathtub, as well as a cup of scented and savory coffee Latte were all amazingly made by such a delicate girl's hands.
Seeing a pack of cards slanting on the shelf, I asked her curiously, "Do not tell me, you can also paint." She smiled and said: "This is for helping a relative with depressive illness. Wishing she could find herself through painting, I therefore put here to sell for her particularly in order to encourage my relative to express her unspeakable emotion on the drawings."
She pointed to a corner where-under two drawings were put and said: “I am planning to collect a series of ten works with a topic name of About Love. There are just two of them." She continuously smiled and said that she had not been to a class for learning painting, but always had fun to learn painting herself.
“About Love” first piece：kiss ↓
“About Love” second piece：hug ↓
CN's painting and her painting brushes ↓
"Do you feel hard since you are alone in Taipei ?" I had to ask her tenderheartedly. Looking at piles of books, she said:" I have many friends who can teach me a lot of things. Except doing strenuous work, I would go to church to learn singing with my teacher at regular time. Most time, I would like to be here, my bookshop, to make conversation and communication with old and new friends about various classic old/new books."
I asked her curiously: "Why is it a bookshop? It can be a sweet snacks shop, a clothes store, or a beauty parlor." And she said: "It was because when my life was coming to a dead end of a lane, reading gave me a way out. So I hoped to prepare a place, with even a very, very small space, from where a little sections of words in a book could lead someone who enters this door to find a way out in his life, or to hear the sound of his mind by encouraging himself to stay alone and start to read. And thereafter, he can solve the problems he faces in the road of his life. This is the happiest thing for me."
The cup of coffee Latte was getting cool in my hand. Her story was getting hot to the heart of everyone on the spot. As far as she is concerned, if she would ask, I guessed that many people would like to help her quite willingly. But, she confidently said: " I want to pile up my own dreams. Every brick is a foundation of a dream and I want to put it at a most suitable place." Then, she added with a smile and said to me that there certainly was a part of heavy work, but her friends felt worried about her and stopped her to do it by giving her a hand. "Taiwan is a place where the human relationship is the most concerned, isn't it ? " she smiled again.
CN built her bookshop's photos ↓
Indubitably, the above is the story of 張熙恩 (CN), a kindly, good, bravely striving girl whose life had injuries, solitude, and helpless. Depending on reading, she stood up again by helping herself. She, and we alike, had individual dreams and stories. No matter what she will develop in the future, the dream has stridden out from this first step underneath. CN builds her dream definitely. She is a strong girl who does not want to choose a shortcut with her beautiful features. More valuably, part of her dreams is willing to prepare a springboard or a pivot for those who are now looking for a way out, in order to be able to prop up their own world completely.
I hope every one who steps into the CN's corner has luck of finding a book, which will change his own life. This world is too noisy, full of too many rumors and slanders. Please do not forget the necessity to be alone. It should take some opportunities to leave out of a group of people and go back to the books, allowing us to make conversation with oneself. Let us have a deep thinking that we always keep fleeing because we are probably afraid to be alone, fearing to hear the sounds of yelling and asking for help from our deep souls, and however we are incapable.
Only a brave person is able to let himself calm down. Only a strong person can stand back up, no matter how defeated he is, just like CN did.
Today, I savored the cup of coffee Latte, which was made by CN, and was spreading with a fragrant smell from the books. The coffee in the cup and the passion of the life were lingering in the air for a long time. It is time for us, who have always kept running, to find a corner to be solitary in peace, precipitating us, getting back our initial souls, and starting to proceed again.
Photos and article by Kris Zhang - Jan 05 2018
Translated by Y.H. Hung - Jan 20 2018
***About Saint Williams Co., Ltd.
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*** About CN's bookshop - "Enigma bookshop"
- If you would like to visit CN's bookshop, please make sure you would make a reservation in advance through FB of 張熙恩CN)
- Add of CN's bookshop : No.16, Aly. 52, Lane. 118, Sec. 2, Heping E. Rd. Da'an Dist., Taipei City 10662, Taiwan R.O.C.
CN built her bookshop's video ↓
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