Beitou District, Taipei City

"The early residents of Heart Village (Xinzhong Village) were military personnel, doctors, administrative staff, and their families from the Beitou Military Hospital. Author Kuo Chung-chi grew up in Heart Village; after working and living abroad for many years, she returned to Taiwan to settle in the newly renovated community and serves as a volunteer. While guiding domestic and international visitors, she retraces her old footsteps, finding memories of gatherings with family and neighbors at every turn. Part I and II of this book focus on the author's childhood stories—memories shared by everyone of that era and a piece of history worth preserving. It records not only a personal family history but also a collective journey of the military dependents' village (Juancun) residents, hoping to evoke deep childhood memories for friends who lived in such villages. The preservation of these 'bamboo fence' and 'big family' stories is significant not only to former residents but as an indispensable part of Taiwan's history. Part III recalls the author's university life, while Parts IV and V cover her time as a student and her experiences returning to Taiwan after living in the United States for over twenty years. There are joys, sorrows, and an unyielding will against adversity, transforming life's challenges into nutrients for spiritual growth."

"Beitou Market" is a local life chronicle centered on a traditional market. From the perspectives of Beitou residents and cultural workers, the book views the market as a daily human theater: the craftsmanship of vendors, the memories of neighbors, the aroma of food, and the rhythm of daily transactions collectively form the cultural scene closest to the everyday lives of Beitou's common people.

This book does more than just introduce stalls and delicacies; it attempts to establish a new way of seeing the "market as cultural heritage." Through the stories and skills of establishments like Ai-Zai-Cai Braised Pork Rice, rice shops, fish stalls, and snack stands, readers can see how traditional markets carry the local economy, family memories, community trust, and life aesthetics. It also imagines the market as a node for local cultural display, tourism routes, and community building.

Core Content Highlights:

• Documents the vendors, food, and daily life scenes of Beitou Market. • Reinterprets the public value of traditional markets from a cultural perspective. • Presents the accumulation of market skills, family business operations, and local memories. • Proposes possibilities for integrating the market with local culture, tourism, and community building.

Target Audience:

Local cultural workers, community building teams, food culture researchers, urban observers, and readers concerned with Beitou's local life and the preservation of traditional markets.