Department of Cultural Affairs

By Psyche Cho
Photos by Psyche Cho

Sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying a movie by internationally-renowned director Tsai Ming-liang now are new ways to have fun at Taipei Zhongshan Hall with the opening of the Arts Salon on November 23.

After more than two years’ re-engineering, the 4th floor of the historic building has been reborn as the Arts Salon where Tsai’s Tsai Lee Lu Cafe' now lodges in to create a space full of nostalgic atmosphere.

The winding corridor-shaped coffee shop is decorated with rattan furniture, old lighting devices and lamps, sculptures and paintings as well as records and comic books on shelves —a style that was in fashion back in the 1970s to 1990s.

“Our belief is very simple,” says Tsai in an interview. “We just want to bring back precious memories that we have lost or forgotten,” he notes.

Taiwan has been dedicated to the cultural creativity field in recent years, but putting undue emphasis on things that are novel and on its consumption culture, notes Tsai.

In his opinion, culture runs much deeper than that, and one can only say he or she really knows a place when they understand “what the land has received from the past”.  

Beyond the cafe', the corner space is occupied by a mini-sized movie theater which can accommodate 18 viewers, while the outer roof space will also be used as a screening venue.

Meanwhile, showcases of Tsai’s works, screenings of international and Chinese-language classic films, as well as exhibitions of budding artists are also available in the Arts Salon. 

The 3rd and 4th floors were previously used by the Taipei Chinese Orchestra for rehearsals and office space. Now the 3rd floor is the Taipei Lecture Hall, opened in September, which aims to revive education of the inner spirit, along with tea tables spreading along the path. 

“Don’t define this place as only a space for coffee and movies, we have opened up every possibility and welcome cooperation from business groups and brands,” says Tsai.

The hours of operation of the Tsai Lee Lu Cafe' are 10am to 9pm. For more information please call 02-23312727.