Memorial service for Guo Chongxing, founder of Reading Republic, Minister of Culture Li Yuan issued the presidential commendation order on his behalf

A memorial service for Kuo Chong-hsing, founder and president of Reading Republic Publishing Group and founder of Kuo Yimei Bookstore, was held today at the Huashan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei. Representative Li Yuan, the Minister of Culture, issued a presidential commendation order, and the eldest daughter of Kuo Chung-hsing, Guo Zhengrong, received the gift on behalf of him.

Guo Chongxing passed away on September 7 this year at the age of 77. The memorial service "Do you want to open a publishing house? - Mr. Guo Chongxing's life graduation ceremony" was held today.

During his speech, Li Yuan recalled that he once told Guo Chongxing, "At the graduation ceremony of your life, the president will issue a commendation order to you." Guo Chongxing replied, "I would rather not have a commendation order. I don't want to graduate." After thinking about it, he said, "If you must graduate, please remember one thing. There are many words written on the commendation order. Don't read it because it will waste everyone's time." Therefore, there is no reading of the commendation order today.

Li Yuan said that he and Guo Chongxing both belong to the post-war generation. Because they are only one year apart in age, they have similar growth backgrounds. Recalling that a book they both loved together was "Russell's Memoirs", the content in the book had always inspired them in that pale and poorly read era. Just like many of the books later founded by Guo Chongxing in Owl Publishing House, they also became Li Yuan's favorite and the books that accompanied the growth of his children.

Li Yuan also mentioned Guo Chongxing's support for editorial ideas. After a senior editor retired, he once submitted a proposal for establishing a publishing house to Guo Chongxing. Instead of "reviewing" the proposal like a traditional investor, Guo Chongxing told the editor with excitement, "Someone thinks so highly of me that they chose me. I'm so happy." From his brief words, we can see Guo Chongxing’s respect for book lovers and editors.

"Although he did not want to attend the graduation ceremony, the graduation ceremony will still be held after all." Li Yuan said with emotion and humor that Guo Chongxing's departure also means that their post-war generation has become a thing of the past. Despite this, many people of Guo Chongxing's generation are still lingering and unwilling to use their strength to the end. "Those of us who have not attended the graduation ceremony will continue to work hard." We will still complete many things that we thought would fail, optimistically and passionately, and then hand them over to the next generation.