Spring Back Garden Flower Viewing Stroll
Public art and the background of the Film Library at Bercy Park







Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang. The flower city and earth slowly awaken; all things renew under the bright sunlight, with colorful flowers and plants adding new natural attire. Stepping out from the shadowed winter, although spring’s face is changeable—a symphony of sunny skies, clouds, and occasional showers—after returning from Taiwan, I have regained my daily rhythm in Paris. Walking in gardens or parks has become a habit, especially given the many large and small gardens and parks near my home.
Bercy Park is a place I frequently visit or stroll through in my daily life. The leisurely streets of the Bercy village for dining and entertainment, or watching movies at the cinema complex, are part of my life. It is a favorite spot to meet friends, relax, chat, and drink coffee. Next to it is the French Film Archive. Last month, during the Hou Hsiao-hsien retrospective, we went there to see "A City of Sadness." It was a touching story about the master of Taiwanese puppet theater, Li Tian-lu. It is hard to imagine that after the film ended, the audience stood up to applaud enthusiastically for several minutes. It was a moving scene. For audiences with an appreciation of beauty, this seems to be a courtesy only film fans in the artistic capital of Paris would offer Director Hou.