March - May 2020
1. Sun Moon Lake and Qingjing Farm 日月潭跟清境農場
We visited Nantou County a few days before Chinese New Year. From Taitung City we drove to Jiayi City, spent the night, and then drove into Nantou the following morning. 我們過年前去南投縣玩了幾天. 我們從台東市開車到嘉義市, 在嘉義市過一個晚上, 隔天早上去南投.
It was a peaceful drive. Most people's vacations hadn't started yet, and as usual we were traveling opposite the flow of traffic. Everyone else was going south while we were going north, or west while we were going east. 一路上交通很順暢. 大部分的人還沒開始放假. 跟以往一樣, 我們開往目的地的方向跟大多數人相反, 也就是他們往南部我們就往北部, 他們往西部我們就往東部.
After arriving in Nantou County, we stopped at the Sun Moon Lake Visitor's Center*. There's nothing special about this place, but the building is kind of interesting. 我們一到南投就到日月潭遊客中心. 這個地方不是很好玩, 可是建築物很特別.
The Visitor's Center aside, finding a parking spot around Sun Moon Lake is difficult. After a couple unsuccessful attempts at parking near the lake, we wound up at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, which lies on a hill above it. 除了遊客中心之外, 在日月潭找停車位是很麻煩的事情. 我們嘗試了幾次就放棄了, 直接到山坡上的九族文化村.
The Aboriginal Culture Village is something halfway between a museum and an amusement park**. The top half is full of exhibits on Taiwan's aboriginal tribes, and the bottom half is full of rides and overpriced food. You can also board the cable car from there. 九族文化村介於博物館和遊樂園之間. 上面的一半有原住民文化的展示及表演. 下面的一半有遊樂設施跟很貴的餐廳. 也可以從這邊坐日月潭的空中纜車.
The entrance fee for the Aboriginal Culture Village is 850 NT, with additional fees for parking. It's not cheap, and it's definitely not awesome, but the price of riding the cable car is included in your ticket. 九族文化村的成人票要850元, 還要加停車費. 這個景點不便宜, 也沒有那麼好玩, 但票價中包含了乘坐空中纜車的費用.
This picture was taken from the cable car as it reached the lake. The views from the top of the cable car's route were more impressive, but I don't like heights and I was too petrified to take pictures. 這個照片是在空中纜車快到日月潭的時候拍的. 空中纜車爬越高風景越美, 可是我害怕很高的地方, 所以沒拍照.
After re-arriving in the Aboriginal Culture Village our younger daughter wanted to go on some of the rides. Their roller coaster looks SO old, and I was almost worried it would come apart while she was on it. 我們回到九族文化村的時候, 我女兒想玩遊樂設施. 只是樂園的過山車看起來超級舊. 我有點緊張她在玩的時候會出問題.
After the Aboriginal Culture Village we visited Puli's Rice Wine Distillery. I have the feeling they don't see a lot of foreigners here. My favorite thing about this place was the "Drunken Experience" room, which is a booth attempting to simulate the feeling of drunkenness through a sloped floor, mirrors and psychedelic art. 離開九族文化村後我們去埔里酒廠. 來參觀這裡的外國遊客不多吧! 我在這裡最喜歡的部分就是他們的 "喝醉體驗小屋." 他們利用傾斜的地板, 鏡子還有迷幻藝術讓人體驗喝醉的感覺.
I had a beer while I was there. The rice wine sausages were good. Would I go back a second time? Nope. 我在那裏喝了一杯啤酒. 他們的米酒香腸不錯. 我會再去嗎? 不會.
From Puli we drove up to our hotel in the mountains. Our hotel was just ten minutes down the road from Qingjing Farm***. Aside from Sun Moon Lake, Qingjing Farm is the most famous tourist attraction in the area. The view up there is amazing. 我們從埔里開車到山上的民宿. 我們去的民宿離清境農場開車10分鐘. 除了日月潭之外, 清境農場就是那附近最有名的景點.
The next day we went up to Qingjing Farm. We parked at the main food/concession area, and paid to walk along a scenic trail. As with Sun Moon Lake, it's not an easy place to park. 我們隔天上去清境農場. 我們把車子停在休閒中心, 之後買門票走空中步道. 這附近跟日月潭一樣, 停車位不多.
Qingjing Farm itself isn't that interesting. The scenery is glorious, but the part you need to pay for seems like more of the same. I guess you could pay to go in there, but just walking around that area is enough. 清境農場不是很有趣, 但是風景很漂亮. 我猜想該買門票的地方應該跟附近的風景差不多, 所以不買門票只在附近散步欣賞風景也不錯.
Surprisingly, Qingjing Farm is only about half as high as the highest point on this road. We briefly considered going all the way up there, but by that point we all wanted a break from the car. 清境農場的位置只到這山路最高點的一半, 我們考慮過再到更高的地方, 可是後來我們決定不要再開車了.
This walkway is, by the way, relatively new. It'll cost you 160 NT on a weekday and 200 NT on a weekend. Its terminus is the main entrance to Qingjing Farm. 這個空中步道比較新. 平日票要160元, 周末要200元. 步道的終點是清境農場的大門.
There are also plenty of stands like this one in the area. Some of them double as restaurants. 那附近有很多這種攤子. 有的攤子也額外經營餐廳.
This last picture was taken on the way back down. It was Chinese New Year's Eve, people were starting to worry over the coronavirus, and we were in a hurry to get to Kaohsiung. 最後一張照片是除夕下山的時候拍的. 大家開始擔心冠狀病毒, 我們也趕著去高雄.
A fun trip? Yeah, I guess it was. I hadn't been to Nantou in over 15 years, and it was nice to revisit the area. 這次的旅遊好玩嗎? 我覺得很不錯. 我十五年左右沒去過南投, 再次去那裡的經驗滿好的.
2. What's Going in Taitung City and County Townships/Municipalities 台東市,鄉,鎮最近動向 9
This weekend I'll be going to Pingtung. I was over there last weekend too. Lately I'm finding it a fun area to explore. There's nothing earth-shatteringly interesting in Pingtung, but it's relatively close to where I live. 這周末我要去屏東. 我上周末也去了. 我最近喜歡去探索屏東. 雖然屏東沒有什麼超級好玩的地方, 可是它比較靠近我家.
Fake news! Fake news! Yes, there's a lot of fake news on Facebook. That, and a lot of cat videos. But Facebook is still very much a force to be reckoned with, and alternatives such as Instagram and Reddit just don't influence people to the same degree.
What's more, Facebook's fake news, cat videos and other weirdness can be somewhat comforting - provided you don't take them too seriously. Sure, on the wrong kind of day Facebook screams of loneliness - either your own or others' - but taken in small amounts it's not all that bad.
So, viewed through the prism of Facebook, what's going on in East Asia? I speak here of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It's a big area, full of many people, but maybe Facebook can tell us something about it.
Hey, isn't Facebook blocked in China? I guess Mainland Facebook users are using VPNs.
According to Djang San on Beijing Underground: "Streets half full/half empty, controls of temperature and location loosening up a little, here is Beijing in the last few days. Music from the album 'Coronavirus Music,' song played on my newly created mini electric guzheng."
Whereas Visit Beijing wants you to know about "Paper Cutting, Sugar Painting, Chinese Knotting, Herb Incense and Miaofeng Mountain Fried Chinese crepes... the custodians of some of Beijing's Intangible Cultural Heritage crafts invite you to discover their world."
Adam Rose says via the Events in Beijing group: "I hope everyone is doing well despite the difficult circumstances. I live and work in Shenzhen as a mental health counselor for English speakers, in partnership with Chengmei International Medical Clinic. If you or someone you know is struggling with worsening depression or anxiety related to covid-19, displacement from our homes/work, disruption to our schedules, etc., please let me know."
Will do, Adam. But what about Shanghai? Let's take a look.
City Weekend Shanghai - posting long before this coronavirus business - on the City Weekend Shanghai group: "The prestigious Centre Pompidou is getting an outpost in Shanghai along the West Bund." Good to know!
Meanwhile Humans of Shanghai posted on the Humans of Shanghai group: "#quarantine #coronavirus #fundraising #humansofshanghai #Shanghai I first learned about the pandemic from news, then from friends and classmates. Many overseas students who went back to China for spring break were not able to return back to America for school. People are panicky. We paid attention to official data and statistic graphs every day in America, watching the map of China turning red. It wasn't until then that we realized how quickly the infection spread."
Reminds me of the last US election. Anyway, there's also this from "China":
郭時安 asks on 台灣人在上海 (Taiwanese in Shanghai) long before the virus: "麻煩新進的鄉親們, 可以寫一篇自己的自我介紹, 讓大家可以互相認識, 如果有一些行業的需求, 也可以互通有無! 範例: 我是叉叉叉, 來自台灣哪裡, 現在在上海做什麼行業... 願意介紹的就介紹..." [Newly subscribed "countrymen,"* please write a self-introduction which will allow everyone to get acquainted. If you have any shared commercial interests you can also communicate with each other! For example: "I am XXX, I'm from this part of Taiwan, I do this kind of work in Shanghai. Share whatever you feel comfortable sharing...]
Mr. 郭時安, by the way, seems to be a salesman. He sells DoTERRA Essential Oils (or at least tries to sell DoTERRA Essential Oils) all over Taiwan, and these essential oils - whether essential or not - seem to be manufactured in China. It's hard to tell from his Facebook profile when he last visited the Mainland, but I'm pretty sure he's in Tainan now.
Discover Hong Kong posted on the Discover Hong Kong group: "Experience Art Basel Hong Kong in a whole new light with the Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms. Allowing artists to showcase their artworks and collectors to view and purchase new pieces, the viewing room is available to the public from 20-25 March."
And no, I have no idea what "Art Basel" is.
Long before the above post, Nina Chan posted in the Hong Kong News group an article about "Missing Protesters / Missing Heroes." Maybe the protesters are now at home, visiting the Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms? One can only hope.
Carmen Lo, perhaps soon to be another "missing hero," said via the 香港人! 報仇解散警隊, 刻不容緩, 天滅中共, 我要真普選! [Hong Kong people! Rectify past wrongs by dissolving the police force without delay! Wipe out the CCP! We want general elections!] group: "得番7日聽日要5萬呀!! 集氣建議民x聯部份人士納入制裁名單" ["It's going to cost 50,000 on the 7th (?)!! Ji Chi suggests that some people from the Democracy Union be included in the sanctions list"] which was followed by a link to a petition, and an article about coronavirus. Ever onward, Carmen Lo!
Phoebbecate Orlando has a more serious message to impart via the PINOY SA MACAU ORIGINAL group: EASTER IS APRIL 12TH. LET ME BE THE FIRST TO ANNOUNCE, IT AIN'T GETTING CANCELED! CHRIST IS RISEN! NO BODY OR NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT! CAN I GET AN AMEN?
Sure, why not. Have an AMEN.
At about the same time Mantim Kam posted in the 澳門自由行 Macau Travel 歡迎來澳門吃喝玩 group an article about iced desserts.
No protest/virus-related posts in the Macau groups in either Chinese or English. One gets the feeling that Macau and Hong Kong are very different types of places.
Only found one group for Mongolia, with 2.3 thousand members. On this group Tushig Bat posted an article: "Photographer Captures One of the Last Surviving Eagle Hunters of Mongolia." All of the other posts in this group are from the same person, and all relate to Mongolian culture.
But wait! Tushig Bat's FB profile has led me to the Ulaanbaatar group, on which Indra Batnai complains: "when will our ulaanbaatar become a city like this? What we have to do?"
I don't know, Indra Batnai. I really don't. Especially since a) I don't know what city is pictured and b) I don't read Mongolian, or Russian, or whatever that is.
And once again proving that there are Filipinos EVERYWHERE, I stumbled across the Mga Filipino OFW sa North Korea group. Most of the posts on this group, by the way, have nothing to do with North Korea. Oh, and be careful browsing this. There's a photograph of a beheading halfway down.
Wayne Kelly posted on the Jeju Incident in the Seoul Expat Forum. I don't know anything about "Jeju's Dark History," but apparently it's really messed up.
In addition David Scott posted a job opening on the English Teaching Jobs in Korea group. There are openings in Daejeon, Incheon and Seoul for "Work making of plastic factory." Only men are eligible for the positions, and the pay is 2.5 to 2.7 million won. For the life of me I can't figure out how this job involves the teaching of English in any way, shape or form.
In the Foreigners in Busan group Gallery Negative shared a post about an art exhibition introducing "old Busan in the 70s and 80s." I just watched a movie set in Busan not long ago. I'd probably like this exhibition.
In TOKYO Travel TIPS Somnath Gupta says: "Isn't that romantic and peaceful?" There's a picture of cherry blossoms in the blog link he posted, so I can only assume those blossoms are in Japan.
James Herman offers less peaceful thoughts in the Foreigners in Tokyo group: "Annoying that I have to say this. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS. THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL CONSULTANT GROUP. IF YOU ARE ILL SEEK A DOCTOR. DONT ASK STRANGERS ON THE INTERNET. WE CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON HOW TO CONSULT ONE BUT WE CANNOT GIVE YOU MEDICAL ADVISE. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is offering a hotline for speakers of English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Thai and can refer people to relevant public health centers if necessary."
Thanks for the info and the stern warning, James Herman!
On the Osaka - Parties, events, clubs, nightlife group Vicky Lemaire Camaiti wants us to know about theater classes next Tuesday.
And look, it's the Filipinos again! Stefhanie Irene, posting on the OSAKA OFW group: "Because of the world wide situation, we come up with a promo for those who are planning to buy a house and lot investment." I have the feeling that a lot of Filipinos work overseas so that they can buy a house in their home country. I'm guessing there are a lot of real estate scams in that part of the world too.
Orrin Hooperman, in the TO - News from Taiwan group: "Interesting news this morning: 1) For the first time, China's figures report ZERO Wuhan Virus deaths in the past 24 hours. 2) British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been admitted to ICU..." Does this have anything to do with Taiwan? No, not really.
And Sahra Muhamed, in the Expats in Taiwan group: "I have a question about sending money via wire transfer to the USA." And I would have linked her above, but she deleted that her just seconds ago.
梁詠晴 is concerned with more administrative matters. "<台東美食>社團PO文規範 社團以<分享>台東美食為目標~ 不是<賣東西>的社團 只能<分享>吃&喝的為主" [The "Taitung Delicacies" group posting rules. The purpose of this group is "sharing" Taitung delicacies. It's not a group for "selling things." You can only "share" things to eat and drink.]
But isn't that always the problem with Facebook? You have a nice little group going, and before you know it people are arguing about selling things, or politics, or coronavirus, or all of the above. Oh well, I guess some people like that.
And what about you? Are you in East Asia? How's the weather there? Is it safe? Feel free to let me know in the comment section below this entry, or else - as always - on Facebook.
6. "Jinfeng" to Jinluen "金峰" 到金崙
The Chinese text below was taken from "Stories of the Opening of Taiwan (Southern Area) 臺灣開發故事 - 南部地區. The Chinese text was written by 趙莒玲. The English was written/translated by me. There will probably be four of these entries, all related to Pingtung County. The Southern Area book also covers Jiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
全臺灣最富南洋風味的屏東, 同時擁有閩南, 客家, 排灣和魯凱族四個族群. 或許因為位於台灣最南端, 加上近年興起的觀光休閒盛名遮掩, 使人忽略了屏東還有許多講不完的傳奇軼事. Pingtung is Taiwan's southernmost county, and it's host to four groups: Taiwanese [speakers], Hakka, Paiwan and Rukai. Perhaps because it lies at Taiwan's southern extremity, and also because it's been developed for tourism and leisure activities, many legendary episodes in Pingtung's history have been overlooked.(1)
哼起這首歌, 一般人都會聯想到, 抱著月琴, 孤獨吟唱陳年往事的老歌手陳達. 但那一段 "恆春傳奇" 卻是鮮少人追問. Humming along with this song, most people think of old Chen Da holding a lute and singing, but few listeners inquire into the "Hengchun legend" which inspired the tune.(2)
古名瑯嶠的恆春, 原本為清廷化外之地, 早期的原住民大多為排灣族, 僅有在牧丹, 旭海, 滿州等地, 才有少數的阿美族. Hengchun, in ancient times referred to as Lang Chiao, was originally an outpost of the Ching empire. In those times most of the aboriginal residents were members of the Paiwan tribe, though there were a few members of the Amis tribe scattered between Mudan, Shu Hai and Man Jhou.
昔日排灣族有 "出草" 惡習, 所居之處森林密布, 有 "鳥道羊腸" 之稱. 在人為和天然地形阻隔下, 嚴重妨礙恆春的對外交通. In those times the Paiwan tribe shunned open, grassy areas, and the places where they lived were densely covered by forest. The saying was "the bird hides in the sheep's intestines," meaning that they used the natural, geographic features around them as a means of defense. [For this reason] Hengchun was isolated from the rest of the world.(3)
清雍正年間, 這塊區域被畫為漢番界, 到了同治年間, 管轄範圍也僅限於沿海地區, 當時還公布了 "土牛之禁", 即用泥土塑成牛形當成番界, 可惜此物現已不存在了. During the Emperor Youngzheng's reign this area was brought into the Chinese cultural sphere. After Ching rule was established, control of this territory was limited to coastal areas. At the time it was proclaimed that "the land is limited to the ox." This meant that the [area under control] was limited to land within an ox-shaped mud boundary that enclosed it. Sadly, this boundary wall no longer exists.
清同治七年 (西元一八六八年) 美國商船Rover號, 在七星岩與蘭嶼觸礁上岸後被殺, 引發國際事件, 恆春的命運開始轉變. Seven years after the Ching Dynasty established control over this area (1868 on the Western calendar), the American merchant ship Rover struck a reef between Chi Shing Yan and Lanyu.(4) The American sailors' subsequent death [at the hands of local tribesmen] triggered an international incident, and as a result Hengchun's fortunes changed drastically.
據史料記載, 美國海軍向清廷抗議, 但清廷以 "土著為化外之民" 為由推拖, 美國氣憤之餘, 一方面邀英, 荷等曾有類似遭遇的國家相互聲援, 一方面自行出兵攻打恆春半島的社頂. According to historical records, the American navy protested to the Ching court, but the Ching court stated that "those living there are foreigners." America was not satisfied with this explanation, and rallied support for its cause among Britain, the Netherlands and other disgruntled nations. The Americans also initiated a military assault on Sheding, in the vicinity of Hengchun.(5)
美軍從佳樂水上岸, 但因不諳陸地戰, 再者原住民以珊瑚礁為保護網, 打游擊戰, 使得美軍完全無法作戰, 於是美國揚言趁秋, 冬之際, 以火燒山的方式, 逼迫原住民 "現形". The American navy landed at Jialeshui, but they fought clumsily on land and the aboriginal tribesmen fought in guerrilla fashion, using the reefs as a kind of protective net. This tactic rendered the American navy unable to attack, and during the following fall and winter the Americans set fire to the nearby mountains in hopes of forcing the tribesmen out into the open.
就在雙方相持不下時, 出現一位關鍵性的歷史人物 -- 美駐廈門兼臺灣領事李仙得. Just when both sides were at an impasse, an important historical figure appeared. This person was Charles Le Gendre, American consul for Xiamen and Taiwan.(6)
觀察力敏銳的李仙得, 採雙管齊下的方式進行. 他一方面向清廷施壓, 再透過一位懂得漢語和番語的英商畢麒麟, 直接與瑯嶠社排灣族頭目卓杞篤私下交涉, 並訂定十多條協議. Le Gendre, an observant man, took a two-pronged approach. On the one hand he put pressure on the Ching court, while on the other he employed the services of William A. Pickering, a British merchant who understood both Chinese and other local languages. Pickering communicated directly with the chief of Hengchun's Paiwan tribe, Jhuo Chi-du. [This led to] the establishment of a ten-clause formal agreement [between the two sides].
協議中最重要的是, 以後凡事掛有美國 "紅旗"的船艦, 原住民都不予傷害, 並協助其補給水和材薪: 美國則以酒, 槍枝, 砲彈, 火藥, 衣服等物品交換. 自此以後, 李仙得在排灣族建立威望. The most important aspect of the the agreement was that American ships would fly red flags, and that aboriginal tribesmen would refrain from attacking ships flying these flags. American ships would also assist in delivering water and other goods to the tribesmen, and the Americans would trade spirits, guns, shells, gunpowder, clothes and other things with the local people. In this way Le Gendre gained prestige within the Paiwan tribe.(7)
屏東平靜沒幾年, 又因外國勢力入侵而引發 "牡丹社事件". 該事件的緣由, 起於清同治十年 (西元一八七一年), 琉球群島中的宮古島一群人赴那霸朝貢途中, 遇到海難, 上岸時被牡丹鄉高士佛社 (現高士村) 的原住民殺害, 生還者向日本政府求援. Pingtung was only peaceful for a few years before the encroachment of foreign powers caused the "Mudan Incident" to occur. The cause of this incident can be traced back to the 10th year of the Ching administration (1871 on the Western calendar), during which a group of sailors from Miyako Island in the Ryukyu island chain shipwrecked [off the coast of Taiwan]. Once on the beach, many of them were killed by people from Mudan Township's Gao Shr Fo Community (now referred to as Gao Shr Village). Those who survived later turned to the Japanese government for help.
早就覬覦臺灣豐富資源的日本, 趁機於清同治十年 (西元一八七三年) 發動戰爭, 一來以琉球的宗主國自居, 再者打著順便占領臺灣的如意算盤, 這便是史稱的 "牡丹社事件". The Japanese had coveted Taiwan's natural resources for a long time. [For this reason] they used the Mudan Incident, which took place during the 10th year of the Ching administration (1873 on the Western calendar) to wage war. [They took this action] on behalf of the sovereign state of Ryukyu, and then attacked Taiwan for geopolitical reasons.(8)
這場戰爭表面上看不出有太大意義, 其實日本卻包藏禍心. 當時經過明治維新後的日本, 剛結束幕府時代, 為避免國內互鬥, 因而鼓勵將軍事力量外延伸, 並擬出 "征臺論" 和 "征韓論" 兩計畫. 後因征韓行動恐引起美, 中, 俄三方干涉, 於是全力朝拿下臺灣為目標. At first glance this war doesn't seem all that justified. In truth, Japan had an inferiority complex. Japan had just undergone the Meiji Restoration, and the rule of the shoguns had come to an end. In order to quell internal dissensions and extend their military reach, they hatched plans to annex both Taiwan and South Korea. The U.S., China and Russia opposed their designs on South Korea, so they redoubled their efforts to claim Taiwan.
關於征臺的計畫, 日本人分三路進行. 一方面與清廷交涉, 再者派學生偽裝成鳥類和植物學等專家, 以考察的身分為掩護, 來勘察台灣民情風俗; 另外, 日本人還拜訪已辭去美國代表職務的李仙得, 賜封他特別的官爵, 以借重他在恆春的聲望, 及其對民俗風情和地形的了解, 擔任攻打恆春的顧問. Regarding their plan to annex Taiwan, the Japanese proceeded along three fronts. Firstly, they convinced the Ching court to allow a group of people posing as naturalists into Taiwan to study birds, plants and local cultures. Secondly, they consulted with Le Gendre, who'd already left his post as American consul. He was granted a special title by the Japanese, and he gave his blessing to the "Hengchen cultural and geographic survey." Thirdly, they consulted with him on how best to attack Hengchun.(9)
在摸清恆春底細後, 日本人才在清同治十三年 (西元一八七四年) 發動戰爭. 他們分別從石門隘口, 寶力村和石門的後方, 同時進攻. 但因石門是一天然隘口, 山勢落差二, 三千公尺, 原住民居高臨下, 以致日軍死傷慘重. 日軍心存不甘, 只要攻下的村莊都採 "以牙還牙" 的行徑報復, 逢村就燒, 見人便砍, 使原住民犧牲不少. After learning about Hengchun in detail, the Japanese began their assault during the 13th year of the Ching administration (1874 on the Western calendar). Their forces attacked simultaneously from the Shr Men Pass, Bao Li Village and a point behind Shr Men. Although Shr Men is a natural avenue through the mountains, the mountainsides descend from 3000 to 2000 meters in that region, with the aboriginal tribes living very high up on the ridges. [For this reason] the Japanese army suffered heavy casualties. The Japanese forces were hesitant, but attempted to exact "an eye for an eye" in the villages they captured. They retaliated by burning villages and cutting off heads. [As a result] many aboriginal people lost their lives.(10)
戰爭期間, 日本人依靠外交力量與清廷交涉, 因為日本擔心傷亡太嚴重, 再加上天氣炎熱, 日兵水土不服, 生病人數急速增加, 更促使日本急於結束戰爭. 據日本史料記載, 那時不少日兵罹患瘧疾, 在撤退到龜山後面的後灣村時, 已無棺木可用, 只得拆木板的行軍床當棺材, 由此可知其傷亡的嚴重. During the war, the Japanese continually put diplomatic pressure on the Ching court. At the same time, the Japanese were worried about the severity of their casualties, with rising temperatures and other adverse conditions causing an increasing number of deaths due to illness. This forced the Japanese to end the war early. Japanese historical records show that many soldiers suffered from malaria, and by the time they'd retreated to Ho Wan Village behind Guei (Turtle) Mountain they'd run out of wood for coffins. They even had to dismantle their camp beds for extra coffins, a fact which indicates the severity of their losses.
為儘速結束這場戰爭, 日本拚命向清廷施壓, 迫使顢頇的清廷訂下賠償和承認日本為琉球宗主國的不平等條約. In order to end the war quickly, the Japanese continued to exert pressure on the Ching court, forcing the Ching court to compensate the Japanese [for their losses] by signing an unequal treaty which recognized Japan's claim to the Ryukyu Islands.
牡丹社事件在歷史上具有深遠的影響, 一則是使清廷開發後山 (今花東地區), 制定開山撫番政策; 再者清廷開始重視南臺灣防禦工事, 恆春古城也是因此而興建. The Mudan Incident was a historical event of great significance. It not only forced the Ching court to open up the area "behind the mountains" (modern-day Hualien and Taitung) and to implement a policy of engagement with the mountain areas, but it also prompted the Ching court to build up their fortifications in south Taiwan. The construction of Hengchun's "Old City" was part of this effort.
根據 "恆春縣志" 記載, 牡丹社事件後, 沈葆禎奏請朝廷於恆春築城, 以鞏固臺灣南端防務, 自清光緒元年 (西元一八七五年) 開始興築, 五年後完工. 據說, 當年督辦城牆興築的官員對堪輿頗有研究, 還定城址時, 曾特別研究過風水. According to the "Hengchun County Chronicle," after the Mudan Incident Chen Bao-jhen asked the royal court to construct a fortified city in Hengchun for the defense of Taiwan's southernmost area. Construction began during the first year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1875 on the Western calendar), and was completed five years later. It is said that the officials supervising the project did a lot of research on construction, and after deciding upon a building site they also took Fengshui principles into account.
那時恆春城以龍巒山, 虎頭山, 三臺山及西平山為四方庇佑, 龜山為屏障, 而猴洞山則為城內的龍脈. At that time Hengchun was surrounded on four sides by ["received the protection of"] Loong Luan (Dragon Hill) Mountain, Hu Tou (Tiger Head) Mountain, San Tai (Three Platform) Mountain and Sse Ping (Four Platform) Mountain. Guei (Turtle) Mountain served it as a shield, and Hou Dong (Monkey Cave) Mountain rose beneath it.(11)
全城周圍總長達八百八十丈, 牆基厚二丈, 面牆高一丈六, 分東, 西, 南, 北四座門, 南門又稱 "明都門", 各城門間並有窩鋪八間和砲臺四座, 城牆外有壕溝圍繞, 寬三丈二尺, 深六尺五寸, 每一城皆可對外連繫, 城池整體防禦相當完備堅固. The total length of the wall around the city is 2.6 kilometers, its width is 6 meters, and its height is over 3 meters. It's divided by the East, West, South and North Gates. The South Gate is called the "Ming Du Gate." Each gate has eight rooms and four gun emplacements. Outside the city walls are trenches over 9 meters wide and over six meters deep. Every part of the city has access to the surrounding areas, and the city's defenses are very comprehensive.(12)
歷經無數風災, 地震及戰火摧殘, 城牆多已傾圮或損毀, 現存的四座城門中, 南門和東門於近年整修完成, 是臺灣地區保存最完整的一座城池. After weathering storms, earthquakes, wars and various other disasters the city walls have been damaged or destroyed in places. Of the four remaining city gates, the South Gate and the East Gate have undergone restoration in recent years. [Hengchun] remains Taiwan's best preserved fortified city.
除了建城之外, 牡丹社事件還意外地讓恆春增加一個新地名 -- 鵝鑾鼻. 以前臺灣地圖上沒有鵝鑾鼻, 是因李仙得幫日本人出主意, 要求清朝政府在鵝鑾鼻建立一座燈塔, 才有了這個地名. Aside from [inciting local authorities] to build the fortified city, another byproduct of the Mudan Incident was the addition of a new place name to the [list of places] in Hengchun - Eluanbi. Old maps of Taiwan did not contain this place name, but at Le Gendre's suggestion the Japanese requested that the Ching administration build a lighthouse at its present spot. This is how the name came to be.
8. South by Southwest
It looks like I'll be working in Pingtung next year. I haven't signed the contract yet, but the rest of the transfer process is a done deal.
Provided all of this goes according to plan - and I really hope it all goes according to plan - I'll be working at Fangliao 枋寮 and Yuguang 玉光 Elementary Schools next year. Fangliao Elementary School is in Fangliao Township, on the ocean, and Yuguang is further north, in Jiadong 佳冬.
Why? I've been asked this a lot. My reasons are:
1) I really want to change schools. I've been in my present school for eleven years, and a change of scenery would be good. I also want to grow as a teacher, I want new challenges, and I'd like to see if I can do what I do in a different place.
2) In Pingtung I'll be closer to my daughters. I've already got one daughter in Wenzou 文藻 University in Kaohsiung, and the other's headed to a vocational school there next year. Fangliao's a little over an hour by train from Wenzou University, and my younger daughter's vocational school is even closer.
3) I like south Pingtung, and I could see living there longer term. Fangliao and Jiadong aren't exactly paradise, but they're close to more scenic areas. If I get along well in Pingtung I'll probably want to move further south at some point.
4) I can can transfer to Pingtung and stay in the Ministry of Education's FET (Foreign English Teacher) Program. The FET program allows Foreign English Teachers to transfer to any county that isn't funding a competing program. This means that if I want to move back to Taitung (or on to another county) in the future it'll be much easier to do so.
Make of my reasons what you will. Is my decision brave? Is it foolish? Am I kidding myself? Am I doing the right thing? I honestly have no idea what's really going to happen next year, but it seems like the right choice now. I'm taking an educated guess, and I can only hope my guess will be proven correct in the future.
Am I leaving Taitung forever? No, definitely not. We're keeping our apartment in the city, and Fangliao, where I'll probably be living next year, is only two hours away. I'm not going away forever. I'm not even going that far.
Taiwan is a small island, and it's not like Pingtung is that hard to get to. So if any of my friends or coworkers are reading this, don't worry. I'll be around, you'll be around, and given time I'm sure we'll meet again. In a place this small, how could we not?
9. Retrospective 懷舊的 8: May五月 2010年
We visited Nantou County a few days before Chinese New Year. From Taitung City we drove to Jiayi City, spent the night, and then drove into Nantou the following morning. 我們過年前去南投縣玩了幾天. 我們從台東市開車到嘉義市, 在嘉義市過一個晚上, 隔天早上去南投.
It was a peaceful drive. Most people's vacations hadn't started yet, and as usual we were traveling opposite the flow of traffic. Everyone else was going south while we were going north, or west while we were going east. 一路上交通很順暢. 大部分的人還沒開始放假. 跟以往一樣, 我們開往目的地的方向跟大多數人相反, 也就是他們往南部我們就往北部, 他們往西部我們就往東部.
After arriving in Nantou County, we stopped at the Sun Moon Lake Visitor's Center*. There's nothing special about this place, but the building is kind of interesting. 我們一到南投就到日月潭遊客中心. 這個地方不是很好玩, 可是建築物很特別.
The Visitor's Center aside, finding a parking spot around Sun Moon Lake is difficult. After a couple unsuccessful attempts at parking near the lake, we wound up at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, which lies on a hill above it. 除了遊客中心之外, 在日月潭找停車位是很麻煩的事情. 我們嘗試了幾次就放棄了, 直接到山坡上的九族文化村.
The Aboriginal Culture Village is something halfway between a museum and an amusement park**. The top half is full of exhibits on Taiwan's aboriginal tribes, and the bottom half is full of rides and overpriced food. You can also board the cable car from there. 九族文化村介於博物館和遊樂園之間. 上面的一半有原住民文化的展示及表演. 下面的一半有遊樂設施跟很貴的餐廳. 也可以從這邊坐日月潭的空中纜車.
The entrance fee for the Aboriginal Culture Village is 850 NT, with additional fees for parking. It's not cheap, and it's definitely not awesome, but the price of riding the cable car is included in your ticket. 九族文化村的成人票要850元, 還要加停車費. 這個景點不便宜, 也沒有那麼好玩, 但票價中包含了乘坐空中纜車的費用.
This picture was taken from the cable car as it reached the lake. The views from the top of the cable car's route were more impressive, but I don't like heights and I was too petrified to take pictures. 這個照片是在空中纜車快到日月潭的時候拍的. 空中纜車爬越高風景越美, 可是我害怕很高的地方, 所以沒拍照.
After re-arriving in the Aboriginal Culture Village our younger daughter wanted to go on some of the rides. Their roller coaster looks SO old, and I was almost worried it would come apart while she was on it. 我們回到九族文化村的時候, 我女兒想玩遊樂設施. 只是樂園的過山車看起來超級舊. 我有點緊張她在玩的時候會出問題.
After the Aboriginal Culture Village we visited Puli's Rice Wine Distillery. I have the feeling they don't see a lot of foreigners here. My favorite thing about this place was the "Drunken Experience" room, which is a booth attempting to simulate the feeling of drunkenness through a sloped floor, mirrors and psychedelic art. 離開九族文化村後我們去埔里酒廠. 來參觀這裡的外國遊客不多吧! 我在這裡最喜歡的部分就是他們的 "喝醉體驗小屋." 他們利用傾斜的地板, 鏡子還有迷幻藝術讓人體驗喝醉的感覺.
I had a beer while I was there. The rice wine sausages were good. Would I go back a second time? Nope. 我在那裏喝了一杯啤酒. 他們的米酒香腸不錯. 我會再去嗎? 不會.
From Puli we drove up to our hotel in the mountains. Our hotel was just ten minutes down the road from Qingjing Farm***. Aside from Sun Moon Lake, Qingjing Farm is the most famous tourist attraction in the area. The view up there is amazing. 我們從埔里開車到山上的民宿. 我們去的民宿離清境農場開車10分鐘. 除了日月潭之外, 清境農場就是那附近最有名的景點.
The next day we went up to Qingjing Farm. We parked at the main food/concession area, and paid to walk along a scenic trail. As with Sun Moon Lake, it's not an easy place to park. 我們隔天上去清境農場. 我們把車子停在休閒中心, 之後買門票走空中步道. 這附近跟日月潭一樣, 停車位不多.
Qingjing Farm itself isn't that interesting. The scenery is glorious, but the part you need to pay for seems like more of the same. I guess you could pay to go in there, but just walking around that area is enough. 清境農場不是很有趣, 但是風景很漂亮. 我猜想該買門票的地方應該跟附近的風景差不多, 所以不買門票只在附近散步欣賞風景也不錯.
Surprisingly, Qingjing Farm is only about half as high as the highest point on this road. We briefly considered going all the way up there, but by that point we all wanted a break from the car. 清境農場的位置只到這山路最高點的一半, 我們考慮過再到更高的地方, 可是後來我們決定不要再開車了.
This walkway is, by the way, relatively new. It'll cost you 160 NT on a weekday and 200 NT on a weekend. Its terminus is the main entrance to Qingjing Farm. 這個空中步道比較新. 平日票要160元, 周末要200元. 步道的終點是清境農場的大門.
There are also plenty of stands like this one in the area. Some of them double as restaurants. 那附近有很多這種攤子. 有的攤子也額外經營餐廳.
This last picture was taken on the way back down. It was Chinese New Year's Eve, people were starting to worry over the coronavirus, and we were in a hurry to get to Kaohsiung. 最後一張照片是除夕下山的時候拍的. 大家開始擔心冠狀病毒, 我們也趕著去高雄.
A fun trip? Yeah, I guess it was. I hadn't been to Nantou in over 15 years, and it was nice to revisit the area. 這次的旅遊好玩嗎? 我覺得很不錯. 我十五年左右沒去過南投, 再次去那裡的經驗滿好的.
2. What's Going in Taitung City and County Townships/Municipalities 台東市,鄉,鎮最近動向 9
For those less familiar with Taiwan, the "big" cities are divided into districts (區), and the counties are divided into cities (市), townships (鄉), and municipalities (鎮). 給對台灣比較不熟悉的讀者: 大城市 (高雄, 台南, 台中, 新竹, 桃園, 基隆, 嘉義, 台北, 跟新北市) 以下劃分為"區", 縣 (城市外的地方)則由市, 鄉, 鎮組成.
1. Da Ren Township 達仁鄉公所
2. Da Wu Township 大武鄉公所
Da Wu has a new health center, which some people think is "as beautiful as a hotel." Not that there are a lot of other attractive buildings in Da Wu to compare it to... 大武有了新的衛生所. 有的人的看法是 "美的像飯店."
3. Jin Feng Township 金峰鄉公所
No recent news out of Jin Feng. 金峰最近沒有新聞.
4. Tai Ma Li Township 太麻里鄉公所
There was recently a car accident on Highway 9. Five people survived with light injuries. 最近太麻里發生了一場車禍, 5人受輕傷.
A legal battle over land used for the old Tai Ma Li Farmer's Association began two years ago. It's likely the Farmer's Association will have to pay the landowner A LOT of money. 兩年前太麻里農會與土地所有權人進行訴訟. 農會大概會被罰大錢
5. Orchid Island Township 蘭嶼鄉公所
A Taipei City Councilman, fulfilling a promise made before the election, jumped into the ocean off Orchid Island to celebrate Tsai Ying-wen's reelection. 台北市議員去年喊出, 如果蔡英文總統連任, 他將跳海慶祝. 他最近在蘭嶼做了.
6. Green Island Township 綠島鄉公所
A whale was found dead at a the port on Green Island. It got caught in a discarded fishing net and drowned. This is the second whale to die under these circumstances in two months. 台東在兩個月內發生二起鯨豚被廢漁網絞死.
7. Taitung City 台東市公所
Due to work on sewers in Jer Ben traffic has been getting worse. Police officers working to ease the flow of traffic are at greater risk during later hours. For this reason a local citizens have donated LED shoulder lights to the officers to increase their visibility. 因為污水下水道施工, 知本交通處於陣痛期. 警力全日車輛行駛引導, 天黑的時候很危險, 所以市民捐贈LED肩燈.
The Taitung County Government will build a water resource recycling center. Hopefully the construction of this center won't involve the cutting down of too many trees. 台東縣政府要建造水資源回收中心. 希望施工的時候不用把太多樹砍掉了.
8. Beinan Township 卑南鄉公所
A man sent a Line message to the head of the Beinan Township Office before his death. The cause of death is still under investigation. 有人臨死之前傳Line給卑南鄉長. 警方還在釐清死因.
A Beinan man recently discovered three crab-eating mongooses in his backyard. Check the video. It's super cute. 卑南鄉民在後院發現三隻食蟹獴. 看一下報告中的短片. 很可愛.
The head of Li Jia Village recently injured himself with a chainsaw while trying to clear wood from a forest trail. 最近利嘉村長在林道清除枯倒木, 鏈鋸不慎鋸到自己的大腿.
A house caught fire in Ming Feng Village. A mother and her child were lost in the fire. 明峰村有民宅火警. 民宅裡的母親和嬰兒喪生火場.
9. Dong He Township 東河鄉公所
A woman riding a scooter in Dong He struck the concrete base of an electrical box and flew more than two meters. 東河女騎士自撞電箱水泥座飛到兩公尺外.
A woman driving a car in Dong He struck and killed two cows. After the accident she's in serious condition. 女駕駛在東河撞死兩頭牛. 女駕駛當場無呼吸心跳.*
The Taitung County Government wants to improve/add a shelter to the bus stop near the Dong He Steamed Buns Restaurant. Really, this was an entire news article. 台東縣政府要改善東河包子附近的公車候車亭.
10. Cheng Gong Municipality 成功鎮公所
No recent news out of Cheng Gong. 最近成功沒有新聞.
11. Chang Bin Township 長濱鄉公所
14. Guanshan Municipality 關山鎮公所
No recent news out of Guanshan. 關山最近沒有新聞.
15. Hai Duan Township 海端鄉公所
Highway 20 through Hai Duan is under construction again. Highway 20 is always under construction. 經過海端的台20線在施工. 台20線永遠在施工.
16. Chr Shang Township 池上鄉公所
Shin Shing Village in Chr Shang has a new convention/activity center. 池上鄉新興部落有新的聚會所.
3. Roaming Around Pingtung 屏東一日遊
Residents of Da Ren are upset over a traffic revision in that area. 交通部在南迴公路附近的道路未設置禁止左轉號誌.
The tunnel between Da Ren and Tsao Pu in Pingtung County had two names. Why? Because the villages on either side of the tunnel couldn't agree on a name! The two former names have since been combined into the "Tsao Pu Sun Yung Tunnel." 連接達仁與屏東縣草埔村的隧道之前有兩個名稱. 為什麼? 因為隧道兩邊的鄉村不同意彼此的名稱! 最後決議採用"草埔森永隧道", 皆大歡喜.
The tunnel between Da Ren and Tsao Pu in Pingtung County had two names. Why? Because the villages on either side of the tunnel couldn't agree on a name! The two former names have since been combined into the "Tsao Pu Sun Yung Tunnel." 連接達仁與屏東縣草埔村的隧道之前有兩個名稱. 為什麼? 因為隧道兩邊的鄉村不同意彼此的名稱! 最後決議採用"草埔森永隧道", 皆大歡喜.
2. Da Wu Township 大武鄉公所
Da Wu has a new health center, which some people think is "as beautiful as a hotel." Not that there are a lot of other attractive buildings in Da Wu to compare it to... 大武有了新的衛生所. 有的人的看法是 "美的像飯店."
No recent news out of Jin Feng. 金峰最近沒有新聞.
There was recently a car accident on Highway 9. Five people survived with light injuries. 最近太麻里發生了一場車禍, 5人受輕傷.
A legal battle over land used for the old Tai Ma Li Farmer's Association began two years ago. It's likely the Farmer's Association will have to pay the landowner A LOT of money. 兩年前太麻里農會與土地所有權人進行訴訟. 農會大概會被罰大錢
5. Orchid Island Township 蘭嶼鄉公所
A Taipei City Councilman, fulfilling a promise made before the election, jumped into the ocean off Orchid Island to celebrate Tsai Ying-wen's reelection. 台北市議員去年喊出, 如果蔡英文總統連任, 他將跳海慶祝. 他最近在蘭嶼做了.
A whale was found dead at a the port on Green Island. It got caught in a discarded fishing net and drowned. This is the second whale to die under these circumstances in two months. 台東在兩個月內發生二起鯨豚被廢漁網絞死.
7. Taitung City 台東市公所
Due to work on sewers in Jer Ben traffic has been getting worse. Police officers working to ease the flow of traffic are at greater risk during later hours. For this reason a local citizens have donated LED shoulder lights to the officers to increase their visibility. 因為污水下水道施工, 知本交通處於陣痛期. 警力全日車輛行駛引導, 天黑的時候很危險, 所以市民捐贈LED肩燈.
The Taitung County Government will build a water resource recycling center. Hopefully the construction of this center won't involve the cutting down of too many trees. 台東縣政府要建造水資源回收中心. 希望施工的時候不用把太多樹砍掉了.
A man sent a Line message to the head of the Beinan Township Office before his death. The cause of death is still under investigation. 有人臨死之前傳Line給卑南鄉長. 警方還在釐清死因.
A Beinan man recently discovered three crab-eating mongooses in his backyard. Check the video. It's super cute. 卑南鄉民在後院發現三隻食蟹獴. 看一下報告中的短片. 很可愛.
The head of Li Jia Village recently injured himself with a chainsaw while trying to clear wood from a forest trail. 最近利嘉村長在林道清除枯倒木, 鏈鋸不慎鋸到自己的大腿.
A house caught fire in Ming Feng Village. A mother and her child were lost in the fire. 明峰村有民宅火警. 民宅裡的母親和嬰兒喪生火場.
A woman riding a scooter in Dong He struck the concrete base of an electrical box and flew more than two meters. 東河女騎士自撞電箱水泥座飛到兩公尺外.
A woman driving a car in Dong He struck and killed two cows. After the accident she's in serious condition. 女駕駛在東河撞死兩頭牛. 女駕駛當場無呼吸心跳.*
The Taitung County Government wants to improve/add a shelter to the bus stop near the Dong He Steamed Buns Restaurant. Really, this was an entire news article. 台東縣政府要改善東河包子附近的公車候車亭.
No recent news out of Cheng Gong. 最近成功沒有新聞.
If you want to see (and take pictures of) purple flowers, you're welcome to visit Jin Gang ("King Kong?") Boulevard in Chang Bin. 要參觀紫色的花海嗎? 可以去長濱 金剛大道看.
12. Lu Ye Township 鹿野鄉公所
A association opened a restaurant on Lu Ye's High Terrace (Gao Tai) for the use of local residents. There wasn't much for them to eat in that area. 高台那邊沒有小吃店自助餐.為了居民的需求, 高台好協會在高台辦共食餐廳. **
The Chi Li Coral company has been selling off its assets. Among the assets sold were the big hotel near Lu Ye's High Terrace. 綺麗珊瑚在賣自己資產. 鹿野高台附近的度假村也賣給其他公司.
13. Yan Ping Township 延平鄉公所
A association opened a restaurant on Lu Ye's High Terrace (Gao Tai) for the use of local residents. There wasn't much for them to eat in that area. 高台那邊沒有小吃店自助餐.為了居民的需求, 高台好協會在高台辦共食餐廳. **
The Chi Li Coral company has been selling off its assets. Among the assets sold were the big hotel near Lu Ye's High Terrace. 綺麗珊瑚在賣自己資產. 鹿野高台附近的度假村也賣給其他公司.
Monkeys eating the pineapple crop is a huge problem for farmers in Yan Ping. 延平農田種的鳳梨, 很多嫩梗被猴子吃掉了
No recent news out of Guanshan. 關山最近沒有新聞.
Highway 20 through Hai Duan is under construction again. Highway 20 is always under construction. 經過海端的台20線在施工. 台20線永遠在施工.
Shin Shing Village in Chr Shang has a new convention/activity center. 池上鄉新興部落有新的聚會所.
3. Roaming Around Pingtung 屏東一日遊
This weekend I'll be going to Pingtung. I was over there last weekend too. Lately I'm finding it a fun area to explore. There's nothing earth-shatteringly interesting in Pingtung, but it's relatively close to where I live. 這周末我要去屏東. 我上周末也去了. 我最近喜歡去探索屏東. 雖然屏東沒有什麼超級好玩的地方, 可是它比較靠近我家.
Last Sunday we drove around between Fangliao, which is to the north, and Checheng, which is closer to Kenting. You might think it was a nightmarish drive, but provided you stay away from Highway 1 it's not bad. I've never been a huge fan of Kenting, but greater Pingtung County has a certain weirdness I find appealing. 上禮拜天我們去枋寮和車城. 你可能以為那裏的交通很差, 可是如果不走台1線, 其實就沒有問題. 我不是很喜歡墾丁, 反而屏東比較鄉下的地方比較吸引我.
Fangliao is about two hours from where we live in Taitung City. From Taitung City you drive south down Highway 9, pass through the new tunnel between southern Taitung County and Pingtung County, and after hitting the west coast Fangliao is just a short jaunt north. It has a train station and a fishing port, and the most famous thing there (if you can call it famous) is a blue bridge stretching over this port. The coastline thereabouts is not pretty, but Fangliao isn't far from more scenic places. 枋寮離我們台東市的家兩小時. 從台東市開車走台9線往南. 通過台東縣和屏東縣中間的隧道, 之後就到了台灣西部. 從那裡往北, 很快就到枋寮. 枋寮有車站還有漁港, 最有名的景點是漁港的藍色的橋. 附近的海岸不是很漂亮, 可是枋寮離風景好的地方很近.
From Fangliao, Checheng is a half hour south. Highway 1 is the only way to get between the two places, and traffic along Highway 1 varies between "Where did everybody go?" and "Damn this is taking forever." It really depends on when you're driving. North on a Sunday afternoon is BAD. South on the first day of a big holiday weekend is HORRIFIC. South on a Sunday afternoon? Not bad at all. 台1線是枋寮到車城唯一的路, 開車要半個小時. 有時候台1線的交通很順暢, 有時候塞車很嚴重, 這得看你什麼時候開車上那條路. 通常禮拜日的下午往北的車道和連假的第一天往南的車道很塞. 禮拜日下午往南走呢? 沒有什麼問題.
I like Checheng a lot. It's a cute little town. East of Checheng is the Sizhongxi Hot Spring Area, one of the most overlooked hot spring areas in Taiwan. The road to Sizhongxi also leads up to the Mudan Reservoir, and from there it passes through a series of isolated villages and back into Taitung County. It's a weird drive with some good trails along the way. 我很喜歡車城. 車城是一個很可愛的鄉鎮. 車城東邊有四重溪溫泉區, 那裏的觀光客不多. 往四重溪的那條路也會經過牡丹水庫. 牡丹水庫之後會經過一些部落, 最後到達台東縣. 那條路很有趣, 附近也有很多步道.
Checheng is north of Hengchun, a city/town famous for the Ching Dynasty-era walls and gates that encircle the "downtown" area. Hengchun is more historic than Checheng, it's closer to Kenting, and the coast line near there is prettier. But there's a genuineness to Checheng, and it's much easier for me to get to.* 車城位於恆春北邊. 恆春市區最有名的是清代的城牆跟城門. 恆春比車城還有歷史感, 也比較靠近墾丁, 海岸線風景也比較美, 可是車城具有真實感. 我們開車到那裏也很方便.
Last Sunday, when we were there, we didn't do much. We parked in front of Checheng Elementary School, and from there we walked around the town. We ate seafood at the Nan Bei "Hotel," and after that we walked down what must have been Checheng's "Old Street" to a big temple. 我們上週日在車城沒有做什麼. 我們把車停在車城國小前面, 在那附近走走, 也在南北飯店吃飯, 並從一條老街到福安宮.
After visiting Checheng we drove up to Jiadong Township. Jiadong is just north of Fangliao. Jiadong is the kind of place where aquaculture ponds compete for space with farms, sketchy factories and cemeteries. I'm still not sure where "downtown" Jiadong is - if there is indeed such a place - and most of that township is just villages strung out between plots of land. 繼車城之後我們去佳冬鄉. 佳冬位於枋寮的北邊. 佳冬是個有魚池, 農田, 小工廠和墳墓聚集在一起的地區. 我還不知道佳冬市區在哪裡, 也不知道有沒有這種地方. 佳冬大部分就是小小的鄉村.
A winding country road took us back to Fangliao. Jiadong and Fangliao are only minutes from each other. We visited the local 85 coffee shop, and afterward strolled into the Fangliao Train Station. It was getting late, we were tired, and it was time to head back home. 我們走鄉路回去枋寮. 從佳冬開車到枋寮只要幾分鐘. 我們去枋寮的85度C咖啡, 也進去枋寮車站. 時間漸晚, 我們也累了, 是時候回家了.
When I go back there this weekend I'd like to explore some of the places north of Jiadong, like Linbian, Da Peng Bay and Donggang. There's a lot of interesting stuff up there, and that part of Taiwan isn't that popular with tourists. 我這周末去的時候想去比較北邊的地區, 像林邊, 大鵬灣跟東港. 那附近有很多很有特色的地方, 也沒有那麼多的觀光客.
4. Retrospective 懷舊的 7: April 四月 2010年
The April 2010 entries are to be found in the Blog Archive 4 entry. There are only two of them. 2010年四月的文章都在Blog Achive很久很久以前的文章4裡面. 那個月只有二篇文章.
1. Garbage 垃圾
In this entry I complained about litter - specifically plastic litter - in the Taitung area. I then reflected upon the North and South Pacific Garbage Patches, and the need to do something about plastic waste. 我在原本的文章討論台東的垃圾亂丟的問題, 特別是塑膠類的垃圾. 之後也提到北太平洋跟南太平洋的垃圾島, 還有處理塑膠類垃圾的需要.
After writing that entry a law was passed prohibiting restaurants and other businesses from giving out plastic straws and plastic bags with purchases. Has this law changed Taiwan for the better? No, I don't think so. Plastic is still a problem. If you don't think so, I encourage you to visit your local beach or river. 寫那篇文章以後, 禁止餐廳及其他商店提供吸管跟塑膠袋的法律就通過了. 之後台灣的環境更好嗎? 好像不是. 塑膠還是個嚴重的問題. 如果你認為我錯了, 請去你家附近的海灘或是河川看看.
2. Sports in Taitung 體育活動
In the original entry I discussed local athletic events such as cycling, surfing and running events, and also the High School Athletic Games, which were held in Taitung that year. 在原來的文章中, 我談到了當地的運動比賽, 包括單車比賽, 衝浪比賽, 路跑比賽和那一年台東舉辦的全中運.
In 2010 the bicycle fad was nearing its apex. New bicycle stores were opening up all over Taitung City, and a lot of people were taking up cycling for the first time. I was one of those people. 2010年的時候單車活動很受歡迎. 台東市到處開了許多的單車店, 也有很多人開始騎單車運動, 我也是其中的一個.
I still wish more people would bicycle to work. Is this really a problem in Taitung? I really don't get why most people feel the need to drive a scooter or a car. 我還是希望能有更多人騎單車上下班. 在台東騎腳踏車上下班是個問題嗎? 我真是不知道為什麼那麼多人要騎摩托車或開車去上班.
Oh,and I did try surfing. Went out twice, with friends who were kind enough (and patient enough) to show me. The best I managed was standing up on a board for a few seconds. It might look easy, but surfing requires serious practice. 還有, 我在熱心又有耐心的朋友的指導下, 試過兩次衝浪. 我最厲害的衝浪成就只是站在衝浪板上幾秒鐘. 衝浪看起來簡單, 但一定需要長時間的認真練習.
5. What's - According to Facebook - Going On in East Asia
In this entry I complained about litter - specifically plastic litter - in the Taitung area. I then reflected upon the North and South Pacific Garbage Patches, and the need to do something about plastic waste. 我在原本的文章討論台東的垃圾亂丟的問題, 特別是塑膠類的垃圾. 之後也提到北太平洋跟南太平洋的垃圾島, 還有處理塑膠類垃圾的需要.
After writing that entry a law was passed prohibiting restaurants and other businesses from giving out plastic straws and plastic bags with purchases. Has this law changed Taiwan for the better? No, I don't think so. Plastic is still a problem. If you don't think so, I encourage you to visit your local beach or river. 寫那篇文章以後, 禁止餐廳及其他商店提供吸管跟塑膠袋的法律就通過了. 之後台灣的環境更好嗎? 好像不是. 塑膠還是個嚴重的問題. 如果你認為我錯了, 請去你家附近的海灘或是河川看看.
In the original entry I discussed local athletic events such as cycling, surfing and running events, and also the High School Athletic Games, which were held in Taitung that year. 在原來的文章中, 我談到了當地的運動比賽, 包括單車比賽, 衝浪比賽, 路跑比賽和那一年台東舉辦的全中運.
In 2010 the bicycle fad was nearing its apex. New bicycle stores were opening up all over Taitung City, and a lot of people were taking up cycling for the first time. I was one of those people. 2010年的時候單車活動很受歡迎. 台東市到處開了許多的單車店, 也有很多人開始騎單車運動, 我也是其中的一個.
I still wish more people would bicycle to work. Is this really a problem in Taitung? I really don't get why most people feel the need to drive a scooter or a car. 我還是希望能有更多人騎單車上下班. 在台東騎腳踏車上下班是個問題嗎? 我真是不知道為什麼那麼多人要騎摩托車或開車去上班.
Oh,and I did try surfing. Went out twice, with friends who were kind enough (and patient enough) to show me. The best I managed was standing up on a board for a few seconds. It might look easy, but surfing requires serious practice. 還有, 我在熱心又有耐心的朋友的指導下, 試過兩次衝浪. 我最厲害的衝浪成就只是站在衝浪板上幾秒鐘. 衝浪看起來簡單, 但一定需要長時間的認真練習.
5. What's - According to Facebook - Going On in East Asia
What's more, Facebook's fake news, cat videos and other weirdness can be somewhat comforting - provided you don't take them too seriously. Sure, on the wrong kind of day Facebook screams of loneliness - either your own or others' - but taken in small amounts it's not all that bad.
So, viewed through the prism of Facebook, what's going on in East Asia? I speak here of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It's a big area, full of many people, but maybe Facebook can tell us something about it.
1. China
Hey, isn't Facebook blocked in China? I guess Mainland Facebook users are using VPNs.
According to Djang San on Beijing Underground: "Streets half full/half empty, controls of temperature and location loosening up a little, here is Beijing in the last few days. Music from the album 'Coronavirus Music,' song played on my newly created mini electric guzheng."
Whereas Visit Beijing wants you to know about "Paper Cutting, Sugar Painting, Chinese Knotting, Herb Incense and Miaofeng Mountain Fried Chinese crepes... the custodians of some of Beijing's Intangible Cultural Heritage crafts invite you to discover their world."
Adam Rose says via the Events in Beijing group: "I hope everyone is doing well despite the difficult circumstances. I live and work in Shenzhen as a mental health counselor for English speakers, in partnership with Chengmei International Medical Clinic. If you or someone you know is struggling with worsening depression or anxiety related to covid-19, displacement from our homes/work, disruption to our schedules, etc., please let me know."
Will do, Adam. But what about Shanghai? Let's take a look.
City Weekend Shanghai - posting long before this coronavirus business - on the City Weekend Shanghai group: "The prestigious Centre Pompidou is getting an outpost in Shanghai along the West Bund." Good to know!
Meanwhile Humans of Shanghai posted on the Humans of Shanghai group: "#quarantine #coronavirus #fundraising #humansofshanghai #Shanghai I first learned about the pandemic from news, then from friends and classmates. Many overseas students who went back to China for spring break were not able to return back to America for school. People are panicky. We paid attention to official data and statistic graphs every day in America, watching the map of China turning red. It wasn't until then that we realized how quickly the infection spread."
Reminds me of the last US election. Anyway, there's also this from "China":
郭時安 asks on 台灣人在上海 (Taiwanese in Shanghai) long before the virus: "麻煩新進的鄉親們, 可以寫一篇自己的自我介紹, 讓大家可以互相認識, 如果有一些行業的需求, 也可以互通有無! 範例: 我是叉叉叉, 來自台灣哪裡, 現在在上海做什麼行業... 願意介紹的就介紹..." [Newly subscribed "countrymen,"* please write a self-introduction which will allow everyone to get acquainted. If you have any shared commercial interests you can also communicate with each other! For example: "I am XXX, I'm from this part of Taiwan, I do this kind of work in Shanghai. Share whatever you feel comfortable sharing...]
Mr. 郭時安, by the way, seems to be a salesman. He sells DoTERRA Essential Oils (or at least tries to sell DoTERRA Essential Oils) all over Taiwan, and these essential oils - whether essential or not - seem to be manufactured in China. It's hard to tell from his Facebook profile when he last visited the Mainland, but I'm pretty sure he's in Tainan now.
2. Hong Kong
Hong Kong, that shining example of peaceful reunification with China. You agree, right? Right? Why are you smiling that way? Stop smiling!Discover Hong Kong posted on the Discover Hong Kong group: "Experience Art Basel Hong Kong in a whole new light with the Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms. Allowing artists to showcase their artworks and collectors to view and purchase new pieces, the viewing room is available to the public from 20-25 March."
And no, I have no idea what "Art Basel" is.
Long before the above post, Nina Chan posted in the Hong Kong News group an article about "Missing Protesters / Missing Heroes." Maybe the protesters are now at home, visiting the Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms? One can only hope.
Carmen Lo, perhaps soon to be another "missing hero," said via the 香港人! 報仇解散警隊, 刻不容緩, 天滅中共, 我要真普選! [Hong Kong people! Rectify past wrongs by dissolving the police force without delay! Wipe out the CCP! We want general elections!] group: "得番7日聽日要5萬呀!! 集氣建議民x聯部份人士納入制裁名單" ["It's going to cost 50,000 on the 7th (?)!! Ji Chi suggests that some people from the Democracy Union be included in the sanctions list"] which was followed by a link to a petition, and an article about coronavirus. Ever onward, Carmen Lo!
3. Macau
Krishna Bishwokarma shared a video in the Nepalese in Macau group. This video includes an American Idol contestant talking to Lionel Ritchie. I'm assuming the contestant is Nepalese.Phoebbecate Orlando has a more serious message to impart via the PINOY SA MACAU ORIGINAL group: EASTER IS APRIL 12TH. LET ME BE THE FIRST TO ANNOUNCE, IT AIN'T GETTING CANCELED! CHRIST IS RISEN! NO BODY OR NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT! CAN I GET AN AMEN?
Sure, why not. Have an AMEN.
At about the same time Mantim Kam posted in the 澳門自由行 Macau Travel 歡迎來澳門吃喝玩 group an article about iced desserts.
No protest/virus-related posts in the Macau groups in either Chinese or English. One gets the feeling that Macau and Hong Kong are very different types of places.
4. Mongolia
Keep in mind I neither read nor write Mongolian, so here's some of what I found in English. Ditto for the three countries after this one and their respective languages.Only found one group for Mongolia, with 2.3 thousand members. On this group Tushig Bat posted an article: "Photographer Captures One of the Last Surviving Eagle Hunters of Mongolia." All of the other posts in this group are from the same person, and all relate to Mongolian culture.
But wait! Tushig Bat's FB profile has led me to the Ulaanbaatar group, on which Indra Batnai complains: "when will our ulaanbaatar become a city like this? What we have to do?"
I don't know, Indra Batnai. I really don't. Especially since a) I don't know what city is pictured and b) I don't read Mongolian, or Russian, or whatever that is.
5. North Korea
YES there's a North Korea group on Facebook, but it's set to private. I'm not about to join it, but if someone does please let me know what's posted there. I'm genuinely curious.And once again proving that there are Filipinos EVERYWHERE, I stumbled across the Mga Filipino OFW sa North Korea group. Most of the posts on this group, by the way, have nothing to do with North Korea. Oh, and be careful browsing this. There's a photograph of a beheading halfway down.
6. South Korea
As you might expect, South Korea has plenty of Facebook groups. I searched under both Seoul and Busan, and found...Wayne Kelly posted on the Jeju Incident in the Seoul Expat Forum. I don't know anything about "Jeju's Dark History," but apparently it's really messed up.
In addition David Scott posted a job opening on the English Teaching Jobs in Korea group. There are openings in Daejeon, Incheon and Seoul for "Work making of plastic factory." Only men are eligible for the positions, and the pay is 2.5 to 2.7 million won. For the life of me I can't figure out how this job involves the teaching of English in any way, shape or form.
In the Foreigners in Busan group Gallery Negative shared a post about an art exhibition introducing "old Busan in the 70s and 80s." I just watched a movie set in Busan not long ago. I'd probably like this exhibition.
7. Japan
Japan? I confined my search to Tokyo and Osaka. Part of this was for my own benefit. I can get lost in Japan-related things, and I'd like to finish typing this entry sooner rather than later.In TOKYO Travel TIPS Somnath Gupta says: "Isn't that romantic and peaceful?" There's a picture of cherry blossoms in the blog link he posted, so I can only assume those blossoms are in Japan.
James Herman offers less peaceful thoughts in the Foreigners in Tokyo group: "Annoying that I have to say this. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS. THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL CONSULTANT GROUP. IF YOU ARE ILL SEEK A DOCTOR. DONT ASK STRANGERS ON THE INTERNET. WE CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON HOW TO CONSULT ONE BUT WE CANNOT GIVE YOU MEDICAL ADVISE. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is offering a hotline for speakers of English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Thai and can refer people to relevant public health centers if necessary."
Thanks for the info and the stern warning, James Herman!
On the Osaka - Parties, events, clubs, nightlife group Vicky Lemaire Camaiti wants us to know about theater classes next Tuesday.
And look, it's the Filipinos again! Stefhanie Irene, posting on the OSAKA OFW group: "Because of the world wide situation, we come up with a promo for those who are planning to buy a house and lot investment." I have the feeling that a lot of Filipinos work overseas so that they can buy a house in their home country. I'm guessing there are a lot of real estate scams in that part of the world too.
8. Taiwan
"Taiwan - Touch Your Heart!" Taiwan is where I live, and Taiwan is where I sit compiling this list of nearly random East Asian trivia.Orrin Hooperman, in the TO - News from Taiwan group: "Interesting news this morning: 1) For the first time, China's figures report ZERO Wuhan Virus deaths in the past 24 hours. 2) British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been admitted to ICU..." Does this have anything to do with Taiwan? No, not really.
And Sahra Muhamed, in the Expats in Taiwan group: "I have a question about sending money via wire transfer to the USA." And I would have linked her above, but she deleted that her just seconds ago.
梁詠晴 is concerned with more administrative matters. "<台東美食>社團PO文規範 社團以<分享>台東美食為目標~ 不是<賣東西>的社團 只能<分享>吃&喝的為主" [The "Taitung Delicacies" group posting rules. The purpose of this group is "sharing" Taitung delicacies. It's not a group for "selling things." You can only "share" things to eat and drink.]
But isn't that always the problem with Facebook? You have a nice little group going, and before you know it people are arguing about selling things, or politics, or coronavirus, or all of the above. Oh well, I guess some people like that.
9. Wherever You Happen to Be
And what about you? Are you in East Asia? How's the weather there? Is it safe? Feel free to let me know in the comment section below this entry, or else - as always - on Facebook.
6. "Jinfeng" to Jinluen "金峰" 到金崙
I put "Jinfeng" in quotation marks because Jinfeng Township is everything west of Taimali Township. What I'm discussing in this entry is the part of Jinfeng all the signs lead you to. 我在這文章裡討論的 "金峰" 是太麻里市區路標所指的 "金峰." 其實太麻里鄉的西邊都是金峰鄉.
At the end of highway 64 you'll find a bridge over the Taimali River. There's also a road leading to what used to be the Jinfeng Hot Springs.* 東64的終點有一座橫跨太麻里溪的橋. 還有一條通往以前的金峰溫泉的小路.
You'll need to pay a fee to enjoy most of the tourist sites in this area. This park, for instance, and the "sky trail" further down the river. In my opinion it would be better to make all of these places free, charge for parking, and encourage local businesses to set up shop nearby. 這個地區的景點都需要門票. 例如這座溫泉公園及附近的天空步道. 我認為免費開放這些景點, 然後要求遊客付停車費, 並鼓勵當地居民在景點附近做生意比較好.**
This is further down the river. The "sky trail" is on the left. The trail leads back to the village on the other side of the green bridge. 溪流的另一邊. 天空步道在左邊. 步道連接到綠色的橋及對岸的農村.
Hey look, it's a jeep! And how fast was this guy driving? Pretty fast, I think. 你看! 有吉普車! 那位駕駛得開多快呢? 我想很快.
This is still further down, not far from Taimali. Highway 9 is across the river to the left. Beyond that is the Pacific. 順著河流往下走, 這是離太麻里不遠的那一段. 左手邊有台9線. 背景則是太平洋.
Not far south of there is the village of Jinluen. Jinluen has its own hot spring area, though many of the hot springs have been temporarily closed due to the coronavirus. 往南就是金崙村. 金崙也有溫泉區, 可是因為病毒的關係, 很多溫泉暫停營業.
The most famous thing there is probably this bridge. 金崙村最有名的大概是這座橋.
Saint Joseph Church is closer to Highway 9. In my opinion this is one of the most interesting buildings in Taitung County. It's a fascinating mix of Catholic iconography and aboriginal culture.聖約瑟夫教堂離台9線比較近. 我認為這棟建築是全縣最有特色的建築之一. 這棟建築融合了天主教和原住民文化.
Not only is Jesus clad in tribal dress, but that's a hundred pace snake beneath his feet. The carvings throughout the building are also interesting. 不只是基督穿著原住民傳統服飾, 還有百步蛇在他腳下. 教堂裡的雕刻也很有趣.
The church isn't far from the Jinluen Train Station. You can see the new overpass in the background. 教堂離金崙車站很近. 可以看到新的快速道路就在它的後方.
It's a weird place to walk around. There's a small local market in front of the train station, and the place is crawling with cats. 在這裡散步很好玩. 車站前有小市集, 到處都可以看到貓.
North of Jinluen and east of Highway 9 is the Old Shiang Lan Archaeological Site. Is it interesting? Nope. But it's not far from the highway! 金崙北邊, 台9線東邊有舊香蘭考古遺址. 這裡有趣嗎? 不, 可是它很靠近台9線.
This is the view from the archaeological site. That's Shiang Lan Village in the background. 遺址面對的風景. 背景的小鄉村就是香蘭村.
7. 臺灣開發故事 (南部地區) Stories of the Opening of Taiwan (Southern Area) 1
At the end of highway 64 you'll find a bridge over the Taimali River. There's also a road leading to what used to be the Jinfeng Hot Springs.* 東64的終點有一座橫跨太麻里溪的橋. 還有一條通往以前的金峰溫泉的小路.
You'll need to pay a fee to enjoy most of the tourist sites in this area. This park, for instance, and the "sky trail" further down the river. In my opinion it would be better to make all of these places free, charge for parking, and encourage local businesses to set up shop nearby. 這個地區的景點都需要門票. 例如這座溫泉公園及附近的天空步道. 我認為免費開放這些景點, 然後要求遊客付停車費, 並鼓勵當地居民在景點附近做生意比較好.**
This is further down the river. The "sky trail" is on the left. The trail leads back to the village on the other side of the green bridge. 溪流的另一邊. 天空步道在左邊. 步道連接到綠色的橋及對岸的農村.
Hey look, it's a jeep! And how fast was this guy driving? Pretty fast, I think. 你看! 有吉普車! 那位駕駛得開多快呢? 我想很快.
This is still further down, not far from Taimali. Highway 9 is across the river to the left. Beyond that is the Pacific. 順著河流往下走, 這是離太麻里不遠的那一段. 左手邊有台9線. 背景則是太平洋.
Not far south of there is the village of Jinluen. Jinluen has its own hot spring area, though many of the hot springs have been temporarily closed due to the coronavirus. 往南就是金崙村. 金崙也有溫泉區, 可是因為病毒的關係, 很多溫泉暫停營業.
The most famous thing there is probably this bridge. 金崙村最有名的大概是這座橋.
Saint Joseph Church is closer to Highway 9. In my opinion this is one of the most interesting buildings in Taitung County. It's a fascinating mix of Catholic iconography and aboriginal culture.聖約瑟夫教堂離台9線比較近. 我認為這棟建築是全縣最有特色的建築之一. 這棟建築融合了天主教和原住民文化.
Not only is Jesus clad in tribal dress, but that's a hundred pace snake beneath his feet. The carvings throughout the building are also interesting. 不只是基督穿著原住民傳統服飾, 還有百步蛇在他腳下. 教堂裡的雕刻也很有趣.
The church isn't far from the Jinluen Train Station. You can see the new overpass in the background. 教堂離金崙車站很近. 可以看到新的快速道路就在它的後方.
It's a weird place to walk around. There's a small local market in front of the train station, and the place is crawling with cats. 在這裡散步很好玩. 車站前有小市集, 到處都可以看到貓.
North of Jinluen and east of Highway 9 is the Old Shiang Lan Archaeological Site. Is it interesting? Nope. But it's not far from the highway! 金崙北邊, 台9線東邊有舊香蘭考古遺址. 這裡有趣嗎? 不, 可是它很靠近台9線.
This is the view from the archaeological site. That's Shiang Lan Village in the background. 遺址面對的風景. 背景的小鄉村就是香蘭村.
7. 臺灣開發故事 (南部地區) Stories of the Opening of Taiwan (Southern Area) 1
老歌手口中的恆春傳奇
The Hengchun Legend, Heralded in Song
"唱一段思想起, 唱一段唐山謠, 老歌手餘音猶在, 獨不見恆春的傳奇, 落山風向海洋, 感傷會消失, 接續你的休止符, 再唱一首唐山謠, 再唱一段思想起." "Sing a sentimental song, sing a Tangshan ballad. The words of the song remain even as the legend of Hengchun passes out of memory. The wind sweeps down from the mountains to the sea, the feeling vanishes, continue to rest, and sing another Tangshan ballad, sing another sentimental song."The Hengchun Legend, Heralded in Song
哼起這首歌, 一般人都會聯想到, 抱著月琴, 孤獨吟唱陳年往事的老歌手陳達. 但那一段 "恆春傳奇" 卻是鮮少人追問. Humming along with this song, most people think of old Chen Da holding a lute and singing, but few listeners inquire into the "Hengchun legend" which inspired the tune.(2)
古名瑯嶠的恆春, 原本為清廷化外之地, 早期的原住民大多為排灣族, 僅有在牧丹, 旭海, 滿州等地, 才有少數的阿美族. Hengchun, in ancient times referred to as Lang Chiao, was originally an outpost of the Ching empire. In those times most of the aboriginal residents were members of the Paiwan tribe, though there were a few members of the Amis tribe scattered between Mudan, Shu Hai and Man Jhou.
昔日排灣族有 "出草" 惡習, 所居之處森林密布, 有 "鳥道羊腸" 之稱. 在人為和天然地形阻隔下, 嚴重妨礙恆春的對外交通. In those times the Paiwan tribe shunned open, grassy areas, and the places where they lived were densely covered by forest. The saying was "the bird hides in the sheep's intestines," meaning that they used the natural, geographic features around them as a means of defense. [For this reason] Hengchun was isolated from the rest of the world.(3)
清雍正年間, 這塊區域被畫為漢番界, 到了同治年間, 管轄範圍也僅限於沿海地區, 當時還公布了 "土牛之禁", 即用泥土塑成牛形當成番界, 可惜此物現已不存在了. During the Emperor Youngzheng's reign this area was brought into the Chinese cultural sphere. After Ching rule was established, control of this territory was limited to coastal areas. At the time it was proclaimed that "the land is limited to the ox." This meant that the [area under control] was limited to land within an ox-shaped mud boundary that enclosed it. Sadly, this boundary wall no longer exists.
清同治七年 (西元一八六八年) 美國商船Rover號, 在七星岩與蘭嶼觸礁上岸後被殺, 引發國際事件, 恆春的命運開始轉變. Seven years after the Ching Dynasty established control over this area (1868 on the Western calendar), the American merchant ship Rover struck a reef between Chi Shing Yan and Lanyu.(4) The American sailors' subsequent death [at the hands of local tribesmen] triggered an international incident, and as a result Hengchun's fortunes changed drastically.
據史料記載, 美國海軍向清廷抗議, 但清廷以 "土著為化外之民" 為由推拖, 美國氣憤之餘, 一方面邀英, 荷等曾有類似遭遇的國家相互聲援, 一方面自行出兵攻打恆春半島的社頂. According to historical records, the American navy protested to the Ching court, but the Ching court stated that "those living there are foreigners." America was not satisfied with this explanation, and rallied support for its cause among Britain, the Netherlands and other disgruntled nations. The Americans also initiated a military assault on Sheding, in the vicinity of Hengchun.(5)
美軍從佳樂水上岸, 但因不諳陸地戰, 再者原住民以珊瑚礁為保護網, 打游擊戰, 使得美軍完全無法作戰, 於是美國揚言趁秋, 冬之際, 以火燒山的方式, 逼迫原住民 "現形". The American navy landed at Jialeshui, but they fought clumsily on land and the aboriginal tribesmen fought in guerrilla fashion, using the reefs as a kind of protective net. This tactic rendered the American navy unable to attack, and during the following fall and winter the Americans set fire to the nearby mountains in hopes of forcing the tribesmen out into the open.
就在雙方相持不下時, 出現一位關鍵性的歷史人物 -- 美駐廈門兼臺灣領事李仙得. Just when both sides were at an impasse, an important historical figure appeared. This person was Charles Le Gendre, American consul for Xiamen and Taiwan.(6)
觀察力敏銳的李仙得, 採雙管齊下的方式進行. 他一方面向清廷施壓, 再透過一位懂得漢語和番語的英商畢麒麟, 直接與瑯嶠社排灣族頭目卓杞篤私下交涉, 並訂定十多條協議. Le Gendre, an observant man, took a two-pronged approach. On the one hand he put pressure on the Ching court, while on the other he employed the services of William A. Pickering, a British merchant who understood both Chinese and other local languages. Pickering communicated directly with the chief of Hengchun's Paiwan tribe, Jhuo Chi-du. [This led to] the establishment of a ten-clause formal agreement [between the two sides].
協議中最重要的是, 以後凡事掛有美國 "紅旗"的船艦, 原住民都不予傷害, 並協助其補給水和材薪: 美國則以酒, 槍枝, 砲彈, 火藥, 衣服等物品交換. 自此以後, 李仙得在排灣族建立威望. The most important aspect of the the agreement was that American ships would fly red flags, and that aboriginal tribesmen would refrain from attacking ships flying these flags. American ships would also assist in delivering water and other goods to the tribesmen, and the Americans would trade spirits, guns, shells, gunpowder, clothes and other things with the local people. In this way Le Gendre gained prestige within the Paiwan tribe.(7)
牡丹社事件始末
How the Mudan Incident Unfolded
How the Mudan Incident Unfolded
屏東平靜沒幾年, 又因外國勢力入侵而引發 "牡丹社事件". 該事件的緣由, 起於清同治十年 (西元一八七一年), 琉球群島中的宮古島一群人赴那霸朝貢途中, 遇到海難, 上岸時被牡丹鄉高士佛社 (現高士村) 的原住民殺害, 生還者向日本政府求援. Pingtung was only peaceful for a few years before the encroachment of foreign powers caused the "Mudan Incident" to occur. The cause of this incident can be traced back to the 10th year of the Ching administration (1871 on the Western calendar), during which a group of sailors from Miyako Island in the Ryukyu island chain shipwrecked [off the coast of Taiwan]. Once on the beach, many of them were killed by people from Mudan Township's Gao Shr Fo Community (now referred to as Gao Shr Village). Those who survived later turned to the Japanese government for help.
早就覬覦臺灣豐富資源的日本, 趁機於清同治十年 (西元一八七三年) 發動戰爭, 一來以琉球的宗主國自居, 再者打著順便占領臺灣的如意算盤, 這便是史稱的 "牡丹社事件". The Japanese had coveted Taiwan's natural resources for a long time. [For this reason] they used the Mudan Incident, which took place during the 10th year of the Ching administration (1873 on the Western calendar) to wage war. [They took this action] on behalf of the sovereign state of Ryukyu, and then attacked Taiwan for geopolitical reasons.(8)
這場戰爭表面上看不出有太大意義, 其實日本卻包藏禍心. 當時經過明治維新後的日本, 剛結束幕府時代, 為避免國內互鬥, 因而鼓勵將軍事力量外延伸, 並擬出 "征臺論" 和 "征韓論" 兩計畫. 後因征韓行動恐引起美, 中, 俄三方干涉, 於是全力朝拿下臺灣為目標. At first glance this war doesn't seem all that justified. In truth, Japan had an inferiority complex. Japan had just undergone the Meiji Restoration, and the rule of the shoguns had come to an end. In order to quell internal dissensions and extend their military reach, they hatched plans to annex both Taiwan and South Korea. The U.S., China and Russia opposed their designs on South Korea, so they redoubled their efforts to claim Taiwan.
關於征臺的計畫, 日本人分三路進行. 一方面與清廷交涉, 再者派學生偽裝成鳥類和植物學等專家, 以考察的身分為掩護, 來勘察台灣民情風俗; 另外, 日本人還拜訪已辭去美國代表職務的李仙得, 賜封他特別的官爵, 以借重他在恆春的聲望, 及其對民俗風情和地形的了解, 擔任攻打恆春的顧問. Regarding their plan to annex Taiwan, the Japanese proceeded along three fronts. Firstly, they convinced the Ching court to allow a group of people posing as naturalists into Taiwan to study birds, plants and local cultures. Secondly, they consulted with Le Gendre, who'd already left his post as American consul. He was granted a special title by the Japanese, and he gave his blessing to the "Hengchen cultural and geographic survey." Thirdly, they consulted with him on how best to attack Hengchun.(9)
在摸清恆春底細後, 日本人才在清同治十三年 (西元一八七四年) 發動戰爭. 他們分別從石門隘口, 寶力村和石門的後方, 同時進攻. 但因石門是一天然隘口, 山勢落差二, 三千公尺, 原住民居高臨下, 以致日軍死傷慘重. 日軍心存不甘, 只要攻下的村莊都採 "以牙還牙" 的行徑報復, 逢村就燒, 見人便砍, 使原住民犧牲不少. After learning about Hengchun in detail, the Japanese began their assault during the 13th year of the Ching administration (1874 on the Western calendar). Their forces attacked simultaneously from the Shr Men Pass, Bao Li Village and a point behind Shr Men. Although Shr Men is a natural avenue through the mountains, the mountainsides descend from 3000 to 2000 meters in that region, with the aboriginal tribes living very high up on the ridges. [For this reason] the Japanese army suffered heavy casualties. The Japanese forces were hesitant, but attempted to exact "an eye for an eye" in the villages they captured. They retaliated by burning villages and cutting off heads. [As a result] many aboriginal people lost their lives.(10)
戰爭期間, 日本人依靠外交力量與清廷交涉, 因為日本擔心傷亡太嚴重, 再加上天氣炎熱, 日兵水土不服, 生病人數急速增加, 更促使日本急於結束戰爭. 據日本史料記載, 那時不少日兵罹患瘧疾, 在撤退到龜山後面的後灣村時, 已無棺木可用, 只得拆木板的行軍床當棺材, 由此可知其傷亡的嚴重. During the war, the Japanese continually put diplomatic pressure on the Ching court. At the same time, the Japanese were worried about the severity of their casualties, with rising temperatures and other adverse conditions causing an increasing number of deaths due to illness. This forced the Japanese to end the war early. Japanese historical records show that many soldiers suffered from malaria, and by the time they'd retreated to Ho Wan Village behind Guei (Turtle) Mountain they'd run out of wood for coffins. They even had to dismantle their camp beds for extra coffins, a fact which indicates the severity of their losses.
為儘速結束這場戰爭, 日本拚命向清廷施壓, 迫使顢頇的清廷訂下賠償和承認日本為琉球宗主國的不平等條約. In order to end the war quickly, the Japanese continued to exert pressure on the Ching court, forcing the Ching court to compensate the Japanese [for their losses] by signing an unequal treaty which recognized Japan's claim to the Ryukyu Islands.
牡丹社事件在歷史上具有深遠的影響, 一則是使清廷開發後山 (今花東地區), 制定開山撫番政策; 再者清廷開始重視南臺灣防禦工事, 恆春古城也是因此而興建. The Mudan Incident was a historical event of great significance. It not only forced the Ching court to open up the area "behind the mountains" (modern-day Hualien and Taitung) and to implement a policy of engagement with the mountain areas, but it also prompted the Ching court to build up their fortifications in south Taiwan. The construction of Hengchun's "Old City" was part of this effort.
根據 "恆春縣志" 記載, 牡丹社事件後, 沈葆禎奏請朝廷於恆春築城, 以鞏固臺灣南端防務, 自清光緒元年 (西元一八七五年) 開始興築, 五年後完工. 據說, 當年督辦城牆興築的官員對堪輿頗有研究, 還定城址時, 曾特別研究過風水. According to the "Hengchun County Chronicle," after the Mudan Incident Chen Bao-jhen asked the royal court to construct a fortified city in Hengchun for the defense of Taiwan's southernmost area. Construction began during the first year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1875 on the Western calendar), and was completed five years later. It is said that the officials supervising the project did a lot of research on construction, and after deciding upon a building site they also took Fengshui principles into account.
那時恆春城以龍巒山, 虎頭山, 三臺山及西平山為四方庇佑, 龜山為屏障, 而猴洞山則為城內的龍脈. At that time Hengchun was surrounded on four sides by ["received the protection of"] Loong Luan (Dragon Hill) Mountain, Hu Tou (Tiger Head) Mountain, San Tai (Three Platform) Mountain and Sse Ping (Four Platform) Mountain. Guei (Turtle) Mountain served it as a shield, and Hou Dong (Monkey Cave) Mountain rose beneath it.(11)
全城周圍總長達八百八十丈, 牆基厚二丈, 面牆高一丈六, 分東, 西, 南, 北四座門, 南門又稱 "明都門", 各城門間並有窩鋪八間和砲臺四座, 城牆外有壕溝圍繞, 寬三丈二尺, 深六尺五寸, 每一城皆可對外連繫, 城池整體防禦相當完備堅固. The total length of the wall around the city is 2.6 kilometers, its width is 6 meters, and its height is over 3 meters. It's divided by the East, West, South and North Gates. The South Gate is called the "Ming Du Gate." Each gate has eight rooms and four gun emplacements. Outside the city walls are trenches over 9 meters wide and over six meters deep. Every part of the city has access to the surrounding areas, and the city's defenses are very comprehensive.(12)
歷經無數風災, 地震及戰火摧殘, 城牆多已傾圮或損毀, 現存的四座城門中, 南門和東門於近年整修完成, 是臺灣地區保存最完整的一座城池. After weathering storms, earthquakes, wars and various other disasters the city walls have been damaged or destroyed in places. Of the four remaining city gates, the South Gate and the East Gate have undergone restoration in recent years. [Hengchun] remains Taiwan's best preserved fortified city.
除了建城之外, 牡丹社事件還意外地讓恆春增加一個新地名 -- 鵝鑾鼻. 以前臺灣地圖上沒有鵝鑾鼻, 是因李仙得幫日本人出主意, 要求清朝政府在鵝鑾鼻建立一座燈塔, 才有了這個地名. Aside from [inciting local authorities] to build the fortified city, another byproduct of the Mudan Incident was the addition of a new place name to the [list of places] in Hengchun - Eluanbi. Old maps of Taiwan did not contain this place name, but at Le Gendre's suggestion the Japanese requested that the Ching administration build a lighthouse at its present spot. This is how the name came to be.
8. South by Southwest
Provided all of this goes according to plan - and I really hope it all goes according to plan - I'll be working at Fangliao 枋寮 and Yuguang 玉光 Elementary Schools next year. Fangliao Elementary School is in Fangliao Township, on the ocean, and Yuguang is further north, in Jiadong 佳冬.
Why? I've been asked this a lot. My reasons are:
1) I really want to change schools. I've been in my present school for eleven years, and a change of scenery would be good. I also want to grow as a teacher, I want new challenges, and I'd like to see if I can do what I do in a different place.
2) In Pingtung I'll be closer to my daughters. I've already got one daughter in Wenzou 文藻 University in Kaohsiung, and the other's headed to a vocational school there next year. Fangliao's a little over an hour by train from Wenzou University, and my younger daughter's vocational school is even closer.
3) I like south Pingtung, and I could see living there longer term. Fangliao and Jiadong aren't exactly paradise, but they're close to more scenic areas. If I get along well in Pingtung I'll probably want to move further south at some point.
4) I can can transfer to Pingtung and stay in the Ministry of Education's FET (Foreign English Teacher) Program. The FET program allows Foreign English Teachers to transfer to any county that isn't funding a competing program. This means that if I want to move back to Taitung (or on to another county) in the future it'll be much easier to do so.
Make of my reasons what you will. Is my decision brave? Is it foolish? Am I kidding myself? Am I doing the right thing? I honestly have no idea what's really going to happen next year, but it seems like the right choice now. I'm taking an educated guess, and I can only hope my guess will be proven correct in the future.
Am I leaving Taitung forever? No, definitely not. We're keeping our apartment in the city, and Fangliao, where I'll probably be living next year, is only two hours away. I'm not going away forever. I'm not even going that far.
Taiwan is a small island, and it's not like Pingtung is that hard to get to. So if any of my friends or coworkers are reading this, don't worry. I'll be around, you'll be around, and given time I'm sure we'll meet again. In a place this small, how could we not?
9. Retrospective 懷舊的 8: May五月 2010年
The May 2010 entries are to be found in the Blog Archive 5 entry. 你可以在Blog Archive 5裡找到2010年五月的文章.
1. Taitung City 台東市
In the original entry I talked about places in Taitung City I liked at the time. These places were the Li Ji "Badlands," the National Museum of Prehistory, the Jerben Forest Recreation Area, the Forest Park and Fugang Harbor. This list seems a bit odd to me now, but keep in mind there was a lot less to do in Taitung ten years ago. 在原本的文章中, 我提到自己喜歡去台東市區哪些地方, 包含了利吉惡地, 國立史前博物館, 知本森林遊樂區, 森林公園和富岡漁港. 我現在覺得這個清單有點奇怪, 但是十年前的台東真是沒有多少景點.
Do I still enjoy these places now? Yes and no. I ride my bike around Li Ji fairly often, so it's a solid yes on that one. I haven't been to the Prehistory Museum in ages, so that's probably a no. The Jerben Forest Recreation Area is still a good place for a walk, but it's far from my house and it wouldn't be my first choice. The Forest Park? That place is depressing now. After all the typhoons and "management" that place has withstood it really isn't much of a forest now. These days it's more of an overgrown garden which the local government is trying to milk for all it's worth. They even charge people to swim there now. Lame. 我還喜歡這些地方嗎? 有的喜歡, 有的不喜歡. 我常騎單車去利吉, 還是很喜歡這地方. 但我很久沒去史前博物館了, 所以談不上喜歡. 知本森林遊樂區是個散步的好地點, 可是離我家很遠, 不是我的第一選擇. 森林公園呢? 那個地方讓我覺得很失望. 經過幾個颱風和 "管理" 之後, 森林公園沒有什麼森林. 現在那個地方比較像政府用來賺錢的植物園. 在那邊游泳也要買票! 真爛!
Not sure what I was thinking with Fugang. Maybe I didn't have a car back then? 我不知道當時為什麼寫上富岡漁港. 可能是我那時候沒有車.
2. Comic Books 漫畫書
In the original entry I wrote about American and Japanese comic books, and how moving to Taiwan made me appreciate Japanese comic books more. Do I still read comic books? Once in a while. Not that often. 我在原本的文章討論了美國跟日本的漫畫書, 及我搬到台灣之後比較喜歡日本漫畫的原因. 我還看漫畫書嗎? 偶而會.
Still waiting on that Flash movie. With the coronavirus it's been pushed still further into the future. The guy who's supposed to star in this movie was filmed choking someone recently, and while I dislike Hollywood witch hunts I wouldn't mind if the role was recast. As far as I know, the guy who directed It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two is still set to direct. 我還在等閃電俠的電影. 新冠病毒之後要等更久了. 最近這部電影主角被拍到掐人脖子. 我不喜歡美國好萊塢渲染這件事, 但我也不反對這部電影換主角. "牠"第一章跟第二章的導演仍舊是閃電俠的導演.
3. First Impression 第一印象
10 years ago then, 20 years ago now. In the original entry I talked about my impressions of Taiwan during my first weeks here. Looking back on this in 2020, I can only wonder what 25 year old me would make of 45 year old me. Of course I am MUCH handsomer now, and much more charming. 那時候的十年前, 也就是現在的二十年前. 原本文章中我談到剛到台灣幾個禮拜的印象. 2020年再看原本的文章, 我猜想二十五歲的我對四十五歲的我會有什麼印象. 當然, 我現在比較帥, 比較有吸引力.
But instead of dwelling on my handsomeness and charm, let's pretend that 25 year old me and 45 year old me are having a conversation. 25 year old me is at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 1999, and 45 year old me is sitting in this office in 2020. 不再考慮我的帥氣跟吸引人的特色. 我們來假裝二十五歲的我跟四十五歲的我在講話. 二十五歲的我在1999年的西雅圖機場, 四十五歲的我在2020年的辦公室.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Will I be OK? 我不會碰到問題吧?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Yeah dude, you'll be fine. You know you worry too much, right? You always do. I guess it's in our nature. 不會啦. 你是不是多想了?你不會有問題的. 你總是擔心太多. 這應該是我們的個性.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: What's the weather like over there? 那邊的天氣如何?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Well, you're going to Taichung in the summer so it's going to be hot. You also packed the wrong kind of clothes. The good thing is it's 1999 where you are, so the air pollution won't be so bad yet. 你夏天的時候要去台中, 所以會很熱. 你帶的衣服也不適合. 還好你到時是1999年, 所以空氣汙染沒那麼嚴重.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Is it really like the travel video I watched in the library? 台灣真的是像我在圖書館看的旅遊錄影帶介紹嗎?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: No, not really. Most of those mountain views and waterfalls are on the other side of the island. That temple you thought was so cool? It's in Taroko National Park, in Hualien. After arriving you'll think it looks a little like California, but no, it doesn't look much like California. 不盡然. 影片中的山跟瀑布在本島的另外一邊. 影片中很酷的那座廟在花蓮縣太魯閣國家公園裡面. 剛到台灣的時候會覺得這裡有點像加州, 可是實際上不怎麼像.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Am I making a terrible mistake? 我在做一個很糟糕的決定嗎?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: No dude, you'll be fine. The job you're taking over here isn't 100% legal, but the people running the school will treat you well. The first place you live won't be awesome, but you'll find a better place later on. 朋友, 不是這樣子. 雖然你在台灣的那份新工作不是完全合法, 可是學校的老闆和主管會好好照顧你. 你剛到台灣時住的公寓不會很好, 可是之後會找到比較好的.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: What will I like about Taiwan? What will I hate about it? 我會喜歡台灣哪一點? 我會討厭台灣哪一點?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: What you like about Taiwan will change over time. In the beginning you'll think every other women is beautiful, and you'll love the temples. Over time you'll appreciate subtler things, like how loyal many of your Taiwanese friends are, and bits of local history. You'll get very lonely toward your first Christmas, but you'll have a very beautiful girlfriend to help you forget how much you miss your family. Oh, and do yourself a favor. When you first visit Fengjia Night Market don't eat the chicken hearts. They'll make you very, very ill. 你喜歡台灣的原因會慢慢改變. 一開始你會覺得大多數的女人都很美, 也會對廟宇很有興趣. 過一段時間你會欣賞比較內在的東西, 例如台灣朋友的忠誠跟當地歷史. 接近聖誕節的時候你會想念家人, 可是那時候你會有一位漂亮的台灣女朋友幫你減輕思念. 還有一件事要注意. 去逢甲夜市時不要吃雞心. 會嚴重拉肚子.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: My flight is boarding! Talk later? 我該登機了! 晚點再聊?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Sure. Let's meet up in 20 years. 好. 二十年後見!
10. From a Friend
In the original entry I talked about places in Taitung City I liked at the time. These places were the Li Ji "Badlands," the National Museum of Prehistory, the Jerben Forest Recreation Area, the Forest Park and Fugang Harbor. This list seems a bit odd to me now, but keep in mind there was a lot less to do in Taitung ten years ago. 在原本的文章中, 我提到自己喜歡去台東市區哪些地方, 包含了利吉惡地, 國立史前博物館, 知本森林遊樂區, 森林公園和富岡漁港. 我現在覺得這個清單有點奇怪, 但是十年前的台東真是沒有多少景點.
Do I still enjoy these places now? Yes and no. I ride my bike around Li Ji fairly often, so it's a solid yes on that one. I haven't been to the Prehistory Museum in ages, so that's probably a no. The Jerben Forest Recreation Area is still a good place for a walk, but it's far from my house and it wouldn't be my first choice. The Forest Park? That place is depressing now. After all the typhoons and "management" that place has withstood it really isn't much of a forest now. These days it's more of an overgrown garden which the local government is trying to milk for all it's worth. They even charge people to swim there now. Lame. 我還喜歡這些地方嗎? 有的喜歡, 有的不喜歡. 我常騎單車去利吉, 還是很喜歡這地方. 但我很久沒去史前博物館了, 所以談不上喜歡. 知本森林遊樂區是個散步的好地點, 可是離我家很遠, 不是我的第一選擇. 森林公園呢? 那個地方讓我覺得很失望. 經過幾個颱風和 "管理" 之後, 森林公園沒有什麼森林. 現在那個地方比較像政府用來賺錢的植物園. 在那邊游泳也要買票! 真爛!
Not sure what I was thinking with Fugang. Maybe I didn't have a car back then? 我不知道當時為什麼寫上富岡漁港. 可能是我那時候沒有車.
In the original entry I wrote about American and Japanese comic books, and how moving to Taiwan made me appreciate Japanese comic books more. Do I still read comic books? Once in a while. Not that often. 我在原本的文章討論了美國跟日本的漫畫書, 及我搬到台灣之後比較喜歡日本漫畫的原因. 我還看漫畫書嗎? 偶而會.
Still waiting on that Flash movie. With the coronavirus it's been pushed still further into the future. The guy who's supposed to star in this movie was filmed choking someone recently, and while I dislike Hollywood witch hunts I wouldn't mind if the role was recast. As far as I know, the guy who directed It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two is still set to direct. 我還在等閃電俠的電影. 新冠病毒之後要等更久了. 最近這部電影主角被拍到掐人脖子. 我不喜歡美國好萊塢渲染這件事, 但我也不反對這部電影換主角. "牠"第一章跟第二章的導演仍舊是閃電俠的導演.
10 years ago then, 20 years ago now. In the original entry I talked about my impressions of Taiwan during my first weeks here. Looking back on this in 2020, I can only wonder what 25 year old me would make of 45 year old me. Of course I am MUCH handsomer now, and much more charming. 那時候的十年前, 也就是現在的二十年前. 原本文章中我談到剛到台灣幾個禮拜的印象. 2020年再看原本的文章, 我猜想二十五歲的我對四十五歲的我會有什麼印象. 當然, 我現在比較帥, 比較有吸引力.
But instead of dwelling on my handsomeness and charm, let's pretend that 25 year old me and 45 year old me are having a conversation. 25 year old me is at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 1999, and 45 year old me is sitting in this office in 2020. 不再考慮我的帥氣跟吸引人的特色. 我們來假裝二十五歲的我跟四十五歲的我在講話. 二十五歲的我在1999年的西雅圖機場, 四十五歲的我在2020年的辦公室.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Will I be OK? 我不會碰到問題吧?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Yeah dude, you'll be fine. You know you worry too much, right? You always do. I guess it's in our nature. 不會啦. 你是不是多想了?你不會有問題的. 你總是擔心太多. 這應該是我們的個性.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: What's the weather like over there? 那邊的天氣如何?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Well, you're going to Taichung in the summer so it's going to be hot. You also packed the wrong kind of clothes. The good thing is it's 1999 where you are, so the air pollution won't be so bad yet. 你夏天的時候要去台中, 所以會很熱. 你帶的衣服也不適合. 還好你到時是1999年, 所以空氣汙染沒那麼嚴重.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Is it really like the travel video I watched in the library? 台灣真的是像我在圖書館看的旅遊錄影帶介紹嗎?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: No, not really. Most of those mountain views and waterfalls are on the other side of the island. That temple you thought was so cool? It's in Taroko National Park, in Hualien. After arriving you'll think it looks a little like California, but no, it doesn't look much like California. 不盡然. 影片中的山跟瀑布在本島的另外一邊. 影片中很酷的那座廟在花蓮縣太魯閣國家公園裡面. 剛到台灣的時候會覺得這裡有點像加州, 可是實際上不怎麼像.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: Am I making a terrible mistake? 我在做一個很糟糕的決定嗎?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: No dude, you'll be fine. The job you're taking over here isn't 100% legal, but the people running the school will treat you well. The first place you live won't be awesome, but you'll find a better place later on. 朋友, 不是這樣子. 雖然你在台灣的那份新工作不是完全合法, 可是學校的老闆和主管會好好照顧你. 你剛到台灣時住的公寓不會很好, 可是之後會找到比較好的.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: What will I like about Taiwan? What will I hate about it? 我會喜歡台灣哪一點? 我會討厭台灣哪一點?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: What you like about Taiwan will change over time. In the beginning you'll think every other women is beautiful, and you'll love the temples. Over time you'll appreciate subtler things, like how loyal many of your Taiwanese friends are, and bits of local history. You'll get very lonely toward your first Christmas, but you'll have a very beautiful girlfriend to help you forget how much you miss your family. Oh, and do yourself a favor. When you first visit Fengjia Night Market don't eat the chicken hearts. They'll make you very, very ill. 你喜歡台灣的原因會慢慢改變. 一開始你會覺得大多數的女人都很美, 也會對廟宇很有興趣. 過一段時間你會欣賞比較內在的東西, 例如台灣朋友的忠誠跟當地歷史. 接近聖誕節的時候你會想念家人, 可是那時候你會有一位漂亮的台灣女朋友幫你減輕思念. 還有一件事要注意. 去逢甲夜市時不要吃雞心. 會嚴重拉肚子.
Me at 25 二十五歲的我: My flight is boarding! Talk later? 我該登機了! 晚點再聊?
Me at 45 四十五歲的我: Sure. Let's meet up in 20 years. 好. 二十年後見!
10. From a Friend
The following was written by Brendan Bates and posted on Facebook. I'm posting it here because I agree with him.
I’d like to post an update about my current situation in Taiwan regarding the coronavirus as many of my friends and family on the outside are perhaps unaware of it. I think they might find this interesting, especially as Taiwan is not often in the global spotlight and many of us here believe there are clear and present forces at work to keep our story silent and hidden from the rest of the world.
I have been critical of friends who have flaunted success stories coming from this island because I’m skeptical of prematurely claiming victory over something as unpredictable and insuppressible as a global pandemic. But now that enough time has passed, I feel more confident in stating the obvious and openly joining friends of Taiwan in their optimism. Simply put, Taiwan has been kicking some serious coronavirus ass!
While America's economy has been plummeting, I have not experienced any economic or social disruptions since the onset of this pandemic. Not a single business, restaurant, or public place I frequent has closed its doors to me. Not a single class has been canceled at my school. Not one. In fact, I have even experienced several benefits from this situation. I’ve filled up my gas tank a few times recently and been pleasantly surprised at how low the price has dropped (yes, we can drive here!). Some of the places I visit have been less crowded due to there being fewer tourists and travelers. Also, although I am missing out on watching my Dodger games, baseball is alive and well in Taiwan. We are currently hosting the one and only active professional baseball league in the entire world at this time. And they have cheerleaders, too!
Specifically in Taitung, life is good. As of now, Taitung County has reported a grand total of ZERO coronavirus cases, and there are currently ZERO people undergoing quarantine here as well. Everything has remained open. We can go to the beaches and mountains unabatedly, and we can even go out to bars and enjoy live music here. Some friends claim Taitung is one of the safest places on Earth right now. I have to agree, they are probably right.
Don't get me wrong, some major changes have taken place here in Taiwan. An astounding number of flights have been canceled. The airline and tourism industries are definitely suffering. Arrivals are being quarantined and visas are being compulsorily extended - a real bureaucratic nightmare. Those who’ve been infected or exposed to the covid have undergone strict quarantine, including a few people I know. Some public transportation schedules have been altered. And various mass gatherings have been postponed. But again, very little (if any) of this has affected me directly. The most notable change I’ve experienced is being encouraged to wear a surgical mask and have my temperature checked and hands sanitized when entering public areas. But after having lived here for over 5 years, all that is really no big deal to me. In truth, the biggest headache I’ve had to endure is witnessing what’s been going on in the media - it’s taxing and exhausting. Even the memes just don't seem so funny anymore.
That being said, to this day, Taiwan - an island of over 23 million people - has recorded fewer than 500 cases of coronavirus. The vast majority of those cases have been imported through ports of entry (mainly the airport) and effectively been quarantined and cut off from the surrounding community. A mere 6 deaths have been credited to COVID-19. If you can fathom the close proximity of relations between Taiwan and China, let alone the rest of the world, these results are undeniably outstanding.
So, what do people here attribute this success to? As I understand it: a functional public health care system and a benevolent government that is swift, efficient, and transparent about issues regarding public health and safety. Also, Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center has become more prepared for pandemic counteraction than most other countries due to previous experiences with health scares, most notably the SARS epidemic a few years back. Needless to say, most folks here keep the government in good faith and are feeling relatively safe right now, much more so than in other parts of the globe.
Now, why does it seem that most of the world is oblivious to Taiwan’s ongoing success with the coronavirus? And why aren’t other governments and media outlets promoting Taiwan's exemplary handling of this pandemic or even asking for their advice? In a word, politics. More specifically, politics regarding China. It's undeniable that the Chinese Communist Party has a large influence in global affairs. And they do NOT want the world to know that Taiwan is, indeed, independent from them in so many ways. Giving any acknowledgment whatsoever to any achievement by Taiwan is contradictory to their agenda. And it's for that reason that the World Health Organization has continually ignored warnings and advice coming from Taiwan – information that could have potentially been critically helpful to many other countries, including the United States where so many of my family and friends are currently suffering from restrictions, lock-downs, economic losses, and even illness and death from the virus itself.
The way I see it, most people here are quite unsatisfied with the WHO's handling of this pandemic and the lack of recognition Taiwan is receiving. Despite their frustration, Taiwan is still sending out massive shipments of surgical masks and medical supplies to countries in need, including the USA. Check out the hashtag #TaiwanCanHelp if you'd like to see for yourself.
As for me, I'm pretty sure many of my friends and family have questioned my decision to move to Taiwan when I did all those years ago. To tell the truth, I've questioned myself countless times for making that decision, trust me. But lately I have been feeling very grateful for being here where I am now, and our situation regarding the coronavirus has increasingly helped to validate that decision. Furthermore, an ongoing theme I continue to encounter during my time here is the wonderful privilege of living in a society that provides affordable health care for its people. It's not perfect, and I wouldn't dare say it could be identically implemented in the States. But seriously, how can the so-called greatest nation on Earth not provide adequate health care for its own citizens? Call me an idealist, but I just don't think I'm ever going to be able to get past that question.
Ultimately, there's no guarantee Taiwan will continue to enjoy the success against the coronavirus we've been experiencing thus far. Things have a way of changing. The world can suddenly find itself turned upside down. So I encourage my friends both in and out of Taiwan to stay vigilant. Keep washing your hands and wearing those masks. I'm optimistic we'll all get through this eventually.
And dang, I sure do wish I could stream a Dodger game right now, or at least listen to a live radio broadcast. But hey, Taiwan’s got baseball. So I guess public health is not the only lesson the world can learn from Taiwan. I'll leave a photo of the cheerleaders in the comments.
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