October - November 2021
1. 屏東縣鄉土DNA (Pingtung County Hometown DNA) 4
The Chinese text below was taken from "Pingtung County Hometown DNA" 屏東縣鄉土 DNA. The Chinese was written under the direction of the Pingtung County Government, and the English was written/translated by me. This book was published by Jade Mountain 玉山社 in 2008.
This book was written by and for the use of local teachers. It presents units of study with regard to local history and local products, with a curriculum for grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8. I'll be excerpting from the 7-8 grade curriculum for each of these entries.
There are nine units in this book. This entry is the fourth.*
敬字亭
Ceremonial Money Furnaces (1)
一 , 地理環境 One: Local Geography
1. 敬字亭分佈全台各地 Ceremonial Money Furnaces are Distributed All Over Taiwan
1. 敬字亭其實全台各地都有 , 例如台北市芝山岩 , 桃園縣龍潭鄉 , 彰化縣鹿港龍山寺 , 花蓮縣鳳林鎮等 , 都有形式不拘的各種敬字亭的存在 . 敬字亭的存在 , 與漢人社會中敬字亭紙的觀念有關 , 並不是只因某族群而特別存在 . There are in fact ceremonial money furnaces all over Taiwan. For example [these ceremonial money furnaces can be found in] Zhrshanyan in Taipei City, Loongtan Township in Taoyuan County, the Loongshan Temple in Lugang, Changhua County, and Fenglin Municipality in Hualien. They come in all shapes and sizes. The existence of these ceremonial money furnaces is related to the use of ceremonial (or joss) money in Han Chinese society, but their presence is not dependent on any single ethnic group.
2. 化丙存神的觀念 A Philosophy of Three Spiritual Duties
2. 客家人長久以來世居比較不利的環境中 , 因為環境艱困 , 培養出 "晴耕雨讀" 的傳統精神 . 既然是提倡讀書的風氣 , 對於代表文昌的神祀便有了敬畏之心 , 轉化而來的 , 就是對於書寫字體的紙張也存有敬畏之心 , 被教育出 "化丙存神" 的觀念 . 台灣因科舉制度的廢止 , 對敬字亭的觀念逐漸淡薄 , 但客家人傳統的讀書風氣 , 使得敬字亭的保存以及新個案的興建都比較容易在客家族群中被發現 . The Hakka people have a long history of living in environments unfavorable to them. Because of the hardships they've endured, they have developed a tradition of scholarship. This tradition values reading and reverence for the god Wenchang Wang [who was known as a scholar]. Over time this reverence for Wenchang Wang has transformed into a reverence for books and writing, and also into a philosophy valuing "three spiritual duties." Because the imperial examination system was abolished in Taiwan, the use of these ceremonial money furnaces gradually fell out of favor. But the Hakka people's emphasis on [traditional] scholarship makes preserved examples and newly constructed ceremonial money furnaces easier to find in [areas inhabited by] that group. (2)
二 , 歷史背景 Two: Historical Background
1. 台灣的敬字亭 Taiwan's Ceremonial Money Furnaces
1. 敬字亭在宋朝出現 , 到明清兩代 , 因八股考試的盛行 , 敬字亭的建造更為興盛 . 台灣敬字風俗始於1726年 , 當時的拔貢生施世榜在台南府城外 , 建 "敬聖樓" 祭祀文昌帝君 . 鳳山縣的敬字亭建於1800年 , 而屏東縣最早的敬字亭則是在車城 , 建於1855年 ; 客家六堆地區最早建立可考者則為1765年的美濃庄敬字亭 , 1789年萬巒庄敬字亭 . 奉祀的神明主要有倉頡聖人 , 梓潼文昌帝君 , 魁斗星君 , 文曲星君 , 文衡帝君 , 孚佑帝君 , 孔子 , 朱衣星君 , 韓愈及朱熹 . Ceremonial money furnaces first appeared during the Song Dynasty. During the Ming and Ching dynasties the construction of these ceremonial money furnaces increased as the Imperial Examination System grew in importance. The use of these ceremonial money furnaces in Taiwan dates back to 1726. At the time Shen Shr-bang built a "temple to honor the gods" outside Tainan's old city, and dedicated it to the [god] Wenchang Wang. Fengshan "County's" ceremonial money furnace was built in 1800, and the oldest ceremonial money furnace in Pingtung is in to be be found in Checheng. It was build in 1855. Within the Hakka Liudui settlements, the first ceremonial money furnaces were probably the ones built in Meinong Village in 1785 and in Wanluan Village in 1789. The primary deities worshiped at these sites were Cangjie, Wenchang Wang, Kui Xing, "Wenquxing," Guan Yu, Lu Dongbin, Confucius, the "Zhu Yi Spirit," Han Yu and Zhu Xi. (3)
三 , 社會發展 Three: Societal Development
1. 客家人精神 The Hakka Spirit
1. 客家族群從中原遷徙往南發展 , 並保持了強大的凝聚力 , 各方面都留存著豐富的中原古風 , 守禮重義 , 好學問 , 講倫理 . 遷台之後形成的客家庄 , 是強而有力的家庭組織 , 在昔時農業社會中 , 維持了穩定的生活方式 , 不但謀求經濟上的自給自足 , 也是對外共同抵禦及扶養老弱孤寡的依據 . The Hakka people migrated from [China's] central plains southward. Throughout their migrations they remained a very tight knit group. They maintained all of the traditions inherited from the central plains, including a respect for etiquette, a hunger for scholarship, and a [system of] ethics. The Hakka villages formed after their relocation to Taiwan were powerful family organizations. In the agricultural society of old they maintained a stable way of living, which embraced not only economic independence but also mutual defense and support for the weak and elderly.
2. 客家人倫理觀 Hakka Ethics
2. 傳統的客家家庭裡 , 一般是家族制的數世同堂 , 雖然目前已因社會的發展而使此家族規模趨於瓦解 , 但是其無形的傳統約束力 , 仍高過其他族群 . 客家人在生活各方面 , 大都以維持家庭為中心 , 對家庭忠誠 , 主要價值就在於安定社會秩序 . 家族的運作由家長主持 , 由家族中尊長者擔任 . 家長統率全家 , 有絕對的權力 ; 家長建在時 , 雖子孫滿堂 , 也不分隊 . In traditional Hakka families there are usually several generations living under one roof. Even though many families have drifted apart as modern society has developed, the traditions that bind them together exercise a powerful, invisible force greater than those seen in other groups. All aspects of Hakka life are oriented toward maintaining the family unit and remaining loyal to it. The primary value is the stability of the social order. Heads of each household preside over the workings of each family, with the elders of each family as the ultimate source of authority. The heads of each household exercise absolute control over their families, and as long as the heads of households remain their family will not split into smaller units, even after sons marry and grandchildren appear.
四 , 建築佈局與特色 4. Architectural Layout and Characteristics
1. 萬巒鄉佳和村敬字亭 Wanluan Township, Jiahe Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace
1. 萬巒鄉佳和村的位置處於閩客族群交界處 , 相傳佳佐一帶閩南人常與萬巒客家人發生械鬥 , 客家人便建柵門抵禦閩南人騷擾 . 為了柵門裝飾美觀 , 在柵門裝上一對鳳眼 , 這對鳳眼就正好對著佳佐 . 後來佳佐的住民在風水堪輿師的建議下 , 在開庄地建立一座八卦形的敬字亭 , 並在面向萬巒方向裝置銅鏡 , 希望把惡煞照返萬巒 , 讓萬巒客家人永遠抬不起頭 . 因此佳佐的敬字亭是在一個八卦形的台基上 , 並且在爐口的地方裝有一面銅鏡 , 這是最大的特徵 . Jiahe Village in Wanluan Township is located near the edge of the old Minnanese (Hokkien) settlements. According to legend, the Hokkien-speaking people around Jiadzuo often fought with the Hakka people of Wanluan, and the Hakka people built barriers around their villages to block encroachment by Hokkien-speaking settlers. A pair of phoenix eyes was installed into the village gate to beautify it, and this pair of phoenix eyes was facing Jiadzuo. Later on the residents of Jiadzuo built an eight trigram-shaped pavilion under the direction of a Fengshui master, and also installed a bronze mirror facing Wanluan in the hope of keeping the people there safe from evil spirits. This is why Jiadzuo's ceremonial money furnace is set upon an eight trigram-shaped platform, and why there is a bronze mirror near the mouth of the furnace. (4)
2. 竹田鄉糶糶村敬字亭 Jhutian Township, Tiaotiao Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace
2. 竹田鄉糶糶村敬字亭 , 為六角形三層式格局的磚砌造型 , 位於達達港遺址附近 , 在風水地理學上有希望將文風留住 , 祁求庄內子弟學業精進的用意 . 周圍六角形圍牆環繞 , 具有兩個神龕 , 分別供奉土地公和觀世音菩薩 , 該土地公在一般敬字亭很少供奉 . 字爐設在第一層 , 中間層是土地公的神龕 , 頂層則是供奉觀世音菩薩 , 但是又配合各種八卦形或十字形窗戶 , 因為八卦形或十字形在這仰上屬道教 , 此格局很少見 . The ceremonial money furnace in Jhutian Township, Tiaotiao Village is a six-sided, three level brick structure. It's located near the ruins of Dada Port. From the perspective of Fengshui, it is hoped that "cultured winds" can be retained in an area, and that by doing so the scholarship and prospects of (male) students in the village will be improved. [The ceremonial money furnace] is surrounded by a six-sided wall, and two shrines are housed within it. These shrines are dedicated to Tudigong [the earth god or "Lord of the Place"] and the goddess Guanyin. Tudigong is rarely enshrined in this type of structure. The furnace is to be found on the first level, the second level is the Tudigong shrine, and the third level is the Guanyin shrine. There are various trigram-shaped or cross-shaped windows all over the structure. These shapes, associated with Taoism, are not often seen in this kind of structure.
3. 西勢村文筆亭 Xishr Village's Wenbi Pagoda
3. 西勢村文筆亭是鄉內最具代表性的敬字亭建築 , 建築格局規劃完整 , 亭的頂端是一支筆的造型 , 亭前有一蓮花池 , 池兩旁是馬路 , 再加上亭前空地 , 使整個環境造型就像是一個硯台 . 而整體廣場就像是一張紙 , 字爐中的灰爐像是墨 , 進而在整體造型上形成文人所需的 "紙 , 筆 , 墨 , 硯" 的文房四寶 . The Wenbi Pagoda in Xishr Village is the most representative of the ceremonial money furnaces in the area. The structure is the most complete, and the top of the pagoda is shaped like a calligraphy brush. There is a lotus pond in front of the pagoda, roads to either side of the pond, and an open space in front of it. The whole layout reminds one of an inkstone, with the surrounding square bringing to mind a piece of paper and the ashes in the furnace reminding one of ink. "The four scholarly treasures," namely brush, paper, ink and inkstone are thus in evidence.
4. 內埔鄉振豐村敬字亭 Neipu Township, Jhenfeng Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace
4. 內埔鄉振豐村敬字亭為三層式六角形建築 , 亭外有護欄矮牆 , 門桂上為球形桂頭 , 其他牆桂桂頭為石獅和鑽石桂頭 , 護牆上各牆面有泥塑的花草圖案裝飾 . 亭頂是攢尖式並以葫蘆裝飾排煙口 , 垂脊部分有泥塑仙鶴和水草圖案 . 最頂層是供奉魁斗星君的神龕 , 神龕前有兩根龍桂 , 並以剪黏的牡丹花來裝飾牆面 ; 第二為焚燒字紙用 , 各面牆上有梅 , 蘭 , 菊 , 竹的剪黏圖案 . 敬字亭的基座部分 , 六面牆各有泥的麒麟 , 葫蘆和文房四寶等圖案 . Neipu Township, Jhenfeng Village's ceremonial money furnace is a three level building with six sides. There is a low wall around it, and there are posts at the entrance that are spherical at the top. The other posts around this low wall are decorated with stone lions and stone diamonds. There are also clay sculptures of flowers and plants along the wall. The roof of the structure comes to a point, and the chimney is decorated with gourds [of immortality]. The body of the structure is decorated with cranes and aquatic plants. The top level is a shrine dedicated to Kui Xing, with two dragon pillars [before the idol's dwelling place] and peony flowers on the walls of the shrine. The second level is for burning calligraphy paper. Each side of this level is decorated with plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, or bamboo patterns. The six sides of the base are adorned with clay qilins, gourds and the "four scholarly treasures."
5. 和興村敬字亭稱頓水亭 Hexing Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace is Called Dunshuiting
5. 內埔鄉和興村敬字亭稱為頓水亭 , 據傳是和興村靠近東港溪一帶 , 早年每逢雨季就會河水氾濫 , 流水滾滾瘴氣橫生 . 居民們相信是水流帶走他們的健康和財富 , 於是溪旁建了一座敬字亭 , 命名為 "頓水亭" , 希望能從風水學的觀念來鎮住河水 . 亭是三層六角形建築 , 亭尖為攢尖式 , 第二層為焚化字紙的爐體 , 各牆面以彩繪的花鳥圖案裝飾 , 頂層供奉有文昌帝君 , 孚佑帝君和關聖帝君 . The ceremonial money furnace in Neipu Township, Hexing Village is known as "Dunshuiting." It is said that because Hexing Village is close to the Donggang River floods during the rainy season were once a big problem there, and the floodwaters were a major cause of disease. The villagers believed that their health and prosperity were carried away by the floodwater, and for this reason they built a ceremonial money furnace next to the river, calling it "Dunshuiting" in the hope that its placement, according to the rules of Fengshui, would calm the waters of the river. The structure is of three levels and has six sides. The roof comes to a sharp point. The second level is provided for the burning of calligraphy paper. The sides are decorated with painted flower and bird patters. The top level is a shrine dedicated to the gods Wenchang Wang, Lu Dongbin and Guan Yu. (5)
6. 東寧村妙善寺字爐 Dongning Village, Miaoshan Temple's Furnace
6. 內埔鄉東寧村妙善寺字爐在建造上 , 比一般敬字亭考究 , 是三層六角形的結構 , 爐體以磚砌成 , 外面加以洗石子的牆面 . 亭頂採攢尖式 , 不像其他敬字亭用葫蘆造型 , 反而是用獅子裝飾 , 在垂脊部分 , 則以泥塑的水草裝飾 . 底座各面則以泥塑的麒麟 , 竹 , 菊等 ; 第二層為焚化字紙之處 , 在爐口的門額以陰刻仙鶴銜玉佩圖案 , 玉佩內另有題 "字爐" 二字 , 其餘各面則以泥塑的吉祥圖案及捐款人的姓名呈現 . 最頂層以剪黏的花草來美化 . The building method used to construct the Miaoshan Temple Furnace is more sophisticated than those used to construct other ceremonial money furnaces. It's a three level, six-sided structure, and while the body of the furnace is made from brick the exterior is covered in washed stone. The roof of the furnace is pointed, but unlike other furnaces it's shaped like a gourd and decorated with lions. The ridges on the roof are decorated with clay sculptures of aquatic plants. On each side of the base there are additional clay sculptures of qilin, chrysanthemums and bamboo. The second level is where calligraphy paper is incinerated. In the door sealing the furnace there is a jade carving with a crane and the words "dze lu." The other sides of the furnace are decorated with auspicious clay sculptures and lists of temple donors. The top level is beautified with cut flowers and plants. (6)
7. 新埤鄉建功村敬字亭 Xinpi Township, Jiangong Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace
7. 新埤鄉建功村是典型客家村落 , 敬字亭以泥塑和剪黏的吉獸 , 花草和人物裝飾 , 精美細緻 , 是四層六角形的建築 , 亭身以磚砌造成 , 外貼馬賽克磁磚 . 亭頂是少見的歇山漢瓦形式 , 屋脊上有一五層的通天寶塔 , 亭頂屋面以琉璃瓦 , 滴水 , 瓦當等裝飾 , 亭身各面以泥塑的 "老虎下山" 等吉獸圖案 , 並以剪黏的獅子來美化 . 第三層的亭身為祭祀倉頡先師 , 至聖先師 , 文昌帝君和魁斗星君等神位 , 各牆面以泥塑的仙人像裝飾 . Jiangong Village in Xinpi Township is a typical Hakka village. The ceremonial money furnace is decorated with detailed clay sculptures of auspicious [possibly mythological] beasts, plants and people. It is a four level, six-sided structure. It was built of bricks and covered in mosaic tiles. The pagoda-shaped roof is very unusual. This tower-like roof slopes downward in five layers, and is decorated with glazed tiles, dripping water and other motifs. The body of the furnace is decorated with auspicious clay sculptures depicting beasts from the story "Old Tiger Coming Down the Mountain," and raised friezes of lions beautify the structure. The shrine on the third level is dedicated to the god Cangjie, Wenchang Wang, Kui Xing and other spirits. The walls are adorned with clay statues of immortals.
8. 佳冬村敬字亭 Jiadong Village's Ceremonial Money Furnace
8. 佳冬村敬字亭位於蕭家古厝的南面市場內 , 大量採用彩繪 , 剪黏裝飾 , 泥塑再加上俊秀的水墨畫 , 相當具有人文氣息 . 主要格局是四層六角形的建築 , 亭頂採用少見的歇山漢瓦式 , 屋脊上並有泥塑的水草裝飾 , 第三層為供奉文昌帝君 , 倉頡先師和文魁的神位 , 此層牆面以水墨畫裝飾 , 更顯文雅脫俗 ; 第二層是焚字紙的爐口 , 各牆面以水墨畫裝飾 . Jiadong Village's ceremonial money furnace is south of the plaza located near the Old Xiao Family Residence. It is adorned with a large number of naturalistic paintings, ornaments, clay sculptures and pictures done in ink. It is a four level, six-sided structure. The roof of the furnace is covered in the rare Xieshan Han style of tile, and is decorated with clay sculptures of aquatic plants. The third level is dedicated to the god Wenchang Wang, Cangjie and Lu Dongbin. The exterior of this level is decorated with ink paintings which are elegant. The second level, which is the furnace used for burning calligraphy paper, is adorned with ink paintings.
9. 枋寮石頭營聖蹟亭 Fangliao's "Stone Encampment" Shengji Furnace
9. 枋寮石頭營聖蹟亭是清代總兵張其光為撫化原住民學童 , 而於營區附近設學校 , 教導兒童學漢學 , 習禮儀 , 後來便在此設立聖蹟亭 . 一來可以焚燒公文字紙 , 也可以祭祀倉頡先師 , 達到教化的目的 . 三層六角形的格局 , 亭頂是四邊形 , 採用硬山式屋頂 , 主要是一張方形神龕 , 亭身以紅磚砌造而成 . Fangliao's "Stone Encampment" Shengji Furnace was built by the soldier Zhang Qi-guang during the Ching Dynasty, for aboriginal children attending a school built built near the military encampment there. The children in the school were taught Chinese and etiquette, and later on the Shengji Furnace was built there. At this furnace you could either burn calligraphy paper or ceremonial money for the god Cangjie as a way of increasing scholarly ability. The three level structure has six sides, although the roof has four sides and is ridged [like the roof of a traditional Chinese house]. Its most important features are the square shrine, and also the red bricks it is composed of.
10. 敬聖亭 Jingshengting
10. 坐落在滿州鄉永靖村和里德村之間的敬字亭 , 相傳是在日治時期 , 日本人為瓦解原住民潘文杰的勢力 , 在目前的位置興建敬字亭 , 以鎮其氣勢 . 是一座三層六角形格局 , 亭頂為攢尖式 , 並設有排煙口 , 亭身以紅磚砌成 . Jingshengting is a ceremonial money furnace located between Yongqing Village and Lide Village in Manzhou Township. According to legend, the Japanese occupation forces built this ceremonial money furnace as a way of countering the influence of Pan Wen-jie, a local aboriginal leader. It is a three level, six-sided structure with a pointed roof. There are vents in it to release smoke, and it was made of red brick.
五 , 古蹟保存維護與再利用 5. Preservation, Maintenance and Reuse of Historic Sites
1. 台灣各地敬字亭曾達百座 There are Hundreds of Ceremonial Money Furnaces All Over Taiwan
1. 清光緒年間 , 全台各地敬字亭多達百座以上 , 可惜大部分在日治時代被破壞了 , 目前台北縣有一座 , 桃園二座 , 南投二座 , 高雄二座 , 屏東縣四十五座 . 其中 , 桃園聖蹟亭規模最大 , 有庭園空間設計 , 景觀最好 . During the Ching Emperor Guangxu's reign, there were over a hundred ceremonial money furnaces scattered throughout Taiwan. Unfortunately most of them were destroyed during the Japanese occupation. [Of the ceremonial money furnaces built during that time or earlier], there is now one in Taipei, two in Taoyuan, two in Nantou, two in Kaohsiung and forty five in Pingtung. Within this group [of older ceremonial money furnaces] Taoyuan's Shengji ["sacred relic"] ceremonial money furnace is the largest. It is surrounded by a courtyard and is in a scenic location. (7)
2. 營造注重堪輿學 A Focus on Fengshui
2. 古人看重自然 , 強調人與自然協調 , 才能達成天人合一的理想境界 . 依堪輿學法則 , 對於建築方位 , 尺寸和營造時辰等都有精準規定 . 對時間 , 空間的講究 , 包括人 , 事 , 物相生相剋的互動關係規劃 , 敬字亭已有神格化 , 在建築空間佈局與細部的規劃 , 自然也依據這樣的工法. The ancients considered nature and human interactions with nature to be very important, and thought that striking a balance between people and the natural world they inhabited was of primary importance. According to the laws of Fengshui [Chinese geomancy], the position, orientation and size of a structure must adhere to certain principles. Temporal and spatial relationships are very important, as are the interactions between people, places and things. Ceremonial money furnaces are consecrated to the spirits, and their design and construction are centered around this kind of thinking.
2. Roaming Around Mudan Township 牡丹鄉遊記
Mudan Township is south of Shrdze. According to the last census, 4,854 people live there. 牡丹鄉位於獅子南部 . 上次的人口統計顯示牡丹人口是4,854人 .
In my opinion the boundaries of Kenting National Park should be extended north to include Mudan. I'm not sure how much doing so would help protect ecosystems there, but given Mudan's small population and large size, I can't see how extending national park boundaries to include Mudan would do any harm. 我認為墾丁國家公園的邊界應該北到牡丹, 我不知道這麼做對保護這個地區的生態系統有多少幫助 . 只是認為牡丹的人口不多 , 但土地面積廣大 , 讓這個鄉成為國家保護區應該比較好 .*
And in the Pingtung County Government's defense, they have made efforts to recognize and preserve some of the ecosystems there. Mudan might be far, Mudan might be hard to get to, but parts of it are definitely worth preserving. 屏東縣政府宣稱他們在保護生態系統上做了許多的努力 . 牡丹可能遠 , 也可能不容易到牡丹 , 可是這個地區的生態系統值得被好好的保護 .
This photo was taken on Highway 199, not far from Taitung. That's the Pacific Ocean in the distance. 這張照片是在199省道拍的 , 靠近台東的那一段 . 背景是太平洋 .
Same road, but a little closer to Dongyuan Village. 同一條路, 比較靠近東源 .
Just north of Kuqi Lake. This place offers coffee and tours of its gardens. The man selling tickets, an ex-priest who's spent decades in the area, knows a lot about Mudan. 哭泣湖北部 . 這裡是咖啡館 , 也可以參觀植物園 . 賣票的工作人員是這附近退休的牧師 , 他非常了解這地區 .
In the gardens north of the lake. 湖北部的花園 .
Near the lakeshore. On the hill there's a stone house that's locally famous. 靠近湖岸 . 山坡上的石頭屋也是景點 .
South of Dongyuan Village is the Dongyuan Pasture. It looks pretty from the small parking lot next to the road, but the trail through it is somewhat disappointing. Someone cut down a bunch of trees on top of the hill to the right, and there is other evidence of "development" in this area. 東源村南部有東源草原 . 從路邊的停車場看進去風景不錯 , 可是步道上的風景沒那麼好 . 有人把照片右邊山坡上的樹砍掉 , 附近也有其他正在開發的地方 .
From Dongyuan Village there's a road east, to the village of Xuhai on the Pacific Ocean. From Xuhai we drove a bit north to the Xuhai Pasture, where this photo was taken.從東源村有條路往東部走 , 接到太平洋上的旭海 . 我們從旭海到北部的旭海草原 . 這張照片是在那邊拍的 .
From Xuhai another road extends south to Manzhou. I really wanted to take pictures of the military fortifications around here, but it's illegal to do so. 旭海南部還有一條路通到滿州 . 我很想拍照, 可是在軍事基地拍照是違法的 .
It's a very peaceful place. It should be noted, however, that many fishermen go missing in this area. Storms can appear very suddenly. 這是個很平靜的地方 . 但是風可能會突然變強,有些漁民在這裡的海上消失 .
Back in Xuhai we had lunch at this restaurant, located next to the Xuhai Hot Springs. I thought it was very good. I'd eat there again in a second. 我們回去旭海這家餐廳吃午餐 . 它位於旭海溫泉旁邊 . 我覺得很不錯 , 很想再去一次 .
Following the road from Xuhai west leads you through several Paiwan villages to the Mudan Reservoir. The reservoir is very full now thanks to recent typhoons. 從旭海開往西岸會經過幾個排灣部落到牡丹水庫 . 最近颱風多, 所以水庫滿滿的 .
The village around the reservoir isn't especially interesting, and the dam itself is only worth walking around when the weather is cool. 水庫附近的部落不是很有趣 . 天氣比較涼快的時候才值得走進去水庫的遊客中心 .
These guys, to be found on the bridge across from the dam, are really bringing home the bacon. 這兩個男人在水庫對面的橋上 . 他們正努力的把晚餐帶回家 .
Further down the road, closer to Checheng, is the site of the historic Mudan Incident. These two, holding the "celebration cups," are among my favorite bits of statuary there. 繼續往下走就到牡丹事件古戰場 . 這兩個人一起喝酒的雕像是我最喜歡的雕像的其中之一 .
On the Sse Chong Xi River, where 199 takes you into Checheng. The famous hot springs are just down the road, and beyond the hot springs is Highway 26. 這是199省道旁邊的四重溪 , 往車城的方向 . 直走到溫泉區 , 溫泉區另外一邊是台26線 .
3. Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (Central 中) 5
There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County. It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry. This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市. 每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告. 這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.
1. Majia Township 瑪家鄉
1a. Tourists visited Linali Village in Majia Township to witness the migration of grey-faced buzzards through the area during the Double 10 weekend. The migration of these birds, normally associated with spots in Hengchun Municipality and Manzhou Township, is a new tourist attraction in Majia. 瑪家禮納里賞鷹夯 單日喜見1.6萬隻
1b. A woman climbing the mountain trail near the Liangshan Waterfall may have suffered a stroke. She was taken to the hospital by local firefighters/paramedics, one of whom had to carry her on his back down the mountain. 婦人登涼山瀑布疑中風 消防員輸流背下山
2. Wandan Township 萬丹鄉
2a. The "mud volcano" in Wandan recently erupted again, shooting mud up to 5 meters in the air. 屏東萬丹鄉泥火山 泥漿噴發高達5公尺 (1)
2b. There's been drama in the Pingtung County Government recently, much of it related to fluctuations in the market for locally produced agricultural goods. As a result several members of the Pingtung County Magistrate's cabinet have changed positions. A recent visit paid by one local official to another local official residing in Wandan led to speculation that there might be further shakeups in the cabinet, but the visiting official insisted that she was "just passing through." 蘇揆訪老家 陳吉仲 : 剛好經過
2c. A man in Wandan was incarcerated for 30 days and fined after threatening another man in the wake of a traffic-related altercation. 不爽被按喇叭 火爆男攔車持鐵棒叫囂
3. Wanluan Township 萬巒鄉
3a. An elderly man left Linyuan District, Kaohsiung City and did not return home. His family reported him missing to the police, and he was found in Wanluan the next day. 阿北夜衝迷航9小時 一早現身20公里外萬巒 ... 熱心警助返家
3b. The Pingtung County Government is promoting 1-day tours of Hakka villages in the area. One of these tours introduces sites in Wanluan (on October 23), the other introduces sites in Jiadong (on October 30). The registration fee is 399 NT. According to the article, details can be found on the Pingtung County Government's Facebook page. 屏東10月推客庄秋之旅 1日遊只要399元 (2)
3c. A man accused of committing murder outside the army base in Wanluan back in 2004 saw the inside of a courtroom again recently. His attorneys argued that the lighting around the scene of the crime was insufficient to identify the man as the murderer, and that a receipt, which was lost, would have served as his alibi. The verdict in his case was changed from not guilty to guilty. 17年前捲鬥毆打死人 ... 劉正富無罪又翻盤判決理由曝光
4. Taiwu Township 泰武鄉
4a. Representatives from Taiwu Township recently visited Taichung to help introduce an exhibition of Paiwan woodcarvings there. 屏東泰武鄉聯手承億文旅 將台灣南境之美帶到台中
4b. Heavy rains hit Taiwu and other mountain townships last week. 花東屏夜防豪雨 泰武鄉累積雨量逾800毫米
5. Chaozhou Municipality 潮州鎮
5a. The old No. 2 Market building in Chaozhou will be demolished. Residents are expecting nearby real estate prices to rise as a result. 屏東潮州第2市場將拆除 鬧區危樓可望變黃金 (3)
5b. A drunk man was brandishing a knife around central Chaozhou late at night. He was apprehended by police soon after. 有人拿刀啦 屏東潮州深夜驚現持刀揮舞男 優勢警力壓制
5c. There's a new bike rental station ("Pbike, which I assume stands for "Pingtung Bike"), next to Sselin Elementary School, not far from Chaozhou's Forest Park. 屏東低碳旅行新亮點 潮州Pbike增設四林國小站 (4)
6. Xinyuan Township 新園鄉
6a. As part of a national plan to utilize offshore wind as a source of electricity, a new factory has been completed in Xinyuan. Production at the factory is primarily concerned with pipe fittings for offshore wind installations. Domestic production of these installations is a big priority for the government. 風電台灣隊添生力軍 高屏新廠年產30座水下管件
7. Kanding Township 崁頂鄉
7a. The Pingtung County Government has been overseeing rabies vaccinations in Kanding and Jiadong townships. 屏東狂犬病疫苗 佳冬 , 崁頂鄉開打
8. Laiyi Township 來義鄉
8a. Residents of Nanhe Village in Laiyi Township took to the streets to show their patriotism during Double Ten Day. 愛國愛部落 ! 屏東來義部落青年發起國慶升旗遊街
8b. A mobile "license renewal office" operated by the Bureau of Transportation recently visited Laiyi. 全台僅2輛 ! 變形金剛 屏東來義展翅 鄉民驚喜體驗監理服務
9. Donggang Municipality 東港鎮
9a. The Donggang version of the "Welcoming in the King's Peace" religious festival will begin this Sunday, and will last for 8 days. Police will be on the roads directing traffic in that area. Expect A LOT of people if you're going. 屏東東港迎王平祭24日展開8天 管制交通
9b. Those attending the above festival will receive a special face mask, a paper fan and a commemorative bag of "Guai Guai" potato chips. 屏東迎王搶眼文創紀念品 迎王口罩 , 平安符扇加乖乖 (5)
9b. There is a legal dispute over dormitories built by the Japanese in Donggang before the KMT government took control of Taiwan. These dormitories were recently designated as a historic site, but there is disagreement regarding the legality of this designation. Some people are still living in the dormitories despite efforts to move them out. 東港共和新村拒眷改 釘子戶 軍方強制拆除2違佔戶 (6)
10. Nanzhou Township 南州鄉
10a. Nanzhou's version of the "Welcoming in the King's Peace" festival begins next month. They had some trouble moving the ceremonial boat into position after its return to the township. They'd been transporting it around Taiwan as a way of "dispelling sickness." 南州王船回家 "差點仆街 ! " 吊掛失誤傾斜險墜
11. Xinpi Township 新埤鄉
11a. No recent news out of Xinpi.
4. COVID or Crisis? 疫情或是中年危機 ?
How have the past two years been for you? Stressful? Hopeful? Life-threatening? Boring? 你這兩年好嗎 ? 壓力很大嗎 ? 充滿希望嗎 ? 經歷過生命危機嗎 ? 無聊嗎 ?
I've been alright, nothing extraordinarily good or bad to report. Like you I've struggled to make sense of the world we live in now. Like you I've often wondered what the future might hold. 我還好, 不好也不壞 . 跟你一樣, 努力地在生活裡理出頭緒 . 也跟你一樣經常地猜想未來的樣貌 .
I've observed foreign friends going through a similar experience. We all read the same news; we all speculate on the same topics. Gather any two mask-wearing foreigners together, and the conversation soon turns to COVID, international travel, Taiwan vs. Wherever We Came From, work (or the lack thereof), and other, related subjects. 我發現外國朋友們的經驗都差不多 . 我們看一樣的新聞 . 我們思考一樣的事情 . 任何兩位外國人在一起聊天 , 聊的內容通常是疫情 , 國際旅遊 , 台灣國內跟我們自己國家的差別 ,以及 人才市場或是其他相關的話題 .
The world has felt a lot less stable over the past two years, especially if you happen to be living in a country that's not your own, among people who (for the most part) consider you an outsider. 這兩年的感覺就是世界變得很不穩定 . 尤其是不居住在自己國家的人 , 身邊圍繞的都是和自己文化不同的人 , 更有這種感覺吧 !
Thing is, when I look at some of my foreign friends I'm not sure if their sudden changes of perspective are due to COVID or due to their age. I'm in my late 40s now, and my friends, for the most part, are in their 30s, 40s and 50s. I have a few friends over 50, and some acquaintances in their 20s, but on average my friends are around the same age I am. Certain times of life affect people in different ways, and it's hard to say where "just being in your 40s" ends and COVID begins. 當我見到我的朋友, 我不知道改變他們觀念的是疫情或是年齡 . 我快五十歲了 . 我朋友們的年齡大都介於三十到五十歲 . 有幾位外國朋友超過五十歲 , 也認識二十幾歲的人 ,但是主要的朋友的年齡跟我差不多 . 某些人生階段對人們有不同的影響 , 很難說觀念改變的原因是中年危機或是疫情 .
As people age certain changes inevitably occur. Maybe your hair starts to go grey, or maybe it starts to disappear. Maybe you get fatter, or, thinking you're getting fatter, you suddenly develop an obsession with exercise. Maybe you get married, maybe you have kids, or maybe a divorce is in the wings, waiting to throw your entire life into a blender. 年紀的增長讓改變不可避免的發生, 可能你的頭髮漸漸變白 , 也可能頭髮開始消失 . 有可能你變胖了 , 或是覺得自己變胖而瘋狂運動 . 有可能你結婚生小孩 , 也有可能你正醞釀著離婚 , 或是等著讓生活變得更紊亂 .
Then, in the middle of whichever one of these things you're experiencing, comes the midlife crisis. Confronted with your own mortality, you decide to change your life in drastic ways. Some people quit their jobs and start new careers. Other people decide, once and for all, that they're gay. Still other people buy ridiculously large motorcycles, along with matching outfits, and begin riding these motorcycles around small islands in East Asia. You never know what shape a midlife crisis is going to take, and if you're living with someone going through one you have my sympathy. 當上面那些事情正在發生的時候 , 中年危機就來了 . 想到人生有限的時候 , 你決定做一番大改變 . 有的人辭職再開始事業第二春 . 有的人終於決定自己是同性戀 . 有的人買大型機車和配合的機車裝備開始環島 . 每個人的中年危機不一樣 , 跟有中年危機的人一起住是一件辛苦的事 .
Complicating this issue is COVID. Whereas before we could point to the 45 year old foreign man with the slightly stunned, 18 year old Taiwanese girlfriend and say "midlife crisis," now it's harder to say. Our Friend the Coronavirus has pushed the clock backwards or forwards for a lot of people, and it's hard to differentiate a genuine midlife crisis from the kind of thinking that COVID engenders. Many of us, in the wake of COVID, are now thinking that our lives are short, the world is uncertain, and WHY NOT make a change? WHY NOT try something different? 疫情讓這件事情更複雜 . 我們以前看到四十五歲的外國人跟十八歲的台灣辣妹交往就說是 "中年危機 ." 現在不一定這樣了 . 疫情讓很多人心裡時鐘往前一步或是退後一步 , 很難分辨一個人的想法跟疫情或年齡有關 . 疫情開始之後 , 很多人開始想人生短暫 , 世界也很紛亂 , 為什麼不做些改變? 為什麼不做新的嘗試?.
I see this internal struggle in several of my foreign friends. I see it in myself as well. If the world is upside down, what matters? Who matters? What should I be doing, and who should I be doing it with? 我看到我的外國朋友有這樣的掙扎, 我自己也是. 如果這世界亂了 , 什麼是最重要的 ? 誰最重要 ? 我應該做什麼 ? 跟誰一起做 ?
For some this internal struggle has led to their leaving Taiwan. Others have quit their jobs, gotten new jobs, and then quit those new jobs as well. Some people are trying to make a new start, while others are more tentatively wondering if they should do so. And it's really hard to say which of these people have been pushed there by COVID, and which of these people have been pushed there by their age, and by reflections on their life thus far. 因為這樣的內心掙扎, 有的外國朋友離開台灣 . 有人辭職找新工作 , 最後辭掉所有工作 . 有的人試著重新開始 , 有的人正觀望與思考自己的下一步 . 他們這麼做的原因不一定是疫情 , 也有可能是因為年齡 , 或自己過去的生活 .
I know I've been doing some thinking. I don't THINK it's a midlife crisis because I already had one. Then again, who knows? Maybe it's just the years and the thinking thereon. To be sure, COVID informs some of my thinking, but again it's hard to say where COVID ends and normal, mortality-related panic begins. 我也在考慮這些事情 . 我的中年危機過了 , 所以不是這個問題吧 . 誰知道 ? 有可能就是年齡的關係 , 當然疫情也影響了我的想法 . 只是很難說哪個先 .
I just hope you're doing OK. It's been a troubling two years, but I believe the worst is behind us. We have to hope that on the other side of the pandemic (and on the other side of our personal crises) lies a better life, full of new and old things that we can all enjoy together. COVID isn't the end of the world - at least not yet - and in the absence of existential certainty all we can do is keep trying; all we can do is keep living - one breath at a time. 希望你的生活中沒有困難 . 這兩年大家的生活都很緊張 , 我相信最可怕的已經過去了 . 相信在疫情(中年危機)之後的生活更美好 . 新冠疫情不是世界末日 , 我們目前在這個當下可以做的就是繼續努力 , 一步一腳印地活下去 .
5. Taiwan 101: Is it a Country?
For a good synopsis of Taiwan's diplomatic situation click here. It's John Oliver's take on the subject.
My two cents? It's not easy to explain Taiwan's status with regard to other countries and international organizations. Explaining this status to people who are new to the topic will also try their patience. In some respects you have to live Taiwan for a while to get it, and expecting people outside Taiwan to understand China's position, Taiwan's position, and the U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" is asking a lot.
To begin, I'll start with the Wiktionary definition of "country." It is as follows:
"1. (chiefly British) An area of land, a district, region.
2. A set region of land having particular human occupation or agreed limits, especially inhabited by members of the same race; speakers of the same language etc., or associated with a given person, occupation, species etc.
3. The territory of a nation, especially an independent nation state or formerly independent nation, a political entity asserting ultimate authority over a geographical area, a sovereign state."
Wiktionary contains two other definitions of "country," but they have no bearing on the issue of sovereignty. I'm also setting to one side the Chinese definitions of "country" (or 國家) because I don't think the meanings of this term in Chinese have as much to say about the international context in which Taiwan exists.* In a regional sense the Chinese definitions aren't as important, simply because Taiwan shares the region with several nations in which Chinese is not an official language.
According to Definition 1 Taiwan is definitely a country. But yes, that definition is not used much outside of Britain.
Definition 2 is more problematic. How do we define "agreed limits?" Certainly some groups in Taiwan agree on limits, but the limits agreed upon by the DPP (which would rather see Taiwan as an independent entity) and the KMT (which, historically at least, has regarded China as its rightful territory and Taiwan as a province within that territory) are very different. In a larger sense there's also the question of who "owns" or "controls" what, and whether Taiwan is part of China or China is part of Taiwan.
The terms "race" and "speakers of the same language" also pose problems. Are we talking about ethnically Chinese people? If so, then what about the aboriginal tribes living in Taiwan? And if we're talking about ethnically (Han) Chinese people, are the Han Chinese living in Taiwan really the same as those in China? Is Mandarin spoken the same way? Is the culture the same? How do we define "race" exactly, and who is doing the defining?
Definition 3 fits Taiwan. China does not administer or exercise political control over this island and its associated territories. Unless, of course, you ask most of the politicians here during a press conference. Threats and intimidation from the Mainland count for a lot, and these politicians often try to avoid antagonizing China.
If I look up the Wiktionary definition of "nation" I get this:
"1. A historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity and/or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture.
2. A sovereign state."
Taking Definition 1 into consideration, is Taiwan "a historically constituted, stable community of people"? Yes, definitely. Taiwan has its own history, or perhaps more importantly a series of historic events which unite people within a single culture. The "formed on the basis of a common language" is troublesome when you factor in changing attitudes to Taiwanese/Hokkien and aboriginal languages, but yes, I think that people here are bound together by an understanding of Mandarin Chinese. The "psychological make-up" part of this definition seems an easy fit, especially given that most Taiwanese people have never lived in a place that hasn't been threatened by the designs of Mainland China.
Definition 2 works as well, and in case you're wondering, "sovereign" is further defined as "exercising power of rule," and in turn "rule" is defined as "The act of ruling, administration of law, government, empire, authority, control." Yes, Taiwan is a country by this definition.
Of course there's also the Wikipedia entry for Taiwan, which states:
"Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia...
...the political status of Taiwan is contentious. The ROC no longer represents China as a member of the United Nations, after UN members voted in 1971 to recognize the PRC instead. Meanwhile, the ROC continued to claim to be the legitimate representative of China and its territory, although this has been downplayed since its democratization in the 1990s. Taiwan is claimed by the PRC, which refuses diplomatic relations with countries that recognize the ROC."
PRC, ROC... you've got a headache now, right? So does the rest of the world. Suffice it to say that most people in Taiwan would prefer to be recognized as an independent nation, and to not be reabsorbed into communist China. All people in China (at least if you ask them while the cameras are running) contend that Taiwan is their territory, and that it will eventually be reabsorbed into China one way or another.
I could go into the reasons behind this argument, but that would be a whole other entry's worth of stuff. The list of reasons would furthermore extend back to the Ching (Qing) Dynasty and maybe earlier, and would be compounded by an attempt at colonization, a world war and a lot of human suffering. Let's not go there today.
China's position on Taiwan is easily understood from the above quote, questions as to the legitimacy, duration and scope of various political entities aside. But what about neighboring countries? What do they think of this issue? And what about the United States, without which Taiwan in its present form wouldn't exist?
From The Diplomat, on Japan-Taiwan relations:
"Japan-Taiwan relations - though still unofficial - are shifting quickly in 2021. There are plenty of other examples: a Japan-Taiwan-U.S. trilateral meeting in July, Japan's defense white paper discussion of Taiwan, and several statements in support of Taiwan by Japanese political leaders. Japan's public support for Taiwan reflects a growing consensus in Tokyo that Taiwan's security has a direct impact on Japan..."
In other words, Japan supports the U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity." It would rather keep China at arm's length, and a Chinese navy with unfettered access to the Pacific (via Taiwan) would pose a real and immediate threat to Japan.
From Taiwan News. Taiwan News isn't the best source of information, but this is the most recent article I could find on Taiwan-South Korea relations:
"South Korea insists on promoting its alliance with the U.S. and its strategic partnership with China while respecting the one-China Principle."
Again, "strategic ambiguity." The One-China Principle, by the way, states that there is only one China, of which Taiwan and Mainland China are parts. At some point in the future Taiwan and China will be reunited into one country - One China - though how and when this will occur is anyone's guess. The government of Mainland China will constitute the government of this "future China."
South Korea has to worry about China more than Japan does. Let us not forget that they're also neighbors with North Korea, a country which they were supposed to reunite with at some point. South Korea is also one of Taiwan's chief economic competitors, and I can't blame them that much for trying to play both sides against the middle.
Sources were much sparser for the Taiwan-Philippines relationship. Most reflected the trade relationship to the exclusion of political relations which may or may not exist between the two countries. I did find a memorandum from the Philippines government, dated March 2018, which commands:
"Strict observance of the Philippines' One China policy commitment and unofficial people-to-people relations with Taiwan."
Translation: the Philippines would like continued access to Taiwan's markets, but would rather not anger China by recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation. Taiwan and the Philippines have never had good relations, so this comes as no surprise.
Lastly there's the U.S. point of view. This is from the U.S. Department of State's Fact Sheet:
"The U.S. and Taiwan enjoy a robust unofficial relationship...
...in the joint Communique, the United States recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China...
"The United States does not support Taiwan independence... The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act provides the legal basis for the unofficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan, and enshrines the U.S. commitment to Taiwan in maintaining their defensive capability...
The United States insists on the peaceful resolution of Cross-Strait differences, opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either side, and encourages both sides to continue their constructive dialogue on the basis of dignity and respect."
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Except it's not. The U.S. has "influenced" Taiwan's national development at several key points, and claiming neutrality after the fact is disingenuous, if nothing else.
There's also that bit about "maintaining their defensive capability" in the above text. Who would Taiwan be defending itself against, I wonder? And why has the U.S. been sending military equipment and military advisors to Taiwan for decades? At the end of the day the U.S. wants Taiwan separate from China, and its actions demonstrate that. Keeping Taiwan separate allows the U.S. and other regional powers to contain China (a process often referred to as "encirclement"), frees shipping lanes, and blocks China's access to the Pacific. A China with open access to the Pacific means further instability in the region, and nobody - maybe not even China itself - wants that.
So is Taiwan a country? I would say yes, it is. Does everyone recognize that fact? Certainly not. But... if people fail to recognize (or choose to willfully ignore) certain facts about the world do they cease being facts? Of course not, and even less so as these facts become increasingly obvious.
6. Beautiful Ugliness
I freely admit that I'm neither an accomplished nor an especially knowledgeable photographer. If I manage to take good photos it's through a process of attrition, wherein I take many, many photographs of a single thing and only one of them is actually good. I know guys that can look at something for a few moments, really see what's interesting about it, and then, lifting an antique camera at just the right angle, take a truly impressive picture of that thing. I'm not one of those guys.
There's very little for tourists in Wandan. It's big, it's flat, and it's good for farming. That's about it. The picture above is near the northwest corner of the township, just south of Pingtung City. 萬丹的景點不多 . 這個地區很大 , 地形平坦 , 適合農業 . 上面的照片是萬丹鄉的西北部 , 靠近屏東市 .
This area reminded me a lot of Dashu District in Kaohsiung City, which isn't far away. It's half factories and half farms. 這個地區讓我想到附近的高雄市大樹區 . 一半農業, 一半工廠 .
This is to the southeast, in the center of the township. I have no idea what this statue is supposed to be, but it points the way to the Wandan Township Park. That's Wandan Junior High in the background. 在西南邊 , 萬丹鄉的中部 . 我不知道這個東西是什麼 , 可是它指著萬丹鄉公園的入口 . 背景是萬丹國中 .
Red beans and beef. Wandan produces a lot of both. I'm not sure what the boy in the middle is supposed to represent. 紅豆跟牛肉 . 萬丹主要生產的產品 . 我不知道中間的小朋友代表什麼 .
This park also has a swimming pool. I don't think this swimming pool is open to the public now. 這個公園也有游泳池 . 現在好像不對外開放 .
Most of Wandan looks like this. 萬丹大部分就是這樣子 .
Between central Wandan and Jhutian Township is this grove of trees.這些樹在萬丹 和 竹田鄉中間 .
Xinghuabu is to be found in the southeast corner of Wandan, closer to Kanding and Xinyuan. 興化部在萬丹的東南部 , 比較靠近崁頂和新園鄉 .
No idea what this building used to be. It's in the same area. 我不知道這棟建築物的用途 . 它也在興化部 .
If you're in central Wandan, you should stop and try the beef pot. This picture was taken at Jietou Beef Pot, but there are many other beef pot restaurants in the vicinity. 在萬丹市區可以品嚐當地的牛肉爐 . 我在街頭牛肉爐拍這張 , 可是附近還有其他的牛肉爐餐廳 .
The view across from the restaurant, near Wandan Township Park. The big road on the left is Highway 27, which stretches from Donggang all the way to Gaoshu. 餐廳對面 , 也靠近萬丹鄉公園 . 左邊的大馬路是台27線 . 這條路從東港連到屏東縣另外一邊的高樹鄉 .
The southwest corner of the township, not far from Liyu Mountains' "mud volcano," has a few more trees. That hill in the background is Liyu Mountain. 萬丹鄉的西南部 , 靠近鯉魚山泥火山 . 背景的小山坡就是鯉魚山 .
The western border of Wandan runs along the Kaoping (Gaoping) River, which separates Pingtung County from Kaohsiung City. On the opposite side of the river is Daliao District in Kaohsiung. 高雄 和 屏東中間的高屏溪是萬丹鄉西邊的鄉界 . 溪的另外一邊就是高雄市大寮區 .
Falling into this river/canal would probably kill you. All of the runoff from nearby duck and chicken farms flows into it. 不小心掉進去這條溪 (水排) 應該會死掉 . 附近的雞鴨養殖場的廢水都在裡面 .
A nearby dam controls the flow of water into the Kaoping River. 附近的水壩控制著流入高屏溪的水量 .
To be sure, there are parts of Pingtung where it's hard to take a bad picture. Manzhou, for instance, or Laiyi. You can go to those places, point your camera (or phone) in any direction, and be fairly confident that at least half of your pictures will look good. Sure, you'll get some bad ones, but the ratio of good to bad pictures won't be discouraging.
Other places are more of a challenge. Wandan, for example. Wandan is very flat, it has almost no tourist sites, and as you move away from central Wandan it's just farmland stretching away to the horizon. I want to take an evocative picture in Wandan, I want to capture an image that will speak to the agricultural heart of that place, but it's hard. There are a few interesting temples in Wandan, but that's about it.
Then again we're easily distracted by beautiful vistas. I could, for example, visit Taitung City, and if I pointed my camera just right all you would see was emerald mountainsides and stunning beaches. But is that the reality of Taitung City? Is that what most people see when they visit that place? Probably not. A trip north up the coast might give you that impression, but not a day in Taitung City. There's trickery involved in making most places look like paradise.
On the other hand there are places like Wandan or Jhutian, which are both flat and have a long, long history of farming. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make either of these places look like paradise. At best I could make them look like everyone's idea of small town Taiwan, at worst they'd look like a wasteland stretching endlessly in every direction. And which portrayal is more accurate? Probably something between the two extremes, which, in photographic terms, means the most "average" series of pictures.
I do, however, enjoy places like Wandan and Jhutian. They're not exactly Taroko National Park, but they have a certain bleak utility that I find attractive. I go to somewhere like that and wonder, "What do people DO here? How do they make a living? How have they shaped this place over time?"
And if you look, the details of this process are written in the soil, cement or stone beneath your feet. You can see these details in the abandoned factories and the water recycling facilities, in the shapes of fields and the meandering courses that roads and canals take. You can even see these details in the names of places, which often evoke geographical features and ways of living that passed away long ago.
Is there beauty in a place like Wandan? Of course there is, but it's a beauty harder to see. And if I can capture that kind of beauty in a photograph I feel like I've really done something. It's not an easy thing to do, and I often fail in the attempt, but when I manage to do it I feel very happy.
You could also say there's a kind of dishonesty in pictures that make a place look better than it is. Even in Manzhou you'll encounter solar panels blighting the landscape, and people throwing trash into nearby waterways. No place in Taiwan is pristine, and leading others to that conclusion can, at times, be an act of deception.
Besides that, what I find most interesting is the interaction between people and their local geography. If you look at it the right way these two things evolve together, and not always to the detriment of some exalted "Nature," whatever that is. Sure, I like the high mountains; I like to get away from crowds, but there's a story behind every industrial area, apartment building and decaying village, and these stories can be very interesting. These stories also point the way to the future, and to ways of doing it better next time.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe so. I just think it's good to reflect on what a given picture is saying - and also what it's not saying - about a place. Is a picture that's pleasing to the eye always good? Is it honest? And is a picture that's ugly always bad? If it's showing you something about a place, something you might not know or might not have fully realized, is it worth seeing?
I, of course, don't have all the answers, but I do think there's something beautiful or interesting to be found in every place, especially if that place is somewhere most people pass by.
7. Roaming Around Wandan Township 萬丹鄉遊記
Wandan Township is north of Xinyuan and Kanding townships. It was one of the earliest parts of Pingtung to be settled by Han Chinese people. It has been farmed for generations. 萬丹鄉位於新園 , 崁頂鄉的北部 . 這是漢人最先來到屏東開墾的地區之一 , 世代都以農業為主 .
According the last census, 49,852 people live in Wandan. 根據上次的人口統計, 萬丹的人口有49,852人 .
This area reminded me a lot of Dashu District in Kaohsiung City, which isn't far away. It's half factories and half farms. 這個地區讓我想到附近的高雄市大樹區 . 一半農業, 一半工廠 .
One of the chicken (or is it duck?) farms near Liyu Mountain. This place is huge, and the birds number in the thousands. 鯉魚山附近的雞 (還是鴨 ?) 養殖場 . 這塊地超大 , 上面應該有幾千隻鳥 .
8. Places to Go in Pingtung That AREN'T in Kenting 墾丁之外的景點
For the sake of clarity I'm defining "Kenting" as Kenting National Park. This national park stretches between Hengchun Municipality, Checheng Township and Manzhou Township. It's a fun area to explore, but it's one of Taiwan's major tourist destinations and needs no introduction here. 在這個文章內 , "墾丁" 指的是墾丁國家公園 . 墾丁國家公園位在恆春鎮 , 車城鄉跟滿州鄉中間 . 這個地區很好玩 , 它是台灣的旅遊勝地之一, 我不用在這裡對它多做介紹 .
What I wanted to talk about instead were other places in Pingtung County you might want to visit. None of these places are as famous as Kenting of course, but they're all worth visiting if you have the time. 我想在這裡介紹的是屏東縣其他的景點 . 這些景點不像墾丁那麼有名 , 可是都跟墾丁一樣值得去 .
This is in Sandimen Township, at the north end of Pingtung County. It's next to the Aboriginal Culture Park. The view from the bridge is nice, and there are places selling coffee and snacks nearby. 這座吊橋在屏東縣北部的三地門鄉 , 在台灣原住民族文化園區旁邊 . 橋上的風景很美 ,附近還有人賣飲料和小吃 .
Dapeng Bay lies between Donggang Municipality and Linbian Township, not far from the industrial area in south Kaohsiung. Does it deserve to be labeled a "national scenic area?" Probably not, but if you're in the area it's a pleasant place to walk or bike around. A road loops around the bay, and there's a fun little bar near the famous bridge. 大鵬灣在東港鎮 和 林邊鄉中間 , 也靠近高雄南部的工業區 . 這裡值得成為國家風景區嗎 ? 好像不是 , 沿著海灣有一條路 , 在這裡散步或騎單車不錯. 著名的橋附近還有間可愛的酒吧 .
This is in Shrdze Township, near the tunnel that passes between Pingtung and Taitung counties. It's a relatively undemanding walk to the end of the trail, and the view from the top, overlooking Shrdze and Fangshan townships, is worth the effort. Just be sure you get there early. It's much prettier in the morning. 雙流在獅子鄉 , 靠近連接屏東縣和台東縣的隧道 . 從雙流的步道終點可以看到獅子鄉 和 枋山鄉的美景, 步道也不難走, 早點去比較好 , 那是風景最美的時候 .
This trail starts in Fangliao Township and passes through Chunrh Township on its way to Taitung. If you start from the trailhead in Chunrh (where most people start) it's a relatively easy hike, and the middle section is very scenic. Those in better shape could start at Fangliao Fishing Port and walk ALL the way to Dawu Train Station in Taitung. 古道的起點在枋寮鄉 , 往台東的終點會經過春日鄉 . 大部分的人從春日鄉開始走 , 從春日到台東的那一段沒有那麼累 , 風景也非常漂亮 . 很強的登山者可以從枋寮漁港走古道到台東縣的大武車站 . *
Definitely one of the most scenic parts of Pingtung. The Xuhai Pasture is near Xuhai Village in Mudan Township, on the east coast. The pasture itself is quite small, but there's a nice trail which winds around the nearby hills. It's a long drive from everywhere, but it's worth visiting. 絕對是屏東風景最好的景點之一 . 旭海草原位於 台灣東部的旭海村 , 靠近牡丹鄉 . 草原雖然小 , 可是附近山坡的步道很好走 . 這個景點離所有的地方都很遠 , 但卻絕對值得去.
6. The Hakka Villages of Wanluan 萬巒的客家庄
Wanluan Township has a long history of settlement by Hakka people. During the Ching (Qing) Dynasty this area was like Taiwan's version of the Old West, with Hakka settlers "going east" away from Hokkien-speaking communities. I recommend starting from the "Pork Knuckle Street" and working your way east toward the mountains. 客家人開發萬巒鄉的歷史久遠 . 清朝的時候 , 這個地區有點像美國的 "舊西部 " , 因為客家移民"東移",離閩南村落越來越遠 . 我建議從豬腳街慢慢往山區走 . **
7. Pingtung's Mountainside Highway 沿山公路
This highway starts in Fangliao Township and goes through the eastern, more mountainous parts of Pingtung. If you've got a car it's a pleasant drive, with views of mountains, pineapple fields and aboriginal villages along your route. 這條公路從枋寮鄉連到屏東東部的山區 . 在那段路開車很舒服 , 可以欣賞山景 , 鳳梨田 和 原住民部落 .
Yes, it's overrated, and yes, it's small, but Xiaoliuqiu is a convenient diving destination, and the views on the other side of the island, away Donggang, aren't bad. Avoid this place on big holiday weekends. 真是被高估的景點 , 小 , 可是去小琉球潛水很方便 , 島上另外一邊(看不到東港)的風景不錯 . 連假周末最好不要去 .
9. Wutai 霧台鄉
I'm embarrassed to say that I've never been to Wutai, but I have friends who rave about it so here it is. It's WAY up in the mountains, and should also be avoided on big holiday weekends. 我不好意思說我還沒有去過霧台 . 我有幾個朋友讚美這個景點 , 所以要在這裡介紹 . 它在山區"裡面" , 連假周末最好不要去 .***
This is also in Wanluan Township, not far from Taiwu. It's one of Taiwan's most famous and most photogenic churches, and its unique history is well worth studying. 這個景點也在萬巒鄉 , 靠近泰武 . 這個聖殿是全台灣最有名 , 最好拍的教堂其中一個 . 它的歷史也很有趣 .
11. Weirder Destinations 更奇怪的景點
The above places not weird enough for you? Below is a list of stranger places you could visit: 上面十個景點不夠奇怪嗎 ? 還有下列十個景點可以去 :
1. The Loongchuan Brewery in Neipu. 2. The Bada Forest Park in Chaozhou. 3. The Old Xiao Family Residence in Jiadong Township. 4. Fu-an Temple in Checheng Township. 5. York Stables in Checheng Township. 6. The A-Hou Fortified City East Gate in Pingtung City. 7. "The Banana Graduate School" in Jiouru Township. 8. The Lower Danshui River Iron Bridge in Pingtung City. 9. President Tsai's Ancestral Home in Fangshan Township. 10. The Liyu Mountain Mud Volcano in Xinyuan Township. 1. 內埔鄉的屏東龍泉觀光啤酒廠 2. 潮州鎮的8大森林樂園 3. 佳冬鄉的蕭家古厝 4. 車城鄉的福安宮 5. 車城鄉的悠客馬場 6. 屏東市的阿猴城東門 7. 九如鄉的香蕉研究所 8. 屏東市的下淡水溪鐵橋 9. 枋山鄉的蔡英文總統古厝 10. 新園鄉的鯉魚山泥火山
9. 屏東縣鄉土DNA (Pingtung County Hometown DNA) 5
The Chinese text below was taken from "Pingtung County Hometown DNA" 屏東縣鄉土 DNA. The Chinese was written under the direction of the Pingtung County Government, and the English was written/translated by me. This book was published by Jade Mountain 玉山社 in 2008.
This book was written by and for the use of local teachers. It presents units of study with regard to local history and local products, with a curriculum for grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8. I'll be excerpting from the 7-8 grade curriculum for each of these entries.
There are nine units in this book. This entry is the fifth and last I'll be including here.
阿猴古城
The A-Hou Fortified City (1)
一 , 地理環境 One: Local Geography
1. 濕地公園生態探索與保育 Exploration and Ecological Conservation of the Wetland Park
1. 台灣早在1983年已有學者由國外引入 "濕地" 觀念 , 並要求將沿海砂丘 , 濕地 , 紅樹林妥為保護 , 可惜未被政府認真執行過 , 國人也未能了解濕地的意義與重要性 , 以致沿海地區重要濕地幾乎全被開發 , 面臨消失的危運 . 鳥松濕地公園 , 是台灣第一座以濕地為主題的公園 , 原是自來水公司稱澄清湖淨水廠的沉沙地 , 因水源充足 , 營養豐富 , 漸漸形成一處蘊含有豐富生態的人工濕地 , 在許多熱心人士的長期努力下 , 現今分成濕地觀察池 , 生態教育觀察池 , 小型沉沙地 , 植栽保留區及木棧道 , 處處可見青萍 , 滿江紅 , 浮萍 , 仰游蟲 , 大肚魚 , 蝌蚪等水生動植物 . 園內有三十二種鳥類 , 一百二十一種植物 , 七十種以上的昆蟲 , 種類豐富 . As early as 1983 Taiwanese scholars introduced the concept of "wetlands" from abroad. They requested that coastal sand dunes, wetlands and mangrove forests be protected. Unfortunately the government didn't take them seriously, and the people of Taiwan also failed to understand the importance of wetlands. For this reason wetlands in coastal areas were all made subject to development, and are now in danger of disappearing altogether.
Niaosong Wetland Park is the first wetland-themed park in Taiwan. It was originally a sedimentation pool called "Chengching Lake." This sedimentation pool was created by the water utility as part of the water purification plant there. A man-made wetland formed in the area after nutrient-rich water was allowed to flow through it, with a diverse ecology resulting [from the sedimentation process]. Thanks to the long term efforts of many enthusiasts it has since been divided into several wetland observation pools, ecological education pools, small sedimentation areas and plant conservation areas accessible from wooden walkways. [In this park] you can see many aquatic plants and animals such as green beetroot, "man jiang hong," duckweed, aquatic worms, mosquitofish, tadpoles and other varieties of [wetland organism.] There are 32 types of birds, 121 types of plants, and over 70 types of insects to be found within the park. (2)
2. 萬年溪的整治 Managing the Wannian River
2. 萬年溪流經屏東市中心地帶 , 是屏東市內的主要溪流 , 早年溪水清澈 , 可惜因為各類污水匯集 , 水質污黑惡臭 , 被譏為 "萬年臭" . 在各方要求改善整治下 , 1991年先拆除攔水壩 , 後又提出加蓋闢建為六十五米林蔭大道的規劃 , 列為屏東生活圈道路交通系統 , 配合屏東市污水下水道工程 , 分年分期辦理 , 是屏東市有史以來最大的建設 . 1995年進行後續第二期工程時 , 反對加蓋的聲浪不斷 , 引發不同爭議而停工 . 縣政府邀集各界研議 , 決定不再續蓋 , 但河床上已完成的墩桂 , 還有待進一步解決 . 2004年 , 環保署建議將萬年溪作為未來三年屏東縣示範河川 , 縣府將以水清見魚為整治目標 , 完成 "綠色萬年溪" 計畫 , 期望重現當年綠色風貌 . The Wannian River flows through the center of Pingtung City, and is the main waterway through this part of the county. In early times the river water was clear, but sadly the dumping of sewage into the river made it black and smelly. [Locals] often ridiculed "the Wannian stench." After everyone requested government intervention, a dam along the river was demolished in 1991, and a plan to build a 65 meter forested boulevard along the river was proposed. [This forested boulevard] would be part of a "living network" of roads and walkways in the heart of Pingtung City, and its construction coincided with improvements to sewage and wastewater management in the area. It was completed in phases by years, and was the largest construction project undertaken in Pingtung City up to that point.
After the second phase of construction was completed in 1995, there was continual public outcry over additional construction, which caused a lot or discord and led to the suspension of the project. The county government invited people from many fields to discuss the project, and ultimately an end to the project was declared. By that time the piers over the riverbed had already been completed, though a means to finish work already begun had yet to be decided. In 2004 the EPA recommended that the Wannian River be used as a an example of a "model river" for the next three years, and it is hoped that during this year [2008] the county government will complete its "Green Wannian River" project, which will attempt to clean the water to the point where fish can be seen within it. (3)
二 , 歷史背景 Two: Historical Background
1. 阿猴古城的鄉土人物 The People of the A-Hou Fortified City
1. 唐榮鐵工廠曾為台灣首屈一指的大企業 , 但在戰爭期間遭受無情砲火轟炸 , 附近校舍赤遭美軍炸燬殆盡 . 唐榮 , 唐傳宗父子重整事業成功後 , 有感於取之於社會 , 用之於社會的理念 , 以及興學育才的理想 , 獨資捐款修校 , 並於1951年復校 , 政府為表彰唐榮父子捐資興學的美德 , 特將校名改為 "唐榮國民學校" , 以資紀念 . The Tangrong Iron Foundry was a major Taiwanese business before WWII. It received repeated artillery bombardments, and the nearby school campus was destroyed by Allied bombs. Once father and son Tang Rong and Tang Rong-dzong managed to reorganize their business, they felt a need to give back to the community, use local people, and to develop local talent. They donated money to restore the school campus, and in 1951 it was completed. The government commended father and son for their efforts, and the name of the school was changed to "Tangrong Elementary School" in their honor. (4)
三 , 社會發展 Three: Societal Development
1. 阿猴老街再現 The Reappearance of the A-Hou Old Street
1. 舊名 "阿猴街" 的中山路 , 自火車站廣場前經過最熱鬧的慈鳳宮廣場後 , 沿途有唐榮國小 , 糧食局 , 台灣銀行 , 孫立人將軍行館及日治時代的軍方高級眷舍 , 再至崇蘭蕭氏家廟 , 是屏東最早發展的一條路 . 早期阿猴城發展是依中山路為分界線 , 朝南北兩方向發展 , 火車站至慈鳳宮一帶 , 在日治時代稱為 "黑金町" , 除了慈鳳宮外 , 還有西本願寺 , 天主教堂 , 日本公學校 , 當時著名的商家則集中在逢甲路上 . Jungshan Road, formerly known as "A-Hou Street," passes from the plaza in front of the train station to the lively courtyard in front of Tsefeng Temple. From there it passes by Tangrong Elementary School, the Food Agency, the Bank of Taiwan, General Suen Li-ren's home, to senior officers' quarters during the period of Japanese occupation, and from there to the ancestral temple consecrated to Chong Lan-xiao. It was the earliest road developed in Pingtung.
During the earliest years of its development, A-Hou [the old name for Pingtung City] developed to the north and south along this road. The area between the train station and Tsefeng Temple was referred to as "Black Town" during the Japanese occupation. Aside from Tsefeng Temple, this area also hosted a Nishi Hongan Ji Temple, Catholic churches, and Japanese public schools. Many famous merchants of the time were also concentrated along nearby Fengjia Road. (5)
沿中山路往崇蘭部落走去 , 是日治時代的 "綠町" , 早年一望無際的綠色稻田 , 日出而作的農家撲實景緻 , 刻劃出阿猴城農業興盛的風貌 . During the Japanese occupation, walking along Jungshan Road from Chonglan Village would have brought you to "Green Town." The rice fields stretching to the horizon during this time, along with the farmhouses tinted by the sunrise, made the agricultural prosperity of this place evident. (6)
2. 花園城市的打造 Creation of a Garden City
2. 市公所近年推動綠美化工作 , 小小的市區有大大小小四十九座公園綠地 . 除了中山公園 , 千禧公園 , 復興公園外 , 已開發完成的鄰里公園包刮自立公園 , 永大公園 , 武愛公園 , 武昌公園 , 武立公園 , 大武公園 , 武威公園 , 清世公園 , 鶴聲公園 , 扶輪公園 , 建國公園 , 武成公園 , 光明公園 , 老樹公園 , 忠孝公園 , 瑞光公園 , 興豐公園 , 德豐公園 , 豐連公園 , 莊敬公園 , 倩如公園 , 俊如公園 , 上興公園 , 中正公園 , 和平公園 , 民學公園 , 長春公園 , 崇蘭環保公園等 . 此外 , 還有萬年溪畔沿岸的綠美化植栽 , 都是市民休閒的最佳去處 , 成為名副其實的花園城市 . 中山公園於1915年創立 , 面積二萬三千七百一十五坪 , 位於市中心 , 原稱屏東公園 , 內有南國氣氛的熱帶樹 , 涼亭水榭 , 九重葛花棚 , 兒童遊樂場 , 田徑場 , 體育館等 , 是一個兼具休閒 , 觀光 , 運動多功能場所 . 園區並有多項紀念碑 , 包括光復紀念碑 , 1952年省運紀念碑 , 1996年區運紀念碑 , 二二八事件紀念碑等 . 編號為 "公園預定地二號" 的千禧公園 , 面積僅次於中山公園 , 四面環接大連路 , 廣西路 , 自由路及勝利路 , 均為人口密集住宅區 . 2001年啟用後 , 廣受市民喜愛 , 園內採取低度開發 , 保持園區原生植物生態及萬年溪親水整治 , 綠意盎然 , 已成為市民最佳的休閒場所 . In recent years the Pingtung City Office has been working toward a greener city, and the 49 parks of various sizes to be found within the city are part of this effort. Aside from Jungshan Park, Qianxi Park and Fuxing Park, [smaller] neighborhood parks include Dzeli Park, Yongda Park, Wu-ai Park, Wuchang Park, Wuli Park, Dawu Park, Wuwei Park, Qingshr Park, Hesheng Park, Fulun Park, Jianguo Park, Wucheng Park, Guangming Park, Laoshu Park, Jungxiao Park, Rueiguang Park, Xingfeng Park, Defeng Park, Fenglian Park, Jhuangjing Park, Qianru Park, Junru Park, Shangxing Park, Jongjung Park, Heping Park, Minxue Park, Changchun Park, Chonglan Environmental Park and others. In addition there are green areas along the banks of the Wannian River. All of these parks and green areas are good places for city people to relax, and all of them justify Pingtung City being referred to as a garden city. (7)
Jungshan Park was founded in 1915. It covers 23,715 meters, and is in the center of the city. It was originally referred to as Pingtung Park. The trees growing within it give one a feeling of being in the tropics, and there are pavilions near the water, bougainvillea growing over a lattice, a playground, a track and an athletic stadium. It is a multi-purpose space suitable for leisure, sightseeing and sports. There are also many monuments in the park, including a monument commemorating the restoration of Taiwan to the Republic of China, the Provincial Movement of 1952 Monument, the District Movement of 1996 Monument, and the 2-28 Monument. (8)
Commonly known as "the second park," Qianxi Park is second only to Jungshan Park in size. It's bordered by Dalian Road, Guangxi Road, Dzeyou Road and Shengli Road, and it lies in a densely populated area. Since its opening in 2001 it has been very popular with the public. It hasn't been developed as much, both to maintain the local ecology and to preserve the water quality of the Wannian River. The park retains a lot of greenery and is the best place for urban recreation. (9)
四 , 藝術文化 Four: Arts and Culture
1. 保存文化的意義與價值 The Meaning and Value of Preserving One's Culture
1. 阿猴城擁有許多優質的古蹟與歷史建築 , 在社區意識逐漸抬頭的今日 , 文化資產的保存與再生 , 對社區發展文化傳承具有地方特色發展之助益 , 並可提升地方文化涵養與人文素質 . 以在地意識出發的 "文化資產" 有三項重要內涵 , 分別為社區自覺 , 在地意義和創新價值 . 這文化資產是由在地居民經過自覺而重新認同 , 可呈現社區特色與歷史意義的生命內涵 , 特別是將文化資產與地方特色緊密結合 , 更會激勵社區居民不斷思考如何才能更發揮社區特色 , 展現社區的新活力 , 2005年新修正的 "文化資產保存法" , 將具有歷史 , 文化 , 藝術價值的古物 , 古蹟 , 民族藝術 , 民俗及有關文物和自然文化景觀等 , 界定為文化資產 , 分別訂定條文加以保護 , 期盼透過地方資源的整合 , 為阿猴城的子孫留住在地珍貴的文化資產 . The A-Hou Fortified City has many valuable monuments and historic buildings. As an awareness of the need for preserving and restoring [these monuments and historic buildings] has grown within the community, so has an awareness of the distinct local character [these monuments and buildings] impart to community development. They add a humane, cultural quality to communities.
"Cultural assets" within a community have three important characteristics, these being recognizability within a community, local functionality and potential for new uses. Cultural assets are officially recognized by local residents, both in terms of their value to the community and their historical significance. A close alignment of cultural assets with local characteristics will cause members of the community to think about how to best promote the characteristics of their community, and how to give their community new life.
In 2005 the newly revised "Cultural Assets Preservation Law" defined antiquities with historical, cultural or artistic value, and also historic sites, folk arts, items of ritual value and natural cultural landscapes as cultural assets. Separate provisions [of this same law] were devised to protect these cultural assets, and it is hoped that through an integration of local resources these cultural assets can be preserved for future generations of people in the A-Hou Fortified City. (10)
五 , 古蹟維護保存與再利用 Five: Preservation and New Uses of Historic Site
1. 阿猴古城蹟的展望 The Potential of the A-Hou Fortified City Historic Site
1. 阿猴城內的古蹟如朝陽門 , 武廟 , 平日採開放模式 , 可自由參觀 , 而宗聖公祠 , 文廟正修復中 , 屏東鐵橋在九曲堂的斷裂處赤整建中 , 經由修護此歷史性建築 , 使其再生與活化鐵橋生命力 . 古蹟本有啟發今人思古幽情之功用 , 如果沒有適當規劃與開放 , 即喪失其應有的功能 , 也有礙於民眾對古蹟文物內涵 , 價值的認知 . 而在 "使用" 與 "維護古蹟" 兩種價值與目的間的衝突 , 不只是考驗著居民對古蹟文物的愛護情懷 , 更考驗著地方政府的智慧 . 因而在開放與維護之間 , 應求取一理想平台 . Historic sites representing the A-Hou Fortified City include the Chaoyang City Gate and the Guangong Temple. These places are open every day and there is no entrance fee. The Dzongshenggong Ancestral Hall and the Confucian Temple are being restored, while the Pingtung Iron Bridge, missing its central span, is being repaired in Jiouqutang. This restoration of the historic bridge and nearby historic buildings should give new life to the site, and will inspire modern people to think about their past. (11)
If there is no proper plan to reopen these sites they will cease to have any use, and people's understanding of both the past and cultural relics will be hindered. The tension between "continued use" and "historical preservation" is a test of how much people venerate of their past and the cultural relics which represent it. It is also a test of how wise [or foolish] local governments can be. For this reason we should try to strike a balance between practical use and historical preservation.
10. Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (South 南) 5
There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County. It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry. This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市. 每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告. 這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.
1. Linbian Township 林邊鄉
1a. No recent news out of Linbian.
2. Jiadong Township 佳冬鄉
2a. A local job fair was held in the Jiadong Farmer's Association Promotion and Education Center last Thursday. Several manufacturers from the nearby Pingnan Industrial Area were represented at the event. "佳冬枋寮地區現場徵才活動" 11/18舉辦 釋出逾200個職缺
2b. Residents of Jiadong are unhappy with the stretch of Highway 1 near Fangliao. This stretch of road, designed for the emergency landing and takeoff of fighter jets, is very dark at night, and there have been many traffic accidents there. 戰機飛後不理 ? 佳冬戰備道路燈未歸位 居民酸 : 超速就有燈亮 (1)
3. Fangliao Township 枋寮鄉
3a. Fish farmers around Beishrliao, south of central Fangliao, were concerned about large bags of waste which dumped in the area. Nearby mango trees were wilting, and the fish farmers were worried that the bags contained heavy metals which would poison their fish stocks. Local authorities looked into the matter, removed the waste, made some arrests, and later determined that the waste was not toxic. 枋寮養殖戶百袋廢棄物堆置案 檢驗未有重金屬毒性 (2)
3b. Two men wearing masks, hats and black clothes threw eggs at a mobile phone shop in central Fangliao. The owner of the shop couldn't say why the "crime" was committed, and the incident is under investigation. 屏東枋寮經營7年的手機行遭丟雞蛋 業者怒一定追究
3c. This article introduces some snacks available near the Fangliao Train Station. 三間 "屏東枋寮小吃" 一百元吃遍 ! 爆餡韭菜盒子 , 綠豆蒜車圓冰加滿6種類
4. Chun Rh Township 春日鄉
4a. A visiting Japanese artist posted pictures of Old Qijia Village, Sandimen and Wutai on Twitter, speaking highly of his experience in the area. County Magistrate Pan Meng-an was quick to chime in on Facebook, also extolling the charms of these places. 奈良美智低調造訪屏東原鄉 潘孟安 : 有人幸運巧遇大師嗎 ?
5. Fangshan Township 枋山鄉
5a. It's a dangerous stretch of road to be sure. In a spectacular traffic accident, a man driving a motorcycle struck the back of a car, hitting it so hard that he actually entered the other vehicle. He died at the scene. 台1線枋山段重機 "插進賓士" 騎士無生命跡象 (3)
5b. Chinese crown orchids growing in Fangshan were accidentally removed as weeds by the Fangshan Township Office. The township office owned up to its mistake, and is trying to educate itself on local plants. 誤剷禾草芋蘭 枋山公所盼專家協助
6. Shrdze Township 獅子鄉
6a. This article introduces Kaiyoufeng Waterfall. 闖進屏東山中仙境 -- 賭彩虹瀑布 ! 從13層樓高懸崖傾瀉而下超震撼 (4)
7. Checheng Township 車城鄉
7a. Many residents of Checheng expressed dismay after property boundaries near Baoli were revised after recent surveys of that area. Many property lines were based on surveys stretching back as far as the Japanese occupation, and some residents were effectively rezoned out of their own property. Other parts of Pingtung will also undergo surveys, and property boundaries will also be reassesed in those areas. 不滿地籍重測 ! "我家變你家" 屏東車城湧地政所火氣大
7b. The public baths in the Ssechongxi Hot Spring Area have been renovated. The county and township governments have other plans for the area, among them the construction of parking lots to accommodate visitors, but these plans are controversial. 四重溪公共浴室爭上億元重建 地方質疑與民爭利緩執行 (5)
7c. With hot spring season underway, police in Ssechongxi will be working to ensure that visitors park in the proper areas. Motorists obstructing the flow of traffic have always been a big problem there. 四重溪溫泉季將登場 警方規劃交管 ! 亂停就慘了 (6)
8. Mudan Township 牡丹鄉
8a. A "digital opportunity center" was recently opened in Mudan as a means of helping residents there gain access to online resources. 牡丹數位機會中心 , 數位學習歷程 , 成就原民文化
9. Manzhou Township 滿洲鄉
9a. Students from Yonggang Elementary School recently visited a coast guard station in Manzhou to learn about marine ecotourism. 海洋保育不可少 永港小尖兵作伙來 (7)
10. Hengchun Municipality 恆春鎮
10a. Works of public art installed in Sheding Park near Kenting will be moved to the North Gate of Hengchun's Fortified City after birds stop migrating through the area. 墾丁動物地景 移恆春古城
10b. Construction began on a cultural center in Hengchun. This project should be completed in 2023. 恆春文化中心斥資8億開工 民謠館預計2023年完工
10c. Samples of organic products from Hengchun and other townships within the Hengchun Peninsula are available at the Dongshan Rest Area along the Jungshan (#3) Freeway in Tainan. 恆春半島有機食在尚賀呷 在東山休閒站等你來品嘗
11. Liuqiu Township 琉球鄉
11a. Alongside the "Welcoming the King's Peace" festival, residents of Xiaoliuqiu are celebrating the addition of a new ferry between Donggang and their island. There have been problems with ferry service in the area, with the large number of tourists visiting the island causing delays in service. 小琉球迎王將壓軸登場 新工船 "琉興號" 今起加入營運
11b. A fishing boat was discovered adrift near Yufu Fishing Port with no one aboard. The captain of the boat was later rescued at sea. He'd been in the water for 10 hours. 漁船屏東琉球鄉擱淺 船長漂流10小時被救起
11c. A group of stand up paddleboarders "invaded" Baisha Elementary School recently, attempting to use the school bathrooms to wash themselves and their boards. School staff ended up calling the police, and the paddleboarders later apologized via Facebook. 傻眼 ! 大批立槳遊客闖小琉球校園沖洗 工友勸不聽報警
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