May - June 2022

1. Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (North 北) 7

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. Ligang Township 里港鄉

1a. As you might expect, a whole lotta COVID.  Ligang, like countless other places, set a record for the number of COVID cases in a single day.  Individual classes have been forced into quarantine, and entire schools have suspended operations.  Ligang is no exception.  At the time of writing about 34% of students have been vaccinated, with many parents either refusing vaccination for their children or waiting for another brand of vaccine. 屏東 + 460  學童接踵率34%  確診足跡里港靈糧堂 , 菜市場 (1)

1b. With county elections coming up the post of Ligang Township Chief (mayor) is up for grabs.  The DPP is worried that Xu Guo-ming, presently serving as Ligang Township Chief will either run as an independent or change party affiliation. 2022誰要來做老大  屏東縣鄉長  綠旗失靈  資深黨員政掛無黨籍參選

2. Gaoshu Township 高樹鄉

2a. The Gaoshu Township Office hosted a promotional event advertising Gaoshu's "three treasures": dates, pineapples and taro.  This promotional event was held in the newly constructed Xinfeng Water Park. 高樹鄉鳳梨芋頭節登場  推廣美味農特產品

2b. The Pingtung AI Agri Hub (a vocational school focusing on agriculture) is becoming a minor tourist attraction after a recent remodeling.  Whoever posted the pictures in this article forgot to either resize them or provide an adequately high resolution, but just the same you can use them to get a feel for their "Smart Agricultural Experience." 高樹新亮點 !  智慧農業學校  閒置校舍空間活化打造南區青聚點

2c. This article introduces agricultural products grown or manufactured at Baleloong Farm in Kaohshu Township.  Their biggest crop seems to be leechee. 來自屏東水源保護區鮮採玉荷包 , 同場加映私藏玉荷包荔枝蜜

3. Sandimen Township 三地門鄉

3a. No recent news out of Sandimen.

4. Wutai Township 霧台鄉

4a. Not really news, but this article advertises tourist spots in Wutai.  There are lots of pictures. 霧台風景區 , 魯凱族的岩版藝術巷 , 悠閑中體驗原鄉之美

5. Jiouru Township 九如鄉

5a. Residents of Jiouru will receive a 1000 NT economic stimulus payment near the end of the month.  Depressingly enough, some residents are already planning on using this 1000 NT to buy COVID tests. 屏東九如鄉  每人一千振興金

5b. Does it feel good to be a gangster?  An attempted shooting in Donggang may be connected to cars ramming into shopfronts in both Donggang and Jiouru.  Police are still investigating the matter. 屏東槍繫引爆兩派火拚 ?  九如東港傳瘋狂倒車衝撞

5c. A dispute between Pingtung City and Jiouru has been resolved, and as a result a new pagoda for the storing of mortal remains will be built in Jiouru. 法令鬆綁  屏東市歸園納骨塔將新建3館

6. Yanpu Township 鹽埔鄉

6a. A road near the Daren Technology University has been improved, and flooding on that route shouldn't be a problem in the future. 屏東武洛溪大仁支線二期已完工  解決鹽埔大仁科大路口遇雨淹水問題

7. Pingtung City 屏東市

7a. A construction project in Pingtung City is offering a "free" one night's stay in Kenting for those buying a house. 不追喊3字頭 !  屏東市預售案反推 "2字頭親民價" 買房再送墾丁旅住宿 (2)

7b. The Pingtung (City) Representative Council asked those managing/operating traditional markets to lower the rent.  Vendors at such markets have been hit hard by COVID. 疫情影響生意  屏東市擬減免公有市場攤商租金3個月

7c. The old "Pingtung County Governor's Residence," built in 1920, was renovated recently but remains closed to the public.  Finding uses for the building has proven to be a challenge. 屏東百年歷史建築  整修完成後利用率卻偏低

8. Chang Jr Township 長治鄉

8a. Some idiot headed north on the Formosa Freeway between Pingtung City and Chang Jr decided to pull his car over, place his child on the guard rail several meters above the ground, and pose for a selfie with his child. 驚 !  黑衣男抱童置於屏東國道護欄超嚇人

9. Linluo Township 麟洛鄉

9a. No recent news out of Linluo.

10. Jhutian Township 竹田鄉

10a. A man driving a car in Jhutian lost control of his vehicle, striking two scooters and then a house. 屏東竹田自小客連環撞3人送醫 , 現場一片狼藉

10b. Villagers in Meilun Village have been adorning their walls with humorous pictures of the "Old Master."  This art project has been going on for several years. 竹田鄉在增老夫子壁畫繪出鄉情 (3)

11. Neipu Township 內埔鄉

11a. A man driving a scooter through Neipu lost control of his vehicle and landed in a drainage ditch.  It was raining heavily at the time, the man drowned in the ditch, and his body was swept some distance from the scene. 屏東騎士疑不熟路況摔進 "大排" ! 整個人秒被沖走...無生命跡象

11b. Government officials, worried over the lack of flood retention walls on the banks of the Donggang River as it passes through Neipu and Wanluan townships, held a meeting to discuss improving flood control infrastructure in that area. 東港溪內埔段長逾4公里沒護岸  爭取施作設親水公園

2. Conversation Between My House Cats Concerning Where We'll Be Living Next Year

AUTHOR'S NOTE: What happened to Stripey and Muffin?  I'm sorry to say that Stripey and Muffin went up to heaven, where they're now relaxing on beautiful, sunny hillsides full of tall grass and delicious bugs to eat.  We miss you, Stripey and Muffin.  Have a good time up there with our other dead cats.

JOJO: I heard the humans talking the other day.  The bigger human says we're going to move next year.

CHRISTMAS: Where to? 

JOJO: The smaller human said "Tainan," "Kaohsiung," "Hualien," "Pingtung" and "Taitung."  I know "Taitung," because I'm a Taitung kitty, and I think "Pingtung" is where we are now.  I don't know about the other three places.

MILKY: Yes, Pingtung is here.  I'm a Pingtung kitty, so I know Pingtung.

MANGO: Me too, I'm also a Pingtung kitty.  Is Taitung the place they took us to on Chinese New Year?  The smaller place, higher up?

CHRISTMAS: Yes, that's Taitung.  Jojo and I lived there a long time.  Also Smokey, who lives upstairs, but I f%$king hate Smokey.

JOJO: Me too.  Smokey sucks.

MILKY: Yes, let's all scratch Smokey later.

CHRISTMAS: But what about next year?  Where will we live?  Did the humans decide on a place?

JOJO: No, not yet.  The bigger human said he's waiting on something called the "MOE" and a "縣府," whatever that is.  The smaller human said she wants to live in Kaohsiung, so they can be near the even smaller humans.

MILKY: I don't know about this Kaohsiung place.  Do they have a lot of vets there?

MANGO: I hate vets more than Smokey.

CHRISTMAS: I think Kaohsiung has more humans than Pingtung, so probably more vets.  I hate it already.

MILKY: I don't mind going back to that Taitung place.  The deck there is so nice and high.  I can look down at all the humans and see what they're doing.  It's really interesting.

JOJO: Then maybe you'd like Kaohsiung.  More people means more apartment buildings.  In Kaohsiung there's probably an apartment building that's even taller than the one in Taitung.

MANGO and MILKY: Cool!

CHRISTMAS; But what about these "Tainan" and "Hualien" places?  Does anyone know about those?

JOJO: No idea.

MANGO and MILKY: Nope.

CHRISTMAS: ...and by the way, speaking of the humans, where are they?  I sure do wish they'd feed me again.

JOJO: Me too.

MANGO: Me three.

MILKY: Me most of all.

JOJO: I hope wherever we move to next year they'll feed us more often.  Should we try to get into the upstairs bedroom now?  Should we scratch Smokey?

MANGO: I'm down.

MILKY: Hell yes.

CHRISTMAS: Why not?

3. Taiwan 101: Both Kinds of KTV

"Special KTVs."  What are these "special KTVs," exactly?

Special KTVs are KTVs where women (i.e. "girls") come to sing songs with you and your (assumably) male friends.  When many Taiwanese guys hit the town (in the absence of their wives and girlfriends of course) they'll often wind up in one of these special KTVs, and what happens next is often determined by how much money they're willing to spend there.

What's the procedure for patronizing one of these special KTVs?  If you're a foreign person with limited Chinese, don't worry, it's not complicated.  You walk in with your friends, you use hand gestures to indicate that you want to sing songs, and thereafter you'll be directed to a room.  

Sometimes, very rarely, the owners of such KTVs will be wary of having foreigners as customers.  Such owners will either wave you off, or lie and say the place is full - but this doesn't happen often.  The owners of most establishments will be glad to take your money, and they won't be shy about asking for it when your night out inevitably comes to an end.

After talking to the person at the front desk you'll be shown into a room, you'll type your songs into a karaoke machine, and that'll be that.  Later on scantily clad women will show up.  They'll sit VERY close to you, and as they do they'll make various requests, all of which will end up costing you even more money.

BUT WAIT, when you entered the KTV, did you ask how much it cost to use one of the rooms?  Did you ask if there were any other fees involved?  Did someone in your party already order a lot of beer and food, innocently assuming that it was reasonably priced?  If you're not clear on anything from the word "go" get ready, it's going to be an expensive night.  Foreigners who speak less Chinese are often blindsided by this facet of local KTVs, but again don't worry, you can still find out the cost of things with very limited Mandarin.

When it comes to special KTVs you'll need to watch yourself.  You'll need to watch your friends, too.  If you didn't walk in there with thousands bursting out of your wallet someone's probably going to have to make a trip to the nearest cash machine.  Don't think about running out of there, either.  Those people will find you.

But what about the women?  What do they do in those places?  Will they take of their clothes?  Will they have sex with you and all your friends?  That, my friend, again depends on how much money you're willing to spend, and also which KTV you're visiting.  I've heard of women offering "manual stimulation," and I've also heard of women going "downtown."  Many women working at these kinds of places will refuse to do these things either onsite or anywhere else, but I've heard of them happening.

To emphasize, I've only heard of these things, mind you.  I've never gone out on the weekend, and I've never touched alcohol.  I spend most nights studying the Bible.  I've only heard about these things, and after hearing about them I always urge my friends to make things right with the LORD afterward.

And if you believe all that, I have a great crypto opportunity I'd like to discuss with you.

Now that I've described what some KTVs offer, some of those reading this are probably fantasizing about really, really hot girls doing unspeakable things in small rooms.  But keep in mind that most KTVs are dark for multiple reasons.  So-and-so might look really hot after five Taiwan beers, but in the light of day?  As with all of us, the years begin to show, and your pornographic fantasy of the previous night probably also has kids, probably nurtures an understandable skepticism regarding men, and probably has other issues that one doesn't get a chance to see during a night out on the town.

They are people, in other words, not just "girls."   They're in the KTV to do a job.  Whatever you do, don't fall in love with them.  You'll be sorry if you do.  I'm not trying to imply that they're not worthy of love - of course they are - but meeting them in that place, in that situation, is a setup for failure.

And maybe, just maybe, instead of going to one of these "special" KTVs, you could save a lot of money and go to a regular one instead.  A place that, you know, isn't trying to rob of you a month's pay for a sexual experience that you'll regret soon after.  Go to Party World or Holiday, and invite a bunch of people.  You'll be happier in the long run if you do.

Just don't expect  to Party World or Holiday to have your favorite English song.  "Country Roads?"  No problem.  Any English song from the past five years?  Probably not.

4. 台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 7

The Chinese text below was taken from "Taiwanese Place Name Stories" 台灣地名故事, published by Windmill 三暉圖書發行有限公司 in 2021.  The Chinese text was written by Windmill and the English text was written by me.

少了一半的山 --- 半屏山

The Mountain Missing Half of Itself --- Banping Mountain

在高雄市左營區有一座很奇特的山 , 因為山脊的一邊像被人用刀子削過一樣的平坦 , 所以大家稱它為半屏山 . In Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City, there's a very strange mountain.  Because it looks like someone someone chopped the top off of it everyone calls it Banping Mountain. (1)

為什麼會這樣呢 ?  Why is it so?

據說清朝初年 , 許多福建人到高雄的屏山附近開墾 .  由於土地肥沃 , 農作物收成好 , 在人們口耳相傳下 , 移民越來越多 , 逐漸形成一個大村落 . It's said that during the early part of the Qing Dynasty many people from Fujian Province [in China] settled around Ping Mountain.  The land was fertile, and being a farmer there was very profitable.  As word of this situation spread far and wide, more settlers moved into the area and a big village began to form.

有一位神仙想試驗人類的品性 , 於是喬裝成一位賣湯圓的老人 , 到村落裡叫賣湯圓 .  他穿著一件普通的衣服 , 挑著一擔熱騰騰的湯圓 , 大聲喊著 : "又大又好吃的湯圓 !" There was an immortal that wanted to test the worth of people, so he disguised himself as an old man selling soup balls.  He went to the village dressed in ordinary clothes, carrying his load of soup balls and crying: "Big, yummy soup balls!" (2)

有人看到了 , 問 : "老人家 , 你的湯圓怎麼賣 ?" Someone saw him and asked: "Old person, how much for your soup balls?"

老人回答 : "一粒一文錢 , 二粒兩文錢 , 吃三粒不用錢 !  大家快來買哦 !" The old person answered: "One soup ball for a single coin, two soup balls for two coins, and eat three soup balls for free!  Everybody come over and buy some!"

那人聽了不禁懷疑的問 : "老人家 , 你有沒有說錯 , 天底下哪有這種事 ?" A person who heard this asked in disbelief: "Old person, haven't you misspoken?  It's impossible!"

老人不假思索的回答 : "沒錯啊 !  歡迎來試吃 !" The old person answered without missing a beat: "Not at all!  Everyone's welcome to come and try them!"

那人覺得不可思議 , 對身旁的朋友說 : "哪有人這樣賣湯圓的 ?  這簡直是做虧本生意嘛 !" The person couldn't believe it, and said to a friend who was standing next to him: "Who sells soup balls like this?  This man will go out of business soon!"

朋友也說 : "是啊 !  如果不是存心騙人 , 就是湯圓很難吃 . " His friend said: "Yes!  If it's not some kind of trick, the soup balls must taste terrible."

來來往往的人聽到吃三顆湯圓不用錢 , 都不太相信 .  最後 , 有一個人想試一試 , 走到湯圓攤前 , 說 : "老人家 , 請給我三粒湯圓 . "  The people passing by heard about the three free soup balls and couldn't believe it.  After a time one of them wanted to see for himself.  He walked to the soup ball stand and said, "Old person, please give me three soup balls."

老人二話不說 , 舀起三粒湯圓給那個人吃 . The old man said nothing in return.  He scooped up three soup balls and gave them to the man.

那個人津津有味的吃完後 , 說 : "老人家 , 您煮的湯圓很好吃 , 請問要多少錢 ?" After the man ravenously ate up the soup balls he said: "Old person, the soup balls you've cooked are delicious.  How much do I owe you?"

老人搖搖手說 : "我不是說過了嗎 ?  吃三粒湯圓不用錢 ." The old man waved his hands and said: "Didn't I say so already?  Three soup balls are free!"

聽他這麼說 , 圍觀的人紛紛起了貪小便宜的念頭 , 都來向老人買三粒湯圓 , 隊伍排得很長 .  老人絲毫沒有不耐煩的表情 , 反而樂得哈哈大笑 .  有些貪心的人吃完一碗 , 又重新排隊 , 如此不斷繼續吃著不要錢的湯圓 , 直到實在吃不下了 , 才心滿意足的離開 . Hearing him say this, the people around him, excited by the prospect of cheap food, all converged on the old man so that they could buy his food, forming a long line.  The old man seemed delighted with this development, and instead of looking downcast he laughed heartily.  Some greedy people reentered the line after finishing a bowl, eating the free soup balls until they were full.  Then, fully content, they left the scene.

一連數天都是這樣 , 正當大家吃湯圓吃得不亦樂乎時 , 突然有人指著屏山說 : "你們看 , 屏山好像塌了一個缺口 ." It continued on this way for several days, and while everyone was having a great time eating soup balls somone suddenly pointed to Ping Mountain and said: "Look, part of Ping Mountain seems to have collapsed."

村民們循聲望去 , 笑著說 : "哪有缺口 ?  你一定是眼花了 , 沒有人去開採 , 山怎麼會有缺口呢 ?  我們還是吃免費的湯圓吧 !" The villagers surveyed the scene and said laughingly: "What's different about it?  Your eyes are bad.  Nobody's been digging there, so how can part of the mountain be missing?  Just enjoy the free soup balls!"

如此過了整整半年 , 村民每天都來吃免費的湯圓 , 有的人家甚至都不再煮飯 , 燒菜了 , 每天只等賣湯圓的老人到來 , 飽餐一頓 .  It went on like this for half a year.  The villagers came to eat the free soup balls every day.  Some people stopped cooking altogether, and instead waited each day for the old man to arrive, eating their fill afterward.

有一天 , 村民發現屏山的缺口愈來愈大 , 一邊的泥土竟然全都不見了 , 成了一片峭壁 , 像被人用刀子削過一般 . One day a villager discovered that Ping Mountain was getting smaller and smaller, and that the soil on one side was gone completely, creating a cliff, as if the mountain had been cut with a knife.

有人好奇的問 : "怎麼會這樣呢 ?" A person curiously asked: "How can this be?"

張大叔說 : "也許是官府派人挖去鋪路了 ." Uncle Zhang said: "The government probably ordered people to dig a road there."

李大嬸說 : "大概是不久前地牛翻身 , 把屏山震塌了一半 .  反正和我們沒有關係 , 何必管它呢 ?" Auntie Li said: "It was probably not long ago that a giant ox turned over on its side and crushed half of the mountain.  Anyway it has nothing to do with us, so why bother with it?" (3)

雖然村民議論紛紛 , 卻沒有人認真去探究這件事 . Although all the villagers discussed this matter, nobody investigated further.

有一天 , 來了一位年輕人 , 開口對老人說 : "老人家 , 我要買一粒湯圓 ." One day a young person appeared, and he said to the old man : "Old person, I want to buy one soup ball."

村民非常好奇 , 不約而同的想 : "天底下竟然有這樣的傻瓜 , 不用錢的湯圓不吃 , 偏要拿錢買 ." The villagers were very curious.  The prevailing thought was: "Are there really people fool enough to pass over free soup balls?  People who pay for them instead?"

老人卻眼睛一亮 , 問 : "年輕人 , 你為什麼不和其他人一樣 , 只要吃三粒湯圓就可以免費啊 ?" The old man's eyes glittered as he asked: "Young man, why are you doing it differently from the other people?  Why not just order three soup balls and get them for free?"

年輕人回答 : "我知道啊 !  可是我覺得你這把年紀了 , 大老遠挑個重擔來這裡做生意 , 我們總不能老是讓您做虧本生意 , 所以我決定要用錢買湯圓 ." The young man replied: "I know!  But I think that you're very old to come so far to do business here, and we always take advantage of you.  For this reason I've decided to pay for my soup balls."

老人聽完這番話 , 高興的說 : "年輕人 , 我終於找到有良心的人了 , 其實我是一位神仙 , 喬裝成賣湯圓的老人是為了測試人心 .  現在我終於找到一個善良的人 , 如果你願意做我的徒弟 , 我會把所有的仙術都教給你 ." Upon hearing this the old man happily said: "Young man, I've finally found someone with a good heart.  In truth I'm an immortal, and I have disguised myself as an old man selling soup balls to test the hearts of men.  Now I've finally discovered a good person.  If you're willing to be my apprentice, I'll teach you all the magic I know."

年輕人聽了很高興 , 不過 , 他說 : "老神仙 , 我很願意追隨您 , 但是必須先徵求父母親同意 ." The young man was very happy to hear this, but he asked: "Old immortal, I am very ready to follow you, but first my parents must consent."

從這番談話裡 , 神仙更加確定自己沒有看錯人 ; 這位年輕人不僅心地善良 , 正直 , 又很孝順父母 , 確實是他收為徒弟的不二人選 .  於是神仙陪年輕人回家 , 徵求年輕人的父母同意後 , 帶著年輕人準備返回仙界 . From this conversation the immortal grew even more certain that he was not mistaken, and that this young man was kind, morally upright, and that he maintained a filial attitude toward his parents.  The young man was ideally suited to becoming the immortal's apprentice.  The immortal then accompanied the young man to his home, and after securing his parents' permission both he and the young man began preparations to return to the world of the spirits.

經過街上時 , 神仙對那些貪小便宜的人說 : "回頭看看後面那座屏山 , 是不是被削去了大半 , 那些不見的土石 , 就是在大家肚子裡的湯圓 .  這是給你們這些愛佔便宜的人一點教訓 ." As he crossed the road the immortal said to the greedy people: "Look at Ping Mountain behind you.  Half of it is gone!  The missing soil and rocks are in everyone's stomach.  They were in the soup balls you all ate.  Let this be a lesson to those who thought they could get something for nothing."

聽到老神仙的話 , 那些人的肚子都莫名其妙的痛了起來 , 使勁的想把肚裡的湯圓吐出來 .  而老神仙帶著新收的徒弟 , 離開凡間 , 回仙界去了 . As they heard the immortal's words the people's stomachs began to ache without warning, and they were seized with an urge to vomit up the soup balls they had eaten.  The immortal then summoned his apprentice and returned to the world of the spirits.

從此 , 村民就把屏山改稱為半屏山 , 而且告誡子孫 ; 做人要誠實 , 千萬不要貪小便宜 , 否則 , 神仙會給壞心腸的人吃泥土做成的湯圓 . From then on the villagers called it Banping Mountain, not Ping Mountain.  They warned their descendants to be honest, and to not be greedy for cheap things.  Otherwise an immortal will give them soup balls made of soil.

5. Longqi District, Tainan City 台南市龍崎區遊記

As you drive north on the Formosa Freeway (#3), Longqi District is just north of Kaohsiung City, over the county line in Tainan.  It's really close to Moon World. 當你在福爾摩沙高速公路上開往高雄市的時候 ，龍崎區就在 台南市靠近高雄市北部邊界的地方，  那裡很靠近月世界 。

It rained the entire time we were there.  This limited where I could go and what kind of pictures I could take.  I visited the two major tourist sites in the district, and I drove down the length of the main road, but large parts of the area are still a mystery to me. 我們去龍崎的時候都在下雨 ， 也因為這樣，限制了我可以去和拍照的地方 。 我去了當地最有名的兩個景點 ， 也開車走過主要的公路 ，但是這一區對我來說，還有很多地方仍是個謎。

According to the last census, there are 3,668 people living in Longqi. 上次的人口統計顯示 ，龍崎的人口數是3,668人 .

Huxing Mountain Park was our first stop.  This is the view from the parking lot. 我們的第一站是虎形山公園 。  這是停車場對面的風景 。

There are two suspension bridges in the park, and a trail loops around it. 這個公園有兩座吊橋 ，還有一條環形步道 。

This is looking north from the highest part of the trail.  That's Xinhua District in the distance. 從步道高點往北邊看， 遠處看到的是新化區 .

Across the street from the park is Longqi's old street.  There's not much for tourists here, but there are a few things for sale inside both this building and the Longqi District Farmer's Association Bamboo Charcoal Story Hall nearby. 公園對面有龍崎老街 。  這附近的觀光產業很少 ， 可是這棟建築跟附近的龍崎區農會竹炭故事館裡有賣些東西 。

Longqi is in the mountains and the soil isn't good for farming.  Bamboo grows pretty well though, and as a result bamboo products have played an important role in the local economy. 龍崎在山區 ，地形及土壤不太適合農業 。 倒是竹子到處都有 ， 所以竹製品在這地區扮演比較重要的經濟角色 。

Some of the local products for sale in the Qiju Agricultural Market are pictured above. 這些竹製品在崎聚農創市集販售。

Be warned that there's not much to eat in this area.  Those looking to combine a trip to Longqi with lunch or dinner will probably have to visit nearby Guanmiao District for food. 這個地區的餐廳不多 ， 建議來龍崎的遊客去附近的關廟區吃飯 。

At the other end of the district is the Nioupu Mudstone Soil and Water Conservation Educational Park.  It's really close to Kaohsiung City. 牛埔泥岩水土保持教學園區在龍崎區的另外一邊，  它很靠近高雄市 。

As the name implies, people used to water their cattle in this place.  The hillsides erode easily, and as a result the local geography is constantly changing. 從地名就知道 ， 以前這個地方是養牛的 。  這裡的山坡容易發生土石流 ， 所以它的地形持續的改變。

While walking around I noticed thousands of tiny frogs.  Their jumping back and forth across the trail made it look like the trail was moving, and I had to be very careful where I stepped. 我在這裡散步的時候看到成千上萬隻小青蛙 ，  那麼多青蛙在步道上跳來跳去 ，看起來很像步道在動，  所以我走路非常小心 。

6. Behind the Mountains 後山

I get over to Taitung once or twice a month.  As the semester winds down I seem to be over there more often.  I previously had a lot of Saturday activities lined up in Pingtung, but COVID has, at least for the moment, nullified those plans. 我每個月回去台東一、二次 。 這個學期快結束了 ， 所以比較常回去。 原來在屏東我有多個星期六有活動， 現在因為疫情， 幾乎所有的活動都被取消了。

I've managed to move most of my stuff back to our apartment in Taitung.  All that's left in Fangliao is a few sets of clothes, my bike, and my laptop computer.  As a result the house in Xinkai Village feels more and more like place we're renting, and less and less like "home." 我已經把大部分的東西搬回去台東的公寓，在枋寮只剩些幾件衣服、腳踏車和我的筆記型電腦。在新開村租的房子就像只是一棟建築物 ，越來越不像家了。

Going from Fangliao to Taitung is easy.  If we leave Fangliao around five in the evening, we arrive in Taitung before eight.  Without stops it's a 2.5 hour drive, and traffic is never a problem.  Road construction on the Southern Cross-Island Highway can be irritating, but I've never encountered traffic on a Friday evening. 從枋寮回去台東很快。如果傍晚五點離開枋寮的話，我們會在八點前到台東 。  如果路上沒有停下來休息， 從枋寮到台東市只要二個半小時左右。 有時候南迴公路施工很煩，但是我從來沒在禮拜五晚上有過塞車的問題。

After we arrive at our apartment I take a shower, and if I'm not too tired I go out and have beers with a friend or two.  Most often it's Family Mart or Mr. Cow, but sometimes we'll go to Texas Jo's.  I was talking to a friend about Kasa the other weekend.  Whatever happened to that place? 我們回到台東之後我會先去洗澡， 如果我不累的話， 我會跟朋友出去喝幾杯。  我們通常去全家或是烤大爺 ，有時候去德周小館 。  我上次跟朋友聊到Kasa ， 那個地方還在營業嗎 ?

If I'm in Taitung on a Saturday I usually get up late.  After I wake up I'll either watch a movie or ride my bike around town, sometimes both.  I like to watch movies in our Taitung apartment because the TV's much bigger.  I like to ride my bike around town to see what's new.  I also have a couple friends on the other side of the Beinan River, and I sometimes ride over to see if they're home. 在台東，我通常周六早上比較晚起床。  我起床之後不是看電影就是在市區騎單車 ，有時候這二件事都做。我們台東的電視比較大 ，看影片比較舒服 。  我喜歡騎腳踏車逛台東市，看看多了什麼新的東西。  我有兩個朋友住在卑南溪的另外一邊 ，我有時候會騎腳踏車去看他們在不在家。

For Saturday lunch we'll have something Western, mostly because there's not much Western food in central Pingtung.  We'll visit Wow's and I'll talk to the owner, or we'll drive up the coast to the Tropical Low Pressure Kitchen in Donghe.  At either place I order a burger and a beer. 我們星期六的午餐常吃西式料理， 因為屏東中部的西式料理不多。  我們通常去Wow's邦查Cafe吃飯 ，我會跟老闆聊天 ， 或是去東河的熱帶低氣壓廚房 。  我在這兩家餐廳都會點漢堡跟一杯啤酒 。*

Sometimes I go out on Saturday night as well, but my going out on a Saturday night depends more on other people.  I used to attend poker games that day of the week, but a lot of the poker games around there have since (if you'll excuse the pun) folded.  This development, however, didn't disappoint me that much.  I like playing poker, but with the wrong mix of people those games can be tense. 我星期六的晚上有時候會和台東的朋友出去， 但出去做什麼就要看同伴而定。  我曾經都跟朋友玩撲克牌 ，可是後來想玩撲克牌的朋友不夠多就停了。 其實不玩撲克牌對我來說沒什麼， 因為那個遊戲很挑伴，有的人太計較就不好玩了。.

My friends over there seem to be fine.  Actually, now that I think about it, there's one friend who ISN'T fine.  This friend, in fact, seems to have disappeared.  Theories on where this friend went range widely.  Some people think he went back to his own country without telling anyone.  Others think that something more sinister occurred.  I'd share more details about it, but this is probably the wrong place to do that. 我台東的朋友似乎都好，  但我再仔細一想 ， 有一位朋友過得不好!  說實話 ，他完全消失了 !  有的人覺得他沒跟任何人說就回去他的國家了  ; 有的人覺得他發生了恐怖的事情 。  我想在這裡不適合仔細討論這件事情。

On Sunday we drive back to Pingtung.  The time we leave depends upon how many tourists are in town.  If half of Taiwan is in Taitung we leave early, and if Taitung is relatively quiet we'll leave later.  Sometimes we go to a hot spring (usually Jinluen) on the way back. 我們會在禮拜天開車回屏東 。  我們出發的時間通常是看在台東的遊客多不多，如果台東的遊客人山人海，我們會早一點離開 ；相反的，如果遊客量不多，我們就會比較晚出發。 我們偶爾會順路去金崙泡溫泉 。

Friends often ask me if I'll be living in Taitung again next year.  I still don't know.  Part of me wants to move back, part of me doesn't.  Taitung still feels very comfortable to me - even after two years of living and working in Fangliao - but in a way it's too comfortable.  I do like the idea of waking up every Saturday and Sunday morning, swimming in the Flowing Lake or riding through the East Coast National Scenic Area; I do like the idea of that being my routine again.  I also like the idea of having easy access to friends that I don't see much of now. It's just that I wonder if those things that made me happy in the past are enough to make me happy in the future. 朋友常常問我下學年會不會在台東 ，  我還不知道答案。  我有時候想搬回去， 有時候不想。 在枋寮兩年之後，我仍然覺得住在台東滿舒服的，  但問題是有點太舒服了。  我想要每個周末去活水湖游泳或是在東海岸騎單車， 我也很想更接近現在比較少見到的朋友， 只是我不知道自己未來會不會滿足於以前讓我高興的事情。

And of course that feeling of comfort can easily change into a feeling of confinement.  What about waking up every Saturday and Sunday morning in Kaohsiung?  What about meeting new people, in a new place?  What about living in a big city, and the conveniences that big cities offer?  I suppose I'm kind of waiting for the universe to decide for me.  Between south and east Taiwan I'm sure I'll find something, and deciding too soon seems like a mistake. 而且那種舒適感很容易會變成困住感。 如果每個周六、 日在高雄起床呢 ?  在其他地方認識新朋友呢 ?  大城市的便利呢 ?  我好像在等上天幫我決定 ， 我覺得在南臺灣和 東臺灣間，我一定會找到適合的地方， 太早決定好像是個錯誤 。

I'll be back in Taitung again soon.  While I'm there I'll drink beer, see people I've known for years, and maybe even have an adventure or two.  Taitung is a good place, and it's been very good to me.  Like any person it's changed over the years, not always for the better, but I'm always glad to reacquaint myself with it, with the limited time at my disposal. 我很快地會再回去台東。 在那裡的時候我會喝啤酒 ，會跟老朋友見面，也可能去探險 。  台東是個好地方 ，也很善待我。 台東跟人一樣 ， 隨著歲月而有些改變 ，那些改變並不都表示比較好， 可是我總是很高興能在短短的時間內再認識它一下。

7. Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (South 南 ) 1

There are 37 Districts in Tainan City.  These districts are divided into North Tainan and South Tainan, or those "north of the [Dzengwen] river" and those "south of the [Dzengwen] river."  The districts of North Tainan are further grouped into the Xinying Area, the Beimen Area and the Dzengwen Area.  The districts of South Tainan are further grouped into the Fucheng Area, the Xinfeng Area and the Xinhua Area. 台南市分為37個區 ， 這37個地區分成曾文溪北部的北台南跟曾文溪南部的南台南 。 北台南又分為新營地區 、北門地區跟曾文地區 ； 南台南又分為府城地區 、 新豐地區跟新化地區 。

1. 安南區 Annan District

1a. The Legislative Yuan is set to pass a bill into law restricting the pre-sale of homes and other practices connected to real estate speculation.  Annan District, where the pre-sale of homes is particularly prevalent, will be hit hard if this law goes into effect.  Many of those speculating on the housing market have begun to sell off their properties in anticipation of new regulations. 全台推案熱區成拋售區  安南區待售物件暴增7成最多 (1)

1b. The Tainan City Mayor visited Annan District Office to thank epidemic prevention personnel for their efforts and to discuss administrative matters. 黃偉哲前往安南區公所向防疫人員致意 , 並視察聽舍改善進度表示會寬籌經費積極處理

2. 中西區 West Central District

2a. Oh the irony?  A temple in West Central District distributed an "epidemic prevention package" to believers, which caused them to form a long line, which in turn probably increased their chances of contracting COVID. 台南代天水官大帝廟發愛心  "防疫包"  吸引千人排隊領取

2b. A very old tree near the Taiwan Culture Hall was knocked down by the wind. 鬼雲吹起一陣怪風 ?  台南州會古蹟旁鳳凰木攔腰折斷

3. 安平區 Anping District

3a. After two scooters collided in Anping, one of the people involved fled the scene.  He was later apprehended, and it was then discovered that he originally visited Taiwan as a tourist from Vietnam, and that he'd overstayed his visa by four years. 台南安平區發生肇逃車禍  警還查出肇事者逾期居留4年

3b. The Jianping Village Office, in cooperation with the Anping District Community Development Association, distributed cash and COVID testing kits to needy residents as part of its epidemic prevention program. 安平區建平里發放防疫物資及現金  弱勢里民提前歡度端午

4. 南區 South District

4a. Construction of a new parking facility in South District has been completed.  This facility will open in July. 南區西門健康立體停車場預計7月底啟用 (2)

4b. The Healthy Oasis Park has been opened to the public.  It doesn't have many trees, but in the evening or on a cooler day it might be a fun place to visit. 大船來了 !  台南最新特色公園 "健康綠洲公園" 免費玩攀岩 , 暸望塔 , 超高溜滑梯

5. 北區 North District

Many of Tainan's food vendors have been hit hard by COVID and COVID restrictions.  Given that many traditional foods are sold in tiny shops or from roadside stalls, they are finding it harder to weather the current business climate, with losses of 30% to 40% not unusual.  Some customers and business owners are trying to remain optimistic, but the outlook for many vendors, not only on Kaiyuan Road but in other areas, isn't good. 疫情衝擊 !  台南開元路知名小吃暫時停業 (3)

6. 安定區 Anding District

6a. There's a shortage of kindergarten classes for 2 year olds in Anding and surrounding districts.  A recent inflow of population to urban areas has made this problem more acute.  Officials are discussing plans to build more kindergartens as a way of addressing the issue. 台南新市等5區幼幼班稀少  很多二歲兒被迫 "延畢"

ˊ6b. The Abolei Trail along the Dzengwen River in Anding District has become a very popular attraction.  As a way of promoting this trail, the Anding District Office recently held a sketch competition, in which local students submit sketches of the trail. 台南推廣觀光  阿勃勒步道辦寫生

7. 東區 East District

7a. A house in East District caught fire.  No one was injured. 台南東區民宅傳火警  消防人員引導9人順利逃生

7b. Part of East District went without water for six days as work was done on Dongmen Road. 要儲水 !  台南東區局部5/25-31施工停水

8. 善化區 Shanhua District

8a. Another fire at a technology company in Shanhua.  No one was injured. 台南市善化區科技公司傳火警  廠內消防設備啟動迅速滅火

8b. Shanhua hosted a vocational job fair on June 4. 台南呷頭路徵才  6/4善化登場

9. 新市區 Xinshr District

9a. KMT lawmaker Chen Yi-xin wants to improve the signage on the Formosa Freeway (#3) as it passes through Xinshr.  He claims that many drivers are missing the exit to the Southern Technology Park as they pass through the area. 立委陳以信爭取國道3號設新市指標  到南科免走錯

10. 永康區 Yongkang District

Sounds harmless, but this process can get ugly fast.  The Bureau of Land Management has been verifying and/or revising property boundaries in Yongkang, and the local government is trying to make the process as participatory as possible. 永康區地籍圖重測辦理協助指界  地主務必到場維護自身權益 (4)

11. 仁德區 Rende District

11a. Another fire at a factory in Rende.  Some of the factory's occupants were briefly trapped inside, but thankfully no one was injured. 台南仁德工廠火警濃煙沖天  消防員拉水線搶救中

12. 歸仁區 Guiren District

12a. The Tainan City Mayor visited Guiren to inspect road and walkway improvements in that area. 黃偉哲視察歸仁區人行與車行道路改善工程 (5)

12b. Remember the Malaysian student who was killed?  A lot of that happened in Guiren.  Early on she made a report to police there, but they failed to take proper action in response to her report.  As a result several officers in that precinct have been demoted. 馬國女大生案  前歸仁分局長降級改敘

13. 關廟區 Guanmiao District

13a. The Tainan City Mayor also visited flood control work on rivers passing through Guanmiao. 黃偉哲視察台南市關廟區野溪整治工程  確保防洪 (6)

13b. Residents of Wujia Village in Guanmiao were contending with an unidentifiable stench recently.  Upon further inspection the source of the stench was discovered.  A man renting a warehouse in Guanmiao had dumped a large quantity of aluminum smelting slag there, a pollutant which smells like ammonia when it becomes wet.  A court case is ongoing, the local branch of the EPA is involved, and cleanup will be costly. 台南關廟五甲里常飄惡臭原因找到了  工廠地主衰被法辦

14. 新化區 Xinhua District

14a. Xinhua's "Five Treasures" Festival kicked off recently, and the Tainan City Mayor was on hand to help promote local bamboo shoot porridge, pineapples and other agricultural products. 新化五寶節今日登場

15. 龍崎區 Longqi District

15a. They've built a new overlook near the edge of the district, not far from the border between Tainan and Kaohsiung.  According to the article it's a good place to watch the sun rise. 龍崎龍船窩  看日出新景點

15b. As in Xinhua to the north, it's also pineapple and bamboo shoot season in Longqi.  The local government recently held an art competition between elementary schools to help promote the event. 透過兒童寫生帶動地方觀光  龍崎鳳梨好筍節落幕

16. 左鎮區 Zuojhen District

16a. The Tainan City Government used emergency funds to repair a road in Zuojhen.  This road was damaged by heavy rains. 台南月世界聯外道多處坍方  復建工程6月展開

17. 山上區 Shanshang District

17a. In anticipation of Dragon Boat Festival the Shanshang District Office wrapped 1,400 rice tamales for local residents. 端午節關懷弱勢  台南山上區公所包製1400顆肉粽送愛

17b. The Shangshang District Office is offering at home COVID testing to elderly residents. 獨老快篩免出門  山上區公所到宅堤供唾液快篩服務

18. 玉井區 Yujing District

18a. An elderly driver lost control of his vehicle and drove into someone's house.  Fortunately no one in the house was injured.  The elderly man and his wife, who was a passenger in the car, were sent to the hospital for treatment. 開車失控撞民宅  八旬翁夫婦擦傷送醫 (7)

19. 楠西區 Nanxi District

19a. A new online taxi service has been established in Nanxi.  There are three stops where residents can wait after they've called for their taxi. 楠西區小黃公車  三處預約站牌上線 (8)

19b. A farmer in Nanxi is growing a new type of mango and then pickling the fruit.  This type of pickled mango is very popular. 芒果里長點子多  新推金黃情人果

20. 南化區 Nanhua District

20a. As in Shanshang, residents of Nanhua also wrapped rice tamales as part of a Dragon Boat Festival activity.  These rice tamales had papaya in them. 迎端午  台南南化兩社區包木瓜粽比手藝

21b. This news goes a ways back, but on May 13 the Nanhua Reservoir reached a 9 year high in terms of capacity.  Recent heavy rains were the cause. 越域引水加持  13日南化水庫水位9年來同期最高

8. Never Mind

Here I sit, alone in my apartment, the lonely COVID expert.

I wake up each morning, I go online, and I check for the most current numbers.  How many positive cases today?  How many deaths?  How many hospitalized?  What percentage of beds are still available?

It is indeed a dread day for humanity, and tomorrow will be worse.  More cases will appear, more foreigners will transit through the airport, and more of them will bring their variants into the midst of our pandemic-preventing population.

I reach for the nearest box, and pull forth a mask.  Sure, I'm alone in my apartment - as I always am - but a fresh mask makes me feel comfortable.  A fresh mask reminds me that I'm still alive.  Seek not to glimpse the face behind the security of my face covering.  It is not for your eyes.  Even I myself haven't seen it in a very, very long time.

Testing kits?  Why of course, I have them all.  Every kind, organized by color.

Now it's time to argue with strangers online.  Never mind that my belief in "The Science" borders on religious hysteria.  Never mind that my proof of this or proof of that is predicated upon still deeper assumptions which I dare not consider.  I will win every argument because The Science is on my side, and every foe will fall under the onslaught of my faultless reasoning.

Never mind that this virus I describe so lovingly changes shape all the time.  Never mind that The Science isn't yet complete, and that the future of this virus is unpredictable.  I know, you see?  I know.

Covid-Zero?  Sadly long behind us.  Would that it could be resurrected.  Oh, those sunny days when cases were in the single digits.  Oh, those sunny days when the biggest question was whether to admit the infected into our fair country, or whether to keep them out.  Never mind the fact that I was then, as I am now, alone and friendless in my studio apartment.  Never mind the fact that I have perfected social distancing to the point where I will never come into meaningful contact with anyone, ever again.

No, now I have only unseen allies in my fight against disinformation.  I will teach these people to fear the world outside their doors, and I will have them as masked up and as sanitized as I am.  And when we go forth into the great Outside we will touch the world fearfully, we will distance ourselves from all others, and we will proceed with hands gloved in righteousness.

The threat is real, the threat is most definitely real.  Death waits within each breath and upon every surface.  There will be no return to normalcy, just wave after wave of blessed sickness, each more potent than the last.  As the dead pile up I will thank myself for my boundless trust in The Science, and for the sense of terror in which I have outlived so many heedless others.

I am alive, you see, and I will continue living.  Never mind that my life only extends to this apartment, to these numbers upon a screen, and to countless arguments with less enlightened strangers that I will never, ever meet.  I am alive.

It was once suggested to me that the numbers I worship might be arbitrary, or inaccurate, or even the result of hypochondria.  I do not believe it.  I will instead place my faith in The Science, even if that Science sometimes changes its mind, sometimes refuses to state things clearly, and sometimes takes too long.  There will NEVER come a day when I do not wear this mask.  There will NEVER come a day when I am not washing my hands, checking the numbers, and casting a wary eye upon my fellow man.

And when you are breathing your last on some hospital bed, the victim of your own or others' carelessness, I will grin down upon you from some remote location that is everywhere and nowhere at once.  Here I sit, ready to watch you

die.

Die.

Die.

But go ahead, if you please, and argue the point.  The Science is on my side, and I have nothing but time at my disposal.

9. Taiwan 101: Ten Important Dates

5000 or More Years Ago

People arrived on the island.  Some of them may have walked across a land bridge between what is now Mainland China and Taiwan.  These "people" who may have walked here belonged to our genus, but not to our species.

The presence of modern humans in Taiwan can be traced to a site in Zuozhen District, Tainan City.  This site has been dated to 20,000 to 30,000 years ago.  Anthropologists have discovered skull fragments on this site, but no tools.

It wasn't until around 3000 B.C. that the island's aboriginal residents left behind clear traces of their presence in what we now call Taiwan.  They were (and are) an Austronesian people, who migrated to Taiwan from the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia.

The Late 1200s Onward

The earliest recorded visits by Chinese people to Taiwan occurred during the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty.  Kublai Khan sent a delegation to the "Japanese" Ryukyu Kingdom that went off course, and this delegation suffered great hardship after landing somewhere on the island.  From this point onward, Chinese visitors, traders, pirates and fishermen arrived in Taiwan in increasing numbers.

1624

The Dutch East India Company set up a trading post in what is now Anping District, Tainan City after their expulsion from China.  Much is made of the Dutch presence in Taiwan, but they controlled very little of the island, and most of their energy was directed outward, to trade with China.  Their outpost in Taiwan lasted for around 30 years.

1662

The Ming Loyalist Koxinga sailed from China and captured the Dutch settlements in Taiwan.  Koxinga planned on retaking China from the Qing Dynasty, which replaced the Ming during his lifetime.  Koxinga's capture of Taiwan was a very bloody episode in the island's history, but like the Dutch, the Ming loyalists weren't really in Taiwan long enough to leave a lasting impression.

1683

Koxinga's grandson surrendered to the Qing court.  During this time Han Chinese settlement of the island began in earnest, after Qing restrictions on immigration to the island were relaxed.  The Qing officials were very ambivalent on the subject of Taiwan, often regarding it as either the abode of barbarians or too small to bother with.  At the height of their power the Qing Dynasty directly administered less than half of the island, with the remaining parts under the control of aboriginal tribes.

1895

The Qing Dynasty lost Taiwan to Japan as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.  Japan proceeded to build up Taiwan's infrastructure along either Japanese lines or in accordance with Japanese ideas of Western technological superiority.  Taiwan's network of railroads was organized during this time, many modern roads were built, and industries based around pineapple, sugar cane, lumber and other goods were established.

1945

The Republic of China, which would lose Mainland China to the communists four years later, established the Taiwan Provincial Government after assuming control of Taiwan at the end of World War II.  Much like Koxinga before him, Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek viewed Taiwan more as a base from which to retake the Mainland, and to this day many place names, political positions and cultural affiliations reflect this goal.

The wave of immigrants that Chiang Kai-shek's KMT (Chinese Nationalist Party) led to power in Taiwan didn't have the best relationship with peoples who arrived here earlier.  The Taiwanese language was banned from schools, aboriginal people were repressed, gangs and gang associations imported from China flourished, and the KMT's method of criminalizing "subversive elements" drew ire from many quarters.

1975

Chiang Kai-shek died and his son Chiang Ching-kuo became President.  These two events initiated a less authoritarian era in Taiwan's history.  Many infrastructure projects were initiated around this time, and new methods of farming, fish farming and fishing were either invented or introduced from abroad.  Kaohsiung in particular grew a lot, with new factory areas adjacent to the port springing up quickly. 

2000

Chen Shui-bian, representing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) became the first non-KMT candidate to win the office.  Chen Shui-bian, advocating Taiwan's independence from China, remains a controversial figure, and his term as President was marked by both corruption and an increasingly confusing relationship between Taiwan and China.  

2016

Tsai Ying-wen became Taiwan's first female President.  She replaced not Chen Shui-bian but Ma Ying-jeou, his KMT successor.  During Tsai Ying-wen's presidency we've seen a more progressive Taiwanese government, the legalization of gay marriage, increasing distance from China, and a growing reliance on the United States.  It's been a long, winding road from Chiang Kai-shek to Tsai Ying-wen, and only the next presidential election will tell if Taiwan will hold to the more progressive policies set forth by President Tsai, or step backward into a KMT position more closely aligned with China.

10. 台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 8

The Chinese text below was taken from "Taiwanese Place Name Stories" 台灣地名故事, published by Windmill 三暉圖書發行有限公司 in 2021.  The Chinese text was written by Windmill and the English text was written by me.

哀怨的養女湖

Sad Yangnu Lake

據說在很久以前 , 在今天的高雄市燕巢區金山里 , 有一位叫蓮妹的女孩 , 因為家境貧困 , 從小就被賣給村裡的張員外當養女 . It is said that a long time ago, in what is now Jinshan Village, in Kaohsiung's Yanchao District, there was a girl named Lienmei.  Because her family was poor, she was sold as a child to an official by the name of Zhang, who lived in the same village, to be his adopted daughter.

然而 , 張員外並沒有把蓮妹當親生女兒看待 , 整天支使她做僕人的工作 .  蓮妹知道自己的身分 , 總是逆來順受 , 從不抗拒或埋怨 .  The official Zhang, however, didn't treat Lienmei like a daughter, but rather kept her busy with servants' work all day long.  Lienmei knew her place, and always obeyed him in this without resisting or complaining.

張員外有一位獨生子 , 小名叫阿寶 , 他仗著父親有錢有勢 , 不僅揮霍無度 , 還時常欺壓善良的村民 , 所以除了他的狐群狗黨外 , 大家對他都避之唯恐不及 . The official Zhang had only one son, whose name was Abao.  He was well aware of his father's wealth and power.  He not only spent money extravagantly, but also oppressed the kind hearted villagers.  Aside from the members of his gang, everyone else avoided him.

有一天 , 阿寶經過溪邊 , 看到蓮妹在洗衣 , 他覺得蓮妹美得像仙女下凡一般 , 竟起了非分之想 , 走過去 , 嘻皮笑臉的說 : "我的小美人兒 , 妳每天這麼辛苦的工作 , 不如嫁給我 , 做個少奶奶吧 !" One day Abao was walking along the river and saw Lienmei washing clothes.  He thought that she was as beautiful as a fairy descended from heaven, and just then a strange thought occurred to him.  He walked over and said with a smile: "Lovely girl, you work so hard every day, why not marry me and become a young grandmother?"

蓮妹對這位哥哥的放蕩行為非常鄙視 , 平日見到他 , 能躲就躲 ; 躲不掉時 , 也不曾給他好臉色 .  沒想到今天阿寶竟提出這種要求 , 令她又驚又怕 .  她見四下無人 , 擔心阿寶亂來 , 就敷衍的說 : "阿寶 , 我們還小 , 再過幾年再說 , 好不好 ?" Lienmei hated her step-brother's bad behavior.  Every day she saw him she hid if she could, and if she couldn't she would meet him with indifference.  She never expected that Abao would make such a proposal to her that day, and it both scared and amazed her.  Seeing that no one else was around, she worried that he would molest her in some way, so to divert him she said: "Abao, we are still young.  Let several years pass, and then we'll see, OK?"

阿寶以為蓮妹已經答應將來要嫁給他 , 就興高采烈的回去告訴父親 .  其實張員外早有這個打算 , 因此把蓮妹叫來 , 說 : "蓮妹 , 聽說妳答應嫁給阿寶了 .  我想 , 不用再等幾年 , 今年年底 , 我就替你們完婚 ." Abao thought that Lienmei had just consented to marry him, and he went back and ecstatically told his father the news.  In truth the official Zhang had planned on this from the beginning, and for this reason he called Lienmei to him, saying: "Lienmei, I hear you have consented to marry Abao.  I think you need not wait several years.  By the end of the year I'll have the two of you married."

蓮妹聽了 , 宛如晴天霹靂 , 連忙說 : "我不要 ." After Lienmei heard this she blurted: "I don't want to."

張員外根本不理會蓮妹的話 , 說 : "我說了算 , 妳願意也好 , 不願意也好 , 年底你們一定要完婚 ." The official Zhang didn't listen to what Lienmei had said, replying: "I have decided.  Whether you are willing or not doesn't matter.  The two of you will be married by the end of the year."

蓮妹心想 : "如果我嫁給這個放蕩成性的敗家子 , 以後肯定沒好日子過 .  我該怎麼辦呢 ?" Lienmei thought to herself: "If I marry this dissolute, profligate son, all of my days after that point will be bad.  What should I do?"

第二天 , 蓮妹做完家事 , 跑到一座小湖邊 , 坐在大石頭上痛哭失聲 . On the second day Lienmei ran to a small lake after finishing her housework, and there she sat on a big rock and cried bitterly.

她的哭聲把在附近田裡工作的青年阿德吸引了過來 .  阿德看到淚流滿面的蓮妹 , 問 : "蓮妹 , 是誰欺負妳 ?  告訴我 , 我替妳出氣 ." The sound of her crying drew the attention of the young A-de, who was at work in a nearby field.  He saw her face full of tears and asked: "Lienmei, who has been tormenting you?  Tell me and I will stand up for you."

其實 , 阿德和蓮妹早就認識 , 而且情投意合 , 只是因為保密到家 , 這段變情沒有人知道 . In truth, A-de and Lienmei had known each other for a long time, and were already deeply in love.  It was only because they kept it secret that no one else knew about their love for each other. 

蓮妹把事情經過說了一遍 .  阿德廳了 , 也不知道如何是好 .  蓮妹狠狠的咬著嘴唇 , 說 : "阿德 , 既然我養父這麼說 , 他肯定會逼我嫁給阿寶 .  我看 , 我們只好私奔了 " Lienmei told him what had happened.  As A-de listened he couldn't figure out what to do.  Lienmei bit her lip and said: "A-de, my adoptive father has decreed that I will marry Abao.  I think we'll have to run away."

阿德嚇了一大跳 , 說 : "蓮妹 , 我非常愛妳 , 即使海枯石爛 , 我對妳的感情也不會改變 .  但是我還有父母要奉養 , 而且我現在耕的田是向張員外租的 .  如果我們私奔 , 張員外一定會遷怒我的父母 , 這樣 , 他們的生活會陷入絕境 .  所以我們還是從長計議吧 !" A-de was very frightened to hear this, and he said: "Lienmei, I love you very much.  I will love you until the seas dry up and the mountains come tumbling down.  My feelings toward you will never change.  But I still need to take care of my parents and the fields I'm plowing are rented from the official Zhang.  If we run away he will certainly blame my parents, and their lives will become desperate.  Let's try to take a longer view of the situation!"

蓮妹了解阿德的難處 , 兩人默默無語坐在湖邊 .  過了好半天 , 阿德說 : "蓮妹 , 不如我找人去向張員外提親 , 也許還有點希望 ."  Lienmei understood A-de's difficulty.  The two sat together silently near the lake.  After a while A-de said: "Lienmei, how about I find someone to propose to the official Zhang on my behalf?  There's still hope."

蓮妹知道張員外一定不會答應的 , 不過 , 現在只能死馬當活馬醫 , 也就同意了 .  阿德立刻回去和父母親商量 .  阿德的父母也很喜歡蓮妹 , 於是把村裡最有名的媒婆阿來嬸找來 , 請她去張家提親 .  阿來嬸並不知道張員外已經有了打算 , 就欣然答應 . Lienmei was certain that the official Zhang would not agree to this, but there was no other option.  A-de immediately went back to discuss the matter with his parents, who also liked Lienmei very much.  They asked Auntie Laishen, the most famous matchmaker in the village, to visit the official Zhang's home and propose the match.  Auntie Laishen didn't know that the official Zhang already had plans [for Lienmei], and so she readily agreed to the request. 

阿來嬸帶著禮物去見張員外 , 沒想到她剛提起這件事 , 張員外就勃然大怒 , 把她趕出門外 . Auntie Laishen brought gifts to the official Zhang, and never expected that once she raised the issue the official Zhang would grow furious, and cast her out of his house.

阿來嬸回到阿德家 , 將經過說了一遍 , 她畢竟閱歷豐富 , 勸阿德的父母說 : "你們不要再提這門親事了 , 我想 , 蓮妹賢淑端莊 , 張員外一定是打算把她嫁給自己的寶貝兒子阿寶 , 不可能把她嫁給別人的 ." After Auntie Laishen returned to A-de's house she told them what had happened.  She had a lot of experience in such matters, and she advised A-de's parents thusly: "You shouldn't propose this marriage again.  Lienmei is both virtuous and dignified, and the official Zhang certainly plans to marry her to his beloved son Abao.  There is no way he'll allow her to marry anyone else."

阿德立刻把這件事告訴蓮妹 .  蓮妹並沒有太激動 , 因為她早就知道會有這樣的結果 .  蓮妹雖然暗自悲傷 , 卻反過來安慰阿德 , 並且天天到湖邊和阿德見面 , 說些貼心的話 .  當然 , 兩個人都明白 , 他們是不可能有圓滿結局了 , 不過他們寧可一廂情願的期盼著 , 在蓮妹嫁給阿寶前 , 事情能出現轉機 . A-de left immediately to share the news with Lienmei.  She wasn't very disturbed by what he told her, because she'd anticipated this outcome long before.  She was secretly heartbroken, but she comforted A-de and visited him every day at the lake, where sweet words passed between them.  Of course both of them knew that there was no happy ending in store, but they remained hopeful that things would somehow change for the better before Lienmei had to marry Abao.

阿寶知道父親的心意以後 , 喜出望外 , 時常騷擾蓮妹 , 說些不堪入耳的話 .  蓮妹實在不堪其擾 , 而且結婚的日子愈來愈接近 , 這讓她整天愁眉不展 , 甚至有了殉情的念頭 .  Once Abao knew his father's intentions he was overjoyed, and he began regularly harassing Lienmei, using harsh words to taunt her.  Lienmei found this unbearable, and as the wedding date drew closer and closer she grew very downcast.  She even considered forsaking A-de altogether.

夏天很快的過去 , 秋天來了 , 距離年底已經不遠 , 蓮妹和阿德眼看時間逐漸流逝 , 卻一點辦法也沒有 , 只能相擁而泣 . Summer passed quickly, and then fall arrived.  The end of the year was not far away.  Lienmei and A-de saw the time slowly passing away, and there was nothing to be done about it.  They could only hold one another and cry.

冬天來臨時 , 寒冷的北風呼呼的颳著 , 兩個真心相愛卻無法結成連理的情侶 , 又來到湖邊 , 兩個人默默相對 , 一句話也說不出口 , 心情非常悲傷 . Winter arrived, and the chilly north wind blew through the village.  The two lovers, whose feelings for one another would never be requited through marriage, came to the lake again.  They faced each other silently, so saddened that they couldn't speak.

突然 , 兩個人像心有靈犀一般 , 相視一笑 , 手牽著手 , 躍入湖中殉情自盡 , 從此 , 天荒地老 , 永不分離 . Suddenly the two of them looked at one another lovingly, and with a smile they both jumped into the lake and killed themselves.  From that point on they would be together forever, never to be parted.

當村人發現他們的屍體後 , 就把這座湖稱作 "養女湖 " After the villagers discovered the bodies they began calling the lake "Yangnu ["Adopted Daughter"] Lake."

關於 "養女湖" , 另外還有一則淒美的傳說 : Concerning Yangnu Lake, there is another, equally moving legend:

據說 "養女湖" 原本稱作 "滾水湖" , 水非常清澈 , 後來竟然變成一個冒著泡的泥漿湖 , 不斷噴出黏稠的泥漿 , 就像煮開的沸水一樣 . It's said that "Yangnu Lake" was originally called "Boiling Water Lake."  The water was originally very clear, but it later became a lake of boiling mud which bubbled continuously, just like boiling water. 

為什麼清澈的湖水會變成滾燙的泥漿呢 ? Why did the clear lake water become boiling mud?

這就要追溯到很久很久以前了 .  那時候 , 湖邊住著一戶人家 , 由於主人沒有生女兒 , 於是收養了一個貧窮人家的女孩當女兒 .  這個女孩叫作阿蘭 , 人如其名 , 長的像蘭花一樣漂亮 , 也做得一手好家事 , 鄰居都很喜歡她 . The answer is to be found a long, long time ago.  During that time a couple lived near the lake.  They had no daughter of their own, so they adopted a girl from a poor family.  This girl was named A-lan [the "lan" meaning "orchid"], and as her name suggests she was as beautiful as an orchid.  She was very diligent about doing work around the house, and her neighbors all liked her very much.

可是 , 也許是八字不合吧 !  人人喜歡的阿蘭卻和養父母格格不入 .  養父母總是用仇恨的眼光 , 嚴厲的語氣命令她做許多粗重的工作 .  除了睡覺時間外 , 阿蘭總是忙得不可開交 . But maybe A-lan was destined for misfortune.  Everyone except her adoptive parents liked A-lan.  Her adoptive parents always looked at her with hate in their eyes, and they commanded her in stern tones to do many difficult tasks.  Aside from sleeping hours A-lan was always very busy.

每天一大早 , 阿蘭就起床掃地 , 然後挑水 , 撿柴 , 生火煮飯 .  吃過早飯後 , 就得到湖邊洗衣 , 再到田裡幫忙 .  雖然生活過得很辛苦 , 阿蘭心中卻很明白自己是養女 , 多做些事也不計較 . Early every morning A-lan had to get out of bed and sweep the floor, bring back water, collect firewood, start a fire and cook food.  After breakfast she had to go to the lake to wash clothes, and then she had to go help in the fields.  Although her life was very hard, A-lan reminded herself that she was an adopted daughter, and that working harder was her lot in life.

即使這樣 , 養父母還是不滿意 , 動不動就對她又打又罵 , 阿蘭投訴無門 , 只好忍氣吞聲 , 逆來順受 .  她唯一能做的 , 就是對著湖 , 喃喃的述說自己的委屈 .  而湖水回報她的 , 卻只有被風吹動的水波而已 . Despite [her hard work], her adoptive parents were never satisfied with her.  Whatever she did they beat her and scolded her, and A-lan had no one to complain to.  She could only submit to this treatment in silence.  She could only utter her grievances to the lake, which answered her with the sound of waves blown by the wind.

有一天 , 下著傾盆大雨 , 阿蘭平日撿回家來 , 堆放在屋簷下的乾柴被雨水打溼了 , 怎麼點都點不著 .  沒有火 , 既不能煮飯燒菜 , 也無法燒開水 . One day it was pouring down rain, and after A-lan returned with firewood she piled it under the eaves of the house, where it grew so wet that she couldn't light it.  Without fire there was no way to cook food or boil water.

養父母吃不到飯 , 也喝不到開水 , 怒火中燒 , 拿起扁擔 , 不分青紅皂白的把阿蘭打得遍體鱗傷 . The adoptive parents had neither food to eat nor water to drink.  Consumed by rage, they picked up a pole and beat A-lan until she was bruised all over.

阿蘭跑出家門 , 站在湖邊大聲哭泣 , 她心裡想著 : "與其每天這樣痛苦的過日子 , 倒不如死去還好些 ." A-lan then ran out of the house, and stood by the lake, crying inconsolably.  She thought to herself: "It would be better to die that suffer days like this."

於是她縱身跳入湖水中 , 淹死了 .  附近的人們知道阿蘭跳湖自盡 , 都覺得很難過 , 就把這座湖稱為 "養女湖 " . She then jumped into the lake and drowned herself.  Those living nearby all knew that A-lan had committed suicide, they were all saddened, and they began calling this lake "Yangnu ["Adopted Daughter"] Lake.

人們也傳說著 : 湖神為了教訓這對狠心的養父母 , 就把清澈的湖水變成泥漿 , 從此以後 , 他們要用水 , 就必須到很遠的地方去提 . People also tell stories of how a lake spirit turned the clear waters into mud to teach the cruel adoptive parents a lesson.  After the water was turned to mud, they had to travel very far to get water.

而湖神很同情阿蘭的遭遇 , 將泥漿變得熱騰騰的 .  這樣一來 , 阿蘭在天之靈就再也不會因燒不出開水而煩惱了 .  The lake spirit was, moreover, sympathetic to A-lan's plight.  It made the mud very hot, and in this way A-lan's spirit, looking down from heaven, would no longer be troubled by an inability to boil water.