EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

inematography displays the inlays of cultural introduce to you the new Nangang sports center. Most artifacts and revolutionary phases of a society. And notable among many notables are the center’s state-of-the-art whether a new genre of movie—or a wholly different facilities, including scuba-diving and computer-simulated golf. Cart form such as puppetry—the essences of the cultural inlays Heading back outside, we also suggest that should weather are manifest in the art itself. In this issue, via Sean Scanlan’s permit you go out and enjoy some river sports, as suggested pen and Joanna Rees’ camera, we see puppetry that comes in Sean Scanlan’s report on Taipei’s Riverside Exposures. Be alive. Elsewhere is discussion of cinematic efforts by Taipei sure not to miss the fun of the dragon-boat events that will be 7th graders wearing the hats of young movie directors, films held at summer’s beginning—and make sure to bring both encompassing cultural changes that have traveled with time sun screen and high spirits with you, to cheer for your favorite and historical facts that remain rooted in today’s life. teams through to the last heats! If cinematography isn’t your cup of tea and traveling to Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is our visit to the “archives of the old” such as the National Palace Museum Bread home inside Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden is something you enjoy more, let our veteran feature writer in Shilin district, where you will see the only local rehabilitation Monideepa Banerjee take you on a tour of a special program center built exclusively for wild birds. You no doubt have heard the museum offers for English-speaking individuals. With her much about the magnificent migratory birds making stops in elaborative report, not only will you know how to become a Taiwan…but what happens if you encounter an injured avian part of this program as an action-oriented tour-guide, but you friend, and what are the steps to take before delivering it to will also have in hand key information on the artifacts to share the appropriate veterinary professionals? We provide tips and with visitors just like yourself. what to watch out for at the end of our report. The know-how Ancient artifacts and timeless methods always remain is easily acquired, and key in an intricate web being spun to touched by the mythical, with much of their individual stories help preserve our biodiversity. and power remaining undiscovered. The truth of this is crystal clear in regard to traditional Chinese medicine. With Mark ★ Please note that a correction is necessary for page 53 Caltonhill’s extensive exploration of Chinese herbs and the in DTB issue 58. The Chinese name of the chairman of two most frequently practiced concoctions, you will find your Zhinan Temple is 高忠信. heartbeat racing as you race on to what other treasures are also listed. Hope you enjoy reading this issue of DTB. Most health professionals, including TCM doctors, will tell If you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to email or fax us. you that the best way to remain healthy is through exercise. Email: [email protected] / Fax: (02) 2720-5950 No one could agree more with that, and we therefore

Through drama creators, the inanimate come to LifePhoto by Joanna Rees DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Bimonthly Issue No. 59 / May 2007

2007 Taipei City Government All rights reserved. Reproducution in any form without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed in the articles do not reflect opinions of the Taipei City Government.

Publisher Hsiao-tung Yang

Division Chief Chuen-huey Jiang

Managing Editor Joanna Kuo Photo by DanielJoanna Mojahedi Rees 04 Editors Kymberly Cheng John Jia-ren Lee

Cover Story Consultants Jerome F. Keating 04 Glove Puppet Theater: Terri-Ann Dowsly An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan By Sean Scanlan Photographer Neng-yu Wang

Food Artwork Designer 10 Food as Medicine: redblackdesigns, Inc. Eating according to season, constitution and illness (02) 2788-2000 By Mark Caltonhill Printer Choice Company Photo Essay (02) 8768-2088 16 Taipei by Air Department of Information By Daniel Mojahedi Taipei City Government 4F, No. 1, Shifu Rd, Special Report Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C Tel: (02) 2720-8889#2029 22 A New Spring for Taipei Cinema Fax: (02) 2720-5909 By Sean Scanlan ISSN: 17281741 GPN: 200900541 Art / Culture Decoding Design: 28 Shapes, Plants, Animals, Numbers, Colors By Mark Caltonhill

The Lady in Red 34 By Monideepa Banerjee Living in Taipei The “Bread Home” Sends 40 Fallen Birds Skyward, Homeward By Ya-chih Lin

Breathing Easier 46 By Daniel Mojahedi

Photo Courtesy of 22 DepartmentPhoto by ofDaniel Cultural Mojahedi Affairs

Photo by Neng-yu Wang 28 Living in Taipei 5 Want to Go Scuba Diving in Taipei? Nangang Recreation Center Awaits You! By I-yen Wang Outdoor Activity 55 Taipei's Riverside Exposures By Sean Scanlan Insight Story 60 Me and the Changs: Training with the In-Laws to Learn What Makes Taiwan Tick By Rick Chartte

Photo by Daniel Mojahedi Glove Puppet Theater: COVER STORY An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan

Glove Puppet Theater An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan By Sean Scanlan • Photos by Joanna Rees

t the beginning of last year, a smallish, brown glove in Taiwan, a remarkable political drama worthy of a motion puppet was voted the most representative symbol picture. Renowned local movie director Hou Hsiao-hsien of Taiwan in an on-line poll conducted by the (侯孝賢) couldn’t pass up such a grand tale, and helped AGovernment Information Office. This lowly puppet, standing memorialize the craft with the film “The Puppetmaster” (1993), no taller than 40 centimeters in height, beat out towering which featured local legend Lee Tien-lu (李天祿). national icons such as Jade Mountain and the world’s tallest Taiwanese glove-puppet theater, known locally as “budaixi” building, Taipei 101. (布袋戲), is so named because the puppets are made from How a glove puppet came to represent a nation is a cloth, very much resembling a simple cotton sack accounting story imbued with magic, folklore, and like most good things for “budai” (布袋; lit., “cloth sack”).

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Glove Puppet Theater: An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan COVER STORY

The picture shows a legendary story, from the Song dynasty He also used the “shoulder-carried stage,” a miniature (960-1279 CE), of a man who abandons his wife and marries off stage which he wore on his shoulders with the rest of his to the princess. On the left is empress dowager and on the right is the man’s wife who comes into the city and seeks for justice. body covered in black cloth. This stage freed up his hands to perform stories which were livelier and more articulate than previous performances. Also, the stage helped conceal his real identity, as he didn’t want anyone to know he was in fact a scholar. He was so successful that others soon copied his innovation. In Taiwan, glove-puppet theater became popular primarily through the sponsorship of local temples and wealthy patrons, as most performances were held outdoors and were free of charge. “Many of these performances were sponsored by temples. In fact, they were not for the general public at all, but for the gods or the spirits inside the temple. It really didn’t matter how many people turned out to see the performance,” says Natalie Cheng (鄭棽如), research curator at the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei.

Evolution Perhaps the best known performer in the modern period has been Huang Hai-dai (黃海岱) who recently passed away at the ripe old age of 107. He was known to generations of Taiwanese for his distinctive voices and spell- binding performances. Huang represented a generation of artists who performed outdoors in front of temples and other special venues. He was one of the last performers involved in the “Ancient Script” era of Taiwanese puppet theater from 1850-1920, performing historical plays such as “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” which were educational as well as entertaining. Later, as tastes changed and puppet theater was coupled with Bei Guan (北管) Taiwanese traditional music, puppet theater entered the 1920-1947 period called “Swordsmen in Theatre,” with plots involving nothing more than heroic swordsmen going into battle, and simplified versions of classics such as “The Investiture of the Gods” (封神榜).

Beginnings It is generally believed the very first known practitioner of this artform was Liang Bing-lin (梁炳麟), a scholar in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) who repeatedly failed the civil-service exams. Dejected, he once made the lonely walk home and watched a puppet show, which he found remarkably boring. He took it upon himself to reinvent the medium by creating new plotlines based upon the stories and dramas he learned from studying. A group of common characters seen in puppetry, such as clown, male figure, female figure, aging man, monster, etc.

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Glove Puppet Theater: COVER STORY An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan

While popularizing the medium by offering action- filled performances, Huang was also an artist who suffered discrimination for performing in his native Taiwanese language, particularly during the period of Japanese rule (1895-1945), when all performances had to be in Japanese. Huang struggled to learn Japanese along with other budaixi artists, even going so far as to tailor performances to incorporate traditional Japanese tales and even Japanese characters. During this period recorded music was often used, and on occasion a narrator speaking Japanese narrated the performance.

Rites of Passage With Japanese rulers being replaced by the KMT, local puppeteers had a new set of restrictions demanding performances in Mandarin, and the requirement to perform a 20-minute propaganda skit (usually an anti-communist or anti- Soviet tale) before each performance. This era lasted from 1951-1960, with puppets representing KMT and Communist forces, and a sprinkling of local deities. As mentioned, these performances were mercifully short, and what would become the first of many concessions puppeteers needed to make to appease the new government. In early times, performances were prefaced with an appearance by puppets representing three gods: the God of Good Fortune, God of Wealth, and God of Longevity. Typically these would bless the audience and wish them good luck in the year ahead. The God of Wealth often appears in the preface of a performance to bless the audience good luck. Another rite of passage for most Taiwanese puppet- theater troops was an offering of Luo Bo (Radish)1, Gan Ju (Oranges and Tangerines)2, firecrackers, and incense before The government made a slight concession to this their first performance in a new location. traditional artform, allowing indoor performances at numerous Perhaps the biggest challenge came to Taiwan’s puppet special theaters. These performances differed from the free theater in the days following the February 28th Incident outdoor shows in that they charged admission. They were in 1947 as the KMT government cracked down on public also more crowd-friendly, offering shorter performances in dissent and banned public assemblies. Naturally, this ban also series, special effects such as smoke and fireworks, as well extended to outdoor puppet shows. as taller, more ornate puppets.

. Radish (菜頭; Luo Bo) makes a good gift at New Year or during elections as they bring to mind the phrase “好彩頭” meaning a good beginning. 2. Oranges and Tangerines (柑橘; Gan Ju) signify “good luck” (吉; Ji).

Puppets made according to the Japanese characters. (Photo courtesy of the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei)

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Glove Puppet Theater: An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan COVER STORY

Modern Forms, Heightened Popularity What was a major challenge ultimately saved the medium and made it more accessible to local audiences. After a brief period of adjustment, indoor puppet theater took off, especially a form that has been dubbed “Golden Light Puppetry” (金光 布袋戲), which made use of black light, fluorescent paint, and pre-recorded music. There was nothing subtle about this form of puppetry, as the performances were almost always battle scenes done with oversized puppets who had magical properties, spurring the imagination and creating wonder in the audience. If this weren’t enough, shows were briefly punctuated with cameo performances by local singers and pop stars. As soon as puppet theaters began packing in the audience, yet another innovation occurred which few could predict: television. It would be Huang Chun-hsiung (黃俊雄), the son of acclaimed puppeteer Huang Hai-dai, who would take this artform to the television screen and create a hit television series that was so popular in 1974 that government censors ultimately pulled the plug on the program because it was disrupting work around the island. It would be many years before the popular program returned to the airwaves, and yet another generation of the Huang family, which would introduce the popular Pili International Multimedia (霹靂布袋戲) series with modern, updated characters. (Top) There are puppets on display for children to enjoy at the museum. (Bottom) A typical stage of Golden Light Puppetry.

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Glove Puppet Theater: COVER STORY An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Glove Puppet Theater: An Enduring Symbol of Taiwan COVER STORY

Current Exhibition Institutions such as the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei (PACT) help modern puppet makers in the Taipei area such as Lian Yuan-ling (連苑伶), who makes puppets from recycled materials such as gift-boxes, candy wrappers, and even paper receipts. She is hoping to create a new interest in puppets utilizing simple materials. There’s also Huang Ming-dao (黃明道), who recently passed away at the untimely age of 40 of liver cancer, but is remembered by many for his oversized characters also made from recycled materials and his heart-touching moral tales designed to inspire a new generation of young minds. Fortunately, PACT provides a home for some of the marvelous, life-sized puppets this modern master produced. The puppeteer, Mr. Lin Rui-hua describes walking a glove puppet is like Generations of children will take great delight in these colorful “bouncing a basketball.” (Photo by Sean Scanlan) birds, humans, and other “renaissance” treasures, brought to life via recycled materials. Today’s Puppet Realities To learn more about Taiwan’s enchanting puppet history, Taiwan presently has more than 200 active puppet visit the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei (www.pact.org.tw) at No. troupes, many continuing to pursue the medium much like 99, Section 5, Civic Boulevard (市民大道) in Taipei (next to their predecessors, but oft taking on varied forms. Glove Core Pacific Mall). The museum is open 10AM to 5PM daily, puppets continue to be the most popular form of puppetry, closed Mondays. with some changes either due to necessity or changing tastes. Puppet theater continues to be a living medium, well expressed by talent such as Mr. Lin Rui-hua (林瑞華), who performs as many as 50 shows a year at local schools. He is a self-taught puppeteer who learned the skill by simple observation. He executes a number of basic moves such as flips, walking, and fighting. “Walking a glove puppet is like bouncing a basketball,” he says, later demonstrating how a puppet should move across the stage with the wooden feet swinging up in the air and almost touching the puppet’s head. When it comes to the larger puppets used in indoor performances, he says, the puppeteer needs to use the entire body to imitate the movements of a male or female, either sauntering into a room at a slight angle or gingerly taking small, careful footsteps.

(Opposite page) Huang Ming-dao’s oversized characters made from recycled materials are based on heart-touching moral tales. (Right) Currently, PACT is hosting an exhibition designed by an environmentalist group based in Taipei.

DISCOVER TAIPEI |  | Food as Medicine: Eating according FOOD to season, constitution and illness

ext time you feel a little under the weather, instead of running to the nearest clinic or phar- Nmacy, turn to your larder or fridge, as one of the four main disciplines of Chinese traditional medicine is “food treatments as (食療).” Food This is an ancient practice, said to date back to the mythological times of Shen Nong (神農; 2737 BC-2699 BC) the “divine farmer”) who, in addition to inventing agriculture, is credited with Medicine tasting 100 plants each day to discover Eating according to season, constitution and illness which were suitable for consumption by human beings and which were not. His By Mark Caltonhill • Photos by Neng-yu Wang legend states that, although this meant he was poisoned around 70 times each day, he laid down the origins of the use of foods and herbs as medicines.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 10 | Food as Medicine: Eating according to season, constitution and illness FOOD

The oldest extant written records of these discoveries Medicinal herbs are often incorporated into dishes date from much later—the Eastern Han dynasty (東漢; 206 which are commonly called “culinary therapies.” BC-AD 24)—while the more complete and systematic texts that underlie today’s TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) were written in the Tang dynasty (唐; AD 618-907), when alchemists, scientists and even cooks expended much effort on finding means to prolong life or even prevent death. Most notable among these is Meng Shen (孟詵) a seventh-century pharmacologist whose food canon was essentially a recipe book with instructions for doctors to follow. Although most of these texts have been lost, much of the information has been preserved elsewhere, written particularly by the poets for whom the Tang dynasty is justly famed. With this in mind, perhaps it is not surprising that not a few of the remedies recorded are for avoiding or ameliorating hangovers. By the Ming dynasty (明; 1368-1644), the Compendium of Materia Medica (本草綱目) written by Li Shi-chen (李時 珍; 1518-1593) contained references to 1,892 botanical species—of which Li was supposed to have added almost 400 by himself—and more than 11,000 herbal remedies. New species were also added as China expanded its boundaries and increased contacts with peoples overseas who had their own indigenous plants and their own herbal and culinary should be treated with yang foods and herbs, while fevers are therapies. A well-stocked TCM store today will have over 1,000 yang and should be treated by means of yin items. herbs at its disposal. According to TCM theories, people also have naturally Sometimes food treatments overlap with medicinal yin or yang constitutions: A person with a yang constitution cures; sometimes they precede them, being aimed more at will react to diseases in an aggressive active manner, while prevention than cure. As Tang dynasty court physician Sun someone with a yin constitution will react more passively. Si-miao (孫思邈; AD 581-682) said, “Treat an illness first with Thus yang people with a common cold will have an increased food; only if this fails, should medicine be prescribed.” pulse rate, red face, rising temperature, sore throat and thirst, Not surprisingly, this subject is extremely complex, and whereas yin people tend to lose energy, have weaker pulse often TCM experts themselves disagree. However, one thing and yellow complexion, with no fever or coughing. that experts do agree upon is that a cure suitable for one person is not necessarily suitable for another, so this current Five flavors article is intended as a general introduction only, particularly In addition to containing yin and/or yang essences, foods given that the author is neither an expert in TCM nor a doctor. can be classified according to the “five flavors” (五味; wu wei) of sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), salty and bitter. Sweet Cosmological considerations foods are considered soothing and nutritious and are used in Chinese views of the world have long been based on the tonics and supplements. Sour foods stimulate the enzymes, opposing but complementary principles of yin (陰; “shadowy”) aid digestion and reduce sweating. Hot, pungent foods and yang (陽; “sunny”), and the “five elements” (五行; wu-xing) eliminate toxins and remove obstruction to the circulation of of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Needless to say, this qi (氣). Salty foods regulate body fluids and thin the mucous classification is applied to both the herbs, vegetables, fruits membranes. Bitter foods are said to help detoxification. and meats used as medicines and foods, and to the people In terms of primary target organs, sweet foods act on the consuming them, as well as to the seasons in which they are spleen and stomach, sour foods on the liver and gall bladder, taken, the illnesses suffered, and the organs being treated. spicy foods on the lungs and large intestine, salty foods on the Summer is thus the season of maximum yang; in autumn kidney and bladder, and bitter foods on the heart and small yang decreases and yin rises; in winter yin is at its peak; while intestine. Consumed in moderation, such foods benefit the in spring yin falls as yang increases. corresponding organ; over-indulgence would harm the organ Regarding illnesses, colds, for example, are yin and and create imbalance.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 11 | Food as Medicine: Eating according FOOD to season, constitution and illness

cooling and recommended for “promoting and pineapples, which “clear summer the passage of water.” heat,” are neutral. Thirst-relieving lemons, Glutinous rice is warming, white rice diuretic mangos, detoxifying bananas, is neutral, and wheat, barley and millet and alcohol detoxifying grapefruit are are cooling. Wheat is considered a tonic, cooling. barley promotes urine production, and Regarding vegetables, leeks, millet aids digestion. scallions and “yin-sedating” mustard Of legumes, soybean oil is warming, greens are warming; cabbage, carrots, soybeans themselves are neutral, and which “dry dampness,” celery, which A well-stocked TCM store today will have over tofu made from soybeans is cooling. “expels wind,” sweet potatoes, which 1,000 herbs at its disposal! Among fruit, guava, which stops are beneficial to the kidneys, and taro, Yin and yang of food diarrhea, coconuts, which promote which reduces swellings, are neutral; and The key to TCM is to keep the urination, peaches which “lubricate the lettuce, which aids lactation, cucumber, body’s yin and yang in balance and intestines,” and dried orange peel, which which detoxifies and promotes urination, help the flow of qi. Anything taken into “transforms phlegm,” are all warming. spinach, which “lubricates dryness,” the body will have effects in line with Papaya, which promotes digestion and eggplants, which relieve pain, and the considerations above, in addition to “destroys intestinal worms,” figs, which bamboo shoots, which clear heat, are all providing energy, vitamins, minerals and detoxify, loquats, which stop coughing, cooling. so forth. Most food items are complex, however, and generally include a combination of elements. The following list provides a few examples of foods’ dominant natures. Mutton is warming (yang) and so is commonly consumed in winter (as was dog meat in earlier times), beef is neutral and recommended as a blood tonic, pork is also neutral and said to promote fluid production, while chicken, perhaps surprisingly, is warming. Chicken eggs, however, are neutral, though egg white is cooling (yin). Milk is neutral, while butter is warming and said to promote blood circulation. Interestingly, early Chinese phar- macologists such as Meng Shen had little good to say about beef, believing it was more likely to induce illness, and the proper role of the ox was to assist in the cultivation of crops. Meng, Sun and Li all recommended eating dog meat, however, which was said to benefit the kidneys. Shrimp and mussels are warming, carp and oysters are neutral, and clams and crab are cooling. Seaweed is also

Most food items have dominant natures such as yin, yang or neutral. A simple breakdown of your nutritional intake can tell what most of your food consists of.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 12 | Food as Medicine: Eating according to season, constitution and illness FOOD

Meals as remedies said to act by benefiting joints, “protecting Foods, whether as meals or as food spirits,” “benefiting the pure energy,” treatments, are rarely taken individually. strengthening bones and improving Most medicinal recipes will, therefore, complexion. balance and combine different elements. Cooling bamboo shoots, for example, Glutinous rehmannia (Rehmannia are often used to balance the warming glutinosa 地黃; “earth’s yellow”) is meats. eaten raw (生地) or cooked (熟地) as Given the almost infinite number of a heart tonic or to reduce blood sugar combinations available to Taipei’s chefs, respectively. it is only possible to introduce a few. A typically “cooling” soup during the heat of Matrimony vine (Lycium sinensis summer is made from “bitter gourd” (苦 枸杞) seeds are used to nourish the 瓜, Momordica charantia) with chicken kidneys, liver and blood, and to improve and pineapple, while carp with ginger vision. and garlic, for example, is recommended Ginseng is probably the most prized of for flatulence, and silver carp with tea Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis 甘 traditional herbal medicine. leaves is suggested for fever or diabetes. 草; “sweet grass”), which is said to Chicken essence is recommended for protect the liver, produce adrenocortical women during menstruation, a time at hormones, inhibit influenza, act against Of the spices, dried ginger, which which they should not eat green beans leukemia and reduce blood fat. “opens the meridians,” capsicum or coconut. Women in their “month peppers, which “warms the middle of confinement” after childbirth are Angelica sinesis (當歸; “ought jiao1,” and cinnamon, which warms encouraged to eat “sesame oil chicken to return”), recommended for “toning the surface, are warming; saffron, (麻油雞).” and activating the blood,” regulating which “eliminates blood stagnation,” The information above largely relates menstruation and producing “intestinal is neutral, and peppermint, which to the medical qualities ascribed to sliding.” “regulates qi,” and marjoram, which different foodstuffs. TCM also contributes “drains dampness,” are cooling. to Taiwanese cuisine in terms of herbal Momordica (Momordica grosvenori additions to dishes. The following list 羅漢果; “arhat fruit”) are said to be Preparation and cooking includes a tiny sample of the herbs so effective against whooping cough and Foodstuffs’ inherent natures can used. constipation due to “dry blood.”) be changed or tempered by methods of preparation and cooking. The yang Ginseng (Panax ginseng 人參; called Sesame (Sesamum indicum 黑芝 essence can be reduced by dilution the “person-plant” after the human-like 麻; “black sesame”) tones the liver and with water, the addition of sugar or form of the root), this is among the most kidneys and “lubricates the five viscera.” It fruit, or by being eaten raw or cold. prized of traditional herbal medicines and is also used for blurred vision, dizziness, Yin can be reduced by cooking, is used as a tonic to “tone up the original ringing in the ears and numbness in the eating foods warm, by pickling, aging energy.” It is claimed to be effective arms and legs. or adding salt. against weakness after chronic illnesses, vaginal bleeding, diabetes, prolapse and even forgetfulness; to increase red blood cells, adrenocortical hormones and sex hormones; and to reduce blood sugar and blood fat.

Ganoderma (Ganoderma lucidum . The middle jiao refers to the 靈芝草; “spiritual mushroom grass”) midsection of the body and includes is used for deficiency fatigue, coughs, Herbal items are usually sold in bulks, and recipes the spleen, stomach, gall bladders, asthma, insomnia and much more. It is and liver organs. can be easily found on displays.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 13 | Food as Medicine: Eating according FOOD to season, constitution and illness

(Acantho- Photo by Mark Caltonhill Slender acanthopanax panax gracilistylus 五加皮; “five plus bark”) is used for rheumatism, beriberi and “weak limbs,” and is said to “remove wind and dampness,” and strengthen the bones and tendons.

Gorgon fruit (Euryale ferox 芡實) are said to strengthen the spleen and kidneys, “improves sexuality,” and relieve diarrhea. It should not be taken by those with constipation, however, as it will intensify this condition.

Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposite 山 藥 ; “ m o u n t a i n m e d i c i n e ” ) fo r strengthening the spleen and stomach, relieving diarrhea, and toning the lungs and kidneys.

Multiflower knotweed tuber (Po- lygonum multiflorum 何首烏) is a liver and kidney tonic, said to prevent seminal emission, vaginal discharge, lumbago and premature gray hair.

Asian dandelion (Taraxacum mon- golicum 蒲公英) “clears up heat,” heals carbuncles and disperses swelling. It is also said to be good for mastitis, urinary Four Deities soup infections and tonsillitis. Ingredients: 600g pork ribs (排骨) [pig intestine (小腸) is a common alternative but is not generally popular with Westerners; if intestine used, it (Ephedra sinica should be marinated with scallion (蔥) and ginger (薑) for -2 Chinese ephedra hours, after which the scallions and ginger are removed from the 麻黃; “numbing yellow”) induces dish] perspiration and “disperses cold,” and 薏仁 蓮子 20g Job's tears ( ) 20g lotus seeds ( ) is used for asthma and to promote 25g gorgon fruit (芡實) 25g Chinese yam (山藥) 25 g tuckahoe (茯苓)  tbsp rice wine (米酒) urination. salt (鹽) to taste (Crataegus Note: small amounts of each medicinal item can be bought from traditional Chinese hawthorn Chinese medical stores, but in Taipei, kits containing all necessary items for pinnatifida 山楂; “mountain hawthorn”) common TCM dishes can be found in most supermarkets. “eliminates accumulations,” promotes

Method: . Soak the Job’s tears, lotus seeds and gorgon fruit for 3-4 hours, energy flow and “disperses coagulations.” then wash and drain. It is therefore used for indigestion, 2. Cut the pork rib into small chunks (best done by butcher) and dysentery, hernia and blood coagulations. blanche in boiling water for -2 minutes. 3. Heat three bowlfuls of water in pan, add pork and all ingredients Since it reduces blood pressure, it is also except salt. Bring to boil, then simmer for 40-60 minutes. used as a heart tonic. 4. Add salt at end as needed.

This dish is said to be good for the spleen and stomach, to “nourish vitality,” cure Longtube ground ivy (Glechoma poor appetite and aid digestion. Meat-free versions are often made for those on longituba 金錢草; “coin grass”) “clears up vegetarian diets; sweet versions are given to children. The four deities are referred heat,” promotes urination, suppresses to gorgon fruit, tuckahoe, lotus seeds, and Chinese yam.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 14 | Food as Medicine: Eating according to season, constitution and illness FOOD

coughing and heals swelling. It is used Photo by Mark Caltonhill for jaundice, edema, gallstones, malaria, lung diseases and rheumatism.

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica 金銀花; “gold-silver flower”) also clears up heat, as well as counteracting toxins, cooling the blood and “dispersing wind and heat.” It is used for carbuncles, dysentery and sore throats.

Kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata 葛根; “Mr. Ge’s root”) can be used for measles prior to eruption, diarrhoea, headaches and stiff necks. It acts by inducing perspiration, clearing heat and “elevating clear energy.”

Dahurian angelica (Angelica dah- urica 白芷) induces perspiration, expels wind and relieves pain. It is therefore used for headache, toothache, itching and anal discharges.

Cloves (Eugenia caryophyllata 丁 香; “T-shaped fragrance”) help to “bring down energy,” “warm up” the spleen and kidneys, and relieve pain. They are used for hiccups, vomiting, spleen and kidney “cold deficiency,” and cold abdominal Pig trotter with Chinese angelica and vermicelli pain. Ingredients: 600g pig trotter (豬腳) [mutton (羊肉) or duck (鴨肉) are also (Cassia obtusifolia 決 commonly used] Cassia seeds 6 mushrooms (香菇) 25g angelica (當歸) 明子) are said to sharpen vision, expel 0g conioselinum (川芎) 5g glutinous rehmannia (熟地) wind, clear up the liver and benefit the 0g matrimony vine (枸杞) 5g cinnamon (桂枝) 紅棗 山藥 kidneys, and “lubricate the intestine 0g jujubes ( ) 0g Chinese yam ( )  tbsp rice wine (米酒) for constipation.” Eucommia bark  portion of Chinese vermicelli (紅麵線) per person. (Eucommia ulmoides 杜仲) tones up the salt (鹽) as required [Note: dishes cooked with angelica are very bitter to taste] liver and kidneys, strengthens bones and tendons, and secures the fetus. Method: . Cut trotter into medium-sized pieces (it is easier to ask butcher to do this), bring water to boil and blanch for -2 minutes. 2. Soak mushrooms if necessary, slice. Two commonly eaten dishes making 3. Put any herbs that are too small to remove from bowl with use of some of these herbs are “Four chopsticks into gauze bags, such as those sold in Taiwan to Deities soup” (四神湯) and “Pig trotter hold tealeaves. 4. Heat water in pan, add herbs, mushrooms, meat and rice wine, with Chinese angelica and vermicelli” (當 bring to boil then simmer for 40-60 minutes until meat is soft. 歸豬腳麵線). Although they vary greatly, 5. Add salt at end as needed. the recommended recipes were cooked 6. Heat water, add noodles, cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Serve with meat, herbs and soup. in the Caltonhill kitchen. This dish is recommended for “nourishing vitality,” removing edema and “moistening intestines.” Bon Appetit! DISCOVER TAIPEI | 15 | PHOTO ESSAY Taipei by Air

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 16 | Taipei by Air COVERPHOTO STORYESSAY

Taipei Say “Bon voyage!” to the passengers who are lucky enough to be on the tour. (Photo courtesy of Vision Airlines)

By Daniel Mojahedi by Air Photos by Po-lin Chi

ver the past year or so, went on my own. The other two times I Bringing Taipei to the World, a set of sightseeing in Taipei has gone brought clients with me. They were all stamps documenting the construction of vertical. Located at Songshan very impressed.” Taipei 101. OAirport (松山機場), one company is The company, Vision Airlines (大視 now offering interested parties a look 野), is currently the only one of its kind. The Tours at the city by air through its helicopter Vision Airlines has been in operation for The company offers three different tours. While a little pricey, it provides its twenty years now, though they have only tours, all under the name City Sky. customers with a city view that few have offered these tours for about two years. Tour A takes passengers along the had before. “I have taken the helicopter Previously their services were primarily Danshui River (淡水河) all the way up to tour three times,” states Tai Kuo-Ming (戴 surveying the city from the air for private Fisherman’s Wharf (漁人碼頭). Tour B 國明), a senior vice president with Taiwan companies. One of their most popular takes people along the southern rim of Securities (台証證券 ). “The first time I jobs was the now out-of-print Taipei 101: the city and into Taipei County to places such as Wulai Waterfall (烏來瀑布) and Yingge (鶯歌), the home of Taiwan’ s pottery industry. And Tour C takes passengers to all the hot spots in the city, including Taipei 101, Da-an Park (大安公 園), and National Taiwan University (國 立台灣大學). Tours A and C last about fifteen minutes while Tour B lasts about thirty. Also, personalized trips can be arranged as long as places are being discussed way in advance.

(Opposite page) Helicopters circle the major constructions in the city, such as Taipei 101, from different directions to ensure everyone gets a good view. (Left) What’s a better way to treat an entire family on a special occasion? (Photo courtesy of Vision Airlines)

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 17 | PHOTO ESSAY Taipei by Air

An aerial view on the “park in the city,” Da-an Park.

A New Angle on the City Vision Airlines itself does not own any The helicopter maintains an altitude helicopters, but serves as a tour guide of about 350 meters, giving passengers using the services of Sunrise Airlines (中 a clear view of the sights below. “Flying 興航空) and Daily Air (德安航空). Both in the air like that you get a view of the companies use the ten-seat Kawasaki landscape that you cannot get driving BK-117. With two seats for the pilots and around,” states Mr. Tai. one for the tour guide, there are seven “I had ridden in planes before, but seats for passengers. “The helicopter Accompanied by a tentative tour guide makes you are way too high to get a good view is small enough where everybody the experience unforgettable. (Photo courtesy of of the city,” states Lin Meiju (林梅菊) who can get a good view out the window,” Vision Airlines) also works in investment. “But riding in states Ludy Lu (魯志強), Executive Vice a helicopter gave me a chance to better General Manager of Vision Airlines. “For appreciate the city from a lower altitude. places like Taipei 101, we circle in both I had never really thought about how directions to make sure that everybody things would look from that angle.” gets a good view.”

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 18 | Taipei by Air PHOTO ESSAY

Night catch of an aerial view above Neihu Technology Park.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 19 | PHOTOCOVER ESSAY STORY Taipei by Air

Looking at the city from the top gives the visitors’ a different perspective on it.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 20 | Taipei by Air PHOTO ESSAY

Checking In Just like with any flight, passengers are required to get to the airport early to go through security, and all safety measures that apply to planes apply to helicopters as well. For this, passengers need to get there about twenty five minutes before their flight.

The Costs While touring the city in a helicopter is an unforgettable experience, it does not come cheap. For a time Vision Airlines had tried to minimize the costs of City Sky by charging per seat. However, since there was not a very high demand for such flights, it was difficult to fill up all seven spaces. Now passengers have to book the entire helicopter starting at a hefty NT$30,980. To lessen the pain, the company has teamed up with the Landis Hotel (亞都麗緻大飯店), offering Chinese, but the company’s staff and tour guides can speak guests a one night stay and a free ride from the hotel to the English. Interested parties are required to make reservations airport. It still pinches the wallet but at least it comes with a at least five days in advance. As stated earlier, there are little style. seven seats available for customers. For safety reasons, Vision Airlines can be reached at 2717-5011. It can be pregnant women, those with high blood pressure and children found online at www.citysky.biz The website is completely in under the age of six are not allowed to fly.

(Top and bottom) Viewing the cityscape, including the peripheral parts of the city, can be easily done by a helicopter tour.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 21 | Glove Puppet Theater: SPECIALCOVER STORYREPORT AnA Enduring New Spring Symbol for Taipei of Taiwan Cinema

A New Spring for Taipei Cinema By Sean Scanlan • Photo courtesy of Department of Cultural Affairs

n a recent Sunday afternoon, a dozen young filmmakers sat in a café munching cookies and drinking coffee. Many were casually dressed, Owearing sporty athletic wear, black dress shirts, and even the ubiquitous jeans and t-shirts. Potentially the only unifying characteristic was their age. Some film critics have picked up on the young age of this newest crop of local filmmakers, even dubbing them “Seventh Graders” due to their birthdates in the 1980’s (lunar year 70), making them the English equivalent of “twenty-somethings.” Today, many of these filmmakers are participating in the event “A New Spring for Taiwan Cinema,” which includes a joint press conference to be followed by the staggered release Local young filmmakers attract fans from various groups, notably the younger generation. of 8 locally produced feature films.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 22 | A New Spring for Taipei Cinema SPECIAL REPORT

Films included in this program are the heavily hyped “Spider Lilies” by Zero Chou (周美玲), and the big- budget, youth oriented production, “Exit Number 6” by Lin Yu-Hsien (林 育賢). This year, many of the “Seventh Graders” are accounting for the majority of the domestic releases. According to the Taiwan Yearbook, Taiwan has been averaging a dozen or so domestic films releases per year, a miniscule figure compared to the 200 plus foreign films and 50 Hong Kong films. Government assistance has helped young filmmakers in the film industry, most notably the Domestic Film Guidance Fund which provides up to 50% production subsidies as well as a newly revised Motion Picture Act which offers tax incentives and Taiwan has been averaging a dozen or so domestic films releases per year, a miniscule figured compared to a broader definition of international the 200 plus foreign films. cooperation in local films. The monetary support makes it possible for young Chou has a devoted following of fans in Taiwan, in part filmmakers to explore their distinctive style and narrative because the subject matter of her films deals with lesbian dramas, providing a small cushion from the cold reality of the topics. She began in documentary film production and has market place. Still, most filmmakers know that they need all recently completed her second feature film. Her first feature the help they can get, and if it’s a joint press conference or the “Splendid Float” won the “Teddy Bear Award” for Gay and opportunity to talk to the media, this is one opportunity they Lesbian films at the Berlin Film Festival. cannot miss. One sign of the new economics of the situation is the ability of filmmakers to sell advanced tickets for their films. These tickets are generally available at a 20% discount over regular admission and are good for use at any theater in Taiwan. By pre-selling these tickets, directors can directly gain this income and can create “word of mouth” buzz which is essential for a film’s box office receipts in its first week of release. “Filmmakers have been doing advanced sales for the past few years. They get to keep 100% of these sales, whereas at the box office, they have to split the money with the theater. Almost all of the young Taiwanese filmmakers have become involved in advanced sales,” says Vivian Chou (周敏) of the Golden Horse Film Festival. Today, filmmaker Chou was selling tickets for her highly anticipated feature “Spider Lilies.” She sat at a table eagerly meeting fans who lined up to purchase advance tickets, also presenting ticket purchasers with a limited edition poster and Some local movies are doing relatively well at box office since advanced other promotional materials which she offered to sign. tickets are 20% off regular admission.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 23 | SPECIAL REPORT A New Spring for Taipei Cinema

(Left) Director Zero Chou has won the “Teddy Bear Award” for Gay and Lesbian films at the Berlin Film Festival on her first feature firm, “Splendid Float.” (Bottom) “Spider Lilies” has stirred up some discussions since the subject matter deals with lesbian topics.

“The biggest challenge was finding actors to perform the roles. We need to nurture and train more actors. Not all of them are accustomed to working with film, as some are more experienced in TV and video work,” says Chou. For “Spider Lilies” she went overseas to Hong Kong to recruit the actress Isabella Leong (梁洛施) for the lead role. Chou says this casting decision was simply because of the fit of the part. Her newest film “Spider Lilies” continues in the vein of For Li Ya-Mei (李亞梅), the leader of Atom Films, young her previous genre films, delving into youth sub-culture, Taipei-area filmmakers have a bigger problem developing tattoos and all, with the central narrative plot being a love good stories and relating to the audience rather than finding story between two women. It was filmed partially in Taipei’s good actors. Treasure Hill Community, a once thriving artistic community She says the budget for “Spider Lilies” was a modest before authorities temporarily closed it for sewerage and other NT$10mn, and represents a new focus on “story” as opposed structural improvements. to Taiwan’s last generation of filmmakers such as Hou Hsiao- The film received funding assistance from the Government Hsien and Tsai Ming-Liang whose films were steeped in Information Office (GIO) in 2005, allowing for a shooting nostalgia, and clung to realism as an aesthetic sense. schedule which lasted for 6 weeks, though it involved 18 “For the new generation, it is clear that we want stories. months of preparation. The shooting was done on 35mm film, Our new aesthetic sense is more poetic and even influenced requiring a large cast for various technical considerations. by pop music videos,” says Li.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 24 | A New Spring for Taipei Cinema SPECIAL REPORT

which traced a graffiti artist living in the Ximenting area; later his documentary film “Jump Boys” detailed the lives of young children competing in a national gymnastics tournament. “Last year, everyone was talking about documentary films. They became so popular that everyone began doing it. That was one of the reasons why I decided to get back into film,” says Lin. Lin studied filmmaking at Chinese Culture University, later working for a local commercial film production company as an entry level staff member. He toiled in this company before departing for military service, and later, getting a job with director Wu Mi-Sen (吳米森) where he worked on three of Wu’s films: “Fluffy Rhapsody,” “Drop Me A Cat,” and “Experimental Taiwanese.”

The big budget and youth oriented production, “Exit Number 6,” directed by Lin says he learned the craft of filmmaking from mentor Lin Yu-Hsien is deemed to be a big hit. Wu Mi-Sen, and was well prepared when it came to working on his first feature film. He took a brave step in hiring Max Another young Taipei-area filmmaker hoping to capitalize Wong (汪大勇), a director of photography who was an on the new youthful trend in local cinema is Lin whose overseas Chinese living in the US. Wong’s previous work had film “Exit Number 6” is based upon the popular Ximenting included music videos for Snoop Doggy Dog, and he brought neighborhood in Taipei. In fact, it’s mostly set at the No. 6 a new wide angle lens and close-up style of filming to his exit of the MRT station, an area frequented by students, old work. residents of Wanhua, and commuters on the way home from The film will open on May 11th in 15-20 theaters around office work in Taipei. the island, and Lin has budgeted NT$5mn to make sure the “I think Ximenting is an important place because it is one film is properly promoted and publicized. With just a month of the locations in Taipei where both young people and old to go before major theatrical release, Lin is very calm, and in people meet,” says Lin. He has been successful documenting fact, he is planning his next film which he says is a spy thriller young people as his first major work was a short documentary with the working title “Chiang Kai-Shek’s Smile.”

“Exit Number 6” is based upon the popular Ximenting neighborhood in Taipei.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 25 | SPECIAL REPORT A New Spring for Taipei Cinema

The short feature, “Street Survivor,” casts two main characters, a police officer and a prostitute, along with creative method which blurs what is real and what is not.

A third filmmaker who is on the edge of celebrity status is Taipei Film Festival filmmaker Lin Jing-Jie (林靖傑) whose short feature “Street As it turns out, many of the local films released this Survivor” won a jury prize at the Golden Horse Film Festival. year will be included in one of two competition segments His film involves a police officer and a prostitute and the pain in the Taipei Film Festival. The Taipei Grand Award is open they feel after their two lives cross. to all Taiwanese film directors producing feature films, The film is an exciting mix of documentary and narrative documentaries, experimental films and animation. The fiction, blurring the lines between what is real and what has competition offers NT$1mn in prize money and is usually been created by the filmmaker. The result is a jarring short- dominated by big-name film directors like Hou Hsiao-Hsien film that has earned great praise for an aspiring filmmaker and Tsai Ming-Liang, though up to 200 submissions routinely who is different from the rest of the “Seventh Graders” as he apply for the award. Meanwhile, the other category, “New is now 40 years old. Talent Competition” is restricted to all young filmmakers with His film has documentary touches because he spent half debut works, and receives nearly 100 submissions in the non- a lifetime working with documentary film as well as television professional category. and other odd jobs to earn an income. Aside from his latest Prize money has been one way the Taipei Film Festival short, he also achieved acclaim 8 years ago with the film “Bad ensures a steady stream of programming. Another draw is the Girl Trilogy” where he contributed one segment of the film. fact that the festival is scheduled over the summer holiday, Recently, he has finished filming a new feature film with attracting many students to the festival. This year the festival the working title “The Most Distance” which he says is about plans to screen 150 films over 16 days at five theaters in a road trip involving two men and one woman traveling from Taipei and Taipei County. Main venues for the festival will be Taipei to Taitung. Each of them is getting over the break-up of IN89, Chungshan Hall, and City Stage, the latter two locations a relationship and they are all seeking to find something about offering up to 1,000 seats. themselves. Perhaps it is his age, but Lin says it is “not the right time to identify or label the new cinema being created in Taipei. We still lack a distinctive voice and identity, but I think that will come soon in the future.”

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 26 | A New Spring for Taipei Cinema SPECIAL REPORT

“I think that the Taipei Film Festival has become the best platform for young filmmakers to promote their projects which are either in post production or finished works. In addition to the prize money, we work hard to attract a lot of programmers from overseas to give them more exposure,” says Jane Yu (游 惠貞), Taipei Film Festival Director. Tickets to the festival will be an affordable NT$150 as Yu says the festival is “building a new audience, and not wanting to overlap with other festivals.” In past years, the festival has been organized along the lines of specially highlighted cities, and this year, the city in focus is Copenhagen, Denmark, the home of the acclaimed Dogma 95 filmmakers and auteur Lars Von Trier. “We believe this city focus will bring more attention to some of the issues of living in a city like Taipei. By seeing other cities on the screen, people of Taipei may be able to learn more about our city,” says Yu. Unique for this year, the festival is even hosting a special photo exhibition dubbed Taipei Image Award where local residents can submit their pictures of the city, with some of the top pictures being exhibited during the dates of the festival. Yu believes this type of exhibition will lower the entry barrier to filmmaking, and help display more faces of Taipei. This year’s festival will focus on several films from Copenhagen, Denmark, the home of the acclaimed The Taipei Film Festival will be held from June 22nd Dogma 95 filmmakers and auteur Lars Von Trier. to July 9th. For more information, please visit the festival’s website at www.taipeiff.org.tw

Movies selected for last year’s film festival were big sales at box offices in the following months, therefore, a great opportunity to increase publicity.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 27 | ART / CULTURE Decoding Design

The shape of Taipei 101 is an abstract representation of ost descriptions of the Taipei the classical Chinese pagoda. Financial Center (臺北國際 金融大樓), better known as MTaipei 101 after its 101 above-ground stories, note that, at 508 meters tall, it holds the title of “world’s tallest building” in three of the four officially recognized categories. They also focus on its US$1.8 billion price tag, high-speed double-decker elevators that reach speeds above 60 kilometers per hour, and 800-ton steel ball on the 88th floor designed to absorb energy from the building, thereby stabilizing it in high winds and even moderate earthquakes. The skyscraper’s architects, C.Y. Lee and Partners, also had other design features in mind, however. As Lee explained in a recent magazine interview, “The most important thing to me when designing my buildings is the expression. Expression is an identity issue, and the identity of a building is the comprehensive result of its shape, motifs and overall look.... When you see Taipei 101, you will say, ‘This is Chinese architecture.’” While it may be difficult for Lee to put his finger on exactly why his building is oriental, a number of clues are available. This is because the designers selected a variety of features from a huge palette of symbolic shapes, colors, numbers and other motifs that Chinese people have developed over thousands of years. Decoding

By Mark Caltonhill Photos by Neng-yu Wang Design Shapes, Plants, Animals, Numbers, Colors, The cosmological concept of “heaven round, earth With Taipei 101 as a Contemporary Model square” not only applies to Taipei 101, but also and Why Men Should Not Wear Green Hats applies to many structural designs.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 28 | Decoding Design ART / CULTURE

Chinese chess is another representation of the Three coins have been created to form the “101” logo based on the circle-within-a-square design. (Photo cosmological principle. by Joanna Rees)

Shapes you wish”), a kind of scepter, perhaps particularly significant. Representing the Although some people jokingly derived from a medicinal fungus or eye and, therefore, spiritual gaze of their describe Taipei 101 as looking like a backscratcher. ancestors, it is commonly on clothing and series of Chinese takeaway-food cartons Other symbolic shapes available to in other art. stacked one above the other, it is in fact Taipei’s architects, artists and designers Chinese characters may also be an abstract representation of the classical include the swastika (卍) which, for used for ground plans, such as temples Chinese pagoda. Inside, the circle- Buddhists, has great importance and is arranged like the word hui (回), men- within-a-square design draws on the found throughout religious art. Originating tioned in the last issue, or vertically, such cosmological concept of “heaven round, in ancient India, it perhaps started life as as the Tuntex Sky Tower in Kaohsiung earth square” (天圓地方). This pairing a symbol of the sun’s movement through (also designed by C.Y. Lee and Part- is commonly seen, from the ancient the sky. For members of the north-central ners), shaped like the word gao (高), religious practice of uniting heaven and aboriginal Atayal people (泰雅族)—who meaning “high,” the first character in the earth through the manipulation of circular are famed for their weaving skills and city’s name (高雄). bi (璧), jade discs, with a corresponding facial tattooing—the diamond shape is cong (琮), oblong jade cylinder, to the Chinese inventions of the compass (circular as it originated as a map of the heavens) and chess (square as it represented human movements on earth). Some even claim that houses and temples, towns and cities, even fields are all constructed in a square shape to accord with this principle. In addition to the underlying design of Taipei 101, the main monument in the city’s 2-28 Peace Park also employs this motif. This circle-within-a-square design was also used long ago for Chinese coins, and three such coins have been used imaginatively to create a “101” logo for the building. The roof of the attached pedestal-like mall building is said to be shaped like a ruyi (如意, meaning “as If you pay attention to the architecture, the ruyi design (meaning “as you wish”) can be quite conspicuous.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 29 | ART / CULTURE Decoding Design

Plant and Animal Motifs old age and longevity, which are greatly In addition to the overall pagoda valued in traditional Chinese society. design, Taipei 101’s owners, the Taipei Pines soar skyward with strong straight Financial Center Corporation, say it is trunks, and thus symbolize an upright composed of the nodes and sections person of steadfast virtue. Plums bloom of a bamboo stalk. Because it remains in the coldest months and, since their green throughout the winter and grows in flowers are not especially showy, also section after section, bamboo symbolizes symbolize humble beauty. strength, resilience, and abundance. Many other plants appear on Moreover, because it is hollow, this tall the Chinese symbol palette, often grass also represents tolerance, open- because their names sound like that mindedness, and humility. of some auspicious word. Thus apples Bamboo is one of the “three friends (蘋; ping ) signify “peace” (平; ping ); of winter” (歲寒三友), along with the pine “chrysanthemum” (菊; ju ) sounds a and plum. Together they survive through little like “long time” (jiu) and so is a the cold months and therefore represent symbol of long life; onions (葱; cong)

are placed on temple altars by students taking examinations as an invocation of “intelligence” (聰; cong). First among all animal symbols is the long (龍; generally translated as the Chinese dragon for its similarity to the Western mythological beast). Possibly derived from a large migratory fish, a sea monster, or the composite image of Neolithic tribal totems, the long is regarded as positive as its occidental relative is negative. It was quickly adopted to represent the superior status of the imperial clan, and even in post-imperial times has maintained its auspicious image. Long appear in a stylized form at the four corners of each of Taipei 101’s eight sections, where they are said to protect the building from malevolent spirits. Other animals used by designers include fish (魚; yu), which sounds the same as “abundant foods” (餘; yu), and carp (鯉; li) for “advantage” (利; li), which explains why a fish tank containing carp is a common feature of office design.

(Top) Many plants that have names similar to some auspicious words can be found on religious altars to wish for better fortune. (Photo by Mark Caltonhill) (Left) Taipei 101 is composed of the nodes and sections of a bamboo stalk, which symbolizes strength, resilience, and abundance.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 30 | Decoding Design ART / CULTURE

Prehistorians say that the use of robbing the Christian symbol of some this kind of pun in art predates the of its power in Taiwanese art. Taipei 3,500-year-old Chinese written language City Hall has a “double ten” (十十) floor itself, pointing to the use of bat motifs plan, commemorating the October 10th on ancient pottery as among the oldest rebellion of 1911 which led eventually known examples. Today, millennia later, to overthrow of the Qing dynasty and bats (蝠; fu) are still used to convey the establishment of the Republic of China. wish of the identical-sounding “good fortune” (福; fu). Colors A length of sugar cane is commonly seen at Although color is not used symboli- Numbers weddings to hope for long-lasting marriages. cally in the design of Taipei 101, it is a That Taipei 101’s “eight” (八; ba ) common element elsewhere in the bamboo sections sounds like “to make” three to five. Check this out at hospitals city’s architecture, art, culture and even (發; fa) makes the number representative you may visit. politics. For example, long before it was of people “making” their fortune, showing Nine (九) sounds just like “long adopted as the color of the pan-green (泛 the flexibility of Chinese puns. This time” (久) and so is auspicious. The 綠) alliance of pro-independence political makes eight a very popular number. habit of tying a length of sugar cane parties, green (綠; lu ) represented But just about every number has some to the bride’s car at a wedding is not spring and the coming of life. Perhaps significance. The number four (四; si) just because the nodes represent the surprisingly, red (紅; hong) is accredited sounds almost identical with “death” (死; sections of a person’s life, nor because with even greater life-giving power, as si) and is consequently considered the it is hoped the marriage will be sweet well as being a symbol of happiness most unlucky of numbers. Thus, in terms but, measuring nine feet, it is hoped and prosperity. Brides traditionally of architectural design, you will at times the marriage will last forever. Ten (十), married in red, wedding invitations are come across buildings with no fourth while not particularly symbolic, is written still printed on red paper and gifts of floor, the floor numbers jumping from in the form of a vertical cross, thus money are placed in red envelopes.

“Long” appears in a stylized form at the four corners of each of Taipei 101’s eight sections to protect the building from malevolent spirits.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 31 | ART / CULTURE Decoding Design

(Top) Old traditions and designs date back to prehistoric times have remained until today. (Photo by Mark Caltonhill) (Bottom) Red is a symbol of happiness and prosperity, therefore is widely used during occasions such as wedding ceremony.

Red’s positive connotations seem to date (白; bai ) was associated with death, because of a Chinese idiom “to wear back to prehistoric times; the custom of perhaps through its association with a green hat” (戴綠帽), which suggests pasting up auspicious couplets on red autumn and old age, the current fashion a man is a cuckold. Dating back 2,500 paper at New Year, for example, can be for brides to wear white is a designers’ years to a regulation requiring men who traced back to the ancient practice of success story. Traditionally, both corpses traded wife or daughter for food to wear slaughtering a chicken and smearing its and mourners wear white—actually a green headscarf, the phrase’s origins blood on the doorpost to scare off evil “unbleached” or “pure” (素; su) cloth—in- have generally been forgotten but its spirits that might otherwise prevent the vitations to a funeral are printed on white meaning is as alive as ever. New Year’s arrival. paper, and donations to the bereaved This is also a good example of Black (黑; hei) is generally inauspi- handed over in white envelopes. how complex the use of color, number, cious; for example, an inauspicious day One of the most unusual examples shape, and animal/plant motifs is in is a “black day,” gangsters are “black of color is that designers are unlikely contemporary design, for which the few society” and money made by corrupt to use green cloth to make a man’s dozen examples given above merely means is “black gold.” Given that white hat, however attractive its hue. This is introduce the subject.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 32 | Decoding Design ART / CULTURE

The hollowness of the bamboo stalk represents tolerance, open-mindedness and humility.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 33 | ART / CULTURE The Lady in Red

sk anyone what is the single most important tourist to visitors far removed from the Oriental world. attraction in Taipei and eighty out of every hundred Here steps in our “Lady in Red1” to rescue distressed will mention of the National Palace Museum. souls from getting sucked into this whirlpool of knowledge ALocated in the suburban north, the museum, fascinatingly on history, art, artifacts, painting, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, beautiful amid verdant green hills, is a treasure-trove of and hundreds of other interesting themes. As you follow her, Chinese art and artifacts. sprinting through gallery after dimly-lit gallery, she skillfully However soothing to the eye, once inside the enormity of brings alive each segment, unraveling the mystery and the situation hits as you confront thousands of cultural relics history associated with each. You lose all sense of time, and displayed in more than twenty-five galleries. The collection get completely immersed in a wonderful world of art and totals well over 655,000 spanning over five thousand years of culture which no longer seems that complicated. The Lady a history that is complex, mystical, and spectacular, especially in Red is the English-speaking volunteer tour guide at the

By Monideepa Banerjee The Photos by Neng-yu Wang Lady in Red DISCOVER TAIPEI | 34 | The Lady in Red ART / CULTURE

National Palace Museum, gracefully attired in an elegant grey qipao and a crimson-red Chinese-cut jacket with beautiful embroidery on the collar.

An Uphill Task But thoroughly Enjoyable The National Palace Museum was inaugurated at its present location in 1965. Since then, everybody from the fleeting visitor to the old-time resident, professional or businessman, educator or student, has visited the museum to get a glimpse at the vast treasure the Imperial rulers of various dynasties amassed over the centuries.

The National Palace Museum houses over 655,000 cultural relics that are on display in more than 25 galleries. (Photo courtesy of The National Palace Museum) For too long, however, it wasn’t as enjoyable as now, especially for visitors who did not know Chinese, says a long- term expatriate Taipei resident, as not much was explained in English. “In the eighties, I remember taking my South American friends; all excited to see the Ming vases and Song paintings, but afterwards looking visibly dejected for not being able to follow them in their right elements, because of the language barrier.” In 1992, in a very thoughtful gesture, the museum authorities introduced the concept of English-speaking tour guides for regular English tours, to help English-speaking tourists understand the nuances of Chinese art and culture. Volunteers from local and other nationalities fluent in English are chosen for this role; the term “foreign docent” was much heard early on around the NPM as there were more participants from foreign nationalities in the program’s early years. It was an uphill task, which requires schooling the volunteers thoroughly in the various aspects of Chinese history, art, culture, and tradition. Ms. Lin Huei-Hsien (林惠 賢) who supervised over the introductory volunteer program, had to consider the museum’s elevated status and extensive collection while formulating a program that would not only educate the volunteers but at the same time create an affinity with the culture. Furthermore, the program had to be interesting enough to attract the foreigners to participate in this voluntarily.

1. The program is open to all but usually the volunteers are all ladies dressed in red jacket—so I coined the term. In fact, I know of only one gentleman, who had joined this course in the past and the men also have no dress code as such.

NPM is a place for everyone, from the old-time resident to the fleeting visitor.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 35 | ART / CULTURE The Lady in Red

“It was really an inter- The Program Takes You Back to School esting program. It brought “Working as a docent in the National Palace Museum history alive,” according is a challenging job, as you face tourists full of enquiries for to Sashi Gupta, wife of a viewing something very different from their own culture,” former Director General says a fellow docent, “so it is important that you get your of the Indian Taipei As- basics right.” The training program covers a wide range of sociation, who was a subjects related to Chinese art, such as bronzes, carvings, docent at the museum. paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jades, oracle bones, seals, “As we learnt the history, and Buddhist art. It is very intensive, informative, and requires and knew about the cre- immense concentration, just like those good-old school days. ators who produced such Usually it stretches two to three months, with 3-4 classes masterpieces, we could per week, the duration of which may vary from year to year. view those inanimate Both theoretical as well as hands-on training are given by objects lying silently in Extensive collections of age-old relics experts to familiarize volunteers with the seemingly endless the museum corridors in amaze many visitors, and being a collection of artifacts. Often, scholars and professors from an entirely different light. docent is a great way to develop a prestigious universities are invited to deliver lectures on a closer bond with the art objects. We became more appre- particular topic of interest. ciative of the painstaking artistry and profound love that went Evaluation is an important part of the training, so there into the making of each of those age-old relics. And in doing are regular quizzes and tests to monitor the students’ so, we developed a close bond with the art objects that later performance. But do not worry, the teachers are very helpful helped us describe them in a better way to viewers.” and they arrange for extra classes whenever necessary. After Having undergone the program myself and then working successfully completing the training, the docents are taken as a docent through 2004 and 2005, I too found the program on mock tours. In the beginning they join as followers on an very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. It opened the doors experienced guide’s tour, and after gaining enough confidence of a fascinating new world to me, and instead of satisfying they are entrusted with solo tours. Workshops are organized my curiosity, the program intensified my desire to learn more regularly even after the training is over as the museum rotates about Chinese art and culture. That, in my opinion, is the real exhibits at regular intervals and stages special exhibitions, success of the program. and it is important for the docents to have knowledgeable

The program is open to all but usually the volunteers are all ladies dressed in red jacket. However, gentlemen who have decided to join this course have no dress code as such.

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One of the most rewarding experiences of being a docent is to deliver in depth knowledge and to receive appreciation from the visitors.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 37 | ART / CULTURE The Lady in Red

There are so many fascinating anecdotes associated with each relic, and the docents’ narrations provide a very satisfying experience to the visitors.

exposure to them. The library at the up-to-date information about the foreign visited the museum I was so enamored museum has a vast selection of books on volunteer tour-guide program (also with the artifacts and so impressed by a wide range of subjects, especially for known as the “foreign docent program”). the tour guide’s depth of knowledge, Chinese art and history, and interested The selected applicants are notified especially since she was not Chinese. docents can use it to further their during September/October, and then When I congratulated her, she informed knowledge. a date is set for an interview. Final me of this program and finally I joined. “Well, don’t get put off by all the hard selection is done based on the interview. And I have enjoyed it thoroughly.” work,” advises a recent docent. “It is Prior knowledge of Chinese art, history, by far the best program to learn about or culture is not a criterion for selection, Responsibilities and Chinese art and history, and one of the but proper knowledge of the English Commitments most authentic ones as you are learning language is. The training program usually As the docents liaise between the from experts in the field. It takes you on starts around October, and goes on till museum and the tourists, and are the an amazing discovery trail where you December. New docents generally start first line of communication, they have can visualize kings holding court, artists giving tours from January of the next immense responsibility. With that comes painting beautiful masterpieces, potters year. commitment. Each docent, after the creating beautiful works of art, carvers The museum welcomes all members successful completion of the training, is producing exquisite carvings, and so of the foreign community to participate required to serve as a tour guide once a on….” Her voice trails off as if she is in the foreign docent program to foster week (for half a day only) for one year, revisiting those scenes once again. a greater understanding of the Chinese the timings mutually agreed upon by culture. True to the call, the docents docent and museum. Ability to work on How to Apply and come from a variety of backgrounds weekends or during long public holidays Other Relevant Details and professions, mostly expatriate or vacations is considered a plus. Once You can apply any time of the year, wives, united by their common interest you complete the required number of before the month of September of that in the host culture. As Zarin, a former assignments, you will be rewarded calendar year, by downloading the form docent, points out, “Before setting foot with a certificate by the museum. Most provided on the National Palace Museum on this island, I did not have much idea volunteers join the program for their website (http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/ about Chinese paintings or the beautiful interest in Chinese art and culture, home.htm). The website has valuable calligraphic works found here. When I but having a certificate issued by a

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 38 | The Lady in Red ART / CULTURE

prestigious museum like the NPM can come in very handy would have been very difficult on our part to locate the art afterwards. objects in this maze of galleries and also grasp their actual Being a docent has other plusses, too. It’s held in high relevance,” they elaborate, pointing at the floor chart. esteem among the community. The docents get free passes Interestingly, the toughest hurdle a docent faces is how to the museum and can avail themselves of discounts at the to squeeze in all that hard-earned knowledge in the hour- museum gift stores during their tenure. It also feels wonderful long tours as they race from gallery to gallery, so that the when the visitors, at the sight of a foreigner explaining the visitors don’t miss any important exhibit or artwork. So the details of Chinese art and history, appreciate your effort with tour itinerary must be planned well, taking into account the tinges of awe and respect. expectations of diverse audiences, showing them the best pieces, using simple language and clear pronunciation, and An Amazing Experience not forgetting to include some anecdotes to really make the Participating in the foreign-docent program is indeed tours interesting. a very satisfying and worthwhile achievement from their Another positive outcome of working as a foreign docent Taipei days; many former docents have informed me fondly. is that you get to meet so many interesting people, with whom “Besides the informative history, there are so many fascinating otherwise you may not have any interaction. I once had a anecdotes associated with each piece,” reiterates a current group of eminent surgeons, one of whom was the private docent. “As we narrate them to the visitors, we make their doctor of one Head of State of a small African Nation. journey through the museum a very satisfying experience.” The most wonderful gift of the program, however, is the “Indeed, it’s through their narration that the amazing look of respect and appreciation on the visitor’s faces when beauty of Chinese painting, the unique treasure of calligraphy, they see a foreigner explaining the details of Chinese art and the vibrant world of pottery and ceramics, the romance of jade, history. It may also be a wonderful experience of your Taipei and the mystique of Tibetan Buddhism are unveiled before days. us,” echoes a group of tourists from the USA. “Otherwise it

Join us, and make your experience of Taipei days a wonderful one.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 39 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds LIVING IN TAIPEI Skyward, Homeward

I walk away, in order to come back…. of human food. As a result of this poor and human food contributed to his curvy, diet, the plumage of this poor baby owl poorly developed skeletal frame, and his heartwarming tale took place turned sickly white, and began to fall off; his inability to stand and fly. The story a decade ago. It was about a his spindly legs were wobbly, rendered seemed destined to a sad ending—but hapless baby collared scops owl, completely useless for supporting his it was not so. Before “Bread” died, he Twhose suffering became the inspiration— body weight. At last realizing that the was made the Lifelong Rescue Project and legacy—of Taiwan’s first professional owl’s survival likely depended on this, Mascot for the WBFT, and was accom- bird-rehabilitation center. The baby owl his frightened caretaker transported him panied by federation volunteers to visit was called “Bread.” hastily to a professional birdwatching a variety of communities and campuses association for emergency treatment— to promote bird-protection awareness. “Bread,” or “BB”— the Wild Bird Federation Taiwan (WBFT). After the “Bread” incident, the federation This is a Tribute to You The owl convalesced slowly but nicely, took a proactive approach by launching a Ten years ago, an injured baby owl thanks to the lavish TLC of association bird-rescue program. The very first Wild was found and rescued by a kindhearted staff. Bird Rehabilitation Center was set up in man, who took him home in the hope As tongue-in-cheek “acknowledge- Taipei this year, and to commemorate the of nursing him back to health. For one ment” of his previous diet, the baby owl legacy that “Bread” has made possible, whole month, this well-meaning but was christened “Bread.” “Bread” had the center is informally called the “Bread medically misinformed rescuer put him on failed to receive timely, appropriate treat- Home.” a diet of white bread and an assortment ment after his rescue; the white toast The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds Skyward, Homeward By Ya-chih Lin • Photos by Neng-yu Wang • Translated by Shannon Hu

The “Bread Home” provides injured wild birds a shelter for rehabilitation.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 40 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds Skyward, Homeward LIVING IN TAIPEI

Since collared scops owls share many of their living space with humans, therefore, they have become one of the most frequently injured bird species.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 41 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds LIVING IN TAIPEI Skyward, Homeward

Give These Birds a New Lease on This Black Bulbul, a bird species that is found in most Life tropical areas in Asia, has been receiving sufficient The Hotai Zhishan Wild Bird Reha- care at the “Bread Home.” bilitation Center—the official name—is inside the Zhishan Cultural and Ecologi- cal Garden. Thanks to the kind patronage of Hotai Motors and robust planning of the Wild Bird Federation Taiwan, it was officially inaugurated on February 4th, 2007. The general mission of “Bread Home” is the rescue of fallen birds and their reintroduction to Mother Nature as part of an overall effort to preserve the natural, biological mechanisms of the ecosystem. Birds and humans come into greater contact as metropolitan expan- sion encroaches on bird habitats; the expansion in turn inflicts greater risks of injury on unwary birds. Some of the most evident examples include not-so-uncom- species and prevent the strong from facility to promote preser vation mon crashes of birds into the windshields preying on their weaker counterparts awareness. Outside the four aviaries of speeding cars and glass/plexiglass in —who no doubt have already suffered stand instructional signage, on which is tall buildings. Untrained but well-inten- enough terror. The C and D aviaries, with basic information on the birds living in the tioned people sometimes stumble upon a detachable dormer installed, actually sanctuary at the moment. This thoughtful such animals and rescue them; but their serve as a practice area to prepare birds installation provides visitors an excellent lack of professional training often puts the in better shape for release back into opportunity to get to know the distinctive wellbeing of the birds in peril. the wild. When the convalescing birds features of various “inpatients.” Due to In addition, prior to the establishment reach a satisfactory recovery phase, limited space, the home can only allow a of the center it was common practice trained volunteers open the dormer to certain number of birds into the hospice; for the many injured birds to be taken to start a “reintroduction drill,” allowing most rescued animals are first placed in the homes of volunteers working for the birds to spread their wings and gradually the homes of WBFT volunteers, and wait WBFT to convalesce after undergoing adapt themselves to the wild. Deputy for recovering birds at the home to be emergency treatment at various veteri- Director Li Ming-huang (李明晃) of the released back into the wild before their narian hospitals. But ordinary human Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden, turn comes for entry into the sanctuary homes are not exactly modeled after and leader of the rescue mission Ms. and professionally pampering. One the bird’s natural habitats; therefore, the Xie Guang-shan (謝廣珊) of the Wild thing noteworthy, though, is that the demand to promote proper caretaking Bird Society of Taipei, note that only if home does not take in sick birds—only know-how for injured birds and to build the injured birds are observed to have wounded wild birds already medically a “halfway house” to nurse these birds recovered a certain level of their natural and professionally treated. Nor does back to health began to surface, to meet ability to find food and avert danger, and sanctuary staff perform emergency the needs of the birds head-on. seem not too emotionally attached to treatments on injured animals. So if you The “Bread Home” consists of four their caretakers, will they be allowed to do chance upon a fallen bird, contact the aviaries and outdoor premises, totaling enter the reintroduction drill. Rescue Center of the Wild Bird Society about 60 pings of space (one ping is of Taipei or other rescue units to give about 36 sq. ft.). At time of writing, the A Little Bit of Love from You and first-aid help to the animals, in addition home has taken 16 birds—including Me—Let’s Keep the “Bread Home” to performing basic, commonsense collared scops owls, cattle egrets, and Running! emergency procedures. black bulbuls—into the care of the In addition to being a springboard for The inauguration of the Bread Home sanctuary. The four aviaries—A, B, C, returning the injured birds to the skies, is centered on the mission to care for and D—allow separation of different the home doubles as an educational and help injured birds rehabilitate to

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 42 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds Skyward, Homeward LIVING IN TAIPEI

provide them a new lease on life, and a chance to return to the skies. As a number of facilities are being instituted, staff info at the sanctuary also has another goal in mind—that is, to ensure the sustainability of the home to be able to serve more animals in need. The “inpatients” here are being looked after by a team of rescue workers from the Wild Bird Society of The Bread Home—Zhishan Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center sponsored by Hotai Motors Taipei, and a dozen volunteers working at the Cultural and

Ecological Garden on rotating shifts, who are in charge of Address: 120, Yusheng Street (雨聲街), food and water provision; they also work to meet the various Shilin District adaptation needs of their “charges.” This caretaking endeavor Tel: (02) 8866-6258 Travel info: Take the Xindian-Danshui MRT and is no small endeavor—the expenses are quite substantial. get off at Zhishan station. Cross As a result the Wild Bird Society of Taipei and the Zhishan Zhongcheng Park (忠誠公園)on Zhongshan North Road (中山北路), Cultural and Ecological Garden are constantly encouraging Section 6, Lane 2, and pass the Stone interested men and women to join the good cause by God Temple. Walk for another 15 becoming volunteers and gaining a lifelong rewarding minutes to get to the Bread Home. By bus: Take the auxiliary 216, the auxiliary experience. The two organizations also appeal to the public 267, or the 279, 285, 606, 645, to adopt the injured birds—or make donations to the home to Red 12, or Red 15 buses to Taipei together build a robust and hospitable caretaking environment Municipal Yu Nong Elementary School (雨農國小), then take 206 to get off at in Taipei for the city’s wild birds. the Yangming Branch of Taipei City Hospital. Parking info: Just purchase a ticket to the Cultural There are more than 10 volunteers working at the Zhishan Cultural and and Ecological Garden for the day. Ecological Garden on rotating shifts. Photo shown here is a volunteer, Mr. This ticket makes you eligible for two hours of free parking at the park. Nan-yu Liu.

Emergency Treatment DIY for Wounded Birds

• If you happen to pick up an injured bird, do not feed the animal right away so as to avoid harm done by a well-intentioned but improper diet, and don’t force feed.

• To avoid dehydration, replenish the injured animals with liquid (juice warmed to 38 to 39 degrees Celsius, or sports drinks mixed with water at a 20/80 ratio). This simple step can quickly bring ample hydration and energy.

• Take the birds to your nearby veterinarian service so as not to miss the premium treatment hours.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 43 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds LIVINGCOVER IN STORY TAIPEI Taipei'sSkyward, Places Homeward of Worship

Frequently Seen Injuries and Instance 2—Bleeding: Instance 4—Young birds that have Conditions, and Correspondent Apply pressure to the wound to stop fallen out of the nest: Treatment Measures: bleeding. Release the pressure, apply a There are three possible scenarios few drops of medical iodine on sanitized surrounding fallen nestlings. First, you Q-tips or cotton balls to disinfect the may come across a fledgling that is just If you stumble upon wounded or sick wound, then carefully dress the wound with practicing to fly. Keep a safe distance, birds, make sure you first observe their a clean piece of cloth. Bleeding wounds watch closely, and give yourself a few appearance and signs of life. Then contact are susceptible to foreign substances. DO moments to observe the birds nearby. the Rescue Unit to confirm emergency NOT remove them on your own—seek If parents of the young bird are nearby, procedures. professional help. they will swoop down and take their young away. In the second scenario, wind and rain may have caused the young bird to Instance 1—Fracture: Instance 3—Birds that are soaking fall. Pick it up and dry it gently, remaining You can stop bleeding and dress a wound wet: on the lookout for birds nearby. If so, leave if the bird suffers from a compound Smallish birds are disposed to hypothermia the bird on a sturdy branch and allow it fracture. Make sure the wings and legs after getting drenched; you should to recover. In the final case, the nest may are placed in the appropriate position immediately use a dry towel or blow dryer have been spoiled, and you don’t comfortably, and wrap its body carefully to gently dry the plumage, and use a hand find any birds nearby. This may mean in a clean towel. If you cannot be sure of warmer to keep the animal comfortably the parents have died. Give the helpless your skills to handle fractures properly, you warm. nestling a helping hand and bring it to the are advised to take the animal to the vet Rehabilitation Center. IMMEDIATELY for professional help.

Preliminary Emergency Measures: After giving the appropr iate emergency treatment, place the injured animal in a cardboard box and visit the Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center or other rescue unit as soon as possible. But before you do, make sure you heed the following advice: the size of the box has to be appropriate for the bird and its interior has to be clean, warm, and comfortable for the injured animal. Find some old newspapers, old towels, or paper towels and spread them at the bottom as a cushion. In addition, handle the bird carefully so as not to inflict further injury. If the bird cannot take in liquid on its own, find a toothpick and cut off the sharp end. Dip it in a bottle of liquid and drip it gently on the beak, allowing the liquid to flow into its mouth.

A commonly seen migratory bird, Cattle Egret, is recovering in one of the four aviaries.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 44 | The “Bread Home” Sends Fallen Birds Skyward, Homeward LIVING IN TAIPEI

A volunteer looks after “inpatients” and makes sure there’s sustainable water and food.

Wild Bird Rescue Centers You Can Contact:

• Rescue Center at the Wild Bird Society of Taipei (臺北市野鳥學會救傷中心): (02) 2325-9190 • Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health (臺北市政府動物衛生檢驗所): (02) 8789-7158

Volunteer Veterinarian Services:

• Chuan Yang Veterinarian Clinic (全陽犬 貓專科學院): (02) 2762-7945 • Cheng Yi Veterinarian Clinic (澄毅動物 醫院): (02) 2733-4341 • Versailles Pigeon Racing and Pet Hospital (凡爾賽賽鴿寵物鳥醫院): (02) 2586-9933

For further detail on wild-bird emergency treatment and caretaking techniques, call or visit the Bread Home at Hotai Zhishan Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center (http://www.zcegarden.org.tw/), the Wild Bird Society of Taipei (http:// www.wbst.org.tw/), and Guandu Nature Park (http://www.gd-park.org.tw/en/ e1.htm) for pamphlets.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 45 | LIVING IN TAIPEI Breathing Easier

No-smoking signs are bestowed to restaurants to ensure customers a smoke-free environment.

BreathingBy Daniel Mojahedi • Photos by Neng-yu Wang Easier

moking is a basic privilege given to the citizens of nearly every country. However, it is also up to these countries’ federal and local governments to protect Sthe health and sanitation of those who choose not to light up. Maintaining the liberties of the former without endangering the latter can mean treading a fine line, and most countries are still fumbling about trying to strike such a balance. Taipei’s city government is itself in such a quandary. While smokers used to be able to light up freely in every part of the city, both the government and its citizens are now introducing measures to protect the population at large and offering those already hooked a way out.

Taipei’s population of smokers is relatively lower than the national average; however, it still consists one-fifth of the city population.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 46 | Breathing Easier LIVING IN TAIPEI

Smoking Population to drink alcohol, eat fatty foods, or cross the street during rush While still a very real problem, Taipei has a relatively small hour. percentage of smokers compared to other cities of its stature. The issue at hand is how cigarette smoke affects those A nationwide survey conducted in 2004 found that 18.5% of around the smoker. For example, while eating unhealthy foods the city’s population smokes, a number significantly better is bad for the diner, unless he first shoves a dollop of butter than the national average of 24%. Nevertheless, this still down someone’s throat before putting a gracious helping on means nearly one-fifth of the people living in Taipei light up. his pancakes, the ingestion of such foods should affect him alone. “The government is more worried about secondary Striking a Balance smoke,” states another restaurant owner when discussing Why not just ban smoking altogether? “The thing I hate such bans. “They are worried about protecting customers and about this worldwide trend for smoking bans,” complains one workers who don’t smoke. They are not necessarily worried restaurant owner, “is that the government seems happy to about the smokers themselves.” In other words, if smokers, collect taxes and keep smoking legal, but puts pressure on who understand its adverse affects, decide to light up, why restaurants and proclaims, ‘Oh, you are not allowed to do care as long as they do it in a place and fashion that does not that.’ Ban the stuff if it is that bad.” harm others? While most non-smokers would be happy to see such So while still warning smokers of the harmful effects of a ban, it is not necessarily the best way to deal with the smoking, the government is focusing most of its efforts on problem. While science has proven that smoking is bad for protecting non-smokers from the ill effects of secondhand you, the government cannot ban it for that reason alone. If smoke. they banned everything unhealthy, we would not be allowed

The government is focusing most of its efforts on protecting non-smokers from the negative impact of secondhand smoke.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 47 | Glove Puppet Theater: LIVINGCOVER IN STORY TAIPEI AnBreathing Enduring Easier Symbol of Taiwan

Restaurant is a key place where a balance between smokers and non-smokers is yet to achieve.

Restaurants establishments are developing their own smoke-free policies. One key place in which the struggle to find a balance in Grandma Nitti’s (中西美食餐廳), one of Taipei’s most popular playing out is in restaurants. This is where smokers and non- restaurants among expats, has recently prohibited smoking smokers most need to find a compromise. With all the policies indoors. “Sometimes we have families with children in here, that are being developed in places like Ireland, California, mainly on the weekends,” states Rainbow Lin (林虹惠), owner and Hong Kong, the greatest complaint from both sides of the of the restaurant. “A lot of times they have a hard time dealing fence are in regards to smoking policies within restaurants. “My with the smoke.” friend and I went in for lunch and found they no longer allowed smoking anywhere,” one smoker notes, speaking of a popular The Other Side of the Fence local restaurant. “My nonsmoking friend was thrilled, but I was However, such bans in restaurants can have adverse not so happy. However, when we went back a few weeks effects on business. Some restaurants simply find the costs of later, we found that they were once again allowing customers creating a smoke-free environment too high. “People will come to smoke. When I asked about it, an employee said that the here to eat and then drink beer for a couple of hours,” states restaurant had received too many complaints from smokers. the owner of another popular expat-frequented restaurant. “So This time I was the one who was more pleased.” it is conducive to smoking and relaxing and chatting away. It While the city government has no policy regarding would be really, really difficult to stop smoking.” smoking in restaurants, more and more of these “We did receive some complaints when we first

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 48 | Breathing Easier LIVING IN TAIPEI

implemented the ban, and indeed some of the more ardent 4. The restaurant must be completely free of the smell smokers just stopped coming,” admits Rainbow Lin, who tried of smoke. to ease customers into the change by first banning smoking after 5:00 before making Grandma Nitti’s completely smoke- 5. The restaurant must be completely free of people free. smoking. While it can be a painful change, Lin still sees it as a necessary one. “I felt we had to make the change now. If we 6. The restaurant may not sell or provide any articles waited, the reaction from smokers would only grow worse.” used for smoking.

Teaming Up In addition, the health department runs a website listing all To encourage more restaurants to go smoke-free, the restaurants that have been certified. The list can be found at Taipei City Health Department has initiated a voluntary drive http://subsys.health.gov.tw/無菸餐廳/index03.htm. The site is to get more restaurants to declare themselves non-smoking completely in Chinese but, with a little help from a local, can zones. If a restaurant bans smoking the government bestows provide foreigners with a very helpful guide for choosing to eat a special certification for display. To receive such recognition, if they do not want to deal with secondhand smoke. a restaurant must be inspected and meet the following criteria: The Environment 1. No-smoking signs should be posted The fact that smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, at the entrances or other places and high blood pressure is common knowledge. However, where they can be easily seen. the dangers cigarettes pose to the environment are less often discussed. Too many smokers carelessly throw their cigarette 2. No ashtrays may be found within butts on the street, creating fire hazards and making many the restaurant. public places an eyesore. Although the problem might not sound severe, it is. 3. No cigarette butts may be found For example, from January to October of last year, over within the restaurant. ten percent of the fires in Taipei were caused by either the

Last year, the Department of Health held a ceremony to celebrate the number of smoke-free restaurants has totaled more than 3,000. (Photo courtesy of Department of Health)

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 49 | LIVING IN TAIPEI Breathing Easier

irresponsible use or disposal of cigarettes. In addition, on December 17 of last year, the health department held an event at Shilin’s (士林) Meilun Park (美崙公園). Within thirty minutes a group of sixty-seven volunteers, composed of elementary-school students and their parents and teachers, picked up a staggering 1453 cigarette butts littering the park grounds. While you would imagine people would understand that a dry patch of grass and leaves is not the best place to throw a smoldering cigarette, the government has nonetheless been forced to take measures to combat this disturbing habit. The city government has asked its twelve districts to designate 無煙公園 one park each as a smokeless park ( ). These parks A total of 1,453 cigarette butts were picked up during the “smokeless park” will have both signs and volunteers posted asking people not drive. (Photo courtesy of Department of Health) to smoke while there. While these bans on smoking are not legally binding, it is hoped that smokers will understand and respect the program and not light up while on-site. is that the government is doing what it can to lower the number In conclusion, there is probably no final solution to the of people getting into the habit, protect the health of those who problems that arise with smoking. There will always be wish to have nothing to do with it, and keep everybody safe smokers that will feel as if they are the target of a witch-hunt from the negative environmental effects of smoking. We all and there will always be non-smokers complaining that they might be stumbling about seeking some middle ground, but at have to chew the air before they swallow it. However, the fact least we’re stumbling in the right direction.

Volunteers, elementary students, parents and teachers, hand-in-hand, joined the “smokeless park” drive to put the act in practice. (Photo courtesy of Department of Health)

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 50 | Want to Go Scuba Diving in Taipei? Nangang Recreation Center Awaits You! LIVING IN TAIPEI Want to Go Scuba Diving By I-yen Wang Photos by Neng-yu Wang in Taipei? Translated by Jason Lee Nangang Recreation Center Awaits You!

he recently opened Nangang Recreation Center not only has stylish exterior looks, but top- The 8-story-tall center has drawn enthusiastic Tnotch interior facilities to go with it. For crowds to its state-of-the-art facilities. one, the five-star gym is sure to make workouts a pleasant routine for gym- goers. And to make other fitness centers seem pale in comparison, the center’s got an indoor scuba-diving pool. First- time scuba divers need not travel long distances to remote beaches for that unforgettable experience, because you can get it right here in Taipei with less hassle and for less money. This NT$ 570 million facility is the fourth such sports center to open in Taipei City. With 8 above-ground floors and 4 underground levels, this steel- frame building packs in an indoor warm- water swimming pool, gym, badminton courts, table-tennis facilities, racquetball courts, indoor rock-climbing walls, aerobics rooms, golf-practice rooms, and a basketball court that also serves as a venue for performances. What’s more, there is also a 5-meter-deep scuba- diving pool, a 10-m shooting range, and a 30-m archery range. The variety of facilities alone is enough to make your eyes pop, not to mention the exceptional service provided by professionally trained personnel.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 51 | Want to Go Scuba Diving in Taipei? LIVING IN TAIPEI Nangang Recreation Center Awaits You!

The Incredible Scuba Diving Pool and Gym Facilities The highlight of the Nangang Recreation Center is its scuba-diving pool. The center now provides lessons to the public for NT$980 per session, where you can learn whether your body is suitable for the water pressures encountered in scuba diving without having to pay a bundle just to find out that scuba diving is not your thing. You can also sign up for a lesson package for NT$10,000, receiving a certificate after the completion of 40 sessions. This price beats private-lesson offerings by more than 30%. Since its opening, the center has drawn enthusiastic crowds to its ever-so-popular indoor warm-water swimming pool. Aside from this, you can pamper yourself in the spa pools and the sauna facilities for both men and women, while your kids play safely in the kid’s pool. The center is opened to the public through ticket-purchase entry. You can also sign up for swimming lessons for all levels or for the aqua aerobics, aqua fitness, or aqua rehab programs. Pool water is recycled 24/7, supplying crystal-clear waters. All visitors who have used the pools give the water quality two thumbs up. Let's not forget about the gym. This 150-ping section can hold up to 100 people, and is divided into the cardio area, the weight-training area, the stretching area, the fitness-examination area, and the cycling room. State-of-the-art massage machines, relaxation machines, mechanical horseback- riding machines, and 42-inch plasma TVs are in the same league as in top-of-the-line private-sector fitness centers. For a mere NT$50 an hour, you can enjoy all of the facilities in addition to services such as the fitness examination. The Japan-imported examination equipment can measure your body structure, muscle strength, muscle stamina, flexibility, and cardiovascular condition, all of which can be recorded for future reference to see if any improvements have been made. Personal trainers can help individuals with weight loss or design customized lessons for people with disabilities or illnesses. The most exciting part The scuba-diving pool offers single lessons or packages at comparative prices.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 52 | DISCOVER TAIPEI | 53 | Want to Go Scuba Diving in Taipei? LIVING IN TAIPEI Nangang Recreation Center Awaits You!

is that you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy any or all of the above. Having all for less doesn’t mean the people quality is less. The center takes sports etiquette seriously—all must wear appropriate sportswear at all times, and use personal towels in order to ensure a safe and respectful environment.

Computer-Simulated Golf Brings the Green Onto the Screen On the third floor is the two-story-high multifunctional area. The flexible design, which features a movable stage, electronically controlled spectator seats, and removable mattresses, are components in a mechanism that can quickly turn the place into a basketball court, fencing or wrestling court, venue for performances or community activities, or rock climbing area. A Public Television Service-organized publicity event for Wang Chien-ming (NY Yankees pitcher, local Taiwan hero) was held here last year, attracting over a thousand fans to catch a glimpse of Wang’s charisma. Wait in line for a public drawing if you want to squeeze into the slots to use the badminton court. Otherwise, you can play cutting-edge computer-simulated golf on the fifth floor in the practice rooms, or take a swing in the putting or With the installation of the computer-stimulated golf facility, weather will swinging practice rooms. Lesson packages can give you a never be a problem anymore! (Photo courtesy of Nangang Recreation taste of the magic of the little white ball without having to join a Center) country club. The shooting and archery ranges are still under construction, and thus not yet available to the public. Once center. The center is now offering discounts and promotions to safety facilities and measures are in place, lessons will be the community; for example, everyday from eight to ten in the provided to let people feel what it is like to be Robin Hood. morning, seniors 65 and older can use facilities including the warm-water swimming pool, gym, and basketball/badminton/ Come One, Come All table-tennis courts for free. As a promotion to encourage Management of the Nangang Recreation Center has exercising, free lessons are offered, such as Yuanji dancing, been outsourced to the China Youth Corps which, having won eight-form moving meditation, and folk dancing. The second the bid for management of the Zhongshan Sports Center a floor has a playground for kids which is, of course, free of few years back, brings ample experience running this type of charge. The complex is designed to fully accommodate disabled visitors. Automated ventilation and water-sprinkler systems ensure the place is safe so people can exercise with a free spirit, leaving all their worries behind. So feel free to drop by and take a look at the five-star Nangang Recreation Center, a place that has it all—and was built just for you.

Address: No. 69, Yucheng Street info (玉成街), Nangang District Tel: (02) 2653-2279 www.cyc.org.tw/ngsc/index.html

To get there, MRT would be the most convenient. Take the MRT blue line and get off at Houshanpi station. It is about a 5-minute walk from Exit no. 4, along Yucheng Street, towards the direction of Songshan train station. Finding top-of-the-line private gyms too much on the pocket? With a mere NT$50 an hour, you can enjoy high quality sports environment at the center.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 54 | Taipei's Riverside Exposures OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

Neihu Technology Park illuminates the Keelung River, thus produces “another city” in the river.

Taipei's Riverside ExposuresBy Sean Scanlan • Photo by Neng-yu Wang

aipei is a city blessed with abundant waterways, between Dajia Wharf (大佳碼頭), Dadaocheng (大稻埕), ranging from the Keelung River, which bounds the Guandu Wharf (關渡碼頭), Yuanshan (圓山), and—soon— city on the north, to Danshui River on the west, Meiti Harbor (美堤). TXindian River on the south, and a number of smaller brooks “Meiti is our newest harbor and it will open in August of this and creeks. year,” says Mr. Kuo Wen-Jen (郭文仁), River Management Recently, the Taipei City Government has undertaken a Chief, Taipei City Government. “Also, the new Rainbow Bridge multiyear project to improve the city’s waterways and adjacent connects people in Nangang to the popular Raohe Street riverside parks. The administration of former mayor Ma Night Market. The bridge is only for pedestrians and cyclists, Ying-jeou initiated the “Blue Highway” (藍色公路) program, and we think it will bring more people to Taipei’s riverside which included the construction of new marinas and harbors parks.” to service passenger boats, allowing passengers to travel

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 55 | OUTDOOR ACTIVITY Taipei's Riverside Exposures

Kuo’s department maintains 28 riverside parks throughout the city, supervising everything from garbage collection to riverside development, and even water quality. For garbage collection, he says, 78 people are deployed, and 6 subcontractors assist in patrolling the river looking for floating garbage and installing nets to catch other debris. Water quality is a more difficult issue to manage, he says, for the Danshui River is particularly difficult to monitor as it is bordered by Taipei County, which has considerably fewer sewage-treatment centers and other resources. As for the Keelung River, water quality is rapidly improving with new waste-treatment centers, though much of northern Taipei’s wastewater will continue to empty into this river. (Top) As the water quality has improved, more water activities are Another factor holding back the development of riverside developed to serve residents. (Bottom) Investment has been made into activities is the simple fact that much of the water is designat- infrastructures such as viewing station, judging podium, etc., at Dajia Riverside Park. ed as “medium-grade” pollution. This is an improvement from a few years ago when as much as 25% of river water in Taipei was “severely” polluted. Conditions are getting better as the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has pledged The Changing Tide of Mother Nature to clean up the Danshui River through a plan to build seven While much of the river pollution may be self-inflicted, new wastewater-processing centers and three ecological- Mother Nature also poses a challenge to park staff as Taipei engineering projects. New sewage and waste-processing routinely sees surging river levels during the annual typhoon facilities have dramatically improved the water quality of rivers season from May to September. Though typhoons over the such as Kaohsiung's Love River (愛河), and benefited the past 2 to 3 years have been very mild, this year city officials city's tourism industry. are particularly worried as it is an “El Nino” year.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 56 | Taipei's Riverside Exposures OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

Taipei Prepares for Dragon Boat Race There is no better time to highlight the city’s improvement of local waterways than the annual Dragon Boat Races, which fall every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, leading festival organizers to choose June 17-19th this year. The event is a major holiday on par with the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year, with Chinese people around the world celebrating the event by participating in boat races and eating zongzi (sticky-rice dumplings). The event is annually celebrated with the Taipei International Dragon Boat Race Championships hosted by Taipei City, bringing international teams from as far away as River pollution may be self-inflicted during typhoon season; therefore, Hong Kong, South Africa, San Francisco, and the Philippines. precautious measures and aftermath clean-ups are crucial. Teams compete over a multi-day, round-robin competition, with competitors segregated into different categories; for example, municipal workers may compete against other government employees, colleges and high schools have their own competition, and seniors are given their own category. Taipei may be better prepared than most municipalities The sport of dragon-boat racing is not highly regulated as when it comes to typhoon-related flooding as current it is largely dependent upon local jurisdictions to determine embankments are rated at “200-year return,” meaning their course length and other conditions. In fact races can be as height, design, and size are built to withstand the type of major short as 250 meters and as long as 1,000 meters. In Taiwan, flood that occurs once every 200 years. a typical course is 400 to 600 meters. Further complicating the issue is the tidal nature of the Danshui, which can rise 2 to 3 meters depending upon Cafes and patios have been installed along riverside, so nature is just weather conditions. During typhoons, strong winds and waves footsteps away! seal off the river’s outflow into the ocean, with rainfall from the mountains and plains having no place to go other than spilling over into the floodplains. City-government authorities plan for 2 to 3 major typhoons per year, which create difficult clean-up work for park staff, with an extra budget of NT$20mn reserved for such emergencies. Clean-up typically involves earth-moving equipment such as dump-trucks, which transport river silt to new areas, as well as water trucks to wash off shrubbery and activity areas. While Taipei has taken extra precautions to make sure local citizens are protected, other communities such as Danshui have embankments that are rated at less stringent levels such as “50- to 100-year return.” What these areas lack in protection is a boon to tourism as outdoor cafes and other tourism services are literally just footsteps away from the water. In Taipei, however, getting to the water requires either a cumbersome overpass, or a flight of steep steps and a large expanse of concrete. “Right now, I think our biggest challenge is making the waterways more accessible,” says Kuo. “We are building more highway overpasses to allow citizens better access to these areas, and creating new parking lots and car-accessible areas. These have been some of our biggest requests.”

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 57 | OUTDOOR ACTIVITY Taipei's Riverside Exposures

This year’s full-sized dragon-boat competition will include “Last year, we estimate that a total crowd of 50,000 teams composed of 28 persons at most, containing one people attended the event,” says Liu Yu-lan (劉玉蘭), Taipei captain, one coach, one manager, one rudder person, one City Government Education Department, Taipei Sports flag catcher, one drummer, and twenty-two rowers. Small- Office. “This year, we expect to have more than 100 teams sized dragon-boat teams will be composed of no more than participate with every day of the event having a special theme 20 persons, containing one captain, one coach, one manager, with government offices promoting new initiatives such as one rudder person, one drummer, and fourteen rowers. environmental awareness and other causes.” The competition format is double elimination, with teams She adds that the city government owns 16 full-sized competing until they have lost twice. dragon boats, and practices will be open to teams from May Years ago, international competitors competed in a race 1st beginning at 7AM and stretching to 6PM. hosted by Taipei County on a section of Xindian River near Furthermore, the event will help generate more Taipei’s Youth Park. This particular course, known for floating attention for riverside parks and water quality as this has debris and poor water quality, drew numerous complaints from foreign teams. Later, the race was moved upriver to Bitan, which provided better water quality. In 1996, the Taipei City Government poured more money into its dragon-boat event, actively soliciting international competitors to race along a stretch of the Keelung River at Dajia Riverside Park. Money was invested in infrastructure such as a covered viewing station, judging podium, surrounding parkland, and toilet facilities to accommodate larger crowds.

Having a cup of tea or coffee by the riverside can be quite a delightful experience.

This year’s annual dragon boat race has been scheduled between June 17- 19. (Photo courtesy of Department of Education)

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 58 | Taipei's Riverside Exposures OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

been a campaign pledge by Mayor Hau Lung-Bin, and an important initiative considering his previous experience as an EPA official. It’s a safe bet that city officials will undertake everything in their power to improve local rivers, and as a testament to this initiative, other international events such as a rowing competition will be held in September of this year. To get to this year’s Taipei International Dragon Boat Race Championships, the Taipei City Government encourages public transportation with the MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station offering a special shuttle bus. Also, buses numbered 33, 49, 72, 222, 286, Red 34, and Brown 16 will stop nearby the festival area.

Now is a good time to build up your stamina and get ready to roar! (Photo courtesy of Department of Education)

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 59 | INSIGHT STORY Me and the Changs

By Rick Charette • Illustrated by Jia-huei Chen and Me the Changs: Training with the In-Laws to Learn What Makes Taiwan Tick

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 60 | Me and the Changs INSIGHT STORY

ne score less a single year ago, a wide-eyed as you’d wish they’d do for you in similar circumstances.” An Canuck with full understanding of Chinese/ overseas businessperson is treated at restaurants every night Taiwanese culture landed on the shores of Ilha in Taiwan, and staff from a local firm seconded to entertain the OFormosa. He’d read quite a few books on it, and as the person during non-business hours. This is done because it is parents of all university graduates know, a diploma in hand felt the visitor is lonely, far from home and family, and would means the recipient knows all about everything for quite some appreciate the company. Me time thereafter. Some never snap out of it. In my case, my parents-in-law have shown me the ulti- My reeducation began just after disembarking, a scant mate in renqingwei. They’ve brought me in and treated me seven months after graduation. It is not yet complete. Lady almost like a son. Even clan members and other neighbor- Taiwan took me by the hand and launched me on a decades- hood locals include me without thought as one of “the kids.” long course to “learn me right.” Exactly one month after arrival One Tomb Sweeping Day outing, an uncle looked at me while she set me up with one of the island’s fair maidens, one Luna proclaiming to Pops-in-law, “you must be blessed by the gods Chang (張淑茹). Six months after that I met her parents. Five to have all your kids coming out to sweep the family tomb, years after that we married. It was a Taiwanese-language while ours sleep in.” I asked later why he’d been looking at ceremony, groom and on-hand parents smiling politely and me, and my wife explained the neighborhood considered me without understanding, groom bowing when told and, upon just one of her Dad’s kids—though late-arriving. signing papers when told, finding he was happily married. When my parents-in-law had heard their daughter was After that he found he’d also become an adopted son of dating a foreigner, they were filled with dread, fearing I might Taiwan. hurt their girl or take her away overseas. Westerners had a bad rep for dallying with local ladies. It was just nine years The Neighborhood since the US military had vacated Taiwan with U.S. recognition We live close to Mom/Pop-in-law in a tightly-knit of China, and too many expat young men visited the island neighborhood. Everyone seems to be my “uncle” or “auntie.” both for a short time and a good time. Their daughter told One time early on, walking along the day after returning from them she cared for me and couldn’t know herself how things a trip to Canada, six strangers walked by saying, “Ah, you’re would turn out, but wanted to try. Despite the trepidation in home!” I later found they were all clan members and family their hearts they took me in. I was a young man far from home friends; the entire ward knew I’d been gone. and family—renqingwei meant they treated me as their own The neighborhood joke is that my wife didn’t marry because I “needed a family.” me—my parents-in-law adopted me. Having been admitted seamlessly into a Taiwanese family and their neighborhood, Doing Good, Naturally I’ve been blessed with a golden pass into the local culture; My parents-in-law are hardly perfect. Who is? But as a most outsiders are obliged to forever look in through the shop priest once told me, “Life is a baseball season, not a 100-yard front window, but I’m allowed right into the inner quarters. dash. You don’t measure a person’s worth on one, or a Of all the things I’ve learned since my reeducation with the couple, or even tens of performances. You do the stats for an Changs began, perhaps most treasured are understanding of entire season and you find out who’s good and who’s great.” two keys to Taiwanese culture—the concept of “renqingwei” My in-laws sense of renqingwei, their goodness, impresses (人情味) and the proper functioning of “xiaoshun” (孝順; filial me. piety). I could well understand it if their largesse was far more restricted. In Taiwan’s rags to riches “economic miracle” Renqingwei produced in the 1950s~early 1980s—with blood, sweat, tears, The people of Taiwan are very proud of their demonstra- and frequent pain, the Changs suffered and triumphed, like tion of renqingwei, though they cannot explain it in just a few other island families did. A business partner stole pretty much words. Western commentators have trouble as well. I’ve seen every cent one year, and for years after, the family lived in a “benevolence” used, and “hospitality,” but these fall short. single-room unit, the kids sliding off the sole bed onto blankets Better to live in Taiwan awhile and you’ll acquire an instinctive when parents needed sleep. Meat was a once-a-week affair feel for it. in my wife’s youth (she’s now 40; don’t tell her I told you). One Let me describe it as “concern for and largesse toward New Year’s each kid got nifty plastic sandals, which they were others, especially those in a less advantageous position.” allowed to wear one hour before putting away for the next This, of course, is a wide-open concept and manifests itself in special day. Mom-in-law once treated herself to a watermelon many ways. The Taiwanese think of it as “doing unto others by spending half a month’s factory pay, guiltily eating it all

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 61 | INSIGHT STORY Me and the Changs

herself in a shed behind the clan courtyard-house complex— we pass by as “the tailor lady whose husband gambled away rice, cash crops, and meat were severely rationed, reserved all their money and my Mom got the neighborhood to bring for export to raise capital. their business to her,” or “the lady who caters local temple The family could have hardened their hearts, but instead banquets and other events, who my Mom has made they broadened them, embracing the inherent rightness of sure gets all neighborhood business since her renqingwei. Father honored the deathbed wish of an old friend husband passed away young.” to expand the small local temple; a developer who took down And so it goes. To be brutally honest, I 3-5-story cement-block buildings to raise the familiar 8-10-story come from a family with too many cheapskate cinderblock residences, he built a splendid, ornate two-level members who always seem to come up short, temple around which the entire neighborhood revolves. He whether it’s Christmas presents, helping organizes the annual community Mazu (馬祖) pilgrimage to others with home repairs, or other things. I bring our icon to visit more powerful Mazu icons in the south; used to be just like that, and in all truth thank I’ve gone on these numerous times, with 350-plus aunties and my parents-in-law, wife, and her sisters and one uncles each outing. Father’s living room is always filled with brother for showing me the way of renqingwei. In locals seeking help with local elections, disputes, marriage life situations there are takers and there are givers. In negotiations, funeral/mourning arrangements, etc.; each New deciding my actions, I oft ask myself, “What would Year’s the knocks at the door are constant, people dropping the Changs do? off goodwill presents. My wife will frequently refer to people

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 62 | Me and the Changs INSIGHT STORY

Filial Piety below. Failure to do so could even result in revocation of an I’ve also been able to watch how the concept of filial piety emperor’s Mandate of Heaven, perhaps through rebellion— works properly, first-hand, by “hanging out” with the Changs and so down through the hierarchy. for 18 years. Most outsiders—and more than a few locals— In the West, Thomas Hobbes denied the divine right of see this Confucian concept as a top-down dictatorship. But kings, saying their right to rule could be revoked by the people Confucius himself did not see it this way; he saw authority if abused. In the Western home, the unchallenged right of the as necessary, but stated that those higher in the hierarchy traditional man, the absolutist king of the castle, has (mostly) had a reciprocal responsibility to care for and foster those passed with the rise of the modern economy, in which wives and offspring have self-support options. This is true for Taiwan as well. This island is in the midst of a transition, achieving in decades what had taken the West hundreds of years. In the Chang home the parents, raised in the past, seek to understand and embrace the present. The sole son will, it is expected, inherit all. But the parents love their daughters, too, and support them in their endeavors—soft loans to buy homes, rents while still at home that are secretly invested to be returned, and so on. The son feels pressure to win his Dad’s approval and achieve financial success to be able to support his parents when they are old, but knows he has the security of his Dad’s support, financial and otherwise. Think of the angst caused in the West these days among young folk as they struggle to make their way in an economy that offers little if any job security. Filial piety, if worked properly, is a win-win scenario, the security provided balancing the pressures. Let’s just say, it’s a system that is “competitive” with the individuality of the West.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 63 | INSIGHT STORY Me and the Changs

As for myself, my adoption into the family, and the trust on the island more than a few years. gained by showing respect for members, has resulted in it “Bad examples” regarding any generally valid concepts being made clear to me that the family’s resources are my abound in a society. Let’s look back home to prove the case. resources. Mom and Dad know I will not take without giving The traditional concept of Christian charity, which can be my share. This is not true of the two other spouses of Chang equated with that of renqingwei, is of inestimable value. But sisters, who have shown clear reticence in family bonding. I as practiced by the Self-Chosen Ones currently controlling the deeply appreciate this manifestation of both top-down/bottom- White House, there is little that can be labeled “charitable,” up filial piety and renqingwei to an outsider. and little “Christian,” in the New Gospel sense Christ himself espoused. So does that mean “Christian charity” is a bogus A Parting Thought concept? Over the years I’ve heard many say that traditional local- My parents-in-law, by faithfully practicing the “true way” of culture concepts like filial piety and renqingwei have become renqingwei and filial piety, strike me as fine models of “Christian ossified within the age-old overarching Chinese culture—form living” even though they are Buddhist. The badges we wear over substance. These people, I’ve found, have rarely been mean nothing—actions speak all. Thanks for the lessons.

DISCOVER TAIPEI | 64 | Subscribe to Discover Taipei Bimonthly Do you want to know what's going on in Taipei ? Or to find out about the diversity of life in Taipei? Then you won’t want to miss out Discover Taipei Bimonthly.

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