Taiwan Panorama 2017 May

1065 42 5
Vol. 42 No.5 May 2017

CHINESEENGLISH BILINGUAL MONTHLY ISSN 1991-525X
5
Taiwan Panorama
Around Taiwan by Road and Rail

Ellisa Yao
40

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worldwide fame as a master of metal mo
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mountain town of Jiufen, who has earned (Tien Yun-liang/tr. by Robert Green)

CONTENTS 1065 42 5 Vol. 42 No. 5 May 2017
Cover Story
6

Moving Perspectives
8 8

Cycling in Taiwan
Saddle Up and Make the Scene

18

Venturing Forth
Taiwans Branch Rail Lines

18
28

On the Mountain Road
Scenery and Serendipity

38

Weaving Urban Legends
The Taipei Metro

48
38

Flashes of Taiwan
Riding the High-Speed Railway

Editors Note The Fleeting World
01 58
Pleasant Escapes Variety Pages

1065 42 5

Vol. 42 No.5 April 2017
CHINESEENGLISH BILINGUAL MONTHLY ISSN 1991-525X
Taiwan Panorama


NT$150
US$5
HK$40
600
201704-cover_.indd 1 2017/3/28 10:01

Cover: Whatever your mode of travel, a journey
in Taiwan holds many delights in store.
(photo by Jimmy Lin, design by Henry Wang)
Moving Pictures
66
A Birds-Eye View of Taiwan

Taichung
76
66
Taichung, City of Culture

Local Artisans
86

Sanxia: A Century-Old City Rises Again

Artists and Artisans
96
76

Nailed It!
Metal Mosaic Artist Hu Darfar

Television and Film
106 HBO

The Teenage Psychic Set to Dazzle
International Viewers
HBO Asia
Overseas Assistance
96
114
Cultivating Bamboo Industries from Scratch
Taiwans Foreign Aid at Work in Latin
America

COVER
STORY
Around Taiwan by
Road and Rail
Moving Perspectives
6 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

photo by Chuang Kung-ju
COVER
STORY

Cycling in Taiwan
Saddle Up and
Make the Scene
P eople have very different takes on travel: some like

to squeeze in as much as possible, while others like
to take it easy. But traveling by bus or train means fol-
lowing a route chosen by someone else. If you want to
regain your autonomy as a traveler, try cycling, which
lets you choose your route, pace, and departure times
for yourself. While cyclists have a variety of reasons
for taking to the road, they have at least one thing in
Every cycling trip is a test of the riders physical
conditioning and willpower. common: the personalized pace and topography of each
of their journeys provide them with scenery and experi-
ences all their own.
9

9

2015

CNN HolgerDietmar

193

110.587
110.5

68

Steep routes can be conquered by working together.

Huang Ting Ying (in the pink jersey) is looking to make a career as a professional cyclist in Europe.
Taiwan is home to many different terrains, ranging and sweat as they travel. Even more importantly, they
from the plains and sandy beaches of the western part of also get to interact with locals, whose smiles and shouts
the island, to the rugged Central Mountain Range, and of encouragement add depth to the cycling experience.
on to the HualienTaitung Rift Valley and deep blue seas Holger and Dietmar are German engineers who
of the east. All of these lovely landscapes also change much prefer the sensory immediacy of cycling to travel
their look with every season, making our little island a in closed-up motor vehicles. They make cycling tours of
wonderful place to explore over and over again. islands around the world every year, and this year have
Will-powered scenery come to Taiwan to explore our highways and byways
In 2015 the Ministry of Transportation and Communi- and enjoy sights such as the sunset at Fangshan and the
cations completed Cycling Route No. 1, which links cy- sea at Duoliang.
cle trails and on-highway bicycle routes around Taiwan
into a connected route, complete with bike repair points
and rest and refreshment stops, that makes it even easier
for riders to make a circuit of the island.

County Highway 193, which runs 110 kilometers
The upbeat Huang Ting Ying (right) is carving out the topography
through Hualien County, from Xincheng in the north, of her life at international cycling competitions.
through Jian and Shoufeng, and all the way down to
Yuli in the south, is Taiwans most revered cycling route.
The 23.5-km stretch from Ruisui to Yuli, known as the
Lede Highway, is particularly scenic. It runs between the
Coastal Mountain Range and the Xiuguluan River, pass-
ing by rice paddies, amid singing birds, and surrounded
by flowers that bloom in every season, such as those of
the golden rain tree and the royal poinciana.
Bike routes like this highlight the best of Taiwans gor-
geous scenery. Riders cycling them get to enjoy the feeling
of the wind on their faces and the mingled scents of rain
11

80

2016

Servetto Footon

20167
10

Exploring the outdoors on a mountain bike is a ball!

Mikiwasa Kumazawa was inspired to make his own
bicycle circuit of Taiwan by a Japanese television program
showing the golden rice paddies, open landscapes and
unspoiled culture of Taiwans HualienTaitung area, and
the many island-circuiting cyclists and scenery-loving
tourists who visit it. The 68-year-old Kumazawa says
he hasnt ridden a bicycle since his middle-school days,
more than 50 years ago. He admits that doing so now is
toughhis palms, shoulders, and neck all hurtbut says
that the gorgeous scenery is worth the price in pain.
A landscape of the spirit
Huang Ting Ying, who represented Taiwan in cycling
at the Rio Olympics, comes from a family of athletes.
Originally a swimmer, she got into cycling while in the
sixth grade, when her school disbanded its swim team
and Kaohsiung Municipal Nanzih Junior High School
cycling coach Yang Dongz hen, a friend of her moth-
ers, started bringing her along for rides with his team

instead. In spite of a recent injury, downhill mountain biker Penny Chou is
Huangs talent became clear when she began com- determined to cycle for the rest of her life.
peting in international competitions as a middle-school

student. She started her career as a sprinter relying on
speed and explosiveness, but switched to intermediate turning point in her athletic career. Riding through na-
and long-distance road races in an effort to break away ture, constantly pushing her limits as she cycled up and
from the pack. down mountain slopes, the athletic Chou found a sport
Huang has enjoyed a measure of international suc- that enabled her to realize her potential.
cess. She finished second overall in the 2016 Tour of Chou qualified for last years Asian Mountain Bike
Chongm ing Island World Cup, winning the races Continental Championships, but had to withdraw after
first and third stages and earning the nickname pink tearing a ligament in her right ankle while training. But
cannonball for her explosiveness. That performance the injury hasnt affected her passion for cycling in the
propelled her into the international professional cycling least. She jokes that shell keep riding until shes physi-
limelight, and gained her a place on Italys Servetto cally incapable of pedaling any longer.
Footon womens professional cycling team. A cycling life
Huang went on to compete in the Giro dItalia Femmi- It isnt just competitive athletes who have taken up
nile later last year, and was the first Taiwanese woman to cycling. Bike Familys H
uang Jinbao is a former steel
complete the race, a grueling event whose winding roads worker who took up cycling when his doctor recom-
and long climbs force many racers to give up. She plans mended it to help rehabilitate years of occupational
to continue racing internationally, taking in the worlds injuries. He may have started cycling as therapy, but he
most beautiful scenery from the saddle of her bike. soon found himself on a surprising new path, taking his
Downhill mountain biking queen Penny Chou has wife and children on bicycle circuits of Taiwan and Eu-
chosen to push her limits in cross-country mountain bik- rope, and then a 400-day cycling trip around the world.
ing competitions. Originally a successful track athlete, Unable to stop cycling, he then founded Bike Family, a
Chou switched to field events at the urging of her coach, company that helps people realize their dreams of cy-
but never developed a passion for them. Unable to com- cling around Taiwan.
pete as well as she wanted, she took a teammates advice Huang says he enjoys the way that the scenery
and gave mountain biking a try. The decision marked a changes with every season, but his main motivation
13

26

The nearly infinite customizability of fixed-gear bikes, or fixies,

makes then a fantastic vehicle for self-expression.

95


FIXED STYLE

Xie Weida, the founder of the Fixed Style fixie
club, hopes to introduce more people to the joys of
commuting on the single-geared bikes.
for leading cycling tours is the riders in each group. He lar among young people because they make it easy for
recalls one group that made a point of praying in every riders to flaunt their personal style. Most people ride
temple, large or small, that they passed on their nine- fixies because they look cool, says Xie Weida, head of
day island circuit. He was deeply moved when they Fixed Style, a Taipei fixie club.
told him why: they had a female friend who was ill, and Xie caught his first glimpse of fixies in 2010. Drawn
they wanted to send blessings her way. to their look, he soon dipped his toes into the fixie
Bike Familys tour groups include cyclists from all world. In those days, most of the groups riding fixies to-
over the world, including Germany, Korea, and Japan. gether were affiliated with particular bike shops. If you
Though the riders begin their trips as strangers, a few
days on the road together gets them sharing their cul-
tures and experiences in spite of language barriers.

They also encourage one another while in the saddle,
The single gear of a fixed-gear bicycle allows riders to perform all
enjoying both the beauty of the scenery and the warmth kinds of tricks.
of Taiwans people.
No brakes!
Fixed-gear bicycles, or fixies, are an important part
of bicycling messenger culture abroad and have become
a distinctive feature of the urban terrain. The bikes are
named for their single gear with no freewheel, a feature
that enables riders to do some unusual tricks with them,
like riding backwards or spinning the handlebars. They
are also simple to build, which enables fans to build
custom bikes using their preferred parts, even down to
color-matching the screws. They are particularly popu-
15

FIXED STYLE
2010
10
2
FIXED STYLE
Climb into the saddle and get moving! Cycling offers a unique
and personal perspective on the world.
Foreign cyclists yearn to experience the beauty of Taiwans

seasons and the richness of its cultural terrain.

Ubike

l

hadnt built your bike at a groups shop, you werent clude many riders of road bikes and YouBike rental bikes.
welcome to join the group. So Xie recruited friends to Most fixie riders personalize their bikes with customized
ride together, initially persuading about ten friends paint jobs and other decorations, style themselves with
to join him. He then created a fixie-oriented Facebook great care, and compete among themselves to show off
group, using pictures and videos to raise its profile and their skills, making their gatherings fascinating viewing
grow its membership. Nowadays, his Facebook group for even casual observers. The group also organizes an
has more than 20,000 followers. annual Halloween ride that attracts more than 100 cos-
Fixed Style is the first fixie club in Taipei that isnt tied tume-wearing cyclists, creating even more of a spectacle.
to a particular shop or type of bike. Its goal is to create a No matter what your motivation, its time to saddle
friendly group riding environment that enables cyclists up and make the scene! l
to enjoy their fixies together. Though fixie-focused, its (Chen Chun-fang/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/
Friday gatherings in Taipeis Ximending area also in- tr. by Scott Williams)
17

COVER
STORY

Venturing Forth
Taiwans Branch
Rail Lines
E xtending into remote townships, rural backwaters,

and coastal areas, the branch lines of the Taiwan
Railways Administration network are giving passen-
gers on Taiwans main northsouth rail lines the oppor-
tunity to set out in search of new adventures.
Coastal lines snaking between land and sea, remote
unmanned stations that seem enveloped in the still-
ness of a lost world. Away from the busy main lines,
branch lines offer riders the opportunity to venture forth
on journeys of the soulescaping hectic realities and
rediscovering themselves.
19
2011

2011

Lauded as the most beautiful station in the north,
seaside Badouzi Station has been given new life
since the reopening of the Shenao Line.

In order to promote tourism, in 2011 the Taiwan Rail-
ways Administration (TRA) joined with travel companies
to develop cruise-style train travel from Yongle Station
in Suao, Yilan County, southward to F
angye Station in
Pingtung County. As a result, underused and gradually
forgotten rural stations are experiencing new visitor traffic.
In addition to providing transportation, the plan will
further boost railway culture, says H
siao Kuan-chun,
product manager for ezTravel, an online travel agency.
When the TRA decided to develop tourism activities,
it enlisted the cooperation of ezTravel to offer trial runs
for cruise-style trains between Shulin in New Taip ei
City and Suao, and between Hualien Station and Guan

Author Liu Ka-shiang has described Shanli as the unreachable
station, capturing something of its atmosphere of a lost world.
shan in Taitung County. In 2011, after the tourist trains

proved popular with riders, a plan was adopted to offer
cruise-style services at least once a month. The services
differ from traditional rail travel packages that provide
for stops only at major stations along the eastern and
western mainline routes. The new itineraries also in-
clude visits to smaller stations such as Fengtian in Hua
lien County and Duoliang in Taitung.
For example, F angye Station in Pingt ung, which
doesnt even have a platform, and the normally dis-
used Shanli Station in Taitung, which was described by
author Liu Ka-shiang as the unreachable station, are
both included in the rail tourism program, as is M
iaolis
Qiding Station, which is highly popular with tourists.
Unlike the hurly-burly of major stations, the unmanned
Qid ing sees fewer than 100 passengers pass through
daily. Not far from the station, the Zimu (mother and
child) Tunnelstwo short tunnels left unused after
the tracks were rerouted, and now open to visitors
present a scene reminiscent of the Japanese animated
film Spirited Away, in which the main character escapes
reality and enters a dreamlike tunnel setting.
Jialu Station in Taitung, known as the largest of the
TRAs minor stations, is also included in the itinerary.
Hsiao explains that Jialu Station, located on the South
21

Scarcely visited Qiding Station in Miaoli sees only a few dozen
visitors a day.

20

1936

2014

2


Link Line, formerly functioned as a railway marshaling If the TRA main lines are the main dishes, the branch
yard. Although J ialu does not boast a large station lines are like side dishes offering different flavors, says
structure or many passengers, it has the air of a major Professor Su Z
haoxu, a railway expert. Which branch line
station, says Hsiao. is his favorite? Su explains with a chuckle that in his view
In order to give passengers a taste of the leisurely each branch line has its own special characteristics.
pace of unmanned stations, the itinerary allows passen- For example, he says, Riding the S henao Line is all
gers to disembark at stops such as Fangye and Shanli, about the sea views. From Ruifang Station to Badouzi
and also slows down to 20 kilometers per hour while Station, the Shenao Line hugs the sea along Taiwans
passing through, so that passengers can enjoy the lan- Northeast Coast with mountains on one side and water on
guid pace of branch-line travel. the other, presenting a romantic spectacle reminiscent of
The unique character of the branch lines the Enoshima Electric Railway that runs through the Sh
The resurgence of the minor stations has been paral- nan coastal area in Japans Kanagawa Prefecture.
leled by the return of tourism to the branch lines. Aside The S henao Line, located in the northeastern corner of
from the well-known Pingxi, Jiji and Neiwan lines, the Taiwan, is at present the northernmost TRA branch line
opening of the National Museum of Marine Science and and the one with the steepest gradient. The origins of the
Technology in Keelung in 2014 spurred the reopening of line can be traced to 1936, when the Japanese Mining Cor-
the S henao Line, which had been withdrawn from service. poration built a light rail line at Liandong (Shuinandong)
on the coast below Jinguashi to transport minerals to the
harbor. The next year it was extended through S henao
and Badouzi to Bachimen. This freight line was also used
by local residents to travel between Ruifang and Keelung.
A stop at a lonely station can allow the mind to wander or
dream freely. Because of the construction of Provincial Highway 2,
23

All aboard! Take a ride on Taiwan Railways branch lines and experience a rejuvenating adventure.

Ride the Pingxi Line to Houdong Station, take a leisurely stroll,
play with the local cats and enjoy life at a relaxed pace.

1908

which runs along the coast, and the decommissioning in the north to Fengyuan in the south, the line consti-
of the S henao Coal Power Plant, the rail line ceased tuted the last stretch of Taiwans western main line. At
operating for a time. Service was revived only after the that time, the sections of the line north of M
iaoli and
opening of the National Museum of Marine Science south of Taichung were already in service. Connecting
and Technology in Badouzi, Keelung, when the Shenao them together would create a single transportation net-
Line once again became a scenic coastal route. work running the length of Taiwan. Because the Moun-
The Old Mountain Line, running between Sanyi in tain Line helped link the north and the south, it became
Miaoli and Fengyuan in Taichung, which was for a time common to say that the opening of the Mountain Line
included in the cruise-style train tourism program, of- connected the whole island.
fers spectacular mountain vistas entirely different from New possibilities for old lines
the coastal Shenao Line. The well-known Jiji, Neiw an, and P ingxi branch
The Old Mountain Line passes by the ruined Yuteng lines each possess their own unique qualities. But in Su
ping Bridge (better known as the Longt eng Bridge), Zhaoxus opinion, Taiwan has a treasure trove of other
and is considered a potential World Heritage Site. The branch lines that could be renovated and put back into
bridge was damaged beyond repair by an earthquake service.
in 1935. Although the Old Mountain Line has now been Su would first like to see the reinstatement of the
superseded by the New Mountain Line, its construction final stage of the Shenao Line, connecting to Liandong.
in 1908 was of epochal significance. Running from Sanyi The Shenao Line currently terminates at Badouzi Sta-
tion, and the final stage would run along the coast to
Liandong. There, if a cable car system could be built to
take visitors up to the old mining towns of Jinguashi
and Jiufen, this would provide even better access to the
The Neishechuan steel truss bridge rises majestically over the
tranquil waters below. unique scenery of the Northeast Coast.
25

6.2
1940

1991

Visitors walking through Qidings Zimu Tunnels

seem to enter a secret world.

Sus next priority would be the Hualien Harbor
Line, which runs beside the Pacific Ocean. The lines
construction was an important part of the Ten Major
Construction Projects initiated by the central govern-
ment in the 1970s. It is one of three existing harbor

lines operated by the TRA, and the azure ocean views
leave a lasting impression. At present, however, the
line used solely for freight transportation. If it could be
converted for passenger service, it would be ideal for
sightseeing.
In Sus opinion Pingtungs Donggang Line also has
considerable potential for further development. The

6.2-kilometer line, which runs between Z henan and
Dongg ang, was part of the western main line until

1940, when the main line was extended southward
l from Z
henan to Fangliao, and the Donggang Line be-
came a branch line. Before it ceased operating in 1991
the Dongg ang Line faced considerable competition
from highway transportation. As ridership plummeted,
it was finally taken out of service.
However, this branch line in the far south of Taiwan
once ran beside fish farms with their plumes of spray
glistening in the sunlight. If service resumed the former
military base at Dapeng Bay, Donggangs famous blue-
fin tuna, and the Wangye Boat Burning Festival would
all become special attractions for the line.
Su speaks of railway lines in passionate detail. For
him, they offer a journey of the spirit and the opportu-
nity for the leisurely enjoyment of surrounding sights
without having a drivers worry about the road ahead.
At times, train travel can awaken memories of the past.
Traveling by train is a journey through memories of
all types, Su says.
Train stations are gateways to hometowns and cit-
adels of nostalgia. Their platforms are stages for meet-
ing and separating. The railway channels desires and
memories. Through each branch line runs a distinct
emotional current, says Su, describing the charm of
TRA branch lines. l
(Liu Yingfeng/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/
tr. by Robert Green)
27

COVER
STORY

On the Mountain
RoadScenery and
Serendipity
I n an era when subway systems and bike-share

schemes are all the rage, buses keep plugging along in
their own low-key, unpretentious manner. While high-
speed and even traditional trains may get you to your
destination faster, buses feature the densest network of
routes, reaching almost every settlement in Taiwan.
Once representing the very lifeblood of Taiwans
economic development, buses are so ubiquitous as to be
easily overlooked. So let us reflect upon how each bus is
a repository of humanity and human sentiment as they
journey to their far-flung destinations, allowing travel-
ers to enjoy the scenery at an agreeable speed.
29

Lishan Junior High and Elementary School in Taichungs Heping District is in a remote
area where cultural resources are meager by the standards of more urban districts.

8837
28
3.5

204

3

921

7
14
2012

2012


Like a transformer, the
mobile library extends its
wings at a schoolyard,
offering children a chance to
approach books and escape
into the world of reading.
Once a month, the mobile library of the Shig ang regularly making the trip to Lis han. In this remote,
branch of the Taichung City Library takes a trip along mountainous area, the children lack cultural stimula-
the Central Cross-Island Highway to reach Lis han tion. Consequently, the library took the initiative to put
Junior High and Elementary School and Pingdeng Ele- its resources into these childrens hands, in the hope of
mentary School. opening new educational windows onto the world.
As soon as the vehicle stops, children rush forward to The driver of the mobile library is 28-year-old Xiao
surround the it. Like a transformer growing wings, it be- Yiting. She adeptly steers the 3.5-metric-ton manual-
comes a little library. This is the moment that the kids transmission vehicle on its 102-kilometer, three-hour
wait for, says Shigang branch librarian Liu Yuying. journey through the mountains to Lishan, and on its
Bringing the world to the village return trip to Shigang. With a faint smile, she says shes
The rural town of Lis han in Taic hungs Hep ing
District sits at an altitude of 2000 meters. After the 921
Earthquake of 1999, the Central Cross-Island High-
way was hit by landslides in the Gug uan
Deji section, cutting off Lishan residents 7A
from the most convenient way to the city.
To connect to the outside world, they
were forced to go north toward Yilan on
Provincial Highway 7A, go east toward
Hualien on the eastern part of the Central
Cross-I sland Highway, or go south through
Wushe and Puli on PH 14A. It wasnt until emergency
repairs to the Central Cross-Island Highway were com- 14A
pleted in 2012 that the most direct route was reopened,
for limited local traffic only.
That was also the year that the mobile library began
31

6506
86910

10
8
65063

2000

14 6506
921
6506

gotten used to the routes challenges. But once, when Warm service up and down the mountain
heavy rains forced the closure of the cross-island high- There is another route connecting Lishan to Taichung
way, she was forced to take the detour northward via through Dayuling and Wuling along PH 14A and through
Yilan and the freeway, turning the return journey into Puli. The small Fengyuan Bus No. 6506 goes that way.
an eight-hour trip. From Fengyuan, 6506 passes through Shigang, Dong
Its a long way, to be sure, but its worth the effort. shi and Puli, and then on up via Wuling and Song Syue
Xie Shuyun, the principal of Lishan Junior High and Lodge, before reaching Dayuling and finally arriving in
Elementary School, notes: For the children, it increases Lishan. The entire route stretches 175 kilometers. The
their channels of engagement with the outside world. bus departs from Fengyuan Bus Station at 9:10 a.m., only
Director of curriculum Jian Wanting explains that ex- reaching its destination of Lishan at about 3 p.m.
tracurricular educational resources are hard to come The 6506 route currently has three drivers, including
by in Lishan, so the children see the mobile library as Yu J iade, who has been navigating it for 16 years. He
something new and exciting, and it increases their will- recalls that when the route first went into operation in
ingness to approach books. Thats the biggest benefit of 2000, its three scheduled runs per day were almost always
the mobile library. full. Since the Central Cross-Island Highway partially re-
For several years, local children have grown accus- opened, its passengers have dwindled and now are mostly
tomed to visiting the mobile library every month. Liu local seniors. The service now runs only once a day.
Yuying observes that frequent borrowers share their ex- Each time he drives the bus up into the mountains, Yu
periences with classmates. When children are the ones first stops briefly at the Qingshan tea shop along the Puli
communicating their enthusiasm for books, the results Wushe highway, where he picks up a stack of newspapers
are much better. so that mountain residents can have an opportunity to
Since the mobile librarys coming is something of a read todays news. (If sent by mail, the papers will be
treat, students can often be seen gathering together on received a day after publication.) So long as hes capable,
campus on the designated day of the month to peruse hes amenable to helping out as much as he can. Xu Qiu
its offerings. Thus, the sight of children sharing their ling, Qingshans owner, says, The drivers relationship
impressions of books has become a regular scene along with residents along the route transcends the typical pas-
this highway. sengerdriver relationship. When the weather is bad, the
drivers do what they can to bring needed supplies up the
mountain. With his crows-feet wrinkles deepening as
he laughs, Yu is visibly embarrassed upon hearing Xus
praise. Yet the truth is that drivers have long been con-
siderately carrying goods and people up and down the
mountains without any fanfare.
From Fengyuan, at an altitude of 200 meters, the bus
climbs to the highest elevation of any Taiwan highway
in Wuling (3275 meters). With a difference of more than
3000 meters in elevation on the route, along with unpre-
dictable weather in the mountains, Yu has experienced
the inconvenience of being trapped in the mountains
when conditions suddenly change. Nevertheless, Yu
6506
Fengyuan Bus Transportations route No. 6506 ascends to the
highest elevation of any highway in Taiwan.
33
6506

5
6508

200 9
3,275

12
1949

Yu Jiade regularly
takes stacks of
newspaper up to
the residents of the
mountains. His chats
with Xu Xiuling of
the Qingshan tea
house are a daily
occurrence.

hasnt wanted to swap routes. Mother nature rewards
him with four seasons of beautiful scenery: spring cherry Childrens endearing playfulness brings joy to Yu Jiades workday.
blossoms, verdant summers, autumn maples, and winter

snows, as well as an occasional sea of clouds. These
scenes have left indelible impressions on his memory.
Yu is very familiar with the winding mountain roads, eral store, where they purchase snacks for the rest of the
and his driving technique makes them seem as smooth journey. The sight of the children satisfied and laughing
as silk. The roads are narrow, and buses and trucks that is another scenic image captured along the highway.
ply these routes are typically equipped with CB radios, Memorable back-alley scenes
so they can relay information about current road condi- Performing their duties no matter the weather, mail
tions and avoid meeting each other at pinch points. The carriers are also regulars on Taiwans highways.
radios are a drivers small joy. The voices filling the air- Li Xiang works out of Tainans Shanhua Post Office.
waves cant help but bring smiles to peoples faces. Everyone calls him Chaichai (Postie), and hes been
On the small bus, everyone has their own life story working as a postman for 12 years now. Wearing a
to relate. They take to chatting easily even when they helmet, he drives one of those iconic green post-office
arent at first familiar with each other. One old couple motorcycles. He handles about 40 kilos of mails per day
on their first visit to Taiwan, who came all the way from over a route of more than 50 km. For the first nine years
Beijing, boarded at Puli. They are visiting their uncle of working at the post office, he was very systematic in
in Lishan, who came with the Nationalist government his approach, working quickly to get off work as soon as
when it decamped for Taiwan in 1949. The 6506 bus ride possible. But over the last three years, hes been going
is the last leg of their long journey. out with a camera, taking photos regularly and posting
After resting for a bit in Lis han, at 5:00 p.m. Yu them at Chaichais Work Journal on Instagram. Neti-
swaps out the 6506 sign for No. 6508 (Lishan to Wuling zens originally from the area enjoy seeing photos that
Farm) and goes to Lishan Junior High and Elementary capture images of their old homes or stomping grounds.
School to pick up students, who are out of school for Tagging along with Li X iang one day provides a
the day. The bus fills at once with life and laughter. demonstration of just how tight a mail carriers schedule
Yu says he enjoys the innocence of children. Hes been is. Theres virtually no time to plan or compose photos.
transporting these kids for nine years. Along the way, Yet Li says: By opening up my own senses, I have a
the bus stops and the children swarm outside to a gen- catalog of images that Ive seen for myself floating in my
35

As Li Xiang plies the local lanes and alleys day after day,
he regularly experiences serendipitous encounters.

9

3
Instagram

l

()
Combining his work with photography, Li Xiang captures
poignant moments in his journeys as a mailman.
(courtesy of Route Culture Co., Ltd.)

mind. Consequently, when taking photos, I just let my What do these streets that Li passes on his daily
intuition set up the shot. Whenever he enters a lane or journeys mean to him? They represent an essential
alley, he snaps some pictures guided by his memories: part of my existence. The image of Li delivering mail
Every alley has something outstanding to encounter. has become one of the highway scenes embedded in
Whether its an elegant old house or a dog (that enemy our own memories.
of postmen), Li engages with them on a daily basis. Highways are like lines of fate linking people who
And its not just the quaint, retro scenery. Those would otherwise lack any connection. The act of trav-
old husbands and wives waiting by their doors for Li eling together down the same stretch of asphalt be-
to deliver their letters shape the landscape of human comes a beautiful memory to share. Li likes to say of
sentiments that Li experiences every day. Li takes the his photographs: By accident, the focus always gets
initiative to say hello to the seniors, and they chat about placed somewhere unexpected. Journeys on highways
events of the day. By delivering their mail year after are like that too. l
year, he has become a part of their lives, and they a part (Cathy Teng/
of his. The photos he frequently takes of them all have photos by Jimmy Lin/
stories behind them. tr. by Jonathan Barnard)

Li Xiang, who has become part of the fabric of local life,
waves to an old lady on a bicycle.
37

COVER
STORY

A child on a metro train cranes his neck for a better view,
wondering what scenic vista will next appear before his
eyes.

Weaving urban
legends
the Taipei MeTro
101
U nlike the high-speed rail or regular trains, which

enable travel throughout Taiwan, mass rapid
transit (MRT) systems are most useful for journeys
within dense metropolitan areas. It doesnt take long to
get from historic Fort San Domingo in Tamsui to Taipei
101 on the bustling east side of Taipei City, or from the
hillside tea gardens of Maokong to the open expanses of
water at the mouth of the Danshui River. On the Taipei
Metro, you move rapidly from the mountains to the sea,
from the historic to the modern.
39

Offering room for imagination amid the darkness, subways

provide fertile soil for the germination of urban legends.
20

101
10x10
100
331

1996


The urban legends of cities so often feature sub- Art fosters spirit
way systems as a background, says ROC deputy Distinctive public art and outside scenery both provide a
minister of culture Pierre Yang, who was once an en- means for passengers to recognize stations. The Moment We
gineer for the Parisian public transportation system Meet, a work of public art at the Taipei 101 metro station, is
operator RATP. After the last trains ran on the night the most arresting public artwork in the MRT system.
of March 31, young engineers would often switch the Created by the cutting-edge artist H
uang Hsin-chien,
station signs. The next day they would enjoy the sight the work features a 10 x 10 grid of split-flap displays of
of panicked passengers, who believed that they had the type that were long used in airports and train stations
missed their stop. It was a twisted gift to riders on to announce expected arrival and departure times. The
April Fools Day. difference is that in H
uangs work the split flaps, rather
Yet, in the view of their senior colleagues, the than supplying different numbers, hold facial features of
prank wasnt worth the effort. Ever since 1996 French people of different ages, genders, and ethnicities, and they
subway stations have featured public art, so the sta- regularly flip to show a new face. The caption to the work
tions are no longer recognized simply by their geo- reads: Travelers journeys, like the flipped pages of a
graphical names. book, produce in peoples hearts and minds countless sto-
ries of encounters that belong to Taiwan.
On the same metro line, less than ten minutes away in
Daan Parkthe lungs of the citythe public artwork
Daan: Slow Forest Life (which in Chinese sounds similar
Travelers rush busily through a metro station. The fast pace
provides no time for daydreaming. to slow living) expresses the original natural character
41
10
Thrillist10

After waiting, passengers set off on a metro train, headed toward
their destination.

41


Corridors of history
Archer is good at using the MRT for thematic trips,
such as explorations of the citys past and present via
juxtapositions of old and new maps.
Captivated by old things and history, he used to play
freely as a child in the then semi-rural X
inyi District of
Taipei, an area that has now been entirely transformed
by gleaming modern buildings. Consequently, Archer
now keeps his eye out for old things, hoping to keep the
memories that they hold from disappearing forever.
Having boarded mass transit systems to connect
to history and culture in many cities, he uses them as
launching pads to aimless wandering, as he searches for
a taste of things at once familiar and novel. And its no
different when hes home in Taipei, where he often takes
the metro to a neighborhood, before exploring its lanes
and alleys and using his senses to unveil its secrets.
Take, for instance, the area around the Minquan West
Road station: Todays Zhongshan North Road is the for-
mer Chokushi Kaid (Imperial Envoy Avenue). From
the Japanese colonial period through the era of American
aid after World War II, important foreign visitors would
inevitably visit or drive down it. Consequently, it was of-
ten called Foreign Relations Boulevard. But the United
States and Taiwan have long since severed diplomatic
relations, and in recent years the stretch of Zhongshan
North Road near Minq uan West Road has become a
gathering spot for immigrants and guest workers from
Southeast Asia, who come to relieve homesickness. They
have given the area a new atmosphere. Known as well
for its many bridal shops, the road is lined with maples
and camphor trees, which lend it a delightfully exotic air.
of the area. It was nominated by the Ministry of Culture A new tool to explore the citys past
for a Public Arts Award. For Archer, riding the metro is like entering a time
The Jiantan MRT station, which once won a special machine. He rides this newfangled means of transporta-
prize from Taiwan Architect magazine for its modern de- tion to explore the citys history. When he takes his favor-
sign inspired by a dragon boat, resembles a suspension ite Red Line (the TamsuiXinyi Line) memories of the old
bridge. Its unique appearance prompted Thrillist to call Tamsui train line float into his mind.
it one of the worlds ten coolest rail stations. Archers favorite walking destination on this MRT-
Exploring the public art of mass-transit systems is enabled trip is to Alley 41 of Fushun Street. Seen from this
full of the joy of discovery. The convenience of getting vantage point, the moment when a metro train bursts out
on and off trains wherever one pleases makes it easy to from the underground tunnel is like a scene from the Jap-
explore the city one MRT stop at a time. The freelance anese cartoon Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
writer Archer, who in Chinese goes by the name Shui Aside from the Red Line, Archer also enjoys riding the
Pingzi (Water Bottle), enjoys riding the MRT for no Brown Line (the Wenhu Line). From one end to the other,
other purpose than riding the MRT. the line holds many attractions. At its southern terminus,
43

52

23.2

The comings and goings of people in metro stations provide
opportunities for beautiful, memorable encounters.

101


Danshui rivers. Distant views of Mt. Guanyin and the
A metro train shuttles through the dense blocks of the urban jungle. ocean also come into sight. Its very pleasant. If visitors
have more time, Yang suggests they also ride the Brown
Line, which evokes an altogether different feeling as it
travelers can visit the zoo or ride the Maokong cable moves along a track among high-rise buildings.
car. Around the middle of the lines route, they can see Subway systems origins date back to an old British
airplanes landing or taking off at Songshan Airport. And periodical. Humorously commenting on the congestion
when the train passes Dahu Park, they can catch views of that plagued British cities, one cartoonist envisioned a
Moon Bridge, which is famous both in Taiwan and abroad. tube into which people would be stuffed before a but-
Pierre Yang, too, often advises foreign visitors to take ton would be pressed and they would jump through
in the scenery along the Red Line toward Tamsui. the street grid to their destination.
Once the Red Line passes the Minquan West Road sta- That bit of whimsy inspired peoples imaginations,
tion, it emerges from underground to a viaduct over the and engineers turned fancy into reality, putting tracks
floodplain, offering beautiful views of the Keelung and into the air or underground. Today that image of a
45

Charles Baudelaire

l
tube-enabled jump is fixed in Yangs mind. The word

is a key to his approach to the subway.
If you say that the high-speed rail fills people with
dreams, MRT spaces bring people back to reality. There
are mere minutes or tens of seconds between stations,
leaving busy urban people with no time to dream. Just
when you are about to go off into a daydream, the tight
schedule brings you back to the present.
A moveable feast
Yang says that subway systems are the mass-transit
tool with the greatest sense of purpose. Passengers
simply lack the time to stop and take in what is around
them. But, he pleads, From a useful transportation
tool, we ought to push it toward becoming an enjoyable
one, where we sense the changing rhythms as trains
speed up and slow down. The French poet Charles
Baudelaire once wrote, The form of a city changes
faster, alas! than a mortals heart. Yang urges people to
open their senses to enjoy the MRT as much as possible.
At any moment, as people come and go, a metro sta-
tion can engender stories of human encounters. The de-
sign of a station and the placement of public art within
it can create a special character, allowing people to
produce their own urban legends in just a short few
minutes there. l
At the end of a busy day, the metro closes its gates as the
city prepares to rest. (Lung Pei-ning/photos by Lin Min-hsuan/
tr. by Jonathan Barnard)
47

COVER
STORY

Flashes of Taiwan
Riding the
High-Speed Railway
T he completion of the Taiwan High-Speed Railway

has shortened distances north to south in western
Taiwan. Travelers buzzing this way and that get brief but
beautiful memories and impressions.
In the spaces from one station to the next, people see the
scenes around them transform, and they feel their moods
modulate, as they hurtle past varied ways of life and to-
photo by Chuang Kung-ju

ward different destinations. Who knows what the next
station will bring? Only one thing is constant: change.
49
2007

2015121

(Be There)

2

The dizzying speed of the THSR allows a
traveler to see all the different types of scenery
Taiwan has to offer in concentrated form.

The Taiwan High-Speed Railway (THSR), which began
operations in 2007, threads its way between all the main
cities of western Taiwan. The service has sharply reduced
travel times, and the architecture of the stations has
changed the way people think about mass transportation.
Three new stationsMiaoli, Changhua, and Yunlinwere
opened on December 1 of 2015.
These new stations have altered the previous focus
purely on speed and functionality. They offer green
architecture with an emphasis on environmental sustain-
ability, integrated with special features of the localities and
their ways of life. These stations narrow the gap between
people and the natural environment. The feeling is just like
the concept that the THSR wants to convey: Be there!
A concentrated view of Taiwan
Deputy Minister of Culture Pierre T.P. Yang, an engineer
and author who has variously been an employee of the
Parisian public transportation system operator RATP and
the ROC representative in France, probably has as fine an
appreciation as anyone of the scenic qualities of the THSR.
Many people who travel often on the THSR just sleep, get

some work done, or get stuck into their smartphones, but (
when Yang takes the high-speed train he doesnt waste When deputy culture minister Pierre T.P. Yang rides the THSR he
turns his gaze on the varied landscapes along the route, taking in
his time with distractions. Each time he feels the train de- the diverse beauty of Taiwans scenery. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
part, he is filled with excitement and expectation, and gets
ready to deliberately and carefully observe.
For the Taipei City stretch of the THSR, the rails are
underground so as not to interfere with urban traffic. It is
only after you leave Banqiao Station, in Taipeis southern Not only is there a richness of scenery outside the
suburbs, that the changing scenery first appears. When windows, even in the stations the sensations vary. Yang
you enter Hsinchu, a center of high-tech industry, you shares the following observation: If you look at the
see the landscapes of an area right at the margin between three new stations, you can see that the architects have
country and city. Pass through a tunnel and you are in a all used light and shade to powerful effect within the
mountainous area, followed by rice paddies. After Tai spaces, while glass curtain walls draw travelers eyes
chung Station you come face to face with a broad expanse to the outdoor views. Set your perspective to distant
of green fields on a flat plain, and blue skies with scattered and enjoy as much as you can, and you will provoke an
white clouds, providing relief from the stress and intensity awakening of your sensory aesthetic.
of urban life. Then you pass through the Jianan Plain and Stations that breathe
cross the Tropic of Cancer, and you are in southern Tai- Two architectsCharles Hsueh, lead architect at HOY
wan, where a hot and intense sun greets every visitor. Architects & Associates, and Kris Yao, founder of Kris
Yang describes the varied views along the whole route Yao Artechhad a hand in the design of the three new
as intoxicating. When hosting foreign visitors, Yang stations. Both are not only masters of green architec-
always recommends that they take the THSR, especially ture, they are noted for their unique localized style,
given their tight schedules. In a journey of less than two with their works expressing defining characteristics of
hours, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Taiwan in the surrounding locality.
concentrated form. After completing the THSRs Taic hung Station,
51

After the curtain of night falls, the lights inside the Changhua
THSR station are turned on, and through the large glass
windowsseeming sometimes to conceal, sometimes to reveal
the scenery both outdoors and in appears before the eye.

2015


In this way the structure can adapt to nature, and re-
duce energy use in any weather, cold or hot.
The team therefore studied data on the angle of the
sunshine in M
iaolis Houlong Township to calculate
where sunlight would be strongest on the southern side
of the building, and installed solar panels on the roof,
which not only provide electricity but also have the ef-
fect of blocking the sun when it is most scorching.
There is a scenic park in front of the station, planted
mainly with trees and vegetation characteristic of the
surrounding area. The plants in the park can cool off
incoming hot winds, thereby lowering the temperature
of the station and contributing to the goal of reducing
energy use.
The outdoor pedestrian walkway is covered by a
glass awning that is decorated with stylized patterns of
tung flowers and green leaves. (The tung tree is a well-
known symbol of M
iaoli.) When sunlight penetrates
through the awning, these patterns cast shadows on the
ground, creating the impression that one is walking in
the shade of tung trees. If you raise your head and look
upward, you will not be directly struck by sunlight, but
will still be able to see clear blue skies between the flo-
ral patterns. The very essence of M
iaoli is ensconced in
this design, and its underlying aesthetic conception is
profound and far-reaching.
The line of motion of the main hall is obvious at
a glance. From the entrance you can clearly see the
escalators and elevators. The escalators leading to the
Charles H sueh took on the task of designing M iaoli platform are the longest of any of Taiwans 12 high-
Station. After accepting the project, he continually speed rail stations. Illumination guides passengers
pondered the question: M iaoli is heavily populated automatically to the place where they have to board the
by Hakka people, so how can I express the Hakka trains, without having to depend on direction indica-
spirit? Himself a Hakka, Hsueh for a time considered tors. Clouded glass ensures that womens skirts do not
extending the core concept of the Taichung Stationthe become translucent. Charles Hsueh says that infrastruc-
shuttle of a textile weaving loomto express the sense ture shouldnt have too many signage systems. Instead,
of speed of the THSR and also the stations function of train stations should be self-identifying spaces, so
threading together northern and southern Taiwan. that passengers can, in the course of a leisurely and
However, he later reconsidered. For one thing, peo- comfortable journey, appreciate the space and the archi-
ple have stopped finding the sense of speed remark- tectural features, and leave with beautiful memories.
able or extraordinary. Also, he thought that in the face Miaoli Station has gotten rave reviews from local res-
of global warming, contemporary architecture should idents. The design reflects the Hakka spirit of frugality
have a sense of harmonious co-existence with nature. and hard work, and has earned the station the honor of
He decided that his design team should shed the staid being named a diamond-level green structure.
framework of a train station and, for the first time, Like a surrealistic movie set
use a smart skin to design a station that can breathe. Kris Yao, who had previously designed the Hsinchu
53

A birds-eye view of the Yunlin THSR station. Architect Kris Yao arranged pillars and roof panels to create
an impression of sunlight piercing through clouds.

12

Smart Skin (Self-Identification)


THSR station, won the contract for designing the Yun roof, and see the light reflected mirror-like from the floor,
lin and Changhua stations. Yao, who studied film in the they realize: I get it. Its a flower!
United States, enjoys envisioning architectural space in Travelers who raise their heads and look upward will
terms of minute-long images. Seeing in his minds eye see a ceiling of cool blue, and will naturally feel chill and
travelers moving hither and thither, unsettled and alien that theres no rush. Ones line of sight is then pulled to-
to their environment, he wanted to create stations that ward the translucent greenhouse paneling that makes up
would give visitors scenes that would touch their hearts the windows, and the encircling green plants, putting the
while providing some solace and comfort for the soul. observer in a relaxed frame of mind as these elements blur
He set out to create visuals that would impact people, the distinction between interior and exterior.
and would trigger their spatial intuition and perceptivity. Stepping outside the station proper, there is no sharp
He also wanted to create stations that local people would break in the visual line from inside to outside. Rather,
identify withthat is, local residents would feel that the there is an uninterrupted transition to the fields that sur-
stations are representative entryways for, and symbols of, round the station. The station is located in a Changhua
their own communities. Finally, he wanted stations that township called Tianzhong, meaning among the fields,
would generate a sense of expectation and aspiration go- and it was lauded in olden times as one of the Eight Sce-
ing forward, a feeling that the future will be a better place. nic Views of Changhua, a place where clouds drift in the
The Changhua THSR station, which captured the 2016
Architizer A+ Popular Choice Award (decided by an
online vote among design enthusiasts after nomination by
an expert jury), is built around pillars inspired by flowers.
Green plants circle the interior, and there is a natural con-

tiguity from them to the cultivated fields outside. There is Passengers walk along the covered walkway outside the Yunlin
a certain sense of the surreal under the decorative light- THSR station. A ride on the high-speed railway offers changes in
mood from one station to the next.
ing, as if you were on a film set.
The pillars evoke the fact that Changhua County is a
major center of Taiwans flourishing floriculture industry.
The most fascinating thing about them is the way they
generate a sense of space, while at the same time block-
ing ones line of vision. Kris Yao, who has very much the
aura of an artist, invested a great deal of creative energy
into designing these arching wall-like pillars in the form
of blossoms, and they really manifest the mental imag-
ery of a bouquet. They not only increase the visual space,
they also give the stream of travelers passing under them
a sense of ever-changing scenery.
The tops of the faux-flower pillars emerge through
the roof in triangular shapes. They are angled to create
north-facing exposure, and they allow natural light to
shine onto the pillars below. The interior light is there-
fore also undergoing constant change depending on the
angle of the sunlight.
Actually, northbound passengers just alighting may
find the triangular roof features inexplicable. But when
they proceed on the staircase toward ground level, what
greets the eye brings instant understanding. As soon
as they see a pillar below each triangular shape on the
55

The visual impact of the pillars in the Yunlin Station is as

intriguing at night as are the ever-evolving patterns of light and
shade during the day.

2016(Architizer)
A+


breeze and birds flit among the paddies. Dusk brings a
kind of dreamlike hallucination in purple hues, while at
night you find yourself in an arboretum or conservatory
from some surreal world, as if entering a scene from a
science fiction movie, exploring the future.
The scenes never repeat, creating precisely the dra-
matic and cinematic effect that Kris Yao so loves.
Clouds, forest, light, shade
In comparison to the Changhua THSR station, the one
in Yunlin is relatively abstract. In several places, inside
and out, Yao uses proportionately equal pillars and beams,
which, when systematically aligned, create sloping curves.
The creative concept is to use a repeated motif, and
through the sloping curves to create a sense of continuity
and flow. This is similar to pleasing music, a physical ver-
sion of the flowing notes of a repeated motif on a score.
The Yunlin THSR station utilizes very few elements.
The core is composed of the flowing visual lines creating
by the sloping curves and inclines. The roof, meanwhile,
which consists of layered segments cascading downward,
brings in a great deal of natural light, and gives the sensa-
tion of a very elevated interior space. The passage of sun-
light inside and out generates areas of light and shadow,
changing constantly as time passes, so that the repeated
architectural motifs also appear to the eye to be evolving.
Kris Yao says, The physical structure of a building is
fixed, so I used the modulating sunlight to set the archi-
tecture in motion, creating a kind of melodic movement.
You might say this is a microcosm of the changes of the
natural environment, in an interior space. Without any
tricks or gambits, this design allows natures transforma-
tions to be manifested within a self-restrained and con-

stricted sequence or order. The place-name Yunlin is made
up of the characters yun, meaning cloud, and lin, mean-
ing forest, and the stations introductory pamphlet de-
scribes it with the poetic term cloud light, forest shade,
which Yao feels is a very apt and incisive description.
The high-speed railway has shortened distances north
to south in western Taiwan, and condensed the islands
scenery. The beautiful new stations along the way help
relax the minds of people on the move, each offering

display window after display window of views, with a
unique mix of light and shade, adding scenic and decora-
tive colors to these brief stops in the journey of life. l
(Lung Pei-ning/photos by Jimmy Lin/
l tr. by Phil Newell)
57

2 0 0 7
2013
2 0 0 7

2016
59


61

()


7 6
63

(4)
()

17.5%
65
MOVING PICTURES

A Birds-Eye View of Taiwan


Golden Falls, Jinguashi, New Taipei City
67
Laomei Green Reef, Shimen, New Taipei City

There is a kind of beauty that is almost impossible

for people living on the ground to see. Taiwan boasts
a rich array of topographical featurestowering
peaks, plains, rivers, and the nearby ocean waters.
Aerial photography examines this land that has nur-
tured us, from different angles and soaring heights.
Seeing the land from a different perspective invites
us to ponder the beauty and sorrows of Taiwan.
Fishermans Wharf, Tamsui, New Taipei City
69
Rice fields, Chishang, Taitung County
71

l
Taiwan Panorama will offer periodic photo essays under

the title A Birds-Eye View of Taiwan, which will allow us to
take readers on soaring journeys and to reintroduce Taiwan
from a whole new perspective. l
(text and photos by Jimmy Lin/tr. by Robert Green)
Xiaoyoukeng, Yangmingshan National Park

Tea plantation, Qiandao Lake, Shiding, New Taipei City
73
Yeliu, Wanli, New Taipei City
75
TAICHUNG
W hat kinds of impres-

sion spring to mind
when you think of Taichung?
Is it the fine sunny weather,
or perhaps the simple friend-
liness of the people? Is it the
delicious cuisine, the tasty
fruits, vegetables and pastries,
or the enchanting lively night-
life? Taichung, that convenient
stopover between northern
and southern Taiwan, is well
situated for easy travel. Its
harbor and airport make for
easy access to the city and its
surroundings, and a multitude
of trailblazing enterprises
have earned it a reputation as
a cultural capital.

Savor the beauty of Taichung, where culture
mixes with everyday life.
Taichung, City of Culture
The Taichung Arts Festival, which grows grander every year, is

turning Taichung into a cultural capital, akin to a little Paris in
Taiwan. (courtesy of Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau)

2018
2015

2018

2016

10

The Taichung Jazz Festival, held every October, fills the
city with music and creates an enchanting atmosphere.
(courtesy of Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau)
Taichung has many world-class exhibition centers, Cultural equality and a sea of flowers
art galleries, and performance spaces, but they are con- In 2016 the first Taic hung Arts Festival (named
centrated in the city center, says Wang Chih-cheng, the Flower City Arts Festival in Chinese) was organized
director of Taichungs Cultural Affairs Bureau. But I feel with the support of Mayor Lin. It initially met with con-
that cultural resources should be made more accessible. siderable skepticism, however. Come on, who are you
By overcoming the challenge of limited facilities, we can trying to kid? Wang Chih-cheng recalls the complaints.
achieve cultural equality. Fortunately this concept is one When people hear flower city, theyll think of Paris.
also held by the mayor of Taichung, Lin Chia-lung. (Paris is known as the City of Flowers in Chinese.)
The annual Mazu festival, held in the third month of How can Taichung compare? Where are the flowers?
the lunar year in the citys northwestern Dajia District, But he points out that although few people know
where Wang grew up, is an excellent example. And Tai it, Taichung not only has flowers but a unique flower
chung can capitalize on other resources to hold cultural industry. The city ranks first in Taiwan for the produc-
activities during different times of the year. tion of Oncidium orchids, lilies, gladioli and flamingo
DNA
Taichungs old City Hall, built in the baroque style during the Japanese colonial period, is rich in historical significance.
In the future it will house a museum that will help reconstruct the citys cultural DNA.
79

Cultural and creative spaces both large and small are an endless source of vitality for Taichung. Pictured here
are Zhongxin Market (left), the Calligraphy Greenway (right), and Fantasy Story, a creative collective (below).

10

10

28% 14
87%
10

Tranquility and gentle breezes draw people to the banks of the
Liuchuan Canal in the evenings.
flowers. And in 2018 Taichung is preparing to welcome for the ceremonies, and the people of the district were
the World Flora Expo. awed by the opening performance, presented by Pixar
As soon as Wang took over as the director of the Cul- Animation and the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra. That
tural Affairs Bureau in 2015, he organized the large-scale days festivities attracted more than 200,000 people. Aside
Taichung Arts Festival with the thematic focus of Flow- from the Mazu festival, this was the first time in years that
ersA Centennial to build Taichungs reputation as a the people joined together in such great numbers, and it
floral city. This festival, along with the upcoming 2018 got the arts festival off to a terrific start, says Wang.
World Flora Expo, an ambitious international event, are Arts to the countryside
helping him implement the concept of cultural equality. The Taichung Arts Festival adhered to the principle of
Toward that end, Wang broke the mold in the planning maintaining a natural state and touching the heart, and
for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Taichung highlighted the performances of local artists and their in-
Arts Festival. He selected Dajia, far from the city center, novative creativity in both form and essence. The ten-day
81
()
(right) Following its renovation, Shen Ji New Village has become
a popular spot for holiday visitors.
()
(below) The beauty of both the interior and the exterior of the
National Taichung Theater has helped enrich the artistic life of
city residents.

2004

50%
DNA
40
DNA


festival included more than 200 performances, including also expanded since Wang became the director of the
landscape arts, parades, dance, exhibits, music, street Cultural Affairs Bureau. From its original location at the
performers, markets and cultural events. Calligraphy Greenway it now spans across Taichungs
Wang also persuaded world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo municipal districts. Aside from fostering an approach-
Ma to perform at the festival, causing a sensation and pro- able performance atmosphere, the festival hopes to
viding the perfect capstone to the series of performances. promote cultural equality, expose children in the citys
In the beginning we lacked adequate funding and only outlying districts to artistic performances and bring the
28% of Taichung residents were aware of the festival, arts closer to the people.
but later the festival registered an 87% approval rating, Moreover, for the annual Taichung Jazz Festival, this
Wang says proudly. It was a real shot in the arm! year in its 14th iteration, the organizers have arranged
The next years Taichung Arts Festival was originally for a special series of events called Jazz City Awaken-
also planned for ten days, but in the end was extended ing to cultivate an exclusive connection between jazz
to two-and-a-half months. Festivities covered the whole music and Taichung and infuse jazz into daily life. Jazz
city: performances were even held in high-altitude Li strains will echo from spots all over the city, from the
shan and Gug uan. Henceforth, the festival became a traffic lights and train stations to the coffee shops at the
symbol of the city. harbor, calling forth the spirit of jazz throughout Taic-
The decade-old Taichung Childrens Arts Festival has hung and making it part of the citys fabric.
83

At the Taichung Literature Museum, visitors can enjoy
the literary atmosphere that permeates the building.
DNA
100

DNA

5,000

DNA

l

Showcasing the local miniature. Various parts of our cultural heritage tell the
Supporting local performance groups is another story of Taichungs rise and development. They constitute
important priority for the Taichung Cultural Affairs Bu- the cultural DNA of the city.
reau. Ive never felt that Taichungs local performance At the Anhe archaeological site, discovered a few years
troupes were inferior, says Wang. Moreover they un- ago, ancient human skeletons some 4,000 to 4,800 years
derstand even better how to integrate into local culture. old have been unearthed, including one that has been
As long as we provide support and the dubbed the Anhe Granny. The oldest hu-
right environment, and create opportuni- man skeletons to have been found within
ties and a platform for their cultivation, Taichung Citys boundaries, these remains
local performance troupes will accumulate trace human activity in the area back some
experience and improve day by day. They 5000 years and confirm the extraordinary
will compare favorably with any perfor- richness of human civilization at that early
mance troupes from Taiwan or abroad. date. The site fills visitors with awe.
To achieve that end, at least half of the 100 masters and ideas in bloom
groups invited to participate in activities Regarding Taichungs cultural devel-
sponsored by the Taichung Cultural Af- opment, new ideas are everywhere taking
fairs Bureau must be locally based. root to fulfill the citys ambition to turn
For example, the bureau has been ac- itself into a cultural capital.
tively encouraging the participation of top For example, the World Book Day
local performance troupes since it started 100 Masters in Schools initiative extended
the Taichung Traditional Arts Festival in invitations to 100 writers and scholars of
2004. Every year, local groups account for all ages from Taiwan and abroad to give
more than half of the performances. Aside talks to students and city residents at mid-
from sponsoring performances during this dle schools, university campuses, libraries
years Chinese New Year celebrations, the and other cultural spaces. These masters
Cultural Affairs Bureau arranged for skilled helped plant cultural seeds throughout
performers from Taiwan and abroad to Taichung. The event was intended to pro-
hold over 40 splendid performances in four vide new resources for remote schools in
important cultural venues in the citythe order to help close the gap between city
Dadun and Huludun Cultural Centers, and and countryside, promote reading, and re-
the Seaport and Tun District Art Centers. define the conventions of a cultural city.
Moreover, the National Taic hung The teachers invited through the pro-
Theater has been putting its performance gram represent the best in the country in
spaces at the disposal of local artists and terms of the quality, quantity and scope of
theater troupes and introducing various their lectures. Their inclusion reflects the
programs intended to foster local talent. determination and creativity of the Taic-
In search of cultural origins hung Cultural Affairs Bureau in establish-
In former days, Taichung was known ing the cultural rights of citizens and ele-
as a city of culture, Wang says. Today its vating the academic atmosphere at schools.
even more essential for us to search out the DNA of our cul- In the future, pure creativity and splendid cultural
tural heritage. This is something weve never really done. achievement will surely continue to flow into the well-
The search for our cultural DNA must begin with springs of the citys cultural history and help turn Taichung
specific cultural artifacts and spaces from which we can into the long-dreamed-of cultural paradise that will make
trace our history, Wang continues. For example, Tai locals proud to live in such a livable city. l
chung was modeled on the Japanese city of Kyoto and (Weng Yazhen/photos by Lin Min-hsuan/
became, culturally speaking, something of a Kyoto in tr. by Robert Green)
85
LOCAL ARTISANS
Sanxia: A Century-Old City Rises Again

1915

S anxia is located in the southwest corner of the

Taipei Basin. Mountains rise on three sides and
to the west it faces the Dahan River Valley and the
coastal plains. Passing through the vicissitudes of a
century, the town long ago outgrew its earlier role.
Yet a deep, rich cultural heritage has helped to con-
tribute to the unique characteristics and charming
appearance of the place today.
Strolling through Sanxias red-brick covered walk-

ways, one can see Baroque-style decorative facades
glimmering in the afternoon sun. From the Qing Dy-
nasty on, Sanxias auspicious location and rich natural
resources allowed it to rise up as a hub for trade along
the local rivers. The trade in tea, camphor, dyed textiles,
lumber, coal, and other goods favored the growth of lo-
cal industry. Businesses sprang up along the streets that
now form the old quarter of the town, which became a
prosperous commercial center. During the Japanese co-
photo by Chuang Kung-ju lonial period, major renovations in 1915 resulted in the
architecture still visible today.
87

2004
2007

2016

The many types of splendid craftsmanship on display in Zushi
Temple lend it an artistic air. Details throughout the building
reward attentive visitors. Aside from being a local center of
worship, it is also a must-see destination for visitors to Sanxia.
(photo by Chuang kung-ju)

Through experience and skill, Liao Baogui creates lovely, striking
patterns by adding beautiful indigo to pristine white fabrics.
The fall and rise of old Sanxia History in a touch of indigo

Because its fortunes were built upon riverine trade, From the time she first came upon indigo plants (the
however, Sanxia lost its significance as a commercial raw material for the dye) in the mountains, Liao Baogui
hub due to the construction of irrigation canals and developed a lasting attachment to indigo dyeing, and
the completion of transportation networks on land. today she is involved with the preservation of Sanxias
With the ageing of the structures, many merchants indigo dyeing culture. By experiencing the harvesting
eventually moved out, and for a time the buildings of indigo plants and making dye firsthand, Liao has
faced the possibility of demolition. In 2004, however, come to appreciate the wonders of the process. After
the government initiated a renovation project, and a collecting fresh indigo plants, they need to be soaked
rejuvenated old quarter was unveiled in 2007. New and beaten, and finally the sediment must be separated
shops opened up in the old buildings and tourists out, Liao explains. Only then can you make good in-
flooded in. Sanxia entered a new chapter in its his- digo and a stable dyeing solution.
tory, one that preserved the charming appearance of Only through this meticulous process can the ideal
its past. indigo colors be produced, allowing master dyers to
Because of the ease of transportation, available use their various techniques to create works of great
water supplies, and ample crops, Sanxia was once the originality.
chief center for textile dyeing in northern Taiwan. On A temple treasury for immortal arts
close inspection, one can still see the names of dye- For generations, Zus hi Temple has been the chief
works on the facades of the old town. But although religious center for Sanxia, Tucheng, Yingge, Daxi, and
commercial indigo dyeing has waned, many have other nearby towns. Rebuilt for the third time in 1947,
taken up the job of preserving its history. the construction was led by local artist and professor Li
89

19473
19862001
30

Hong Yaohui works with quiet intensity, skillfully utilizing the
woodcarvers tools and techniques. Through skills accumulated
over time, he transforms ordinary wooden blocks into vivid works
of art.
10


In a dialogue between subtle feelings and creativity, Li Zhihao
searches for the perfect balance between clay, fire and passion to
create extraordinary pieces of seemingly spontaneous perfection.
When ceramics are mentioned, people immediately

think of the town of Yingge, next to Sanxia. But when
master ceramist Li Zhihao established a creative base, he
instead chose Sanxia. Li, who originally studied sculp-
ture and started his career in the field, took a job at a pot-
tery by chance. Since he tends to be led by his passions,
Li found himself working there for the next decade, ac-
cumulating a thorough understanding of pottery making
techniques.
Li has taken his passion for carving and combined it
with the potters art, and through trial and error discov-
ered his own creative path. In the creative process, one
must speak with the clay, he says. Harmonizing the three
elements of clay, fire, and passion is essential to ceramic
art, according to Li. In order to highlight the beauty of his
engraving on his ceramics, he decided to forgo glazing.
He also began to experiment with the firing process and
added the local clay of Sanxia to his array of raw materi-
als. Sanxias natural environment is excellent, including
the quality of the water and the clay, he explains. Sanxia
clay is particularly special because it is rich in minerals.
Mei-shu. The temple combines unique architecture with After firing in the kiln, enchanting qualities emerge.
splendid works of artcarvings in stone and wood and Different types of clay, moreover, produce varied
copper engravings. It has earned a reputation as a tem- surface textures and patterns. The ash from the firing
ple of Eastern arts and teems with life even today. process also lends the pieces unique coloring, giving Lis
Woodcarving master Hong Yaoh ui, who worked creations a natural, unadorned appearance. But it is the
on the temple reconstruction from 1986 to 2001, began subtle details that reveal the extraordinary attributes of
apprenticing as a wood carver after graduating from his work. Through its use in different settingswhether
junior high school. He has traveled all over Taiwan with as part of tea sets or table settings or as decorative ob-
his teacher, working on wood carvings at various tem- jectsLis ceramic art reveals an effortless beauty against
ples and developing a solid foundation in his craft. the backdrop of daily life.
Today there are few young people who want to Traditional craftsmen as educators
study the craft. After more than three decades of experi- Culture Art and Nature (CAN), a local community
ence, Hong knows the hardships involved. Yet devoted advocacy group, has been intimately involved with San
to the mission of passing on his skills, he offers univer- xias cultural preservation efforts and creating a histor-
sity courses in the hopes of finding students to carry on ical record of its past. The groups founder, Jeffery Lin,
the tradition. grew up in the area, and when he returned to Sanxia he
91

20

2015

8

2016

2010

In 2010, Jeffery Lin founded Culture Art and Nature as a creative
community platform for Sanxia. It is a place where all kinds of
creative energies can gather, intermingle, be reborn and radiate
outward, making imagination a reality and continuing to promote
local culture through action. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju)

had to get to know it all over again. In the process, he 20169

discovered many facets of local culture that were worth

treasuring. Through interviews and written documents In September 2016, Culture Art and Nature and the Wuliao
Elementary School jointly held an arts apprenticeship event at
related to Sanxia, over a six-year period CAN pieced the beginning of the school term. Through a series of hands-on
together 20 stories that shed light on the towns tradi- experiential courses on traditional crafts, students can learn in a
livelier way.
tional industries. Lin discovered that although local
craftsmen retain a mastery of their craft, they face a Aside from cultivating active learning, CAN also sees
common struggle to preserve and pass on those skills. possibilities in the integration of educational activities
Lin believes that ensuring the future of these cultural and craft culture. In 2016, CAN created a program called
legacies will require finding their worth for a new gen- Sanxia Shokunin School, to foster the concept that the
eration. CAN, therefore, is helping to organize educa- community itself is a schoolroom in which the artisans
tional activities to cultivate new interest. are the teachers. The new educational concept allows
As a first step, CAN focused on instilling appreci- traditional crafts to be folded into the educational ex-
ation for local culture locally. In 2015, it organized an perience. The knowledge and techniques involved
artisans concerto exhibition that toured schools, put- in traditional industries are really just an extension, a
ting the written records to good use by introducing the practical application, you could say, of learning in the
history of local crafts to students. The next step featured classroom, Lin explains. We hope that these crafts can
demonstrations of traditional craft techniques at the become living teaching materials of exceptional quality.
schools and was intended to spark students interest in As well as promoting active-learning and demon-
learning about traditional crafts. strational activities, CANs programming team has also
93

201611

Culture Art and Nature participated in the Za Share EXPO for
Innovative Education to share its experience with its artisans
elementary school program, which is based on community-
based, child-centered educational concepts. The exhibition also
allowed CAN to exchange ideas with other participating groups
and explore new educational possibilities.

10%

l

developed a series of special courses at local schools, in-
cluding a broadcasting program at Wuliao Elementary
and a program at Long Pu Elementary that facilitates
interviews with seasoned artists by student reporters.
Inviting artisans to schools and encouraging students
to explore the community is resulting in lively cultural
exchanges.
Finding new meaning in old arts
In order to promote the idea of abandoning old edu-
cational frameworks and reforming education through
imagination, CAN and the National Academy for Ed-
ucational Research have been working to flesh out the
idea of using the local craft community as a classroom
and using exhibitions as a platform for expanding
imaginative educational concepts. They hope that by
combining teachers from within the school system and

the ideas of educational specialists they can find new
educational possibilities.
In order to promote these ideas, they also participated
Silversmith Wen Qinglong has been challenging old concepts
and with the help of CANs design expertise founded a studio
in the Za Share EXPO for Innovative Education 2016, that allows him to cultivate his own brand and successfully open
up a new path for traditional crafts.
Asias largest innovation and educational exposition.
The San Yi Metalworking Studio is an excellent ex-
ample of CANs influence on traditional industries. sible for the development of Sanxia indigo dyeing, Yingge
Wen Qinglong, a master silversmith, was trained as a ceramics, and Daxi wood carving, and each possesses a
traditional apprentice. Although he had a solid mastery distinctive craft culture. The tours are helping to popu-
of the skills of his craft, he could only find work making larize the culture and history of the traditional industries
items to order on a case-by-case basis. With the help of of the three localities. Ten percent of all proceeds from
CAN, however, he began to see beyond this traditional the tours is donated to local nonprofit organizations and
dynamic. He founded an independent studio and devel- provides funding for sustainable development projects
oped his own brand of design products, allowing him for both the towns and the surrounding countryside. Cul-
to engage in artistic creation firsthand. He also works to tural tourism thus becomes a vehicle for social change.
cultivate an appreciation for his craft through interactive By compiling a cultural record, rethinking education,
demonstrations and hands-on experience sessions. By reviving traditional industries, putting tourism to work,
continuing to introduce new possibilities to local crafts- and responding to public concerns, CAN is taking a
people, CAN hopes to continue to make use of local re- multipronged, innovative approach to finding contem-
sources and find new meaning in old arts. porary value in traditional crafts and discovering the
Cultural engines powered by old and new potency of change. The varied plans for revitalization are
In addition to their efforts currently underway in San infusing the old city of Sanxia with new vibrancy pow-
xia, CAN has also set up Da San Ying Cultural Tours, a ered by old and new alike. The town is ready for a future
travel platform for excursions that connect Sanxia to the of endless possibilities. l
neighboring towns of Yingge and Daxi. The three towns, (Bai Qiwei/photos courtesy of CAN/
long established along the Dahan River Valley, are respon- tr. by Robert Green)
95
ARTISTS AND ARTISANS
Nailed It!
Metal Mosaic Artist Hu Darfar

T insnips in hand, he slices a beer can into small

pieces, which he then hammers flat and finally
nails to a wooden board. Hu Darfar, using a mal-

let as his brush, metal shards as his pigments, and
a wooden board as his canvas, produces images of
the mountain town of Jiufen as it exists in his mem-
ory. This master of metallic art, truly an authentic

product of Taiwan, is a global outlier in using this

unusual technique, and he has been invited to exhibit

or teach in the US, Japan, mainland China, and Ko-

rea. He has also won a number of prestigious prizes,

including Taiwans Ju Ming and Nanying awards.

The three keys to understanding the life of Hu Dar

far are Jiufen, metal goods, and an interest in art.

Born in the historic mountain town of Jiufen, Hu left in

his 20s, moving to Taipei to find a job. From working
for someone else to starting up his own business, Hus

Hu Darfars attire is almost always the same: fishermans cap
and blue jeans. The self-portrait behind him is the only portrait he
has ever done. (photo by Jimmy Lin)
97

Bam, bam, bam. Hus metal mosaics are assembled painstakingly,
one strip or shard nailed up at a time. (photo by Jimmy Lin)

Airing Duvets and Clothes in the Sun. In this work, depicting
old Jiufen on a sunny day, it looks as if the lanes and alleys are
decorated with flags of all nations.

entire working life has been in the to get by with makeshift shelters
buying and selling of metals and made from straw to protect them
metal objects. He only ventured selves against the wind and rain.
into art at age 60, when, reno Sometimes you could even see
vating his old home, he came up both extremes on opposite sides
with the notion of decorating the of the same street. It is details like
empty walls with art. With no pre these in Hus works that really
vious instruction, operating only bring to life at one glance the
according to his own inspiration, heady days of yesteryear.
Hu used the objects at hand In his creations Hu also cap
hammers, nails, and cansto tures the charming simplicity of
assemble, in time with the rhythm the norms and daily customs of
of hammer blows, mosaics based those days. One work, entitled
on his memories of his hometown Carrying Seats to Attend a Banquet,
of Jiufen. vividly illustrates how neighbors
Memories of Jiufen would contribute chairs from their
Jiufen was once a goldmining own households whenever there
boomtown, and Hu was born was some large catered event like
there during its glory days. He a wedding. The town is small
personally witnessed the prosper and compact, so homes have only
ity of this small mountain com very limited space, and as a result
munity, recalling, In those days no one had enough furniture for
Jiufen was the hub of the whole larger gatherings. The work por
surrounding area. This is where trays parents shouldering benches
all the markets were where farm and leading their children along,
ers came to sell their produce, and heading off to attend the sched
retail shops were all here. Three uled start of the festivities.
or four hogs had to be slaughtered Since Jiuf en rests against a
each day just to keep up with lo steep slope, the houses are liter
cal demand. ally piled one on top of the other,
Mining was dangerous work, and often one mans window
and miners never knew if they opens onto the next mans roof.
would even be alive tomorrow to When the weather was good and
spend what they earned today. people brought their duvets out
Not surprisingly, they were free onto these roofs to air in the sun
spenders, and the town had every shine, it looked like a contest to
kind of entertainment establish The process of creating a metal see who could put on the most
mosaic. (photos by Jimmy Lin)
ment of that erapool halls, a colorful display. The image of
movie theater, restaurants, taverns. items such as babys diapers, wraps and Japanese-style
Jiufen attracted gold prospectors from all over. Those attire hung out to dry on long bamboo poles is espe
who struck it rich built themselves two- or three-story cially effective, since the metal pieces are nailed to the
concrete Western-style houses, while newcomers had wood at an angle, making them appear to be blowing in
99

Grandparent and Grandchild Walking. Hu is able to turn nails and metal shards into a scenic stone staircase with a
sense of depth, while also capturing the emotional connection between grandparent and grandchild.

the wind. These images of a simpler time are evoked in
Hus works Airing Duvets in the Sun and The Happiness
of a New Life.
Metal mosaics
Hu coined a Chinese term to describe his genre that
literally translates as nail paintings. At the beginning
he used scrap metals like discarded nails, screws, steel
wire, and aluminum strips. Metal is cold and bleak in its
sensory impact, and each individual piece of scrap metal
has a uniform coloring, bringing a certain starkness to
Hus earliest depictions of Jiufen. Later, in order to add
color to his works, Hu began to use pieces of metal con
tainers from things like powdered milk and other canned

goods. These became his palette of pigments, bringing
Light Rail Bridge. Hus childhood home in Jiufen faced right onto
nail paintings from black and white to a world of color. a light rail track, essential to the mining industry in the old days.
Many of his works feature this theme.
However, Hu is still limited to the colors that come
on the cans, and he cannot mix his own hues. As a re
sult, Hus nail paintings have a certain impressionist ef
Fragrant Tea Plantations. This is a landscape painting of the
fect in their use of color. For example, a green patch in a tea-growing country of Anxi in mainland Chinas Fujian Province.
101

Hu also draws inspiration from his impressions
gleaned on trips abroad.

Opening up Hus sketchbook, we find a sketch of Shuqi
Road, one of the main streets in Jiufen.

2004

59254460

Taiwan


work by Hu will not be a pure single color, but will have

different shades overlapping, and it wouldnt be in the Childrens Games. Works in this series focus on the joys of
least surprising to find strips of blue or yellow mixed in. childhood in Hus hometown as he recalls them from long ago,
such as spinning tops, marbles, and dogs and cats.
In the early days, it was a headache for Hu to find
enough colored metal. But now that his friends all know Meaning through detail
that he puts recyclable cans to use as art materials, from In addition to capturing the nostalgic and touching
time to time people will leave bags of discarded cans at simplicity of Jiufen through his metal mosaics, Hu is
his doorstep. And whenever he goes abroad he makes also able to exploit the surface texture of his material
a special effort to collect pop-top cans with unusual or chilling, forbidding, and reflective in a way that plays
exotic local colors. tricks with the lightto produce the visual effects of the
Hu has been invited to hold quite a few exhibitions fog that frequently envelops this mountain town. Look
overseas. To make his work more accessible, he does ing at works like Clear Sky Through the Mist or Bridge
not describe his work using a literal translation of the Through the Mist, the viewer cant help but feel absorbed
Chinese term nail paintings, but instead calls them into a mountain realm of pea-soup haze.
metal mosaics. There is also another secret ingredient The 2004 work Rain over Keelung Harbor is an even
in his works: He can never bear to cut the word Taiwan more dynamic demonstration of Hus ability to use metal
out of any material, meaning that it ends up embedded materials to express soft, malleable textures. The work,
in each work. This saves the trouble of explaining to assembled on five long wooden boards each 92 55 cen
foreigners, Hu says with a laugh. timeters, has a total length of 460 cm, making it similar
103

Carrying Seats to Attend a Banquet. Shouldering benches from
their own homes, these people are headed off to a celebratory
banquet at a neighbors house.

Hus early works, while also focusing on the scenery of Jiufen,
were made exclusively of scrap-metal items like screws, nails,
and wire.

2008

20

l

to a traditional Chinese horizontal scroll painting (which with an album. In 2008, Hu encountered Gao Xianzhi,
can be unrolled to provide a panoramic vista). Hu made a renowned musician who plays folk guitar and the
three special trips to Keelung for this work, making traditional Chinese lute known as the yueqin, and they
detailed observations of the entire harbor setting, and immediately hit it off. With Hu writing the lyrics and
then used layered colors to create the effect of a fine rain, Gao composing the music, they produced the album
slanting in the wind, drizzling down on the port city. Songs of Old Jiufen. The songs, written in the Taiwanese
Hu is even able to evoke human emotion with his language, vibrantly and vividly depict the many facets
deft handling of his material. Grandparent and Grandchild of life of the intoxicating gold prospecting days.
Walking depicts the two subjects ambling up a stone Hu began creating nail paintings 20 years ago, and
staircase. The elders head is slightly tilted, as if hovering has produced over 200 finished works. Lately he has
protectively over the child. Meanwhile, the two figures in been focused more on getting out into nature, though
Walk in the Rain struggle as they walk forward with their he never forgets to stash a sketchbook in his backpack
umbrellas tilted against the driving rain, the tails of their so he can draw wherever his ramblings take him. But if
long overcoats being blustered away from their bodies, you open one of these sketchbooks, you will invariably
in a masterful evocation of daily life amidst the dreary also find one or two depictions of Jiufen street scenes.
and relentless rains that are part of Jiufens climate. While Hu often says, Having fun comes before cre
A man of many talents ating, he also remarked to us: Darn it, I havent done
Hu, who has never received any instruction in the any nail paintings yet about gold smelting and refin
fine arts, is not limited by preconceptions about modes ing! It seems like this metal-mosaic maestro, though
or materials. He is not only able to use hammer and now an octogenarian, still has a lot of can-do spirit
nails to produce nostalgic images of Jiufen, he has also left in him for his beloved hometown of Jiufen. l
experimented with other approaches. For example, he (Cathy Teng/photos courtesy of Hu Darfar/
drew a pencil sketch of a Jiufen street scene, and then tr. by Phil Newell)
used bamboo strips as tools to apply ink to the work.
The hustle and bustle of the towns market comes viv
idly to life before our eyes.
Even more outside the box is that Hu has come out
The mountain town of Jiufen is often

enveloped in a thick mist. This provides
an inexhaustible motif for Hu. (photo by
Jimmy Lin)
105
TV AND FILM

The Teenage Psychic Set to
Dazzle International Viewers
HBO Asia
H B O
HBO

aiwans Public Television Service and HBO have joined forces to

create a new television series. Produced by a Taiwanese team, The
Teenage Psychic will premiere in early April.
The Teenage Psychic, a show
about a high-school student
who works in the evening as The Teenage Psychic tells the story of a 16-year-old female high-
a temple psychic, depicts real
feelings between people as school student with psychic powers. Set against a backdrop of Tai-
wanese temples, folk rituals, and festivals, the show will provide its
seen through the protagonists
eyes.
international audience with insights into Taiwanese culture and an
introduction to the talents of our television and film industries.
107
2
HBO

A self-professed aesthetic director,
Chen Ho-yu (second from right)
demands that his actors depict
emotional nuances.

15

20133

50
2014
2015

26

Taiwanese television serials have a script that moved producer Liu
long made a habit of borrowing Yu-shiuan in turn. Liu subsequently
premises from abroad, taking as abandoned her plans to pursue ad-
their subject matter affairs that have vanced studies abroad in favor of
little connection to ordinary peoples visiting temples all over Taiwan with
liveswhether over-the-top love Chen to conduct in-depth interviews
stories or soap operas about wealthy with psychics. The two went on to
families. In contrast to the industrys work togetherChen as writer and
mainstream, Teenage Psychic director director and Liu as producerto
Chen Ho-yu has long wanted to fo- create a short film entitled The Busy
cus on more Taiwanese subject mat- Young Psychic utilizing more than 100
ter and film the shared symbols of cast and crew members.
Taiwans people. An avowed skeptic The film received much acclaim
of the supernatural, he was nonethe- when it premiered on the Public
less drawn to a story he read about a Television Service (PTS) in March
local psychic named Sophia. 2013. It went on to be nominated
Possessed of keen insight into for a Golden Horse Best Short Film Mandarin market. When Jessie Shih,
peoples mental state and wellbeing, award, receive the Best Live-Action director of the international depart-
Sophia became a temple psychic at Film award from the 2015 Singapore ment at PTS, suggested that HBO
the age of just 15. There, she regu- International Childrens Film Festi- Asia, Singapores InFocus Asia, and
larly witnessed soap-opera-like dis- val, and represent Taiwan at Frances PTS form a three-way partnership to
putes over inheritances and power One Country, One Film Apchat Inter- produce HBOs first original Manda-
struggles between local heavy - national Film Festival. rin series telling a Taiwanese story,
weights. Sophia also applied her The Busy Young Psychic was well the principals agreed and production
perceptiveness to herself, taking a received both in Taiwan and abroad, got underway.
proactive approach to her life and to but fans complained that its 30-min- A new generation
understanding herself. Those efforts ute run time simply wasnt enough. Chen and Liu made an unusual
led her to give up her work as a psy- Chen and Liu responded by deciding choice for their shows production
chic at the age of 26, convert to Islam, to create a longer piece, with Chen team: instead of building a typical
and ultimately become Taiwans first working on the script while Liu team filled with industry elders,
international baseball umpire. looked for investors. Their efforts they assembled a group that averages
Diving into the Mandarin market happened to coincide with HBOs less than 30 years of age in hopes of
The story inspired Chen to write hunt for a means to break into the showcasing the strength and youth-

Chen (left) jokes that Liu (right)
is his alarm bell: whenever
he strays too far from their
creative direction, Liu gets
him back on track. (photo by
Chuang Kung-ju)
109

Guo Shuyao has worked hard at

30
learning how to conduct divina-
tions and fate-changing rituals,
enlivening her portrayal of the
series titular teenage psychic.
HBOIFA

NHK
HBO

HBO Asia
InFocus AsiaIFA 30

2013
2016

ful creativity of the Taiwanese TV become a hot new trend. But Chen time rethinking his characters per-
and film industries to the interna- believes that the innumerable film sonalities and the plot. He explains
tional community. and TV depictions of ghosts, ranging that has tried to present the audience
Chen says that in the years be- from the cartoony to the anthropo- with a teenage protagonist torn be-
tween the 2013 premiere of The Busy morphic, have all lacked something. tween love, school work, and the
Young Psychic and the 2016 launch With that in mind, he refocused his desire to be faithful to her religious
of The Teenage Psychic, supernatural attention on the part of his story that beliefs, living in the moment amid
topics involving temples and psy- moved him, the idea that psychics her ever-changing circumstances.
chics, subject matter that Taiwanese are doing their best to live their own Guo Shuyao, who plays the pro-
find both familiar and uncanny, have lives, and then spent a great deal of tagonist on the show, began working
in the entertainment industry at the
age of 16 to help shoulder her familys
financial burdens, and retains a sur-
prisingly innocent air in spite of her
decade in acting. Chen cast her as lead
character Xie Yazhen because he felt
Guos background and personality
were similar to that of the character.
When Guo first learned that shed
been chosen to play the role, she be-
gan studying the protagonist from
The Busy Young Psychic. She later
realized that Chen wanted the lead
in The Teenage Psychic to be her own
person, neither the Xie Junya of The
Busy Young Psychic nor the Sophia
Sophia (left) has had a strong connection to the spiritual world since she was young, reported on in the news. To play the
and, as the productions psychic consultant, has provided valuable guidance to Guo in psychic, Guo had to overcome her
playing her role.
fear of fire and learn to pick up burn-
ing paper charms with her fingers.
Guo Shuyao (left) and Tsai Ven Chy (right) star in the outstanding TV series The
She also had to trade her graceful,
Teenage Psychic. clean-cut look for boyish short hair
and swagger, and learn to yawn and
drool on camera.
A spark for the industry
Chen believes that the heart of
his series lies in its portrayal of emo-
tions. He therefore talks over the plot
with his cast, who may have ideas
on how to play the role or on adding
lines, before he begins to shoot. He
then asks his actors to immerse them-
selves completely in the emotions of
the moment once the cameras roll.
Chen pays close attention to the
particular strengths of each of his ac-
111

16

23

The Teenage Psychic is slated
to be aired in 23 Asian nations,

including Taiwan, Singapore, and
Thailand, offering international

viewers a glimpse of real Taiwan-
ese culture.

tors, and provides guidance to them a sword, they hired Shih Tung-ling,
before filming. For example, Tsai a member of the Golden Bough The-
Ven Chy, a newcomer to the industry atre. Shih enlivened the role with his
who plays the male lead, struggles experience and physical presence,
to interpret feelings. Chen has tried while also coaching Guo on her use
to help with that by sending him to of a sword. The decision to cast him
acting classes and on dates with Guo had other benefits as well, including

Guo (right) says shes slow to warm up to people, but with Chens guidance she
and her costar Tsai (left) have grown closer. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju)
100
intended to strengthen their con- providing the stage actor with an
nection to one another. Tsai initially opportunity to break into TV, and
found it challenging to play opposite bringing a theatrical spark to the tele-
the more experienced Guo, but the vision production.
coaching hes received from the pro- HBOs The Teenage Psychic high-
duction team has given him a firmer lights the virtues of international
handle on the ebullient character he and interdisciplinary cooperation. Its
plays, and enabled him to more fully April 2 premiere is sure to be a must

express the characters emotions. see, and will show that Taiwans TV
42
Chen and Liu take the casting of and film industries are capable of
H B O
the shows minor roles just as seri- continuing to deliver the outstanding
ously as they do its major roles. For entertainment products that audi-
example, when they needed some- ences crave. l
one to play a skinny, hobo-like man (Chen Chun-fang/photos by Chuang
l possessed by a spirit and swinging Kung-ju/tr. by Scott Williams)
113
OVERSEAS ASSISTANCE

Cultivating Bamboo
Industries from
Scratch
Taiwans Foreign Aid at Work
in Latin America

Furniture and decorative items made from bamboo are on display at the national innovation and design
center in the Dominican Republic. (courtesy of Kevin Chou)

iF
Taiwan designer Kevin Yu-jui Chou has won major international design awards (including iF and
Red Dot) for his bamboo creations. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)

O ver two decades ago, Taiwanese experts in bam-
boo weaving and bamboo cultivation came to
Latin America as part of a team from Taiwans In-
ternational Cooperation and Development Fund that
visited the Republic of Haiti, the Dominican Republic,

the Republic of Nicaragua, and the Republic of Ecua-
dor. Today, much as in the early years in Taiwan after
20161iF World War II, it seems de rigueur for every home in
these countries to have bamboo chairs and end tables.
And all of these pieces of furniture are the result of
craftsmanship and skills transferred from Taiwan.
In January of 2016, Kevin Yu-jui Chou, a bamboo
craft designer who has won prestigious awards both

domestic and international (including Germanys iF
and Red Dot design awards), headed off to the Carib-
bean to visit the Dominican Republic. His purpose:
To hold a two-week workshop at which he would
introduce the latest design concepts, as well as his
many years of accumulated tricks of the trade for
115

The International Cooperation and Development Fund is
teaching farmers in the Dominican Republic how to cultivate
bamboo.

1990

1980


processing bamboo, to local design students and people Bamboo was chosen because, unlike most trees, you
from the bamboo industry. dont have to start from scratch replanting when the ma-
Bamboo industrial project terial is harvested. The more bamboo gets cut, the more
But it is nothing new for experts and scholars like densely it grows, explains Liu. And so it was that in the
Chou to be invited by the International Cooperation late 1980s the ICDF provided manpower and funding to
and Development Fund to go to places such as the assist Haiti with a program to develop the bamboo indus-
Dominican Republic, Ecuador or Nicaragua to hold try. After many years of effort, the area of Haiti covered
workshops on the design and use of bamboo materials. by bamboo forest had reached targeted levels, and the
As long ago as 20 years or more, the ICDF was already program was expanded geographically to other Latin
sending technical aid teams to other lands, and invited American countries including Guatemala and Ecuador.
Taiwanese experts in rural crafts, including master bam- Moreover, the goals were enlarged as well, from simply
boo craftsmen, to go to Haiti to launch an aid program helping the poor raise their incomes and satisfy their
for the bamboo industry in that country, says Liu Shih- daily needs to developing a complete integrated bamboo
hung, deputy director of the Technical Cooperation De- industryfrom cultivation of bamboo seedlings, to de-
partment at the ICDF. sign and production of products, to marketing and sales.
Liu relates that in those days you could see the dif- Liu says that the bamboo industry plan in Haiti in the
ference between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican early days was mainly aimed at helping farmers and in-
Republic just by flying over their shared island. When dividuals working out of their homes to supplement their
you looked down, the part that is the Dominican Repub- incomes by transforming bamboo material into simple fur-
lic was dense jungle and forest, but when you looked to- niture and handicraft items. But from the 1990s the ICDF
ward Haiti, what you saw instead was a stretch of bald,
sterile soil. To assist in improving Haitis environment,

the ICDF took into account the local climate and condi-
tions and chose bamboo with a five-to-seven-year grow- The bamboo production and marketing group in the Dominican
Republic increases value-added by processing their own
ing cycle as the main reforestation and recovery crop. materials. (courtesy of Kevin Chou)
117

A resident of Ecuador proudly displays his creation, made with guidance from
an ICDF technical aid team.
2011

1

I K E A


somewhat altered its strategy. In addition to the breed- Sharing ideas is a two-way street
ing and reforestation program, they also had Taiwanese Taiwan designer Kevin Yu-jui Chou accepted an invi-
come to introduce bamboo strip laminating machines. tation from the ICDF to take part in the bamboo indus-
Because they had previously lacked any bamboo pro- try development project in January of 2016. He went to
cessing technology, local residents could only cut raw the Dominican Republic, where he offered a two-week
bamboo and make it into very simple finished products. workshop. He brainstormed with local design students,
But after the introduction of the laminating machines, experts, and people from the bamboo industry, trans-
it became possible to process bamboo into boards as forming bamboo material that had been cultivated for
tough as wood. This bamboo board can be used in many years into innovative but still practical products.
many wayssuch as furniture and decorative building Chou is no stranger to creative uses of bamboo. Since
materialand it permits the enlargement of the scale of 2006, at the behest of the National Taiwan Craft Re-
operations of the bamboo industry as a whole. search and Development Institute, he has worked with
Over the past two decades and more, besides culti- a master bamboo craftsman from Zhushan in Nantou
vating large areas of bamboo forest the ICDF program County to come up with a whole series of innovative
has also assisted in the creation of bamboo processing designssuch as bubble couches, long-legged bam-
centers in a number of Latin American states, including boo chairs, and bamboo electric fansthat have won
the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. The major awards home and abroad.
ambition is to build a comprehensive bamboo industry Chou observes that the Dominican Republics bam-
chain, from seedlings to cultivation to processing, and boo industry is still in the development stage. Although
all the way to marketing and sales. However, Liu frankly local citizens and businesspeople understand how to
admits that it is no easy thing for an entire industry to manufacture household furniture like chairs and tables
take shape. The key is market size. If the products out of bamboo, the designs and patterns are all very tra-
dont meet the needs of any market, there would be no ditional, like the bamboo chairs and tables that Taiwan-
incentive for local residents to get involved in cultivation ese used to have in each and every home. Because the
and production. Therefore, the ICDF holds international Dominican Republic lacked the necessary processing
conferences with relevant nations, inviting scholars and machines, businesses and citizens mainly just cut some
experts to share their knowledge and experience, and to bamboo from the bamboo groves and, after some sim-
promote the applications of bamboo to local residents. ple processing, made furniture out of it. This approach
In July 2016 Professor Wang Wenxiong (first left in lefthand photo), who teaches in the Department of
Creative Product Design at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, was invited to offer a
workshop in the Dominican Republic, where he exchanged ideas with local students.
119

l
adds little value, and so attracts few people to join in, making it difficult to
get any momentum for the development of the industry as a whole.
In recent years, the ICDF has brought in several Taiwan bamboo strip lam-
inating machines to the Dominican Republic, effectively assisting local people
and businesses to improve their processing techniques. Bamboo processed
in this way loses its natural appearance, and after planing and compression,
ends up as board that can be used much more widely than natural bamboo.
Chou, who stays abreast of the latest design trends in Europe and North
A lamp and a clock produced by
students from a bamboo-industry America, says that even though bamboo is no longer of great interest to Tai-
workshop show real ingenuity in
their design. wanese consumers, in recent years it has become widely appreciated in the
West as a green, environmentally friendly material. If you browse through a
current IKEA catalogue, you will see at a glance various beautifully designed
household items made using bamboo, such as mirror frames and tissue boxes.
Having been invited to show at globally important furniture shows in Milan
and Dubai, Chou was able to share his experiences of participating in interna-
tional design shows with the workshop students, and also introduced to them
practical examples of contemporary European and American furniture design.
This information really broke down their preconceptions about bamboo.
Chou had never previously been to the Dominican Republic, and he admits
that before going there he assumed that local residents only knew how to do
the basics: cut down some bamboo and make functionally designed items for
daily use. But after several days of observation and interaction in the class-
room, the performance of the workshop attendees was far beyond what he
had anticipated.
Not only was discussion spirited in the workshop, the students proposed
many innovative ideas. For example one studentinspired by one of the
most common crops in the nation, pineappleused bamboo strips to weave
a net-style lampshade in the shape of a pineapple. This indicates that the
workshop participants understand how to draw on local culture and motifs
and integrate them into their designs. l
(Liu Yingfeng/photos courtesy of ICDF/tr. by Phil Newell)

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1065 42 5

Vol. 42 No.5 May 2017

Around Taiwan by Road and Rail

Thank you for accompanying us on Taiwan Panoramas 40-year

To subscribe, please use the form in the back of the magazine.

Pleasant Escapes EDITORS NOTE

S etting out in haste or at leisure, amid

the whole island, or as short as a neigh- humanitarian assistance, training programs,

borhood stroll; as carefree as an escape or other initiatives, it has a rich record of

to mountain or coast, or as hurried as an accomplishment. By harnessing Taiwanese

of this months cover story. Asias first Chinese-language original series:

Editors Note The Fleeting World

201704-cover_.indd 1 2017/3/28 10:01

Artists and Artisans

Television and Film

6 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

8 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

P eople have very different takes on travel: some like

10 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

Exploring the outdoors on a mountain bike is a ball!

12 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

peting in international competitions as a middle-school

The nearly infinite customizability of fixed-gear bikes, or fixies,

14 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

Foreign cyclists yearn to experience the beauty of Taiwans

16 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

18 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

E xtending into remote townships, rural backwaters,

20 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

shan in Taitung County. In 2011, after the tourist trains

22 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

24 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

Visitors walking through Qidings Zimu Tunnels

26 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

Construction Projects initiated by the central govern-

ment in the 1970s. It is one of three existing harbor

Dongg ang, was part of the western main line until

28 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

I n an era when subway systems and bike-share

30 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

32 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

34 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

blossoms, verdant summers, autumn maples, and winter

36 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

38 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

U nlike the high-speed rail or regular trains, which

Offering room for imagination amid the darkness, subways

40 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

42 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

44 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

tube-enabled jump is fixed in Yangs mind. The word

48 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

T he completion of the Taiwan High-Speed Railway

photo by Chuang Kung-ju

50 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

52 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

54 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

The visual impact of the pillars in the Yunlin Station is as

56 Taiwan Panorama 2017/05

tricks or gambits, this design allows natures transforma-

tions to be manifested within a self-restrained and con-

to south in western Taiwan, and condensed the islands

scenery. The beautiful new stations along the way help

relax the minds of people on the move, each offering