Taiwan Panorama 2018 Jan

1071 43 1
Vol. 43 No. 1 January 2018

CHINESEENGLISH BILINGUAL MONTHLY ISSN 1991-525X

Taiwan Panorama
Seless Service
Far from Home
Missionary Priests
in Taiwan

NT$150
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Exquisite Taiwan

V iewed from the air, how beautiful Taiwan is! There
we see the Touqian River flowing through Hsinchu,
Nanliao Fishing Harbor on the coast, and in the distance

the Xue shan Mountain Range. The majestic scenery
makes us want all the more to treasure and protect this
delightful island of ours.
(photo and text by Lin Min-hsuan/tr. by Phil Newell)

10711
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A Love that Spans EDITORS NOTE
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CONTENTS 1071 43 1 Vol. 43 No. 1 January 2018
Cover Story
8
6
Selfless Service Far from Home
Missionary Priests in Taiwan

8

Fifty Years of Caring for Hualiens
DisadvantagedFather Yves Moal

18
18

The Angel East of the River
Father Maurice Poinsot

28

Healing Young and Old Through Art
Father Hugo Peter

38
38

The Strength by Your Side
Father Jean-Claude Fournier

Editors Note Postcards from Home
2 1 50
A Love that Spans Ethnicities Exquisite Taiwan Variety Pages

Photo Essay
58
A Birds-Eye View of Taiwan: Architecture

Cover: Priests from distant lands have devoted their best
years to Taiwan, exemplifying the practical power of love.
Around Taiwan
(photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
68

Decorative Tiles and Red Brick,
A Taiwanese Architectural Dialogue

76

Opening the Doors to
Liberal Education in Hsinchu
The Former Residence
68
of Hsin Chih-ping

Cultural Trends
86

Adventures in Modern Fiction:
Taiwans Literary Imagination
Pioneers New Dimensions

96
86

Su Tao and the Art of Zen

Entrepreneurship
106

Age of Aquariums:
A New Era for
Ornamental Fish Farms

Communities
106
116

New Immigrants Reshape Pingtung:
Drawing on the Benefits of Diversity

Selfless Service Far from Home
Missionary Priests in Taiwan
6 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

COVER STORY
photo by Lin Min-hsuan
7
COVER STORY
Fifty Years of Caring for

Hualiens Disadvantaged
Father Yves Moal
1966
I n 1966 Father Yves Moal, then just 25 years old,
sailed from the port of Marseilles. After more than
a month at sea, the French priest made landfall in
25
Hong Kong, then transferred to a ship bound for Tai-
wan. Embracing the island with love in his heart, he
eventually took up a position in Yuli, Hualien County,

where he has aided the homeless and the disabled by
helping them recycle resources. Throughout his career,
he has based his ministry on the belief that we are all
5 Gods children, none of whom should be cast aside.
At five oclock in the morning, Father Yves Moal
is already at work in the kitchen, preparing a simple
breakfast of fruit and foods nearing their use by
dates, all donated by neighbors, for the people staying

at Yulis Catholic church. The residents live simple lives,
7 but all seem happy and satisfied.
The morning progresses, and by 7 a.m. the churchs
reading room is packed with people in casual clothing.
Fr. Moal first leads them in morning prayer, then work

ers assign them to different districts to collect the days
recyclables, the Fathers friendly exhortations and their
own encouragement of one another raising the curtain
on another day.
A timely seed
196610 A priest for more than 50 years, Moals connection to
the church was forged at birth. Moals uncle, a deacon
9
1941
Yves

More than 50 years in Taiwan havent altered Father Yves Moals
warm smile in the least. (courtesy of Fr. Yves Moal)

and Moals godfather, held the infant Moal during his

baptism on the day of his birth in 1941 and named him At the end of a days work, Fr. Moal eats with the people he has
Yves. His uncle had planned to become a priest and min taken in, using the opportunity to offer encouragement.
ister in Asia, but was killed during the war.

Moal learned his uncles story in his tweens, but at that
time had little interest in his grandmothers exhortations achieve lofty ends in mountainous Hualien. Moal has lived
to fulfill his uncles mission. It was only after completing up to Caos expectations, protecting and serving as a bas
his military service in his 20s that he decided to enter a tion of support for the residents of Yuli and many others.
seminary in search of a meaningful life. When he later A Father from France
came to Taiwan, he brought with him a chalice his uncle Soon after his arrival in Hualien, Fr. Moal noticed that
had had made in anticipation of becoming a priest. Moal many local children were being raised by their grand
still uses the chalice, which is inscribed with his uncles parents and spent their afterschool hours roaming the
name, to this day. streets, because their parents were working outside of
When Moal was sent to Taiwan, an older priest sur the community. To provide shelter to kids with nowhere
named Cao gave him the Chinese surname Liu after Liu else to go, Moal established a reading room at the church
Bei, a key figure in Chinas Three Kingdoms period, and where he was stationed at the time. He went on to create
the given name Yifeng (one peak). The latter was in reading spaces in the townships of Ruisui and Yuli as well,
tended to echo the sound of his French given name and and has remained steadfast in his support for children
to embody the hope that he would provide strength and throughout his career.
11

know how

40
1

Fr. Moal (front row, left) uses recycling to help
people who have been injured in some way
regain their confidence and their joy in life.

But children arent the only ones who lack somewhere As the number of people involved has grown, Moal
to go. Many adults have been pushed to societys margins has systematized their recycling efforts. We sort items
and subsequently overlooked as a result of alcoholism, here, and have another workstation that strips the met
physical or mental disability, or a criminal record. Moal als out of electrical appliances. PET bottles have to be
has brought these people into his church as well, provid separated out from other plastics, because they fetch a
ing them with food and lodging, and helping them regain different recycling price, says Moal, sharing some of
their dignity through work. When his efforts happened to the recycling knowledge hes picked up over decades.
coincide with a government initiative to promote recyc He also has his workers take on other tasks to which
ling, Moal got his flock involved in recycling. they are suited. For example, physically strong individ
Healing wounded hearts uals are asked to drive to designated locations to collect
Father Moal brings anyone in need of help back to the recyclables from residents. People with limited mobility
church, arranging accommodations wherever he can. He sort items at a recycling station, or help organize still
even sold the land his parents left to him in France so usable secondhand goods, ensuring that everyone has
that he wouldnt have to turn away people in need. the opportunity to develop and contribute.
13

Drop by the Brittany Fabric Crafts Shop to see
the creativity and skill its craftspeople apply to
revitalizing and transforming secondhand items.

2017


Moal keeps the recycling center tidy and organized. work they do for the good it does both for themselves
With all the recyclables arranged by category, and the floor and for other disadvantaged persons.
swept and mopped prior to the conclusion of each days Moal has named the shop, which opened this summer,
work, it looks nothing like a stereotypically messy, mos the Brittany Fabric Crafts Shop in honor of his birthplace.
quitoridden recycling center. There, seamstresses turn old clothes, curtain fabric, and
Each recycling station also has basic kitchen amenities. hemp sacks into lovely bags and hats. They also accept
Coworkers cook for one another, working, eating, cracking custom orders from clients, who can give a beloved old
jokes, and occasionally even sharing their troubles. Theyre garment new life by having it remade into a bag.
like a big family, with Fr. Moal their revered patriarch. Building on this spirit of getting maximal use out of
Coming from different backgrounds, they sometimes
argue, and a few fall back into bad habits, but Moal never
gives up on any of them. He believes that living as a group
Fr. Moal sees everyone as a child of God, and embraces the
allows them to give each other spiritual strength, helping individuality of each with love.
themselves get back on track. His approach ensures that goods and materials, all the shops displays and deco
its not just materials that are put back into use, but also rations are themselves secondhand items, with an old
their own hearts. hotpot serving as a flowerpot and a bicycle wheel as a
Old clothing transformed display rack for necklaces. The churchs old stainedglass
Moal also established a secondhand store to sell do windows have even been repurposed as part of the dcor.
nated used goods. He sees the store as providing a place Care for the aged, employment for adults
where people can dig for treasure and where those Father Moals concern for the disadvantaged made
with little money can buy things they need at low cost. him the natural choice to lead the St. Andrew Training
Moal stresses the importance of recycling during morn Center for the Disabled, located in Hualiens Fuli Town
ing prayers, and then encourages his flock to value the ship, just to the south of Yuli. The center is home to nearly
15

Fr. Moal hopes that the establishment of a nursing
home will create a refuge for seniors with disabilities.
1550

77

2016

2018


50 mentally and physically disabled persons. Moal and home in 2016. Expected to house wheelchairbound
his team there assign residents to groups based on their residents, the new home is designed accessibly, with
abilities, to take on tasks that include carpentry, sewing, wide entrances, halls, and rooms. Now that the exterior
baking and handicrafts, all carried out under the super has been largely completed, the focus has shifted to the
vision of dedicated teachers. Residents receive care and interior, and they hope to open in 2018. Moal cant help
treatment, but also help polish and assemble wooden but smile with satisfaction at the idea of center residents
furniture, or make mops and bamboo brooms, as a and other disabled individuals soon having somewhere
means of developing the ability to help themselves. to live in their waning years.
The center takes in disabled individuals over age 15 People like to say that Yuli has no litter and no home
who need care, but because of the outdated design of its less people, and that visitors neednt fear if they lose
facilities it is unable to meet the needs of older residents their way. Theres a tangible reason for that: a Catholic
who become bedridden. Moal therefore started thinking priest has chosen to spend his adult life taking care of
about establishing a nursing home. With center resi everyone in need. By turning recycling into a resource,
dents aging, he knew he couldnt dawdle and so began Father Moal has enabled individuals whom society has
raising money for the project in spite of his already abandoned or who have suffered other injuries to find
busy schedule. value in their lives.
The compassionate support of people from all walks (Chen Chun-fang/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/
of life enabled Moal to begin work on the nursing tr. by Scott Williams)
17
COVER STORY

The Angel East of the River
Father Maurice Poinsot

1952
M aurice Poinsot, 85, is a priest at the Church
of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hualien Countys
Yuli Township, and is currently the oldest priest

from the Paris Foreign Missions Society in Hua-
85
lien. He has lived among Taiwans native peoples
for more than five decades, writing a FrenchAmis
dictionary, helping locals establish savings coop-
eratives, and working toward progress on issues
relating to education, economics and the preserva-
tion of tribal culture.
1660
Since 1660 the Paris Foreign Missions Society has

been sending missionaries to Asia, where they have

had to adjust to differing climates, environments and
sanitary conditions as they have done the Lords work
in countries of varying levels of national develop
ment. At times, they have lost their lives while still
young, whether by contracting malaria or being killed
during episodes of political repression. Although such

examples might cause others to take pause, it has not

dented the determination of the societys members to

perform their duties and live up to the principles of
their mission: Ad exteros, ad gentes, ad vitamTo other

lands, to all nations, for a lifetime. By accepting their
193217 missionary vocation, they committed themselves to
825 spending their youths and lives overseas.

195927

Over the course of five decades Poinsot has
entered many residents homes, uncovering
their needs and working hard to help solve
their problems. (courtesy of You Wenxiong)
1967


Belying his foreign features, Poinsot
wears Amis clothes and speaks
the language fluently. He has long
since become a part of the tribe.
(courtesy of You Wenxiong)
The local indigenous peoples poverty

made an immediate impression on Poinsot,
but he discovered that they were skilled at
planting lemon grass. That inspired him to
acquire equipment with which they could
extract citronella juice and raise the value
of their agricultural production.
Most of their farmland was reserved
Aboriginal land and was worth very little,
which meant they typically had no collat
eral to speak of. As subsistence farmers,
the residents were subject to the whims
of the weather merely to eat, and needed
badly to take out loans to buy farm equip
ment or pay for their childrens education.
But banks would usually refuse them.
To improve residents financial situa
tions and introduce them to the idea of
saving, Poinsot studied the models used
by savings cooperatives overseas. He dis
covered that the spirit animating savings
cooperativesneither profit nor charity,
but simply servicewas distinct from
the forprofit orientation of banks. To get
a mortgage or loan from a bank, collateral
is important. It is a materialistic, property
Father to the tribe based relationship. Savings cooperatives,
Born in France in 1932, Poinsot entered the seminary on the other hand, emphasize trust, pool
at the Catholic University of Paris when he was 17. ing members money to provide those in
After eight years of hard work, he was ordained a priest need with lowinterest loans.
at age 25. Consequently, Poinsot paid for locals
In 1959, at age 27, Poinsot was sent to serve in Hua to go to Hong Kong and learn how these
lien. Back then, transportation was inconvenient and cooperatives were set up. After several
the young priest got around on a motorcycle as he min years of planning, they finally established
istered to peoples needs, driving up into the mountains Hualiens first credit cooperative in 1967,
and down to the coast in the area between Gaoliao in in the Amis indigenous village of Afih
Yuli Township and Fengnan in Fuli Township. Dongli, (Chinese name Tiefen) in Yulis Dongfeng
Lehe, Afih Poinsot went deep into Aboriginal areas. Ward, where the Church of Our Lady of
Even typhoons heavy rains wouldnt scare him off. Lourdes is located. At first, we didnt
21

11

A group of French priests gather weekly for a
meal and taste of home. Poinsot (first on the
right) and Louis Pourrias (first on the left) are co-
authors of the AmisFrench dictionary. (courtesy
of You Wenxiong)

40

1996


have much, recalls coop staffer Wang Julan. People were own father. Because Poinsot did most of his work to the
saving just a few NT dollars. Whenever Fr. Poinsot went to east of the Xiuguluan River, he is known to residents as
lead prayers in the homes of church members in the local the angel east of the river.
tribal villages, he would extol the importance of saving. Cultural treasure
Poinsots principle: First help yourself, then help others. Poinsot has a downtoearth personality that is well
He was constantly encouraging people to save, noting matched to the Aborigines optimistic outlook. He is
that small contributions can combine into large amounts straight and to the point, and loves a joke. Knowing that
and encouraging residents to develop a habit of saving. locals are mostly surnamed Pan and wanting to fit in,
Poinsot became like a parent to everyone in Afih, and he chose the Chinese name Pan Shiguang. When he first
he established a kindergarten to improve the commun came to Afih, Poinsot couldnt speak a word of Amis, but
itys educational foundations. Healthcare in the area was the locals became his teachers, and he gradually mastered
limited in scope and difficult to access, so he purchased the language after years of chatting and gesticulating.
medical goods and set up a health station to provide Whether in church giving mass, or in homes for prayer
basic healthcare, even personally treating childrens
bruises and wounds from falls. As far as residents were
concerned, he was a spiritual teacher to the tribe. Anyone
who had a problem would go to Poinsot for help. The
first birthday cake I ever had was provided by Fr. Poin

sot, recalls Wang with a smile. Because our family was
poor, my parents had never given me cake before. Wang Poinsot committed decades of his youth to compiling the Amis
French dictionary, a precious tribal cultural asset that is his gift to
says that Poinsot was more like a father to her than her posterity.
23

2005


visits, or even just in everyday conversations, skills. Even Fr. Lin Xin liang, who comes
Poinsot is constantly speaking in Amis, and from a neighboring village and is taking over
he now possesses a nativelike fluency. Fr. Poinsots duties, only perfected his Amis
Poinsot emphasizes the mother tongue. He when he started working under Poinsot.
communicates with us in our own language. They dont know how to speak in their
He even tests us, says a smiling Wang, who own tongue. I want to give them back their
has long been at Poinsots side. Many of the language. Such was Poinsots original
locals have thus honed their Amis linguistic motivation for compiling the dictionary.
He had started by writing down word after
word and phrase after phrase in Amis. He
continued with 40 years of fieldwork, mak
ing records of the variations in vocabulary
between different communities. Poinsot

The people of Afih feel tremendous gratitude for would interview tribal elders and take
Poinsots contributions. Poinsot has been much
like a father to Wang Julan, and today she helps to notes, revising and confirming his entries.
take care of his daily needs. Then he got fellow Frenchman Fr. Louis
Pourrias to cowrite the AmisFrench dic
tionary with him. The massive undertaking
was finally completed in 1996.
Based on Poinsots dictionary, several
ChineseAmis dictionaries were later
released, which became important tools for
research into the Amis language. Even Amis
themselves cant necessarily understand
all the Amis entries. It is remarkable that
a foreigner was willing to devote decades
of his youth to create this precious cultural
resource for posterity. For the work, Poin
sot received an award from the Ministry of
Education for his outstanding contribution
to promoting native languages.
Cultural concern, sparing no effort
Early on, Poinsot, who places great stress
on education, founded a nursery school to
improve childrens educational opportuni
ties. With smaller families and the outmigra
tion of young people, the population of
these tribal areas has grown older and older.
Under the circumstances, Poinsot came
up with the idea of establishing culture
and health stations. He hoped to create a
place where seniors could come to get out
of their homes and interact with each other,
instead of staying cooped up and gradually
going downhill. In 2005, the first of these
culture and health stations opened in Afih.
25

Poinsot has passed along his parish duties to Lin Xingliang
(right), who continues to live out his predecessors ideals of
service to the community. (courtesy of You Wenxiong)
85

l

It employs professional caregivers and arranges various Three years ago, he began handing off his responsibili
enriching activities for the seniors. For instance, they ties to Lin Xinliang. Today, although Lin now conducts
sing Amis songs and weave distinctive tribal bags and the mass, Poinsot still attends each morning, wearing
decorative items. The hope is that tribal elders, rather his neat church vestments and sitting in the pews.
than passively accepting care, will be encouraged to In some old photos of Poinsot and the villagers, he
make the most of their own strengths and convey the appears in tribal clothes and headdress. One can almost
wisdom of the tribe to younger generations. hear his hearty laugh. Speaking Amis and demonstrating
With Poinsots support, similar stations that provide constant concern for the Amis people, he has fully inte
loving care to seniors were also established in places grated with his locale and given his life to Taiwan. He
such as Lehe and Wanning. has long since stopped being a foreigner and has become
In recent years, Poinsot, 85, has been suffering from a native son. l
heart problems, and cant easily travel long distances. (Chen Chun-fang/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/
He can no longer simply get on a motorbike and go. tr. by Jonathan Barnard)
27
COVER STORY
Healing Young and

Old Through Art
Father Hugo Peter

M ore than four decades ago, Father Hugo Peter
traveled from his native Switzerland to Taiwan,
where he held painting and arts and crafts classes for
a group of people with special needs on Penghu. Their
angelic smiles captured his heart, and he abandoned

expressive
aspirations to preach in his own church, instead creat-
painting ing early childhood education classes that made use of
expressive painting as a therapeutic technique. He also
raised money to establish a social welfare organiza-
tionthe rst tness center for disabled people in Tai-
wanto expand services for those with special needs.
As the church choir sings, the words are a bit fuzzy

and the tone slightly off, but the faces of the singers
beam. They are young members of a workshop run

by the Tobias Social Welfare Foundation, and they are
celebrating the foundations seventh anniversary and
7 Father Hugo Peters 47th year in Taiwan serving people
47 with special needs.
A serendipitous visit
Fr. Peter, who was ordained in 1970, originally
planned to head for India and Malaysia, but when the
1970
plans fell through, the church arranged for him to study
Chinese in Taiwan while he was waiting to take up du

ties in Southeast Asia. During his two years of Chinese
studies in Hsinchu, the warmth of the people of Taiwan
and the islands natural beauty convinced him to stay.
29

13

26
1990

06 Fr. Hugo Peter taught painting to special needs students in
Penghu. Their angelic smiles persuaded him to devote his life to
serving disabled people. (courtesy of the Tobias Foundation)

2006


With the encouragement and support The special needs world
of his friends and the church, Peter en After completing his missionary work
rolled in National Taiwan Normal Uni in Penghu, Peter became the director of
versitys Department of Fine Arts. After the St. Raphael Opportunity Center in Tai
graduation he traveled to Penghu at the nan and embarked on a career working
invitation of fellow priests. He remained fulltime with disabled people that contin
there for the next 13 years. ues today, some 26 years later.
In Penghu, Peter volunteered in his Since 1990 the St. Raphael Opportunity
spare time at the Hui min Opportunity Center has been serving special needs
Center, putting his artistic skills to good children from birth to age six. The center
use by teaching painting, arts and crafts has pioneered early childhood services in
to special needs students. This was the be Taiwan, and a team of professionals assists
ginning of his work with disabled people. with the childrens cognitive, linguistic,
and emotional development. Under Pe
ters leadership, early childhood services
have expanded over the years and in 2006
St. Raphaels set up the Guangming Early
Intervention and Education Center.
At the center the team assesses
each childs needs and determines an
individualized program, which includes

Fr. Peter has introduced expressive painting
into the workshops of the Tobias Foundation.
The students unique creations brim with life.
31
1,000

2010

18


oneonone guidance from an instructor. Laughter in the workshop
For example, children may practice a type Peter originally intended to retire from St.
of ring toss, in which they pedal a tricycle Raphaels after the Tobias Foundation was up
over to a post and place a ring over it; this and running and take up duties as a pastor
helps them develop coordination. The at a small church. Peters diligence and ex
children are also taught to exercise large perience in working with the disabled, how
muscle groups by crawling onto slides ever, prompted Bosco Lin Chinan, Roman
and then learning to stand upright after Catholic bishop of Tainan, to ask him to serve
sliding down. Watching their children as the foundations director and continue to
progress, sometimes to the point of joining work with societys most vulnerable people.
mainstream kindergartens and growing up Peter put his training in the arts to good
alongside other children, fills parents with use by setting up a workshop for special
gratitude. needs students ages 15 and up, where they
As its programs continued to expand, enhance life skills and build confidence by
it became clear that the Guangming Early following courses in painting and handicrafts
Intervention and Education Center would and taking part in community cleanup proj
soon outgrow the legal framework under ects. The workshop gives students free rein to
which St. Raphaels operates, and would express their natural artistic abilities through
have to be reestablished as an independent expressive art. Students can paint whatever
foundation in order to continue providing they wish, and the artworks are not used to
its services. Peter scrambled to meet all the make psychological evaluations. What mat
requirements and after a year of prepara ters to Peter is the painting process itself.
tion the Tobias Social Welfare Foundation Peter believes that everyone should have
was established in 2010. the opportunity to express themselves. In the
At the Guangming Early Intervention and Education Center, Fr. Peter and his team
employ love and patience to help the children grow.
33

15

2017
63

zumba

The Tobias Foundation set

up a home bathing service
with specialized equipment
imported from Japan, to
allow bedridden seniors to
bathe comfortably in the
gentle hands of caregivers.
(courtesy of the Tobias
Foundation)

workshop, teachers allow the students to vote ple with disabilities. Aside from a spacious,
on the daily meal, and once a week they let accessible exercise space, the centers exercise
students prepare lunch. The students control equipment is also designed to suit disabled
each step of the process from deciding on a users needs. The foundation recruited a team
menu and doing the shopping to preparing of physiotherapists and occupational thera
the food. pists to evaluate users and tailor exercise pro
As their wishes are respected and they grams to individual needs.
build life skills, these students build confi The center offers group classes, including
dence step by step and gain selfworth. The Zumba, Pilates, and Frisbee golf. There are
workshops students get on together like fam also specialized classes for wheelchair users,
ily. Often laughter can be heard coming from and visually impaired people experience the
the classrooms. joys of exercise with the help of oral instruc
Dignity for all tions and assistance from volunteers. Aside
The Tobias Foundation was established on from experiencing the physical benefits of
the principle of dignity for all. In Peters exercise, formerly bashful and inhibited par
opinion everyone is equal, and physical or ticipants often find themselves smiling freely
mental challenges shouldnt cause people to in the fitness center.
give up opportunities enjoyed by others, such While continuing to look after the partic
as exercise and sports. ipants at the Tobias Foundation, Peter has
With the support of the Tainan City Gov also been working to provide personalized
ernment, the foundation therefore established care, such as bathing at home, to people
Taiwans first fitness center designed for peo with severely restricted mobility. Bedridden
35

12

The Tobias Foundations workshop gives special needs students
the opportunity to make beautiful works of art.

LOGO

l

seniors and people with severe physical disabilities are In many cases peoples bodies tend to stiffen up
often limited to being bathed with washcloths due to during initial bathing sessions, but as they become ac
insufficient facilities in their homes or the inability of a customed to being bathed, they are able to relax and en
caregiver to physically move them. Getting a good bath joy the treatment. Even when the person being bathed
therefore ranks high on their wish list. cant verbalize their appreciation, the caregivers see the
Peter therefore raised funds for a mobile bathing value of their work reflected in the content expressions
vehicle that could visit patients at home and purchased of the bathers.
a specialized Japanesemade bathtub, water tanks, Peter has a special affection for each of the people he
heaters, and other equipment. A team of threea nurse cares for, from developmentally delayed children to bed
and two caregiverstravels to households in need of ridden seniors. Years ago when designing a logo for St.
assistance. Assisted bathing might appear simple, but it Raphaels, he chose an imperfectly formed lotus. They
requires specialized knowledge. It is physically strenu are all like lotus flowers, he says. Even when they are
ous work, and the patients condition must first be eval not perfect, they each have their unique beauty.
uated by the nurse. Wounds have to be covered before Through love, Fr. Hugo Peter ensures the dignity
bathing, and then the patient must be gently lifted and of each life he touches, and the various services of the
helped into the tub. During the bathing, the team talks Tobias Social Welfare Foundation are making Taiwan a
the patient through the process, explaining each step more beautiful and compassionate society. l
whether the patient fully comprehends or not, to ensure (Chen Chun-fang/photos by Lin Min-hsuan/
that each persons dignity is respected. tr. by Robert Green)
37
COVER STORY

The Strength by Your Side
Father Jean-Claude Fournier

W hether they are members of his church or
not, wherever Father Jean-Claude Fournier
goes people welcome him, because his simple, un-

ostentatious and natural warmth accompanies lo-
cal people through the countless vagaries of life.

In the priests person there is no trace of pomposity.
His life has been made up of countless acts of unself-
ish companionship and service. His extraordinary yet
seemingly ordinary life has linked people inseparably
to one another and to God, epitomizing the spirit of
helping people over the mountains of the Congre-
gation of Great St. Bernard.
1938
Young aspirations to piety

Fournier, born in 1938, is the son of a carpenter.
His mother made clothes by hand at home. He recalls
her often recounting the missionary exploits in China
of his uncle, Fr. Franois Fournier, which had an in-
fluence on him. In his young heart, the seeds of piety
were planted early.
Later, Fournier went to study at a church school

in Lausanne. A priest friend of his uncle came to ask

him if he wished to follow his uncles vocation by

becoming a priest and going to work as a missionary
in China. At the time, there were many paths I could
have taken, including marriage, says Fournier. But
the seeds planted in his heart at a young age began

1958
20
1952
26
Fr. Jean-Claude Fourniers first mass on becoming a priest.
1965 (courtesy of Fr. Fournier)

2

During Sunday mass, two altar boys pass wine and water to the
priest as he leads the ceremony. (courtesy of Fr. Fournier)
entered the Congregation of Canons Regular at Great

St. Bernard. This congregation was named after the
hospice built in the 11th century by St. Bernard of
Montjoux at the Great St. Bernard Pass to help travel-
ers who faced the dangers of avalanches and brigands
when taking this high Alpine route. Just after Fournier
arrived at the hospice there was an avalanche, which
blocked off the road by which he had come. Who
would have thought that thanks to this sanctuary once
again fulfilling its mission of rescue and refuge more
than 900 years after its founding, the priest Jean-Claude
Fournier would one day be able come to the Church of
St. Joseph in Hualien Countys Xincheng Township?
to germinate at this time. Whether it was his uncle, Coming to Hualien from afar
his mother, or the assistance of his uncles friend that In the face of a changing situation in mainland
influenced his ambition to become a priest, ultimately China, in 1952 the St. Bernard congregation withdrew
it was through the people closest to him that God led its missionaries from Yun nan Province. In 1965, the
him to the priestly path. first time I came to Taiwan, my uncle was also here.
To join our congregation you must first write to its Initially Fournier studied Chinese at the Jesuit col-
head for approval. In 1958, at the age of 20, Fournier lege in Hsinchu. Later, the apostolic administrator of
the Hua lien diocese, the Most Reverend Andr-Jean
Vrineux, needed additional priests and successively
1 summoned eight, including Fournier, to Hualien.
The first problem Fournier encountered living in

Local people are fond of the simple evangelical style of
Fr. Jean-Claude Fournier (left). (courtesy of Fr. Fournier) this alien place was that of language. When I came
to Hua lien, I couldnt communicate in Chinese, so I
went back to school to study the language again. It
was only later that I gradually gained the confidence
to speak, says Fournier.
Apart from the language barrier, his missionary
work was also subject to many restrictions. It was not
possible to enter Jia min Village in Xiu lin Township,
for example, without a mountain access permit, and
certain coastal districts were also subject to controls.
Every Sunday or Wednesday, we priests in Hualien
would gather together in Xin cheng. Their discus-
sions at those gatherings mostly centered on how to
bring Gods love to the population and how to help
the local residents.
41

For more than 50 years Fr. Fournier has
shuttled to and from Switzerland, raising
funds for early years education.

200

13


Mutual assistance and camaraderie is nothing less than a concrete mani-
At that time the local indigenous people had no festation of Gods practice of universal love.
concept of saving. Sometimes they had no one to Childrens guardian angels
turn to if they needed to purchase farm implements In the early days in Xin chengs Jiali Village, the
or for help in emergencies. So Fournier and his uncle adults would go to work in the fields and the children
Franois launched a savings cooperative, encourag- would go to the church in the village to listen to the
ing them to save a little money every monthat least priest tell stories; gradually, all the children in the vil-
a few tens of NT dollars. The main purpose, apart lage would assemble in the church. In those years of
from providing relief to poor and vulnerable resi- poverty, building a kindergarten on the one hand was a
dents, was to introduce people to concepts of money way to care for the children, and on the other, the mis-
management. sionaries hoped, would help the seeds of faith to take
During this past 50 some years, countless peo- root in the children in their infancy.
ple have thanked the priest. Some bring a bottle of At the most there were 200 children here. As he
wine to share with him. Others offer thanks in the mentions the children of the kindergarten, Fourniers
form of produce from their own farms or gardens. eyes are radiant with affection. In fact, this journey
To Fournier, this kind of person-to-person assistance has been anything but easy. In order for vulnerable
43

children to enjoy the right to education, for more than
50 years Fournier has shuttled constantly to and from
Switzerland, raising funds to pay for their teaching. In
the early days the teachers were drawn from among
the nuns of the nearby St. Martha Institute. Nowadays,
professors of early childhood education from National
Taitung University are invited to attend every month to
provide training for the teachers. At the kindergarten,
children are taught to love other people, respect God,
and practice filial piety towards their parents.
Alumni of Beide Kindergarten have gone on to serve
as village mayors, local legislators and teachers. After
success in their careers they often return to call on the
priest and take part in church activities. As he speaks of
the Fr. Jean-Claude Fournier he knows, the eyes of Sun
Panhead of Beide Kindergarten for 13 yearsredden
as he says with great affection, Fr. Fournier came to
Taiwan from abroad and has devoted many decades to
service here. Its very touching. This is why we all want

Sacred objects used by Fr. Fournier when he
performs mass beyond the walls of his church.
to stay here to help him. Through Fournier, Gods

love is disseminated into every heart. Those who are
touched by it reciprocate with love for everyone they
meet and in everything they do.
Selfless support
As we visit Fourniers rooms on the day of our inter-
view, although there is not much space, the vestiges of a
lifetimes missionary work, keepsakes, old photos, old ra-
dios, and so on are spread throughout the study, already
quite small enough. As we enter the bedroom, apart from
the narrow single bed, at the side we see a small wash-
room and toilet. Frankly, the space is cramped, but he en-
dures hardship gladly. We listen to church members be-

The spire of St. Josephs Church in Xincheng, side us discussing the priests belt and how, for decades,
Hualien County.
kept repairing it rather than buy a new one. Also, many
of the tables and chairs in the church are recycled.
45

Sunlight illuminates a statue of the
Madonna and Child, adding to the
sense of peace and tranquility in
the church.

A priest is tasked with

looking after peoples
needs throughout their
life, from birth to marriage
and death. (courtesy of Fr.
Fournier)
Dont forget the way back home. This is an admo-
nition with which Fournier often exhorts church mem-

bers. He never forces his religion on people, but appeals

to his neighbors through the example of daily life.
Fournier fears that this kind of simple and unadorned

missionary style, also displayed in the ceremony of the
mass, may not be understood by indigenous church
members when the gospel is delivered in Chinese, so he
has someone stand next to him to repeat it in the Amis
language, enabling all those who attend the mass to re-
ceive and share in Gods love.
If a church member is ill or passes away, Fournier will
go to the family members homes every day to deliver

mass. Accompanying them in mass and prayers in this
way truly touches the relatives. Without Jesus, there is no
escape. When somebody dies or is taken ill and we go to
pray, it is in order quickly to bring them Gods love. In this
way they will surely come to happiness. Because of God,
Fourniers desire to care for the poor or sick never rests.
Bringing the joy of Jesus into human hearts

In recent years Fr. Fournier has never rested, workdays
and holidays alike, still going everywhere to spread the
gospel. The Congregation of Great St. Bernard has existed

for nearly a thousand years. Its spirit of caring for trav-
elers, exemplified by the hospice built by St. Bernard of
Montjoux, will continue to be transmitted by one genera-
tion of priests after another. l
l (Ivan Chen/photos by Jimmy Lin/tr. by Mark Rawson)
47

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57
PHOTO ESSAY

Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum (Taibao City, Chiayi County)

A Birds-Eye View
of Taiwan:

Architecture
59

Lee Family Compound
(Luzhou District, New Taipei City)
Taiwan has a diverse architectural culture. Southern Fujianese, Hakka,

Japanese, Western, and all kinds of innovative styles nd a common
home and blossom in this land. This diversity of architecture has become a
special part of the scenery in places all over Taiwan.
As part of the series A Birds-Eye View of Taiwan, in this issue we
showcase the beauty of our islands architecture.
(photos and text by Jimmy Lin/tr. by Phil Newell)
61

Liudui Hakka Cultural Park
(Neipu Township, Pingtung County)
63

High-Heel Wedding Chapel
(Budai Township, Chiayi County)

Wanchin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
(Wanluan Township, Pingtung County)
65

Lanyang Museum (Toucheng Township, Yilan County)

67
AROUND TAIWAN

Decorative Tiles and Red Brick,
A Taiwanese Architectural Dialogue
(courtesy of Kang Noushi)

L ook up while visiting a traditional Taiwanese
sanheyuan, or courtyard home, and you might
see decorative tiles dotting the roof ridge or the
walls. These tiles were an ingenious nishing touch
added to lovely old Taiwanese buildings, their visual

interplay with the ordinary red brick around creat-
ing a quiet visual dialogue that becomes louder and
more vibrant when their colors catch the light.

James Hsu, CEO of the Museum of Ancient Taiwan
Tiles, started researching decorative tiles while looking
for things to chat with his then-girlfriend (now wife)
1990
about. Kang Noushi studies and documents old build-
ings, and got involved with decorative tiles after falling

in love with the ones adorning the old houses in Shui-
tou while visiting Kinmen in 1990. The tiles have since

become a lifelong interest of his, too.
Painted tiles in Asia
In fact, decorative tiles of this type have their origins
in Western culture. Japan was exposed to painted ma-
jolica tiles from Victorian England during the industri-
alization and modernization that followed its 1868 Meiji

1868
Restoration. But while Japans earliest painted decora-
tive tiles emulated the imported majolica, the country

soon began to produce its own patterns and designs tai-
lored to the tastes of its export markets. For example, the
ethnic Chinese market was partial to auspicious plant
and animal designs, such as apples (symbolizing peace),
peaches (longevity), pome-

granates (many children),
6
and fish (abundance),
along with the propitious
69
2016Aix-Marseille University

12
1928

Rescuing roof-ridge decorative tiles from the grasp of a backhoe.
(courtesy of the Museum of Ancient Taiwan Tiles)

It used to be fashionable to mount decorative tiles on the most visible portions of building exteriors.
The photo shows an old house in Luzhou.
mythical beast the qilin, while the Indian market favored ble cultural heritage. Taiwans application received fa-
images of peacocks and Ganesha, the elephant-headed vorable treatment in part due to our integration of dec-
god. Designs were carved and painted onto six-inch orative tiles into red-brick sanheyuan, a local fusion that
square tiles that were exported to South and Southeast dazzled the international community with its uniquely
Asia to be incorporated into local construction. Taiwanese style.
As a Japanese colony in those days, Taiwan also re- Rescuing old tiles
ceived some of these decorative tiles. But they were a But fashions dont last. Many of Taiwans old tile-
costly imported product used only for decorating the decorated homes have been demolished to make way
exteriors of the homes of the rich, for whom money was for reconstruction and urban renewal. Kang Nou shi
no object. The incorporation of these tiles into traditional took us to see a few of the remaining ones around
red-brick sanheyuan gave rise to a distinctly Taiwanese Greater Taipei, including the Guo Ziyi Memorial Hall in
aesthetic, examples of which include the Tsai home in Neihu, a two-story Western-style structure featuring 12
Beigang, Yunlin County, the Lin home in Wufeng, Tai- decorative tiles. We also visited an old house in Luzhou,
chung, and the Huang home in Daan, Taichung. its tree-hidden face covered in decorative tiles, and the
In 2016, Frances Aix-Marseille University encour- columbarium at Beitous Zhonghe Chan Temple, with its
aged scholars from the UK, Spain, Portugal, Japan, unusual peacock and dragon decorated tiles.
Singapore, and Taiwan to jointly apply to UNESCO to Kinmen enjoys a relative abundance of tile-decorated
have their decorative tile cultures recognized as intangi- buildings, making a sharp contrast with the few scattered
71

The effort to
restart production
of decorative
tiles is making
progress. Here,
a craftsperson
carves a flower
design. (courtesy
of the Museum of
Ancient Taiwan
Tiles)

1915-1935

20

2015
20178

10

here and there about Tai pei. Kang says that the re- mildew on the tiles. This step is particularly trouble-
strictions on construction imposed by the military on somethey must alternately immerse the tiles in water
Kinmen have made the island a veritable museum of and chemical cleaners over the course of several days to
well-preserved tile-decorated houses. return them to their former glory. Hsu says that it has
In addition to documenting such buildings, some tile taken the group years of experimentation to develop
enthusiasts negotiate with the owners of buildings that their process for removing mildew, and that they are the
are being torn down for permission to preserve the dec- only people in Taiwan currently capable of doing so.
orative tiles from the roof ridge and walls. James Hsu, Hsu and his friends went a step farther in 2015,
who has been chasing down tile-decorated buildings pooling their resources to buy and renovate a wooden
since his student days, is a case in point. building on Linsen West Road in Chiayi City. When the
He says that in the old days they just gathered what- renovations were complete, they established the Mu-
ever intact tiles they happened to find at demolition seum of Ancient Taiwan Tiles at the site to display their
sites. Now that they have a little money, they stay in decorative tile collections to the public.
touch with demolition rms that keep them apprised of Decorative tiles reborn
when tile-decorated homes are slated to be torn down. Manufactured between 1915 and 1935, the decorative
When they learn of one, they ask the homeowner about tiles in the tile wall at the Museum of Ancient Taiwan
preserving the tiles, and, if the owner agrees, use a Tiles are still dazzling despite their age. Produced and
crane to pluck off pieces of masonry with decorated colored by hand, their colors and raised patterns give
tiles attached, before the backhoes arrive. each tile its own unique look. One of the unique fea-
Cleaning up the tiles after their removal is a time- tures of the decorative tiles of this period is their con-
consuming affair. They first use an angle grinder to toured patterning, explains Hsu, describing the sculp-
separate the tile from the cement, then deal with any tural elements red atop the tile base. They used the

Kang Noushi rst
encountered decorative
tiles on Kinmen. The
tiles have since become
a lifelong hobby.
73

James Hsu dreams of revitalizing
Taiwans decorative tile culture.
1215
11
thickness [of the sculpted elements] to control the col-
ors, meaning that the colors were largely determined by
the sculpting. The colors are lighter on the taller parts

of the patterns [where there is less glaze], and darker
on the lower parts where the glaze tends to pool. Tem-
perature variations during the firing process also af-
fected the pigments and contributed to the uniqueness
of each tile.
The decorative tiles provide a small glimpse of the

architectural beauty of early-20th-century Taiwan. Un-
fortunately, their production ceased when Japan threw
itself into the Pacific War, and market uncertainties and

the high cost of making tiles by hand discouraged com-
l panies from restarting their production after the war.

The museum recently highlighted ten classic deco- tiles from their collections to such restoration efforts
rative tile styles for a crowdfunding campaign. Entitled because they all agreed that old decorative tiles should
Taiwan Decorative Tiles Renaissance, it aimed to raise be on old homes. Recognizing that this wasnt a sus-
money to restart production of the old tiles and reintro- tainable solution, Hsu and his friends decided to start
duce them to the world. making new tiles themselves. They spent more than a
James Hsu says that restarting production is in- year testing every step of the manufacturing process,
tended to meet the needs of the building preservation from sculpting to mold making, painting, and firing,
and restoration community, which often lacks access and didnt begin raising money until their new tiles
to decorative tiles when restoring old buildings. In the were of comparable quality to the old ones.
past, fellow tile enthusiasts have generously provided Happily, their crowdfunding campaign reached its
goal of NT$150,000 in just 12
hours, and went on to garner
more than NT$5 million by
the time it concluded in early
Novem ber. Describing the
mu seums plans, Hsu says,
We first emulated the early
Japanese imitations of Victorian
tiles. Now that weve reached
the old standards of craftsman-
ship, we plan to invite Taiwan-
ese artists to design Taiwanese
images. The museum aims to
increase public awareness of
Taiwans wonderful decorative
tile culture, while also revitaliz-
ing tile production. Its objective
is to have tiles once again adorn
our cityscapes as a decorative
element in Taiwanese homes,
and to make decorative tiles a
beloved creative gift.
But those goals are far in
the future, exclaims Hsu.
Nevertheless, seeing crafts-
people sculpting and painting
floral patterns into tiles in the
video used for the crowdfund-
ing campaign, as well as the
publics generous response, it
seems as if decorative tile cul-
ture has already begun its new
moment in the sun. l
(Cathy Teng/
photos by Jimmy Lin/
tr. by Scott Williams)
75
AROUND TAIWAN

Opening the Doors to Liberal Education in Hsinchu
The Former Residence of Hsin Chih-ping


1945-1975

Thanks to the efforts of alumni from both National Tsing

Hua University and Hsinchu Senior High School, the
former residence of Hsin Chih-ping was rescued and
listed as a historic site.
R enowned for its liberal approach to education,

National Hsinchu Senior High School has pro-
duced no small number of leaders in business, poli-
tics, and the arts, counting among its alumni Nobel
laureate Lee Yuan-tseh, National Tsing Hua Univer-
sity president Lih J. Chen, and poet Cheng Chou-yu.
The sophisticated and fresh approach to education
taken by the school goes back to its seventh princi-
pal, Hsin Chih-ping (19121985). As Hsinchu Senior
Highs longest-serving principal, Hsin is one of the
most missed and most discussed figures among the
schools alumni.
The soaring buildings and crush of cars may remind

us that Hsinchu is a high-tech hub, but nestled amid the
towers are century-old Hokkien-style homes, temples,
and ceremonial gateways, along with the city gates and
remnants of the city moat, that recall the glory of the old
city. Between its modest land area and its mingling of old
and new, Hsinchu City has developed a style all its own.
77
2
Hsin Chih-ping (front row, second from right) loved sports, and
was even once part of the champion basketball team at the
Hsinchu City Sports Meet. (courtesy of Hsinchu Senior High
School Museum)

2000


Rising from the ruins
In 2000, the former residence of Hsin Chih-ping,
principal of National Hsinchu Senior High School from
1945 to 1975, was set to be demolished to make way for
a parking lot. Fortunately, at the behest of several alumni
of the school and of National Tsing Hua University, the
residence was saved and made a municipal historic site.
At the center of Hsins compact, rectangular residence
is the dining room, from which you can see into most of
the other rooms of the house. Passing through the vesti-
bule and living room, you enter a corridor that runs past
the master and guest bedrooms. The sliding rice-paper
panels along the corridor can be opened up, letting peo-
ple sit in the corridor and enjoy the view out into the
yard, including a small pond that rings with the croaking
of frogs in midsummer nights, singing guests to sleep.
At the request of Hsins eldest son, the interior has
been restored as much as possible to its original state, with
incandescent lighting, wallpaper with Japanese-style pine,
bamboo and plum designs, and staggered shelves for dis-
playing pieces of art. Beyond the interior design, the team
entrusted by the Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau
with running the site sought out old household items like
30
a sewing machine, a TV, fans, and a record player, setting
When he came to Taiwan in his thirties, Hsin Chih-ping was them out much as residents of the time would have done,
a strapping young man. (courtesy of Hsinchu Senior High
School Museum) to give the house that warm, lived-in feeling.

Hsin Chih-ping developed
close friendships with his
students, many of whom
continued to meet up
with him after graduation.
(courtesy of the Residence
of Hsin Chih-ping)
79

In Hsin Chi-pings former residence, we can see a microcosm of
the old principals life there.

25


Once the renovated residence was opened to the pub- campus? Arent we supposed to be advocating for open-
lic, alumni from the high school quickly made their way ness? to At morning exercises, the principal just paces
there to indulge their nostalgia, with some even volun- back and forth, watching. We want him to join in! or
teering as guides. Now several teachers from the school even Whenever were late were told to go stand in the
also bring their students to visit the former principals hallway and to write a letter of apology. The principal has
residence and hear stories from the schools past. The site been late a lot recently. Shouldnt he be punished too?
not only includes displays of some of Principal Hsins With all these challenges to the authority of the school
personal effects, but also offers an overview of his life. and the principal, at any other schoolespecially back in
Cultivating democracy among students the days of martial lawthe students would surely have
When Hsinchu Senior Highs most famous alumnus,
Lee Yuan-tseh, donated a replica of his Nobel Prize medal
to the school, he did so to mark his gratitude for the edu-
The corridor was also where the lady of the house would do
cation he recieved there. Hsin Chih-ping was one of few some of her work.
principals in Taiwan to eschew the mainstream emphasis
on examinations and testing into higher levels of educa-
tion. Instead, he made a more holistic view of education
his lifes work, emphasizing moral, social, physical, and
aesthetic education in addition to intellectual education.
When Principal Hsin was at Hsinchu Senior High,
he also taught basically everything except science, says
current school librarian Huang Da zhan. At first the
school only had two classes, about 100 people, and he
remembered every students name and got along with
everyone. Hsin was also a passionate sportsman, Huang
recalls, often playing basketball with students and always
being first to jump into the pool at swimming meets.
He wasnt all fun and games, though. Hsin required
every student to swim at least 25 meters and complete a
cross-country run over Shibajian Hill before they could
graduate. Some students were even kept back, Huang
says, because their grades werent good enough in art,
music, or physical education. In the end, though, it was
thanks to Hsins insistence on a comprehensive approach
to education that the school produced so many outstand-
ing conductors and writers, several of whom discovered
their love of their chosen art at Hsinchu Senior High.
The school has its own museum, which displays a va-
riety of information on Hsin. Huang points to the stage
in the museum, which was where the schools renowned
student meetings were held. Each month, the school
would hold a meeting with a chair elected by the student
body, and the principal and a few senior teachers sat
down below the stage to hear the students opinions.
These meetings were no-holds-barred affairs, with
virtually all topics fair game. Students brought up ques-
tions from Why does the school want walls around the
81

228

The stage in the school museum used to be host to the schools famous monthly meetings.

been disciplined, but Hsin always listened attentively students is evidenced in several ways, from letting stu-
and responded thoroughly no matter what. While he dents take the lead at the monthly meetings and having
couldnt make decisions on the spot, he always prom- the library subscribe to the Free China Journal for the
ised to address the issues raised and to respond at the students to read during the martial law period, to not
next monthly meeting. having walls around the campus, not taking roll, and
When the next principal took over, after attending letting students skip classes if they gave a good reason.
his first meeting he said with amazement, That was All this freedom didnt mean a total lack of discipline,
like a [communist] struggle meeting! According to thoughHsin had three iron-clad rules: no fighting, no
Huang, many alumni have said the experience of those stealing, and no cheating. Anyone caught breaking one
meetings changed how they saw the world. Principal of these was expelled immediately, and no amount of
Hsin always believed that it took courage to stand up special pleading or personal connections did any good.
and accept criticism, and that by giving the students Hsins connection with his students is well illus-
the power to organize the meetings themselves, he was trated by one example. Once there was a student who
helping cultivate their sense of democracy. was crazy about table tennis, forming a school team to
Courage under fire take part in competitions, and even still competing as
The total respect and freedom that Hsin gave his the university entrance exams were approaching. The

The bust of Hsin Chih-ping sculpted by
Yuyu Yang (a.k.a. Yang Ying-feng)
stands as a permanent memorial to the
beloved former principal.

Hsins former residence also exhibits
some of his personal effects,
giving a glimpse into the lifestyle
of the times.
83

Hsin Chih-ping and his family.

3010

6

l

student lived quite far from the school, meaning a long Hsin, who himself had previously been to war. A group
commute each way, so Hsin made an exception for him, of students came to the familys aid, leading them away
letting him stay in the gym so he could prepare for his from their hiding place to the student dormitories at
exams. In the end, he tested into medical school. Shibajian Hill. Later, when the government published
That student has grown up to be well-known Hsin- a list of agitators that included several teachers and
chu-based pediatrician Lin Qi ming, who says, If it students from the school, Hsin immediately leapt to
hadnt been for Principal Hsin, my life would have their defense, vouching for them and saving no small
been very different! Overseas Chinese students far number of people from danger.
from home also enjoyed special care from Hsinthose The influence of Hsins approach to education is still
who couldnt return home for Chinese New Year, for felt at the school today. Times may have changed, but
example, would be invited to spend it at the principals his old school mottoHonesty, Wisdom, Health, and
home. Today, many of Hsins former students are teach- Determinationstill hangs above the school gates. The
ers at the school, a demonstration of the loyalty Hsin new generation of Hsinchu Senior High students may
was able to foster in them. not be able to appreciate just how much their martial-
The attic located above the cupboards in the houses law-era predecessors valued the educational freedom
storeroom once served as a hiding spot for Hsin and his they had, but they are nonetheless proud inheritors of
family. On the day the chaos of the February 28 Incident that tradition, a tradition that will forever be an import-
made its way to Hsinchu, the sound of machine-gun fire ant part of Taiwans educational heritage. l
was heard coming from Xuding Bridge, near todays (Yang Ling-yuan/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/
Hsinchu City Hall. The citizens were alarmed, including tr. by Geof Aberhart)
85
CULTURAL TRENDS
art by Henry Wang

Adventures in Modern Fiction:

Taiwans Literary Imagination
Pioneers New Dimensions
A s a byproduct of culture, the essence of literature

has always been to engage with society. The fac-
tors that motivate authors to put pen to paper may
vary, but the works themselves still respond, directly

or indirectly, to their era. Regardless of how the de-
mands placed on them by literature, publishing and the
larger environment have redoubled in modern times, it
is gratifying to note that the high degree of creativity
displayed by Taiwans contemporary writers has not
diminished in intensity. Their solidarity and works
bear witness to prose ctions potential for opening up
5
new dimensions; they not only disturb societys stag-
nant ambience, they also impact culture itself.
It was five years ago that the Alphabet Lab was es-
tablished. Conceived by Professor Yang Kai-lin of Taipei
ABCA to Z26 National University of the Arts, its key members Lo Yi-
5,000 chin, Hu Shu-wen, Chen Xue, Tong Wei-ger, Yan Chung-
hsien and Huang Chong-kai were joined by several of
Taiwans major contemporary novelists, such as Ng Kim
Chew, Cheng Ying-shu and Lu Yu-chia. Inspired by tradi-

20179
tional European reading primers that introduce the letters
AB of the alphabet, Yang Kai-lin selects a French word
C20187 beginning with a letter proceeding in order from A to
Zthat symbolizes a contemporary phenomenon, as the
87

201610

The Alphabet Lab in action: Authors whispering and conspiring
and hatching their own secret plots too. (photo by Sean Wang,
courtesy of Acropolis Publishing)
1945
40

1904


popular literaturealso came into being at this time.
It was initiated by the novelist Ho Ching-yao, who in-
vited Yang Shuang-zi, Chen Yu-chin, Lo Chuan-chiao
and Sheng Hao-wei to join. This group of young writers,
who also emerged from liberal arts departments, have
worked in genres such as monsters, lily (girls love),
detective, and Japanese-style light novels (graphic
novels). They employ a collaborative writing format,
and their Tales of Fantastic Island: Key to Taiwan History
was published in October 2016 by Chiu Ko Publishing.
Writing for a new era
The affinities that inspired their formation and the
purposes of the two literary communities differ, and
their approaches are quite distinct. However, in terms
of their keen observation of contemporary phenomena
and expression of their concern for Taiwanese society via
their writing, they are alike.
As a period novel set in the Japanese colonial era, Fan-
tastic Island bids farewell to the heaviness and sadness of
the traditional historical novel, employing in their stead
a light style and subcultural perspective that deliver an
entertaining read. The authors ultimate goal, however, is
to help readers rediscover their own history, and via this
newly calibrated historical consciousness, to affirm the
land where they were born and grew to adulthood, and
thereby shed light on Taiwans cultural subjectivity.
As for the Alphabet Labs massive undertaking, which
combines creative writing with various subsequent activ-
ities, this is a more comprehensive and forceful response
to the dilemmas of our era. Due to Taiwans difficult
economic and diplomatic situation, a lingering sense of
malaise shrouds college campuses and society at large.
theme for each round of creative writing. Yang rst pens Ironically, external pressures have served to generate cre-
a short essay on his thoughts regarding this phenomenon, ativity as a sort of counter-reaction. The evolving artistry
dispatches it to several authors, and requests that each one of ction writing may represent an opportune moment to
write a short piece of ction, numbering 5000 or so char- discover fresh language and perspectives t for a new era
acters, that revolves around that theme. To close the circle, that will usher in the next round of peace and prosperity.
critic Pan Yi-fan contributes a commentary for each set of Augmented literary reality
short stories generated for a given letter. They are being These works seem to echo contemporary quantum me-
published sequentially by Acropolis Publishing in 26 vol- chanics nding that the nature of the universe is not what
umescalled the Alphabet Booksfrom A for Avenir common sense tells usjigsaw fragments comprising a
(future), B for Baroque, C for Clibataire (unmar- holistic entitybut that the universe is instead mirrored
ried) and so forth, with the last slated for July 2018. and multidimensional. Therein lies the pleasure of perus-
By coincidence, unlike the Alphabet Lab with its strong ing Fantastic Island or the Alphabet Books. All these short
air of pure literature, another literary community po- pieces of ction resemble the mutual diffractions inside a
sitioned at the opposite end of the spectrumrooted in kaleidoscope, but they can also exist independently. Such
89

Huang Chong-kai (right) says that the themes assigned by
Yang Kai-lin (left) open the door for writers to explore hitherto

unfamiliar matters. They can experiment with abandoning the
customary, and accept the challenge of writing in a fresh idiom.
Bloomsbury Group


an approach heightens the richness of the entire work, and Ambitious mindset, professional pride
constitutes a refreshing new format for ction writing. The arena of ction writing is both cruel and high
Fantastic Island commences with a family anecdote of risk, but the sparks born of recent collisions are more
novelist Guo Songfen. A bunch of keys passed by novelist brilliant than those seen in the past. In Fantastic Island,
L Heruo to Guo Xuehu (Guo Songfens father, a gouache as the plot progresses, the writers seek to frame one
painter) becomes a significant object that reappears another, setting traps on the one hand, solving riddles
throughout the piece. In this novel set in the arts world on the other. They display a playful subcultural mind-
in the time when Japan governed Taiwan, a ctional plot set and fabricate unpredictable ups and downs in the
emerges from the cracks between historical facts as the storyline.
participating novelists pass the baton, foreshadowing and At the Alphabet Lab, in addition to the authors
challenging one another in their writing. As the story de- meeting once every two months for discussions, Yang
velops, the various authors adopt modernistic, retro Jap- Kai-lin also writes a brief essay of 1000 characters or
anese-era or even romantic writing styles. These distinct so for each letter of the alphabet. But this essay is not
types of language expand the richness of the text. for the purpose of guiding creation; to the contrary,
As for the Alphabet Books, there is no intention to use it aims to kill off various options. As Chen Xue puts it,
the alphabetical structure to create a systematic dictio- Alphabet Labs creative process is an extreme sport.
nary. What we can do is to sprinkle mirror images that These rigorous rules of creation suffice to ensure
reect the universe, explains Yang Kai-lin. Each result- that the work originates from the authors true selves.
ing image reflects a cross-section of the universe. The More gratifying is that the professionalism born of this
letters are like 26 tiny mirrors, each scattered in a different sincerity also occurs at all points in the supply chain,
location and molded by each author, culminating in more including editors, book designers and bookstore out-
than 100 slices about Taiwanese literature or the world. lets, which are linked for maximum synergy.

The Alphabet Books are not just
literature, asserts Pan Yi-fan.
They are also model detective
and martial arts fiction, even
exemplary essays.
91

A to Frenemies: The
Fantastic Island authors
Z 26 are both friends and
rivals. In the course
of their collaboration,
they have developed a
mutual understanding
and are discovering
new branches of
possibility concealed in
2626 one anothers creative
writing.

1

1,000


The book designers participation facilitates captur- ganically at brick-and-mortar sales points. For example,
ing the attention of readers in different domains. Acrop- Chang huas Text Apartment has designed interactive
olis Publishing headhunted the young designer Vansler games related to the group in order to whet readers ap-
Huang to produce the cover design for Fantastic Island. petites. The bookstore told us that since the Alphabet
Inspired by Guo Xuehus gouache paintings, he bor- Lab is very experimental, they wanted to use an experi-
rows elements such as brushstrokes and keys to evoke mental spirit to reciprocate our program, says Patience
the concept of fantasia. Meanwhile, graphic designer Chuang, editor-in-chief at Acropolis. Other bookstores
Wang Zhi-hongs solution on behalf of the Alphabet Lab such as Hualiens Bookslight and Eslite indicated that
goes beyond the concrete meaning of letters and charac- the Alphabet Book series had given the staff the chance
ters, transforming them into symbols that jump off the to get to know writers they were previously unfamiliar
paper, and this avant-garde style echoes the groups at- with, such as Tong Wei-ger and Yan Chung-hsien.
tempt to connect with trends in contemporary thought. The Alphabet Labs heartfelt mission is to promote
The Alphabet Labs intended effect takes place or- Chinese-language literature to the world, and link it to
93

2018

15

Designer Vansler Huang used stone rubbing techniques
to create mottled images of keys on white paper,
l
symbolizing the process by which the disparate
fragments of the tale fit together to complete the puzzle.

photo by Chuang Kung-ju
global thought, says key promoter Patience Chuang, of literary awards, various avenues for self-expression
the editor who is always at the authors side. To achieve have been sealed off. For those who wish to engage in
such an ambitious goal, a blueprint instilled with purely literary creation, the road ahead is a tough one.
dreams and courage is required. This includes hosting a Therefore, aside from occasionally inviting guest nov-
readers club meeting for each letter; staging workshops elists to participate in the groups program, Huang has
where discussion can expand from the featured letter proposed to the editors that topics should be announced
to the level of literary criticism; and hosting lectures by to the public prior to publication of the second and
international masters, modeled on the Frankfurt Book third sets of books in the series, in 2018. Interested read-
Fair s poetry lectures. Only when the Alphabet Lab ers could submit manuscripts, and after screening, they
progresses to possessing such capability, she says, can could join the Alphabet Lab and thereby help it serve as
this cycle be realized. a channel where newcomers voices can be heard.
An era of greater openness to the reader Seen in the light of the autumn launch of the Alpha-
The world of popular literature has always attached bet Book series and Fantastic Island, this enhanced liter-
great importance to feedback from and interaction with ary landscape is of profound signicance not just for the
readers, especially since the rise of social media. Fur- literary market and for Taiwanese literature, but for so-
thermore, given the game-like nature of the entire book, cietys values too. From publication to ongoing practice,
the publishers of Fantastic Island have issued a call for the emphasis is not on pure literature or popular
submissions from readers, inviting them to continue literature; more signicant are the spirit of courageous
writing any chapter of the novel, and so collaborate to experimentation, competition without abandoning pro-
create a landscape in fantasia. fessionalism, and effective integration and interaction
Regarding the writerreader relationship, the Alpha- throughout the supply chain. The emergence of these
bet Labs vision penetrates further into the future. two publications is perhaps not coincidental. As the end
Speaking as one of the groups new-generation writers, of this long night draws nigh, they subtly suggest to us
Huang Chong-kai notes that nowadays literary maga- the possibility of the dawning of a new era. l
zines and newspapers literary supplements generally do (Lynn Su/photos by Lin Min-hsuan/
not welcome readers submissions, and with the decline tr. by Bruce Humes)
95
CULTURAL TRENDS
Su Tao and
the Art of Zen

P ractical education in fine arts can develop a solid
foundation for drawing and painting, but only life
itself provides the basis for creativity. The painter Su
If you want to stand out in the world of painting in
Europe, already crowded with masters, and become one
of the elite of contemporary art, what you need are out-
Tao (real Chinese name I Chung-chain, French name of-the-ordinary inner qualities and thought-provoking
Rene I) has been living in Belgium for over half a ideas. In black ink, with bold, simple brushstrokes,
century, and the rigorous challenges of life in a foreign through Zen concepts Su Tao manifests her comprehen-
land have accumulated in her soul, creating an unwav- sion of life, and through elegance she enables broad ex-
ering determination that is evident in her large-scale pectations to blossom. All expression comes from life.
creative works. Its my inexhaustible source of sustenance. Su Tao uses
Standing before the boundless tension of her power- painting to guide us into the world of her spirit.
ful artworks, Su Taos diminutive figure seems espe- Almost left behind
cially delicate. But this stark contrast only underscores For an infant born amid the chaos of war, life is
the vigor of her spirit. She not only loves to create, she uncertain and fragile. Two years before the end of the
has also dedicated herself to education, enabling tradi- Second Sino-Japanese War, Su Tao entered the world in
tional Chinese culture to flourish in a foreign land. The mainland Chinas Sichuan Province. Talking about her
two activities have one principle running through them: early childhood, a memory that still haunts her is of
Because she has love in her heart, she will never cease. how she was nearly drowned.
97
2017

In the Good Luck Is
Shining series of 2017,
which continues in her
original simple and
clean style, Su Taos
wild and passionate
brush strokes exhibit
her artistic condence.

Su Tao employs a combination of Chinese and Western techniques to express her deeply Chinese cultural
core, manifesting the grace of calligraphy through extreme simplicity.
After the defeat of Japan in 1945, Su Taos father, who This long period of moving around allowed Su Tao to de-
had earned recognition for his work on the construction velop the habit of being adaptable to new circumstances
of the HunanGuangxiGuizhou railway, was ordered from a young age. It also allowed her to reveal her natural
to go to Taiwan to rebuild the railways there. But his talent for drawing and painting. Ji Wenxiang, a teacher
parents were determined to stay in their hometown, and of fine arts, discovered her outstanding talent and often
were not willing to go along. My father talked with my gave her extra instruction. I am really grateful to Teacher
grandfather and grandmother for three days and nights Ji, because without his guidance, perhaps I wouldnt be
but was unable to shake their resolve, so finally it was where I am today.
decided to leave a child behind to accompany them. She stood out from an early age. At age 17, she took
I was nearly drowned, and even until now, whenever first place in a calligraphy competition in Ping tung
I see water, I feel uncontrollable fear. The frail child, ter- County, and at age 19 she was selected for inclusion in
rified that she would be the one to be left behind, clung the Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition. At age 22 she
to the hem of her mothers clothing. To stop me from received an honorable mention at the World Exhibition
crying and fussing, my mother pressed my head down of Decorative Arts in Seoul, Korea. After graduating from
into the water of the family pond. It has been her deter- high school, she tested into the National Taiwan College of
mination to struggle and stay alive that has sustained Su Arts (now the National Taiwan University of Arts), where
Tao as she has passed through the challenges of life. she received support and guidance from many bene-
Deep aesthetic roots volent teachers, including Professor Fu Chuan-fu for land-
In my memory, we were always moving house. scapes, Professor Kao I-feng for people and animals, and
By the time she came to Taiwan, her father had been re- Professor Hu Ke-min for flowers and birds. It was Wang
assigned to run a sugar refinery, and subsequently he Chuang-wei, who taught calligraphy and seal carving,
was frequently transferred to places all over Taiwan. who gave her the name Su Tao. Su (Shu) is an ancient
99

17
1922


name for Sichuan, while Tao means great waves. My heavy responsibility of making money, so she went to
teacher said that I had strength, like a guy, implying work in the ROC embassy, and taught Chinese on the
that her brush strokes were vigorous and unconstrained, side. At that time we couldnt afford a fridge, so when I
surging like a roaring sea. These elite and famous Tai- saw the ground covered in snow and ice, I buried chicken
wan artists, each with their own style, enabled Su Tao to meat in the snowdrifts outside our door. Who knew that
set down a solid foundation in ink-wash painting. by the next day it would have been eaten by cats! Tough
Surviving by cooking times were made tougher by the arrival of four children
The youthful and beautiful Su Tao was always sur- one after the other. At that time all I thought about was
rounded by suitors. But she had decided she wanted to how to make money to provide for them.
go abroad to study, and had no interest in having a boy- Su Tao rolls up her pants leg and rubs the scars on
friend, until she met Yu Shumou. He was the cultivated her calf, as she recounts what is still a heart-rending
intellectual type, very refined, and he also looked after memory: I spilled a whole pan of hot oil on my leg. In
me in every possible way. As she recalls the sweetness order to survive, Su Tao, who had never had to do any
of falling in love, Su Tao shows the emotions of a young kitchen duties while she was growing up, was forced
girl. After they had been going together for three years, to set aside her painting brush, pick up pots and pans,
Su Tao had to bear the pain of giving up a full scholar- and learn to cook from scratch. She took out a loan to
ship to study fine arts and be a teaching assistant in the take over a dilapidated Vietnamese restaurant which
US, in order to follow Yu, who was a PhD candidate, to she renamed Le Lotus Bleu (The Blue Lotus), and it
Belgium, there to begin life in a foreign land. quickly became a gathering place for local Chinese.
Even my wedding gown I had to borrow from [poet] Blood and tears bring good luck
Xi Murong. Su Tao recalls the scene of her wedding: Having won some breathing space economically,
It was pouring with rain when we held the ceremony Su Taos long-buried artistic spirit again came to the
in a Belgian church. With the two of them being poor surface. She did further study in the department of oil
students without any support, Su Tao had to take on the painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels,
101

A single brush stroke depicting a circle
embraces the limitless energy of life.
Like the nurturing of an embryo,
it represents inexhaustible motion
in the universe.

1990

1982

27
5

and also studied theory of contemporary art at the Free work, immediately sent shockwaves through the con-
University of Brussels and at Ghent University. temporary arts scene, making her famous overnight.
Su Tao has never shied away from hard work. In 1982, Using a foundation of traditional ink-wash painting,
she won a bronze medal at a European artists exhibition she integratedwithout any conflictdifferent materi-
in Brussels. als in a free and unrestrained manner. She thereby con-
Deep in the night when all was quiet, Su Tao once structed a distinctive style of her own.
stood at her painting table and looked with concentration Su Tao has unreservedly thrown her tenacious life
into the pitch darkness outside the window. Black is at force into artistic creation. Over the past half century,
the root of humanity. This sudden realization allowed she has had 27 solo shows and taken part in countless
her take all her gloominess and resolutely paint it out in joint and group exhibitions, and has even participated
bold strokes of black ink, taking this most taboo of colors five times in the Lineart International Art Fair. The
and giving it full and vivid expression. Then she added late Queen Fabiola of Belgium personally attended her
square red seal imprints and pieces of gold leaf to find shows. And the tension-filled decorative effect of her
balance. work has become beloved of European liquor makers
What I wanted to express was an idea. Those squares and interior designers.
and circles expressed my reflections about life and living. The Yu-I Gallery that Su Tao runs and the Blue
I made more than 100 paintings, though at the begin- Lotus Salon that she hosts often give opportunities for
ning no one came to see them, she recounts. But 1990 young artists to show their work. And she hasnt forgot-
was a completely unexpected turning point. Su Tao cre- ten to do something for her homeland either: She once
ated a series of ethereal and metaphorically philosophical invited 13 European contemporary artists to exhibit
works using an Asian vocabulary, which amazed Euro- their work in southern Taiwan.
pean art critics. A la Rencontre du Zen (Encounters A leader in extolling Chinese culture
with Zen), a piece of art criticism written about Su Taos Originally I just wanted to open an art gallery, but
my friends all encouraged me to
pass along my skills. On Octo-
ber 10, 1982, the Yu-I Gallery
and the Yu-I Institute opened
together. With their rich foun-
dation in traditional Chinese
culture, they have earned the

Every living thing in the world has
its own independent road to travel.
Within the norms set by social
ethics, each individual reveals a
different destiny.
103

3
2

Su Tao (second from right
in second row from rear)
has always regarded the
transmission of Chinese
culture as a vocation,
and has found joy in it for
over 30 years. (courtesy
of Su Tao)

4

13

2008

19831010
7

34

10 2017
24
l

respect and admiration of people from Western nations. The then without even closing my eyes I had to hurry to
institute hires professional teachers to explain and demon- see my own children off to school, and manage the
strate to students, and is very popular. It has also received institute and the school, and I also had to take care of
the strong endorsement of Taiwans government agencies the restaurant and handle the loans for the school. It
in charge of foreign and overseas compatriot affairs. was really a lot of pressure, so how could my heart not
Ten years after establishing the Yu-I Institute, Su Tao have blood pumping through it! It really was a case
opened the Chung-Hua School (affiliated with the insti- of burning the candle at both ends, but still she had to
tute), which as of today has been around for 24 years, to look after everything.
give students from even more age groups the chance to get These past few years, her kids all have gotten their
instruction. Although the school teaches all manner of tra- own careers, and Su Taos life has gradually slowed
ditional arts and crafts, its real core is teaching life ethics, down and become calmer.
which is a never-ending endeavor. When asked whether she will continue to paint in
The school was the blood that pumped through my the future, Su Tao says heartily, I definitely will, be-
heart, says Su Tao without reservation, standing in front cause I am crazy for painting, and I will paint until the
of a work from the Good Luck Is Shining series that she day I simply cant anymore. She adds, Blue is my
began to create in 2008. Every night I painted until dawn, lucky color. In a series of 2017 works, birds are gently
spreading their wings against a background of blue.
The pain she once accumulated has turned to joy and
been transformed into a rising morning sun, and good
luck is shining down from above. l
(Lee Shan Wei/photos by Jimmy Lin/

Su Tao assumes a classic pose, arms outstretched, standing
between Heaven and Earth. (courtesy of Su Tao) tr. by Phil Newell)
105
ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Age of Aquariums:
A New Era for Ornamental Fish Farms

1986 T aiwan was once famous around the world as the
cichlid kingdom, and in 1986 bred the blood
parrot cichlid, which for a time was all the rage in
2008
the ornamental sh market. However, the global eco-
nomic downturn in 2008 caused a serious setback to

the industry. Nonetheless, ornamental sh and crus-
taceans are high-value-added products of sophisti-
Food and Agriculture Organization of the cated high-tech aquaculture that offer educational
United NationsFAO and therapeutic qualities and can t in with modern
150 lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS).
2009 According to gures from the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations, annual produc-
tion of ornamental aquatic animals and associated
products is worth US$15 billion, making this a star

industry that draws international attention. In 2009
Taiwans Council of Agriculture incorporated it as a
key industry for development in the Quality Agri-
culture Development Program, thereby creating a
new opportunity for the growth of the industry.
With growing sophistication and professionalism in

the aquarium industry, along with the evolution of tastes
and consumption patterns over time, the glory days

in which consumers favored big fish in big tanks have
faded. Today, with the emphasis on ecological balance,

Different fish species and aquatic plants each require their own expert knowledge.
Jer Yuan Aqua Design owner Zhang Rongzhe suggests that shop owners should
develop their own areas of expertise if there is to be a healthy market.
107

The cramped nature of urban life plus the increasing diversity of ornamental fish
and crustaceans has given rise to the nano tank.

60 300300

3

ADA


biodiversity, and designing tank aquascapes with water Jer Yuan owner Zhang Rongzhe opens with this: I
plants, the nano tank now takes pride of place. hope that an aquarium will not be just a fish tank, but a
Imitating nature, designing value piece of furniture that fits into peoples home space, rais-
At Jer Yuan Aqua Design, located in Nantou Countys ing the aesthetic ambience. This comment is the best foot-
Caotun Township, the shop sign reading aquarium de- note for the aquarium retail sector at the present time. Jer
sign rather than the traditional aquarium shop gives Yuan is by no means the only example of this shift from
a hint as to the changes in the industry. Jer Yuan occupies aquarium shops that merely sell products, to an emphasis
about 200 square meters, and its lavish displays have on home aesthetics. These new-style aquarium shops are
none of the cramped, chaotic feeling typical of traditional founded on professional knowledge about aquatic ani-
aquarium shops. Walking in from the elegant front yard, mals, but are oriented toward aesthetic design, making
you find an atmosphere radically different from the usual leaps forward in terms of the aquatic species on offer,
negative stereotype of aquarium shopshumid, poorly hardware and equipment, and design and aquascaping.
ventilated, and with an all-pervasive smell of fish. The For example, Zhang Rongzhe states that Jer Yuan does
tanks of ornamental fish and crustaceans and the displays not sell standardized, mass-produced large fish tanks, but
of related equipment and products are interspersed with instead can custom-build aquariums based on different
comfortable seating and aquariums with aquascapes, and spaces, and on the types of fish the owner hopes to raise.
there is even a kitchen bar, giving the place a homely feel. Zhang, who positions Jer Yuan as a specialist in wa-
ter plant aquascaping, has gathered together some 300
varieties of ornamental fish and crustaceans, and more
than 300 related product lines. In fact, even someone who
Zhang Rongzhe says that ornamental fish are pets that need
meticulous care, not mere toys for peoples entertainment. frequently visits aquarium shops might be astonished on
entering the store, with its many glass tanks containing
small fish and shrimp for sale, and its aquariums with
aquascapes based on water plants, withered leaves and
so on, while on the glass the formal names of each species
are written in oil paint. This is because the same species
might have different names in the north, center and south
of Taiwan. This way of labeling is very educational.
As for essential peripheral equipment for aquariums,
such as lighting, filters and aerators, although traditional
peripherals were perfectly serviceable, their appearance
left much to be desired. But now they have evolved into re-
fined accessories that can blend into the overall aquascape.
An aquarium brings nature into the home. You need
to imitate the original environment of the aquatic species,
according to their natural ecology. Ecology as king is to-
days mainstream. Also, through the inuence of the Japa-
nese-style aquascape movement led by Takashi Amano, de-
signers have moved on from Dutch-style aquascapes that
densely fill the whole tank with diverse water plants, and
have begun to creatively and exibly use large amounts of
deadwood and stones to make their layouts. Whether in
all-water aquariums or part-water, part-land aquariums,
you can find styles ranging from deep jungle to serene
grassland. They are like moving photographs of nature,
and aptly reect the souls of different aquarium lovers.
109

250200

10

Although many fish farms produce
ornamental shrimps, only Larmax
International selects them individually
for color and size. After any sick shrimp
are screened out, you have high quality
shrimp that stand out from competitors.
Wang Kuo-chung says proudly: We set
the prices for five-elements shrimp!

Taiwans very own five-
elements shrimp require a
lot of mineral ions to achieve
their beautiful colors. Many
fish farms in Southeast Asia
have tried to enter this trendy
sector of the market, but so
far without success.
Neocaridina takes the world by storm Red). Wang Kuo-chung has built on the achievements of
The aquarium market undergoes a major shift in di- his predecessors to develop additional new varieties.
rection about every ten years. In earlier days the blood From among countless Davidi shrimp, Wang selected
parrot cichlid, other cichlids, the red arowana, and the strains with color variations to serve as the parent gener-
flowerhorn were all popular, while today ornamental ations for new varieties. Through breeding he cultivated
shrimp in a range of brilliant colors are winning con- successive generations, continually stabilizing their gene
sumers favor. Previously the main type was the crystal expression. Then, on the basis of the three primary colors,
red bee shrimp, developed in Japan. Today, however, he developed various different hues, so that now in addi-
five-elements shrimps, which come in many colors tion to red he has produced shrimp in chocolate brown,
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple, and orange, yellow, blue, snow-white, and other colors. When
whitehave the largest market share. And the source of you add in the changes of hue on different segments of the
these shrimps is Taiwan. shell, he has so far produced more than 20 varieties. Wang
Taiwans largest cluster of businesses in the ornamen- has named them five-elements shrimp, evoking the five
tal aquatic animal industry is to be found in Pingtung elements of Chinese philosophy (metal, wood, water, fire,
County. Wu Pei-shan, executive secretary of the Ping- and earth) that are considered so important in fengshui.
tung Ornamental Aquarium Product Association, says Larmax sells over a million shrimp annually, account-
that of some 250 ornamental aquatic animal firms in Tai- ing for 60% of the global market.
wan, about 200 are in Pingtung. Competing on quality
One of these is Larmax International Co., a leader in Wu Pei-shan says frankly, From 2008, with the effects
the ornamental shrimp business and located in Ping- of the US subprime mortgage crisis and the European debt
tungs Zhutian Township. The five-elements shrimp crisis, for a while ornamental fish from Taiwan seemed to
developed by Larmax founder Wang Kuo-chung in fact have no future, and fish breeders had hit a bottleneck in
derive from the Davidi shrimp (Neocaridina davidi), a terms of what species to raise. But in 2009 cherry shrimps
freshwater species commonly found in Taiwan. Because from Taiwan won an award at the International Shrimp
in its natural environment the normally green-brown Da- Championship at the pet fair in Hanover, Germany, and
vidi shrimp sometimes will have streaks of red, blue, and Larmax made a name for itself with its successful sales of
numerous other colors, it was previously used to develop five-elements shrimp. These events brought about a re-
the red-colored cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi var. naissance in Taiwans ornamental fish industry.
111

20179A
121
1

6030451
100110
4,000

2008

2009

2016
36.7

There are many bacteria and viruses associated with koi carp.
This is why disease prevention measures at the Luxe Fancy Carp
(Koi) Farm are so strict. To prevent infection, fish that have been
sold cannot reenter the farm.

Chen Wen-ding, chairman of the Northern Ocean

Aquarium Center, has been involved in the ornamental Lee Chi-tai sees a wealth of potential market opportunities.
aquatic animal industry for more than 30 years, and Specialized hobbyists, who do not buy from large wholesalers,
provide a niche in which small-scale ornamental fish farms can
is himself a microcosm of the sectors evolution. It all find a footing.
started back in 1965, when Chens father established a
fish farm in Yongjing Township, Changhua County. Later
the farm was relocated to Jiaoxi in Yilan County to take Township, is a small-scale farm of only 0.4 hectares.
advantage of the areas unique hot spring water. Then Owner Lee Chi-tai targets expert-level hobbyists at the
in 1988 they bought some land in Chaozhou Township top of the price pyramid. He states that Taiwans orna-
in Pingtung, where they still operate today. Northern mental fish farms can no longer compete with the low-
Ocean, which occupies 1.6 hectares, is considered a large priced products of farms in Indonesia and Thailand.
fish farm in the ornamental sector, and currently follows However, in mature markets like Europe and Japan, con-
an operating model of diverse high-volume production, sumers value purity of lineage in the animals they buy,
with an annual output of some 200,000 fish. Chens emphasizing their place of origin and associated distinc-
unusual personal career has enabled him to build relative characteristics. Lee believes this presents a feasible
tionships with wholesalers in both central and northern direction for Taiwanese fish farms future development.
Taiwan, with the result that Northern Oceans products Therefore Long Life does not stress the development of
have been mainly sold in Taiwans domestic market. new varieties, but instead specializes in raising Taiwan-
Every Monday a 17-ton truck arrives to carry away about ese species that are relatively rare on the market, using
300 crates of product from Northern Ocean and nearby high-quality feed and natural algae, and not adding
fish farms, taking them north to supply the wholesalers. hormones, so that the fish develop their natural hue. The
By contrast, Long Life Fish Farm, located in Zhutian fish are then sold directly to buyers via social media.
113
1965
1988
1.6
20
17
300

0.4
6050
A
AB20
AA
Producing mainly koi (colored varieties of the Amur

carp, Cryprinus rubrofuscus), the Luxe Fancy Carp (Koi)
Farm has similarly followed the path of upmarket
production. Owner Huang Yi-wen explains: A koi
should have a large head, broad shoulders, and a thick
caudal area. The texture of the colors should be like an
oil painting, full and dense. The patterns on the back
should be symmetrical both front to back and left to

right, with changes at intervals, so that seen from above
it looks like a painting. Koi at the farm undergo a pre-
liminary selection 60 days after the eggs are hatched,
l then a second screening 50 days later, when they are

The characteristics of different
fish species are suited to
different ways of admiring
them. Koi carp are famous for
the patterns on their backs,
and are best viewed from
above.
divided into several classes by qualitycompetition ornamental aquatic animal industry, invariably the prof-
grade, AA, A, and B. At the end of this process only its brought by following the crowd and producing pop-
20% of the original fish fry are left. Huang Yi-wen ob- ular product lines are short-lived. If an enterprise wants
serves, In the domestic market few people keep com- to last long in an industry, besides starting from basics
petition-grade koi, but there are plenty of buyers for the and assuring product quality, other critical elements
AA and A grades. Also, Luxe is located close to Kao- include how to make the best use of their existing facil-
hsiung, and many senior citizens from the city choose to ities and human resources, devise suitable marketing
buy property in Pingtung for their retirement. Besides strategies, and find an appropriate business model. The
gardening, they also install ponds to raise koi. Luxes ability of Taiwans ornamental aquatic animal industry
reputation for high quality attracts many consumers to to break out into global markets will in the end depend
come in person to the farm to buy. on the perseverance and wisdom of each producer. l
Although the immediate future looks good for the (Lynn Su/photos by Jimmy Lin/tr. by Phil Newell)
115
COMMUNITIES

New Immigrants Reshape Pingtung:
Drawing on the Benets of Diversity

542 T aiwan is home to some 540,000
new immigrants, about 20,000
of whom live in Ping tung, according
2003
to the National Immigration Agency.

In order to serve this community, the
4 Pingtung County Government in 2003
began to set up new immigrant service
centers in Ping tung City, Chao zhou,
Donggang, and Hengchun, to speed im-
migrants integration into local society.
Little by little, these immigrants

have gone from feeling like strangers

to identifying with their new home.

Today their influence is being felt in
the community at large, where they
express pride in their own heritages
and act as the chief promoters of multi-
culturalism.

Thailand is rich in fruit varieties, and Thai

immigrants display longkong, durian,
star gooseberry and other tropical fruits
common in their native land. Pandan
leaves are also woven into bouquets
used in Thai religious rituals.
117

10 (above) To promote cultural exchange, new immigrants teach
traditional skills for weaving toys and other objects out of pandan
leaves, palm fronds and other plants.

Henna

(facing page) Ng Sok Geok, a Chinese-Malaysian, practices
traditional Indian henna body art. Malaysia has three major
ethnic groups, Malays, Chinese and Indians, she says.

9
11
3

5103

2016

67

At midday during the National Day holidays, the ting immigrants speak for themselves. She often helps
Pingtung railway station teems with people. About ten facilitate opportunities for immigrants to speak in pub-
stalls are scattered throughout the station concourse. lic, whether it is just a five- or ten-minute speech or a
They abound with foreign delicacies, toys, and other full three-hour presentation, which allows people to
imported products. Many travelers passing through, and introduce their native lands and to express their own
migrant workers coming here on their day off, stop and thoughts. The 2016 New Immigrants Community Devel-
strike up conversations. Immigrants manning the stalls opment and Cultural Promotion Program, organized by
enthusiastically introduce the products in fluent Chinese. the Pingtung County Cultural Affairs Department and
This is cultural exchange in its most basic form and the the JADWRP, was also intended to provide comprehen-
embodiment of the accomplishments over the past year sive support for new immigrants.
of the county governments New Immigrants Commu- The plan mobilized dozens of immigrants who helped
nity Development and Cultural Promotion Program. organize working teams among the immigrant commu-
Telling ones own story nity, and in September 2016 they began to draft the plan
New immigrantspeople who have arrived since and draw up a budget. The following November they
the 1990s by marriage, mainly women from Southeast submitted their proposals to the county government for
Asia and mainland Chinahave already become a visi- consideration. Implementation of the program began in
ble part of Taiwanese society, but to the public they can March 2017, and the JADWRP kicked things off by invit-
still feel both familiar and unfamiliar. Tsai Shun-jou, ing lecturers with community development experience
director of the nonprofit Juridical Association for the to offer comprehensive training both in the substance of
Development of Womens Rights in Pingtung (JADWRP), community building in all its facets, and in techniques to
explains that while her organization often speaks up for present their experiences through public speaking.
the immigrant community, Southeast-Asian culture will Ultimately the participants delivered a total of 67
best be represented not by outsiders but by the immi- lectures in various public arenas, such as educational
grants themselves. training courses, forums on gender, and community
Tsai therefore operates under the principle of let- outreach centers. From the perspectives of their own
119

DIY
Ketupat

Angklung
To help introduce themselves to the local community, new
immigrants often share artifacts from their own cultures.
Pictured here is an angklung, a traditional Indonesian
percussion instrument made from bamboo.

daughters-in-law cultivated the plant but that they them-
selves had no idea what it was used for, Fang says.
She taught them that pandan leaves could be used as
an ingredient in many desserts, such as kue lapis (Indo-
nesian layer cake), cendol (a sweet drink made from co-
conut milk and palm sugar), coconut pastries, and cakes.
Its fragrant and magical, Fang says.
The juice of crushed pandan leaves, strained through
a cloth, can also be added to glutinous rice or boiling
soybean milk to add a unique flavor, says Phong Kim-
lian, who is originally from Vietnam. Different cooking
methods are expanding the range of possibilities for us-
ing these ingredients in Taiwanese cooking.
Ma Yuee and Su Yuong-chen, known for their skil-
ful, clever creations, are both originally from Indonesia.
When Ma Yuee travels along the main route leading
to her adopted home in Hengchun, the coconut palms
towering on the sides of the road summon memories
of Indonesia. In Hengchun she teaches the older gener-
ation to weave coconut fronds into hats, fans, baskets
and other useful goods that are lightweight, environ-
mentally friendly, and well-suited to local conditions,
and display the creative energy of Indonesian culture.
Su Yuong-chen also demonstrates Indonesian cus-
toms through the making of ke tu pat (rice dumplings
wrapped in palm fronds) and toys woven from palm
Immigrants arrive not just from Southeast Asia. Lin Feng, an artist
fronds. Taiwans rice dumplings [zongzi] have the
from Inner Mongolia, is shown here doing pyrography. stuffing inside the rice, while Indonesias rice dump-
lings have the stuffing on the outside! Su adds with
a laugh. There are similarities and differences, just as
there are between Taiwanese and Indonesian culture.
life experiences, the immigrants explored similar or Taking center stage
complementary aspects of their native cultures and the Pingtung is a major agricultural county and attitudes
culture of Taiwan. These included living in a multicul- are conservative. It has a special place as the nations
tural society, handicrafts, and cooking lessons, among first region to experiment with community building
other things. Each group was like a breath of fresh air, for immigrant residents. In reality, however, on arriv-
kindling the spirit of cultural exchange. ing in Taiwan after marrying a Taiwanese man, most
Cultural surprises immigrant women not only have to immediately begin
Cooking ingredients like pandan leaves, lemon grass, working to help support their new family, they often
and butterfly pea flowers are already common in Taiwan, also bear the dual responsibility of raising children
but their traditional uses are still quite limited compared and caring for the elderly, which leads their husbands
to their uses in Southeast-Asian cuisines. For an exam- families to frown on their having contacts outside the
ple, Thinnaphat Fang, who immigrated from Thailand, home. Those around them generally lack experience of
points to pandan leaves, with their natural aroma of taro interacting with immigrants and unconsciously harbor
and their use as the source of a natural green dye. At discriminatory attitudes, creating barriers between the
the lecture, many seniors said that their Southeast-Asian different ethnic groups.
121

2019

Ma Yuee weaves traditional
Indonesian hats with the palm
fronds native to Hengchun, an
example of an immigrant who
has already settled into life in
her adopted home.
The New Immigrants Community Development and also looking to the future. The government is about to
Cultural Promotion Program was intended not only to introduce Southeast-Asian languages into the primary
create a platform for communication between locals and school curriculum, she says. This year some key
immigrants, but also to encourage immigrants who have schools began to implement the policy, and from 2019
been in Taiwan for a decade or more and have adapted it should begin to be rolled out nationwide. When the
to local life to begin to participate in public affairs. time comes, immigrants with teaching experience will
Community development means developing people, so be in the vanguard of the initiative.
public participation is essential, says Lee Jia-ling of the Venturing out of the house doesnt mean leaving
Pingtung County Cultural Affairs Departments Divi- home so much as establishing a deeper connection with
sion of Arts Promotion. New immigrants are already a the local community. After two or three decades of
part of the community, so of course we should cultivate struggling and setting down roots, Taiwans new immi-
their ability to participate in public affairs. grants have become indispensable cultural advocates.
Tsai Shun-jou, who has been the constant compan- (Lynn Su/photos by Jimmy Lin/
ion of new immigrants on each step of their journey, is tr. by Robert Green)

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1071 43 1

Vol. 43 No. 1 January 2018

A Love that Spans EDITORS NOTE

disabled children. student meetings, the schools lack of a pe 0128106-5

short stories based on modern phenomena mination.

embodies a reaction to Taiwans predicament. traditional sanheyuan especially captivating.

working on the question of how immigrants waiting to be noticed and appreciated. l

to Taiwan should go about connecting their (Ivan Chen/tr. by Scott Williams)

6 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

photo by Lin Min-hsuan

Fifty Years of Caring for

wan. Embracing the island with love in his heart, he

eventually took up a position in Yuli, Hualien County,

At five oclock in the morning, Father Yves Moal

is already at work in the kitchen, preparing a simple

breakfast of fruit and foods nearing their use by

dates, all donated by neighbors, for the people staying

Fr. Moal first leads them in morning prayer, then work

recyclables, the Fathers friendly exhortations and their

own encouragement of one another raising the curtain

10 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

ister in Asia, but was killed during the war.

12 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

14 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

16 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

during episodes of political repression. Although such

their mission: Ad exteros, ad gentes, ad vitamTo other

18 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

20 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

The local indigenous peoples poverty

22 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

24 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

between different communities. Poinsot

26 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

Healing Young and

a group of people with special needs on Penghu. Their

angelic smiles captured his heart, and he abandoned

As the church choir sings, the words are a bit fuzzy

beam. They are young members of a workshop run

Chinese in Taiwan while he was waiting to take up du

30 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

32 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

The Tobias Foundation set

34 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

36 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

38 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

40 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

entered the Congregation of Canons Regular at Great

The first problem Fournier encountered living in

42 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

to stay here to help him. Through Fournier, Gods

46 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

A priest is tasked with

Dont forget the way back home. This is an admo-

nition with which Fournier often exhorts church mem-

Fournier fears that this kind of simple and unadorned

and holidays alike, still going everywhere to spread the

gospel. The Congregation of Great St. Bernard has existed

52 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

54 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

56 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

58 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01

Taiwan has a diverse architectural culture. Southern Fujianese, Hakka,

64 Taiwan Panorama 2018/01