SoundGeography III : Hengchun by Chihhung Liu

聲音地誌 III

Sound Geography III 【恆春 Hengchun 】

劉致宏 Chih-Hung LIU 2016

《聲音地誌 Sound Geography》出版刊物為逐漸累積成型的「聲音紋理資料庫」，此創作計畫目前橫跨了幾個城市 : 日本的山口、台灣的高雄與恆春，2015-16 年間預計陸續完成新增的城市樣本為臺灣的高雄、恆春、臺南，日本東京、菲律賓的達沃、馬來西亞的亞庇、澳洲雪梨，未來也將持續進行下去。聲音會是什麼樣子？當以「身體」開發成為感受眾多聲響的聽覺器官時，透過口述、訪查、影像凝結與抽象 / 具象素描線條的聯覺轉化表現等，試圖將「聽覺視覺化」，並撰以在地人、物、故事等相關資料與聲響素材蒐集，為每個在地環境豐富的文化底藴，以記錄 / 檔案創作的方式研究關於「聽覺與視覺」之間的經驗連結，並希望留下不同城市、地域之間的對照樣本。

Sound Geography III

The publication of Sound Geography series is meant to establish a “voice-drawing database” through gradual accumulations. This creative project currently covers several cities: Yamaguchi (Japan), Kaohsiung and Hengchun (Taiwan). The sample cities in progress--Kaohsiung, Henchun and Tainan (Taiwan), Tokyo (Japan), Davao (Philippines), Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) and Sidney (Australia)—since 2015 are due to be finished by 2016. The project is expected to proceed continuously in the future. What would voices look like? When the “body” is developed into an auditory organ perceiving numerous voices and sounds, the “visualization of hearing” is made possible through the connection, transformation, and representation of verbal accounts, interviews, image freezing and abstract/concrete sketch lines. By collecting related data and sound materials recounting stories of local people, things and happenings, Sound Geography records/databases the plenitude of culture in each local area, and studies the empirical connections between “hearing and sight.” At the same time, it aspires to leave illustrative samples gathered from different cities and areas.

山上吹來的風

恆春半島三面環海，落山風 ( 東北季風 ) 很強，出了名的，騎車都會搖晃；每年的十月到四月最明顯，村長說六、七級、甚至十級陣風家常便飯，更曾出現過十三級，就像輕度颱風一樣，但也因為這特別的風，非常適合洋蔥、紅龍果等農作生長，病蟲害少、又大又香又甜，在產季時鄰近的軍營甚至有一項「愛民公差」是協助農民採收洋蔥。除了得天獨厚的觀光資源，也因為這裡的特殊地理環境加上氣候條件，造就了許多豐富且特有的生態、景觀、文化多樣性，如許多台灣特有種的植物 ( 溫帶最南、熱帶最北 )、著名的港口茶、陸蟹生態、過境候鳥、沙漠地形、珊瑚礁海岸和貝殼砂灘等等，還有與臺灣周圍如琉球、小琉球等地歷史淵源密切，以及原民部落文化與國家重要濕地。小時候，因為住在北部所以家庭旅行和校外教學幾乎都往南部的墾丁跑，走馬看花的行程以及同觀光客摩肩擦踵的景點等，除了很熱以外，現在回想起來已經印象模糊，只依稀記得國家公園像個巨大的熱帶植物園、萬頭鑽動的沙灘、白色的燈塔、還有熱辣的陽光和天空鮮豔的藍。

Sound Geography III

或許是緣分、是天注定，也好似冥冥之中受到召喚總是離不開這裡太久；學生時期成為幾次環島旅行的過客之後，生命真正與恆春這個地方產生連接就屬當兵時期了，因為三軍聯訓的關係隨部隊首度來到這裡長駐了兩個月，去年也因為在高雄駐地創作幾個月的關係，避開假日人潮、三不五時就往恆春跑，進行踏查；沒有休假逃離的衝動，反而神奇地令人想更加靠近、更深入瞭解這個豐富美麗的國境之南，也陸續發掘了許多因歷史、地緣環境、氣候、文化所造就的在地特殊樣貌。另外關於七字四句的滿州民謠「四季春」有兩種哼唱法，除了像恆 1

春小調那樣多以四季花開為開頭之外，另一種是由加入月琴間奏的「四句春」而來，「春」在台語表示有餘，象徵更多、更豐富的意思，就像恆春這塊寶地一樣，除了四季如春之外，還有很多很多精彩豐富的人文與故事等待我們發現。

註 1 參考資料：屏東縣政府文化處，恆春民謠音樂節

The Wind Tumbling Down The Mountains

Hengchun peninsula is caressed by the ocean on all three sides, known for its fall wind(the dry monsoon from the northeast) even affects motorists when they are driving. It is especially evident between October to April of each year. The village head said level six, seven, and even level ten of wind are common there. It even had a level thirteen one time, as strong as a minor typhoon. The blustery wind makes Hengchun a perfect place to grow crop such as onions and dragon fruits, with its low pest rate the fruits are big, fragrant, and sweet. During harvesting time the military camp near by has an activity called â&#x20AC;&#x153;loving civil dutyâ&#x20AC;? to assist the farmers reap onions. On top of its naturally rich tourist attractions, its unusual geography and weather created a diversity of unique ecosystems, sceneries and cultures, such as some of the Taiwan exclusive plants (between the furthest south of the temperate climate and the furthest north of the tropical climate), the famous Gangkou Tea, the land crab ecosystem, the migrating birds, the desert, the coral shore, and the seashell beach and such. Along with the surrounding of Hengchun such as Liuchiu and Shiao Liuchiu which have intricate history with Hengchun, along with the culture of the Paiwan Tribe and the national wetland. I grew up in the north part of Taiwan so most of my family trips and school field trips have been geared towards Kenting, the combination of our jampacked schedule and crowded touristy spots other than feeling overheated

Sound Geography III

at the time I can’t remember much. Only sort of recall the national park being like a gigantic tropical arboretum, the beach overcrowded with tourists, the white lighthouse, the blistering sun, and a vibrant blue in the sky. Call it serendipity or destiny or that I was simply summoned but I never could seem to stay away for very long, I passed by as a student touring the island, my actual contact with Hengchun would be during my mandatory military service. There were three groups of soldiers being trained in the same time so the entire army resided in Hengchun for two months. Last year I had an opportunity of being an artist in resident in Kaohsiung for a few months to avoid weekend tourists I would head to Hengchun on a regular bases, exploring and adventuring. Without the vacationing impulse of wanting to do everything, it mysteriously made me want to get a closer look of what this beautiful peninsula has in store, gradually discovered how this place came to be due to its geography, weather and culture. Additional information about the seven words and four lines of text 1

folk song of Manjhou, “Four Seasons of Spring ” ,there are two ways of performing it. The first being starting the song like a Hengchun folk song with four season flower to begin the song, the other version derives from “Four Lines of Spring” and the incorporation the yueqin during its instrumental part. Spring in Taiwanese means bountiful, symbolizing fruitful and diversities, just like Hengchun, other than having all four seasons like spring there are so much more interesting and colorful humanities and stories.

1 Source : Pingtung government cultural department, Hengchun Folk Song and Music Festival.

Sound Geography III

The Wind Tumbling Down The Mountains

落山風

車城鄉 Checheng Township

恆春半島屬熱帶季風氣候，受地形影響，東北季風經過了山脈吹來，每年十月到隔年二月都會有強勁的落山風吹襲，路上騎車幾乎會被吹走一樣；但呼嘯的風聲吹不倒這一些特別的植物，長出了板根，讓他們茁壯屹立不搖。像是一年長不到兩公分的象牙樹、抗風又耐乾，樹質非常堅硬，據村長說早年三顆可以賣到上百萬價錢；還有國家公園裡的名樹「銀葉板根」，就是有著鈴鐺外型種子的銀葉樹，大片大片的板根抓地牢固且不易腐；另外也因為強勁落山風的影響，洋蔥的莖葉容易折斷，使得水分及養分都留在鱗莖，所以這裡盛產的洋蔥又大又香甜。 Hengchun peninsula is well known for its tropical monsoon climate, affected by its geography the wind passes through the mountains before hitting flat ground causing blustery dry monsoon from each October until February of the following year. One would fear of being lashed off the road while riding during that time; however, the howling wind doesn’t affect the vegetation of Hengchun, they have developed buttresses to offset the wind, securing them firmly in the ground. Such as ivorywood tree, though it grows less than two centimeters a year it is resilient against wind and dryness, its wood is incredibly strong; according to the village head three of the ivorywood trees back in the day would sell for more than a million New Taiwanese Dollars. There is also the famous “looking-glass mangrove” (Heritiera littoralis) that grow inside the national park, they are known for their wing shaped nuts, their gigantic slices of buttresses hold the trees down firmly to the ground and don’t rot easily. Last but not least, due to the harsh dry monsoon the leaves of the onions break easily, therefore savoring all the water and nutrients within the bulbs, making them big, fragrant, and sweet.

Sound Geography III

Baisha & Coconut Trees

白砂椰林

白砂 Baisha

白砂位於恆春半島西北方的海岸線上，屬珊瑚礁海岸，一旁近乎純白的沙灘由貝殼砂所組成。附近的高聳茂密的椰子樹林沐浴在熱辣的陽光下，隨風搖曳沙沙作響，如攝影棚般的場景時間緩緩流動，完全是個南洋世界。那天和蔡約在後壁湖碰面，頂著陽光來到白砂探險，也許是午睡時間路上沒有人車，只有臨海的草地上幾頭牛羊，椰林對面是一望無際的海桐，耐鹽、抗風等特性讓它佔盡地利優勢，和椰子樹林相比，一者佔據天空、一方擁有地面，但兩造都充分地享有了海岸邊無限美好的陽光和藍。 Baisha is coral reef located on the northwest coastline of the peninsula, an almost pure white beach compiled by shells. There is a cluster of coconut trees bathing in the glaring sun, making rustling sound as they sway in the wind; like the scenic setting of a movie, time continues slowly like a South Pacific paradise. I met up with Tsai at Hobihu, braving the sun to Baisha to venture about; I wonder if was nap time because we didn’t see any people or cars on the street, only a few sheep and cows on the field. Across from the coconut trees are endless Pittosporum with their high sodium and wind tolerance they dominate the land, where coconut trees dominate the sky; both of them fullying enjoying the endless sunshine and the bright blue sky.

Sound Geography III

砲聲隆隆

Rumble bombard

出火 Chuhuo

恆春的出火因為地熱關係，在地面的孔洞冒出熊熊火焰的特殊景觀而得名，不分日夜、觀光客絡繹不絕，甚至有小販在停車場賣起煙火和爆米花 ( 不良示範 )。同時這裡也是國軍的演訓基地之一，附近有網紗溪流過，還有赤牛嶺、後殼、北門營區等等，有時候下午聽得見駐紮在此的軍隊實施實彈射擊遠處的保力山、直升機盤旋、悍馬車隊經過，晴朗的午後山上悶悶地隆隆作響。 Hengchun's Chuhuo Natural Fire got its name because of the geothermal ground which releases fire out the little holes on the ground. It is a popular tourist destination no matter what time of the day it is, there are even vendors that set up carts selling fireworks and popcorn (inappropriate example). Chuhuo is also one of the training grounds for our national army, near by are Chihniuling, Houke, and Northgate camp etc. Sometimes in the afternoon one can hear soldiers that use howitzer to practice aim at the Mt. Baoli in the distance, a clear afternoon yet with lots of rumbling sounds

Sound Geography III

Dongyuan Wetland

水上草原

牡丹 Mudan(Sinvaudjan)

從滿州經過旭海沿著 200 縣道上來一些，東源與牡丹村像是隱藏在喧鬧的世界之外；沿途瀰漫著野薑花香的 199 縣道往北接銜接壽卡、往東去到太平洋和旭海，往南可以俯瞰美麗的牡丹水庫和部落，天氣好的時候陽光從林間撒在國家重要的溼地上，聽得到自然生態的豐富交響；這片一望無際的水上草原是排灣族的聖地、草原後方山上還有神秘消失的黑矮人遺址，十月的風一吹來聞得到野薑花香、瀕臨絕種的水社柳輕輕搖晃，過境的灰面鵟鷹盤旋天上。 From Manjhou pass through Hsuhai along County Highway 200, Dongyuan and Sinvaudjan seem to be hiding away from all the noise in the world. The County Highway 199 that is filled with the scent of ginger lily connects north to Shouka, heading east from there one can get to the Pacific ocean and Shuhai, heading south you are able to overlook the magnificent Peony Dam and village. On a clear and sunny day the rays cover the important national wetland through the forest. This beautiful and vast grassland is a sacred ground for the Paiwan Tribe, there are even ruins of the Black Dwarves behind the grassland. As the wind starts to blow you can hear the ginger lilies and the Isoetes gently swaying in the wind.

Sound Geography III

Ginger lily & Melastoma

薑百合與野牡丹

牡丹國小 Mudan Elementary School

牡丹鄉以到處都看得見粉紫紅色的野牡丹而得名，每年五到七月為花季，葉片能解毒，排灣族給他一個美麗的名字「qaculju」，後來移居此地的漢人易名為「卡都魯 / katulu」而沿用至今；住在牡丹村、牡丹國小旁的排灣族 vuvu 在山林間的晨光下大汗淋灕除著草、採山蘇和月桃，說山蘇可以賣錢、月桃全株的用處也很多，同時跟著收音機哼唱以即興歌詞表達的交談式古調，一邊問你吃飯了沒有、從哪來、要去哪裡；南排灣歌謠文化《enelja》的這種虛詞歌唱間如溝通般的「交談」，與北排灣的歌唱方式不太一樣，可以感受那多元豐沛的生命力，雞皮疙瘩！ Vuvu of the Paiwan tribe lived next to the Peony Elementary school in Sinvaudjan was drenched in sweat weeding and collecting bird’s-nest ferns and shell flowers, humming along with the radio whilst improvising his own lyrics. When we spoke, he asked me if I had already taken my meal, where I was from and where I will be going. The folk song culture of the South Paiwan Tribe “Enelja ” uses the technique of improvised songs as a form of communication; it’s not the same as the folk song culture of the North Paiwan Tribe. You can truly feel the lively energy of the singer, his voice gave me goosebumps !

Sound Geography III

Paiwan Youth

排灣青年

東源部落 Dongyuan Tribe (Maljipa)

那天下午走完濕地，順著小朋友嬉笑的路線來到一所因併校改建中的小學校舍，教室裡幾個青年帶著小朋友玩團康遊戲，但尚未完工的部落諮詢中心大門深鎖，東張西望的時候被一個熱情洪亮的聲音叫住「你找誰？」，就這樣聊了幾根菸的時光；同樣也是排灣族的伯賢，母語名字叫法諸屋 ( 音譯 Vajiuoo)，今年三十出頭，看起來很年輕已經有兩個女兒，在外打拼幾年後經歷了一些故事，決定回到部落、想為部落做點什麼，有著標準爽朗的原住民性格。點了根菸，就從東源牡丹一帶的自然環境變遷、部落位於水源的分支，因牡丹水庫的興建而由水稻改成栽種野薑花和月桃、山蘇等經濟作物，到如何由外牆裝飾分辨頭目的家、在外工作際遇的甘苦、傳統文化使用的禮器樂器、正在創作的木雕刀鞘等，無話不談；因為南排灣部落的人口、年齡和文化斷層問題，他正積極的在想如何發展部落特有的原住民藝術文化，如編織、歌謠古調、木雕等，他現在最大的目標是在明年初的時候將自己的工作室完成，未來能夠好好創作木雕、好好陪伴孩子、好好介紹部落在地的故事。

Sound Geography III

After strolling around at the wetland, I followed some local playful children to an elementary school that was in the middle of merging with another. There were a few teens playing some camp activities, however, the yet to be finished doors of the Tribal Information Inquiry were locked, after lurking around a bit I was stopped by a loud and resonant voice- “Who are you looking for?” and just like that we shared a few cigarettes over our conversation, he is another youth of the Paiwan Tribe, his name in his mother tongue sounded like “Vajiuoo”, in his early thirties, looked really young but already had two daughters. He left the village for a few years trying to make some money and decided to return because he wanted to do something for his tribe, a classic hearty aborigines personality. After lighting the first cigarette we chatted from topics of the natural habitat change of the

Dongyuan Mudan

area, the tribe being at a branch of the water source, and the construction of the dam shifted the crop from rice to the more economical ginger lilies and shell flowers, to the outer wall of the chief ’s house, and the different treatments he received when he left the village, to the traditional ceremonial tools and musical instruments, and the wooden knife handles that he had been crafting, we chatted about everything. He mentioned the hardship that Paiwan Tribe was facing with its youths leaving the village and not retaining any traditional values and leaving the more mature tribe members behind, he wanted to figure out a way to further develop the traditional arts and values of his own culture such as weaving, songs and old tunes, wood carvings, etc. His greatest goal at the beginning of next year is to finish his own working studio where he could focus on his wood carvings and work on telling his stories.

Sound Geography III

Tjakutji

哭泣湖

東源部落 Dongyuan Tribe (Maljipa)

199 縣道必經的東源湖、水上草原一帶因地勢低漥而容易形成沼澤，是一處生態保留完整的國家重要濕地，排灣族稱為「Pudung」，有邊緣地帶的意思，甚至有「台灣香格里拉」的美稱；第一次經過這裡往台東的早晨，一個拐彎就被這山林間的濕地仙境和生態景色吸引，蟲鳴鳥叫加上大片的綠地和野薑花馨香瀰漫，非常地不真實；哭泣湖在排灣族語裡的「Tjakutji」音似「哭泣」而得名，有湧泉、水源匯集之處的意思，也有傳說這個湖泊是少女思念情郎流的眼淚匯積而成！ As you are driving on 199 County Highway you will inevitably pass by Dongyuan township and the wet grassland because it is on lower ground it is easy for that area to naturally form swamps, turning it into the most well reserved national wetland habitat, Paiwan Tribe calls it “Pudung”, it means to border something, it even has a nickname of “Taiwan Shangri-La”. The first time I passed through this wetland amidst all the forests I was mesmerized by it, the sound of the different insects and birds with the intoxicating fragrance of the grass ginger lilies it felt surreal. The weeping lake got its name from the name by the Paiwan Tribe “Tjakutiji” sounding like weep in Mandarin, it means spring of water and where a place water gather. There is a legend of the lake forming because of the gathering of the tears of a young girl missing her loved one.

Sound Geography III

Voiceless Sea

無聲的海

啞狗港 Yagougang

台 26 線從鵝鑾鼻燈塔、最南點往佳樂水方向，經過營區、氣象站、大草原、水蛙窟，彎過風吹砂下坡看到佳樂水的地名立碑之後，除了幾間民宿錯落，右手邊綿延的林投樹林後方有一個靜謐的小漁港，在地人都管這裡叫「啞口海」，民國 68 年蔣經國總統巡訪時改名為「興海漁港」，當地漁民主要為區域性的近海漁業；因為特殊的地形環境關係，海浪聲音被重重山壁包圍、吸收、分散，使得此地環境安靜的似乎暗啞、浪花上岸像不會發出聲音一般，後來也有個說法是為紀念年輕的暗啞漁民男子，為拯救落海的姊妹花，遭大浪捲走一去不回，無論是不是真實發生、抑或穿鑿附會，都為這個特別的地方留下了傳奇故事。 The Taiwan Provincial Highway 26 goes from the furthest south of Taiwan, Cape Eluanbi, to Jialeshuei passing through the military camp, the weather bureau, the big grassland, and Shuiwaku, as you go downhill from Fongchueisha and see the sign of Jialeshuei other than the few privately owned bed and breakfasts there is a small fishing port on the right hand side after a forest of Pandanus. The locals named this area “Ya-Co Hai” (The Dumb Sea), in Republic of China Year of 68 (1979) president Ching-Kuo Chiang renamed it to “ShinHai Fishing Port”. The local fishermen mainly do regional offshore fishing there; due to its unique geographic structure the sound of the waves crashing get surrounded, absorbed and dispersed by the mountains; making this area eerily quiety as if the waves make no sound at all. Later a story emerged explaining the origin of the name “The Dumb Sea” as honoring a mute fisherman that sacrificed his life to rescue two sisters that have fallen into the sea; thus went with the waves and never return again. It doesn’t matter if the story actually happened or was manipulated to fit the name the story of the sea remains a legend in the area.

Sound Geography III

The Weeping Fig Garden and Muller's Barbet

白榕園與五色鳥

林業試驗所 Forestry Research Institute

港口村往佳樂水的 200 甲縣道上，過了吊橋和幾間人聲鼎沸的衝浪店家，一個不起眼的路口彎上去就是農委會的林業試驗所 - 恆春研究中心港口工作站，在電動鐵門和幾支電眼的防護之下很容易忽略在這後面藏有因為電影少年 Pi 而一夕成名、一樹成林的白榕園；鳳珠姊是港口村近年來發展社區生態觀光的解說員，一路上熱情爽朗的聊著墾丁之花 - 棋盤腳、草海桐、過山香與番婆怨等，如數家珍，說著恆春與南島的過去，說著這片苗圃珍貴的物種多樣性，熱辣的艷陽下一陣風吹來，一圈一圈一圈，咕咕咕咕咕，五色鳥也在樹稍輕唱著。 En route from Port Village to Jialeshuei on 200 Jia County Highway I passed the suspension bridge and a few popular surfing stores, took a turn at an unassuming street and on top was the Forestry Research Institute- Hengchun Research Center of the Council of Agriculture. Shielded by the the metal rolling gate and a few security cameras it’s easy to forget that beyond lives the tree that became a sensation overnight because of the movie Pi, a single tree that became a forest of its own- The Weeping Fig Garden. Ms. FengChu was the Port Village tour guide specializes in the local ecology and culture. She was outgoing and chatted about the flowers of Kenting- Sea Poison Tree (Indian Barringtonia), Beach Cabbage (Scaevola frutcscens), Rutaceae, Leea, and Clausena as if those flowers were passed down treasures from her family. She recounted the history of Hengchun and the southern part of the island, talked about how precious it is to have such variety of plants and wildlife, a gust of wind blew towards us under that searing sun, swirling around us as it traveled, cuckoo- cuckoo- cuckoo, the Muller’s Barbet hummed along.

Sound Geography III

港口茶

Gangkou Tea

港口 Gangkou

村長說到港口這裡的名產，非「港口茶」莫屬了，具有特殊歷史和植栽背景的港口茶因產量稀少、耐沖泡、口感溫潤嚐得到海風香鹹味而聞名，據傳西元 1875( 光緒年間 ) 從武夷傳來，經過紅心烏龍、清心烏龍、雪梨茶等配種改良之後，適應了恆春半島的地形 ( 海拔不高的丘陵地 ) 和季風氣候 ( 海風、落山風 )，而且獨特的利用種子育苗 ( 通常茶樹使用扦插法 )，與認知裡的高山茶樹 / 茶園非常不同，故也有「雜種茶」之稱，早期朱姓人家於現今港口吊橋後方一帶種植大片茶山，開始發展茶農業，漸漸打響名號。七月中的夏天一大早，黎姊著一身專業制服，跟她約在茶園見面，碰巧遇到了南投廬山川風堂茶園的一行人及日本朋友，來此交流有機茶葉農法的心得；往茶園的小徑上我們跟著黎姊聽她介紹這片如後花園般的秘境，如數家珍台灣的特有種植物和花草香料，一邊詳細講解港口茶特殊的口感風味、歷史故事以及製作過程，也一邊哼唱這 ( 裡像客家山歌 ) 的採茶民謠和鄉野傳奇，《守牛調》一曲更是唱出了佳樂水在地的好風光。

Sound Geography III

The village head said the most famous souvenir is the “Gangkou Tea”, it has an unqui history and planting background. It yields in low quantity yet endures multiple infusions, with a smooth taste and with a hint of sea breeze and salty flavor it became quite a novelty tea. According to the history, the tea came from Wuyi in the year of 1875 and went through different renditions of cultivating ranging from HongShing OoLong 、 ChingShing Oolong and Pear Tea to eventually become the rendition that worked well with the climate and the dry monsoon, especially its unique planting technique (using seeds instead of cuttings), it is quite different from the high mountain tea and other conventional tea files, thus it has another name of “Mix Tea” indicating its mix breed. In the past it was a family named Chu that grew the tea behind the suspension bridge and gradually it gained its popularity. A hot summer morning in July, Ms. Li dressed in a professional uniform met up with me at the tea field, we happened to run into another group of people from the tea garden in Nantou and their Japanese friends whom came to share about the intricacy of organic tea planting. On the way to the tea field Ms. Li introduced us to this utopian like garden in the back, telling us about all the different flower fragrance and spices, as well as the unique flavor and texture of the Gangkou tea its history and the making process and hummed some tea picking song here and there as well “Cattle Tune ” especially accentuated the beauty that is Jialeshui.

Sound Geography III

Father & Sterculia Foetida

父親與掌葉蘋婆

滿州鄉公所 Manjhou Township Administration

滿州鄉公所前方一處圓環，有一顆高聳參天的樹木「掌葉蘋婆」，屬於梧桐科的落葉喬木，鮮紅色的果實外皮包裹漆黑油亮的種子非常容易辨認，早期在台灣其實很常見用於行道樹、土地區隔或遮蔭功能，但因為它開花時的強烈特殊氣味，較不容易為民眾接受，在台灣甚至有「豬屎花」的暱稱，從英文暱稱「Skunk Tree( 臭鼬樹 )」中也可見一番。黎姊是這一帶的生態解說員，已經六十多算了，看起來還很年輕充滿活力，那天聊到這棵樹她的眼神發亮、流露出溫暖的光，「你知道嗎，圓環那棵樹是我爸爸在我出生的時候種的！」；黎姊的父親年輕時曾在日本唸書、工作，為電機技術人員，回到台灣就在滿州鄉公所服務，當時父親種下的這棵樹與她同齡，黎姊常笑稱他們是六十多年的老同學，而這位老同學現在仍然在公所前面屹立不搖、開枝散葉，圓環下形成廣袤的樹蔭造福鄰里，下棋乘涼、談天休憩，有時還有菜車經過、廣播，姑嫂們就著它抓一把蒜、挑幾斤蛋，也漸漸成為滿州鄉吸引遊客的景點之一；「到現在經過那裡，還是會想起我的爸爸」，這位老同學對黎姊來說，除了超過一甲子人生的陪伴，也充滿了對父親的思念，說著說著，眼角閃爍著光。

Sound Geography III

In front of the Manjhou Township Administration there is a roundabout where a towering wild almond tree (Sterculia foetida) stands, which belongs to a Sterculioideae subfamily, its bright red fruit covers up the shiny black seed on the inside makes it easy to identify. In the past Taiwan used to plant lots of wild almond trees along sidewalks or for shading purposes, however, when it blooms it has a particular and pungent scent that repel most people, it even has the nickname of “Crotalaria flower”, you can also get a sense of its smell from its English nickname “Skunk Tree”. Ms. Li is the ecological narrator, she is in her sixties and full of energy. As we were talking about the significance of the tree her eyes sparked and expressed an abundance of love and tenderness, “You know something? My dad planted that tree in the roundabout when I was born!”. Ms. Li’s father studied in Japan when he was younger, he worked and became an electrical engineer and returned to Taiwan and served in the Manjhou Township Administration. Having a tree that is the same age as her, Ms. Li joked that they are the oldest schoolmates, and this schoolmate is still standing tall and creating shade for its neighborhood, becoming the perfect spot to play chess or a place to sit and hang out. Sometimes vendors would even ride by with fresh produce and eggs where people can purchase their groceries of the day. It is also becoming a tourist attraction, “Even now when I walk by here I still miss my dad.” this old schoolmate didn’t just keep Ms. Li company for the past sixty years, it also contains all the years of Ms. Li missing her father, as she was talking I saw some light flicker in her eyes.

Sound Geography III

Laying Eggs from Tractor

鐵牛下蛋

籠仔埔 Longzaipu

70 年代左右開始，因為年輕人口外流、農村人口老化，以及氣候條件，恆春到滿州、籠仔埔、水蛙窟、旭海一帶部分的農地由農會規劃負責牧草種植 ( 盤古拉草 ) 的一貫作業，再統一外銷出去，價格好的時候一分地的牧草收穫可以喊到兩千多台幣，收穫前無邊無際的草原綠油油景象，漸漸讓這裡有了「小瑞士」的美稱；也因為引進了現代化的牧草收成機具，當地有個可愛的暱稱為「鐵牛下蛋」，就像美國電影或實境節目牧場裡看到的那樣，牧草由鐵牛車咻咻咻地採收、捆扎成一綑一綑的牧草球，清新的草香，圓柱狀的牧草球在草地上就像蛋下在巢裡一樣！ Around Republic of China year 70 (1981) the younger generation started out pouring to bigger cities in Taiwan, turning the agricultural population to a much older one, on top of its harsh weather, the agricultural committee took over the growing and selling grass of areas from Hengchun to Manjhou, Longzaipu, Shuiwaku, and Shuhai. When the market was decent a portion of grass sold for about two thousand New Taiwanese Dollars, the view of the grass before harvest season is so vast and beautiful that earned Hengchun the nickname of “little Switzerland“. As the farmers introduced new tools to harvest the grass another adorable nickname derived from the harvesting machine called “Iron ox lays eggs” due to the efficiency of the machine winding up grass into a tight cylinder bundle just like the grass you see in an American movie, the scent of the freshly cut grass, those bundles of grass look just like eggs in a big nest !

Sound Geography III

Streching Shouting

牽絲的呼喚

佳樂水 Jialeshuei

恆春這裡的港口茶非常有名，俗諺「採茶姑娘一十八」，村長打趣地說現在年輕人口外流，種茶幾乎剩老人家，都是「八十一」在採茶了；而這裡的老一輩在採茶時有個特殊的習慣，因為此處茶園位在丘陵地而且落山風大的關係，彼此工作時若在山頭上呼喊，聲音會被吹走，久而久之便習慣以「拉長尾音」的呼喊方式，將語句、名字的最後一字以「～」的感覺做延長；而這裡也有口頭禪的招呼用語：「阿娘喂～」，並同樣有拉長、拉高尾音的習慣，在採茶、工作的時候通常都以這一句開頭喊叫對方，吸引注意。( 最後村長害羞的示範了一下，阿娘喂～的音往上拉高的時候眉頭緊皺、笑場！ ) Gangkou Tea is extremely popular in Hengchun. There is a saying “The girl picking tea leaves is at the ripe age of eighteen.” the village head continued jokingly said that since the youths of Hengchun kept seeking jobs elsewhere leaves only older folks to care for the tea fields so the pickers are now strictly “eightyone”. The older generation of tea pickers have a special habit of communicating since the tea fields are located on the top of the hills with the dry monsoon interfering it can be challenging so gradually the tea pickers started elongating the last syllable of their sentences or the last syllable of someone’s name. The standard greeting line is “A Nia Wei~” with the elongated last syllable and brought it up to a slightly higher pitch, as the workers are picking and working that would be the way to greet each other and get the other person’s attention. (The village head shyly showed me how it was done, at the end of his elongated syllable is turning upward his eyebrows tightened and cracked up!)

Sound Geography III

速寫 - 枋山 Sketch of Fangshan / 11 April 2014

聲音地誌 III 恆春 Sound Geography III Hengchun 本書為「2016 台北雙年展」當下檔案未來系譜：雙年展新語之展出作品，展覽於 2016 年 9 月 10 日至 2017 年 2 月 5 日於臺北市立美術館展出。 This brochure is published on the occasion of the exhibition Taipei Biennial 2016 Gestures and archives of the present, genealogies of the future : A new

lexicon for the biennial from 10 September, 2016 to 5 February, 2017 at Taipei Fine Arts Museum.