Travel in Taiwan (No.72, 2015 11/12) by Travel in Taiwan

No. 72, 2015

NOV & DEC

Lishan

HighMountain Farms

Wuling & Fushoushan

TAINAN

Exploring Taiwan’s Old Capital Comic Exhibition Indigenous Cuisine Free Half-Day Tour Pingtung Farm Visit

KAOHSIUNG

Bicycling around Meinong and Qishan

HIKING

Mt. Qixing, Taipei’s Highest Mountain

Welcome to Taiwan! Dear Traveler, It’s late autumn, the cool of the year is now settling in for its months-long stay, and many a cool out-of-doors Taiwan adventure awaits you, the enthusiastic globe trekker. In our Feature this issue we head up into the clouds in the sky-high central mountains, to the Lishan Scenic Area, a region of magical and magisterial scenery which, as you’ll shortly be re-told, is a land of “magnificent mountain panoramas, old veteran-settlement farms now transformed into recreational farms, slope-hugging pear, peach, and apple orchards, tea plantations perched equally dramatically, sleepy Atayal-tribe villages with cross-topped church steeples visible from great distances, and wonder-filled trail walks, days-long to minutes-short.” Appetite whetted? And speaking of appetites – clean, invigorating high-mountain air always stimulates big appetites in busy adventurers, and we aim to satisfy your Lishan cravings-to-come with our accompanying Stay/Eat/Buy article, recommending where and what to eat, where to buy fresh-from-the-field local produce – and, of course, where to tuck yourself in at night. In our Farm Fun section we take you to the far south, Pingtung County, to a popular recreation farm of unique personality. On DaMorLee Leisure Farm, run by a Canadian/ Taiwanese couple, hardly any food is grown, and there are no farm animals. Instead, the focus is on eco-friendly construction and living techniques. Our writer then takes you into the nearby mountains for a hearty meal at an open-air restaurant serving Paiwantribe delicacies, in Indigenous Cuisine . In our Rail/Bus/Bike file you’re off on jolly – and culturally educational – bike jaunts in the rural Greater Kaohsiung districts of Meinong and Qishan, “characterized by farmland, old houses, heritage sites, and traditional Hakka culture,” and in My Favorite Spots we take you to “Tainan – A City with a Past,” where you’ll go history exploring and traditional-snack sampling in the old capital, established in imperial times. Back up in far-north Taipei, in Easy Hiking we hike to the peak of Mt. Qixing in the “natural and scenic wonderland” that is Yangmingshan National Park, and in Popular Pastimes we spend a bit of time indoors for a report on this year’s Comic Exhibition. The local world of outdoor fun is calling. But answer not – until you have traveled all the way to the last page of your trusty Travel in Taiwan guide! Enjoy.

David W. J. Hsieh Director General Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

CONTENTS November ~ December 2015

Taiwan Slang Keelung

— Seaport City of Deep Character

PUBLISHER David W. J. Hsieh Editing Consultant

Producer Vision Creative Marketing & Media Co. Address 7F-1, 1, Sec. 4, Nanjing E. Rd., Taipei City 10595, Taiwan

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan

Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

TEL: 886-2-2715-1052 Fax: 886-2-2715-0924 E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw General Manager Frank K. Yen Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann English Editor Rick Charette DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Jade Lin EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Chloe Chu, Nickey Liu CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Steven Crook, Nick Kembel, Joe Henley, Owain Mckimm, Richard Saunders PHOTOGRAPHERS Chen Cheng-kuo, Maggie Song, Twelli, Rich Matheson, Choc Hsu DESIGNERS Choc Hsu, Eve Chiang, Karen Pan ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Administrative Dept H

Abroad

Publishing Organization

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications CONTACT

International Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10694, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036 E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.tw Website: http://taiwan.net.tw

台灣觀光雙月刊 Travel in Taiwan The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Advertisement) November/December, 2015 Tourism Bureau, MOTC First published Jan./Feb., 2004 ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm Copyright @ 2015 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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10 Fushoushan Farm (photo by Chen Cheng-kuo)

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In Taiwan

ONLINE

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Read the online version of Travel in Taiwan or download the app for iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android (smartphone/tablet) from tit.com.tw/appdownload.html . See more amazing images of Taiwan in our Travel in Taiwan app! Simple scan this QR code to reach the download page (iOS/Android).

42 1 Publisher’s Note 4 Taiwan Tourism Events

6 News & Culture 36 Taiwan Slang

POPULAR PASTIMES

42 Manga Mania

— Visiting the the 2015 Comic Exhibition

FEATURE

MY FAVORITE SPOTS

10 Up into the High Mountains

46 Tainan — a City with a Past

— Visiting the Lishan Scenic Area

22 High Living

— History Exploring and Snack Food Sampling in the Old Capital

— Livin’ It Way Up in the Lishan Region – Where to Stay, What/ Where to Eat, What to Buy

INDIGENOUS CUISINE

26 Paiwan Cuisine and Paiwan Art

52 Seven Stars Mountain

30 Biking in Greater Kaohsiung

— Hiking Up to Taipei’s Highest Peak

— The Rural Districts of Meinong and Qishan

— An Eye-Opening Escape from the Big City

Fine-Cuisine Carnival

EASY HIKING

RAIL/BUS/BIKE

38 DaMorLee Leisure Farm

50 Taiwan Hot Spring &

— Explore the Island through its Fine Hot-Spring Resorts

— Qiu Yue’s Restaurant in Sandimen

FARM FUN

SPECIAL REPORT

57 Quick Trip to Taipei

— Free Half-Day Tour for Transit Passengers

TA I WA N TO U R I S M E V E N T S

Winter Events 11/7 12/6

The Sea of Flowers in Xinshe Festival 新社花海節

Imagine 60 American football fields covered with colorful flowers. That’s about what you are going to see when visiting Taichung’s rural district of Xinshe in November and December. The Sea of Flowers in Xinshe Festival is held each year on the grounds of the Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station, the aim being to promote the Xinshe area, highlight its produce, and boost its leisure-agriculture industry. The event is hugely popular, drawing almost two million visitors each year, who come to marvel at and take pictures in front of flower fields alive with swaying sunflowers, lavender, cosmos, spider flowers, sage, and begonias. The festival also has a number of exhibit pavilions where you can learn about plant cultivation, and a large night market-style food court where you can indulge in local specialty snack foods. Location: Xinshe District, Taichung City ( 臺中市新社區 ) Website: flowersea.tw

Nov. Mar. 2016

Birding Season in Tainan and Kinmen 金門鸕鶿季 / 台江黑琵季

Taiwan has, for the most part, a semi-tropical climate, meaning that the four seasons are clearly defined and the winter is rather mild compared to northern climes. This makes the main island and offshore islands prime overwintering sites for migratory birds, which spend the summer in northern areas such as Siberia. For ornithologists and bird lovers in Taiwan the winter months are therefore exciting times. Among the best locations to see migratory fowl in large numbers are the coastal areas in southwest Taiwan, especially the wetlands near the Zengwen River estuary in Tainan. The star visitor is the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill, beloved for its oddly shaped beak and snow-white plumage. Another cold-season hotspot is the islands of Kinmen, close to the mainland China coast, where a wide variety of migratory birds stay for the winter, including large numbers of cormorants. Tainan Location: Taijiang National Park, Tainan City ( 台江國家公園 ; 台南市 ) Website: www.tjnp.gov.tw Kinmen Location: Kinmen National Park, Kinmen County ( 金門國家公園 ; 金門縣 ) Website: www.kmnp.gov.tw

Travel in Taiwan

11/20 1/3 2016

Christmasland in New Taipei City 新北市歡樂耶誕城

If you’ll be spending some time in Taiwan around Christmas, and want to experience a bit of the local festive-season spirit, pencil in Christmasland. From mid-November till the beginning of January, the Xinban Special District in central Banqiao, a major suburb of Taipei located in New Taipei City, will be home to distinctive Christmas decorations, including, as centerpiece, the country’s tallest Christmas tree (not a real tree, but a man-made construction covered with and illuminated by hundreds of thousands of LED lights and – last year – a little Santa bear figure moving up and around it). Many special cultural events are staged to entertain the large crowds that come each year, including pop concerts and fun rides for children. Location: Xinban Special District, Banqiao District, New Taipei City ( 新北市板橋區新板特區 ) Website: tour.tpc.gov.tw

NOVEMBEr ~ JANUARY

12/31 1/1 2016

Greeting the First Sun of the New Year

2015 Taipei 12/20 Marathon 2015 臺北馬拉松

跨年迎曙光

This is the highlight of the Taiwan road-run calendar for many a local and foreign endurance runner. The race takes place early on a Sunday morning, with the start and finish line at Taipei City Hall. Runners of the full marathon traverse a loop, following major roads in central Taipei. More than 100,000 will take part, either running the full 42.195km route or opting for the less grueling Half Marathon (21k), the 9km Run, the Fun Run (3km) or the Children’s Run (2km).

Facing the vast Pacific Ocean, Taiwan is among the first countries in the world to greet the first sun of the new year, and at many locations around the island, after the New Year’s Eve fireworks have ended, people will continue partying until the sun rises. Prime spots for stunning sunrises are to be found all along the east coast, including Sanxiantai in Taitung County, where the arrival of the new year is celebrated with indigenousstyle singing and dancing. At Fulong on the northeast coast, an earlymorning concert is staged on the beach, drawing thousands of revelers. Among other special locations to greet the year’s first rays of sunlight and enjoy music entertainment at the same time are Qingjing Farm in the mountains of Nantou County and the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, famed for splendid sunrises throughout the year.

Locations: Various locations around Taiwan Websites: www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw (Sanxiantai), www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw (Fulong), cjparty.mmhot.tw (Qingjing), www.ali-nsa.net (Alishan)

12/31 1/1 2016

New Year’s Eve Celebration 臺北最 HIGH 新年城跨年晚會

If you happen to be in Taipei on New Year’s Eve and you want to rub shoulders with thousands of people waiting for the new year to arrive, consider going to Taipei City Hall, close to Taipei 101, the world’s 6th-tallest building and the city’s most prominent landmark. There, on Civic Plaza, you will be entertained by a line-up of famous local pop stars performing on stage, and you’ll witness one of the best New Year’s Eve fireworks shows there is. Each year, the organizers find new ways to use the Taipei 101 skyscraper as launch pad for thousands of firework rockets, presenting an unforgettable spectacle. If you don’t want to be part of the huge crowd close to the tower, consider watching the show from vantage points such as rooftop restaurants around the city or the easy-to-hike Four Beasts Mountain just to the south of Taipei 101. Location: Civic Plaza; No. 1, City Hall Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City ( 市民廣場 ; 臺北市信義區市府路 1 號 ) Website: english.gov.taipei

Location: Civic Plaza; No. 1, City Hall Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City ( 市民廣場 ; 臺北市信義區市府路 1 號 ) Website: www.sportsnet.org.tw

12/31 12/31 2016

World Design Capital Taipei 2016 2016 臺北世界設計之都

During its 28th General Assembly in 2013, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) announced the awarding of World Design Capital® (WDC) 2016 designation to the city of Taipei. Taiwan’s capital thus became the fifth city to receive this accolade, following Torino (2008), Seoul (2010), Helsinki (2012), and Cape Town (2014). Taipei will be hosting a number of events with international participation throughout the year (the first to be staged on New Year’s Eve this year), highlighting the city’s achievements and trends in design, including a New Year’s Eve design competition, a gala dinner, a global city design show, a forum on international design policies, and the unveiling of the next WDC host. For more information on these and the other happenings scheduled throughout 2016, visit the official website of WDC Taipei. Locations: Various locations around Taipei Website: wdc2016.taipei/en Travel in Taiwan

W H AT ' S U P

NEWS & Events around Taiwan

Muzha-Pingxi Tourist Shuttle Special Offer Getting to the Pingxi Valley in New Taipei City by public transport used to be mainly by train, via the town of Ruifang. Tourists rarely took the bus to get to the valley, which has become a big hit with visitors from near and far in recent years. Now, after the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network (www.taiwantrip.com.tw ) introduced the Muzha Pingxi Line in 2013, connecting the Taipei Metro’s Muzha Station with the Pingxi area, travelers have a great alternative to the train ride. The bus fare is charged by section, at NT$15 each (the line has three sections; the fare from Muzha to Pingxi is NT$45 one way). For travelers who want to hop on and off the bus at stops along the way, there is a special day-ticket available, which includes unlimited use of the bus service, a shopping voucher worth NT$100, a coupon for a visit to the Police Sky Lantern in Jingtong town, and a 3D Police Sky Lantern postcard. The original value of the ticket is NT$450, but since July this year a special allotment of tickets has been made available (while stock lasts) for only NT$199! For more information, visit tour.ntpc.gov.tw/2015tourtaiwanmp.

Top 10 Campsites in Taiwan

New Means of Transport in Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second-largest city, located in the southwest of the island, has recently completed part of the first phase of a new light rail system, known as the Circular Line. After extensive testing in August, the trains on the line are now running between stations C1 and C8. Passengers can transfer to the city’s metro system (KMRT) at Station C3. The second phase of the project will be commenced in 2017, and the full circular line around central Kaohsiung is slated for completion in 2019.

Camping has grown significantly in popularity among local travelers in recent years, and there are numerous excellent sites around Taiwan where you can sleep under the stars, close to nature. In a recent online poll by pk.yam.com , camping enthusiasts voted for Taiwan’s best campsites. The campground at Wuling Farm, in Taichung’s northeastern corner, received the most votes, followed by Queen Village in Sanxia, New Taipei City, and the campground at Fushoushan Farm, near the mountain town of Lishan. Wuling Farm is especially popular with campers, for it offers attractions throughout the year (flowers during spring, pleasant temperatures during summer, maple leaves changing color in the autumn, and cherry blossoms during the winter). The campground is surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery, and is close to the starting point for a popular trail that leads to Mt. Xue (Snow Mountain), Taiwan’s second-tallest mountain. Placing nos. 4 to 10 in the poll were Miaoli’s “Green Backpack Campground,” Taichung’s “Bear Dad Campground,” Miaoli’s “Half Moon Bent Campground,” Hsinchu’s “Lohashan Campground” and “Qingxin Wangyou Campground,” Miaoli’s “Linquan Campground,” and New Taipei City’s “Longmen Campground.”

Travel in Taiwan

Hong Kong Movie Features Taiwan Cycling Routes The recently released movie To the Fore , by Hong Kong director Dante Lam, is an exciting sport-focused film starring actors from Taiwan, mainland China, and Korea. While the plot is centered on the struggles of professional bike riders, the film is also worth watching for the scenes showcasing great cycling routes, including highways through Taiwan’s scenic mountains. In recent years cycling has become increasingly popular in Taiwan, and this movie is now giving this leisure activity another boost.

NOVEMBEr ~ JANUARY

Places of Cultural Creativity In recent years, many disused industrial sites around Taiwan have been renovated and given a new purpose. These sites, often referred to as cultural-creative hubs, have become big draws amongst local residents and international travelers alike. Interesting locations for learning more about local culture and history, they commonly house cafés, restaurants, and shops selling creative-design household goods and decorations, and also often serve as venues for special cultural events such as concerts and art exhibitions. The local website Daily View recently conducted a survey to find out which cultural-creative sites are most popular in Taiwan. Topping the results was Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Art Center (pier2.khcc.gov.tw ), followed by Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (www. songshanculturalpark.org ) and Huashan 1914 Creative Park (www.huashan1914. com ). Other popular cultural-creative sites named were the Rainbow Military Dependents’ Village in Taichung, Blueprint Cultural and Creative Park in Tainan, and Yilan Literary Museum in Yilan City.

Nat. Palace Museum Southern Branch

The National Palace Museum in Taipei is one of the top tourist attractions in Taiwan. While the museum is not small, the exhibition space it provides is only enough to display a tiny fraction of the vast collection of Chinese artifacts in its collection at any one time. It therefore makes perfect sense to have a branch museum, which will allow more people to marvel at the museum’s many ancient treasures, originally created for the enjoyment of the Chinese imperial household. With the opening of the NPM’s southern branch at the end of this year the museum will achieve that and more. Located in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County, the branch will help to develop the culture, tourism, and economy of this rural area, and it will also widen the scope of NPM exhibitions, in addition to Chinese ancient art also presenting priceless treasures from other distant regions and Hotel Royal Group_print ADs_EN_2015Apr.pdf 1 2015/4/7 下午 5:15 lands around Asia. The sleek, ultra-modern architecture of the southern branch will also make it a new world-class landmark, drawing visitors from near and far. For more information about the National Palace Museum, visit www.npm.gov.tw.

Taiwan Expands VAT Relief for Tourists There’s good news for international travelers who want to do some shopping while visiting Taiwan. The government has recently approved the lowering of the threshold for foreign tourists to claim value-added tax (VAT) refunds. Now, tourists who make purchases of at least NT$2,000 (previously NT$3,000) on the same day from the same Tax Refund Shopping (TRS)-posted store are eligible for a refund of the 5% VAT paid on the goods. To claim the refund, they must apply at the port of their departure from Taiwan, within 30 days following the date of purchase, and they must take the purchased goods out of the country with them.

C U LT U R E S C E N E

CULTURE Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

9/1 1/4

National Palace Museum

2016

11/20 11/22

National Theater

PAINTING ANIMATION: ONE HUNDRED HORSES

CHUNKY MOVE: COMPLEXITY OF BELONGING

古畫動漫：數位百駿圖

澳洲塊動舞團《歸屬習題》

This is a great example of how old artworks can be combined with new technology. One Hundred Horses is a masterpiece by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688~1766), an Italian missionary and painter who served the Chinese emperor at the Qing court. The long handscroll painting, completed in 1728, has been brought to life by the National Palace Museum, using six high-lumen projectors to create a stunningly realistic animation.

9/19 12/6

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

ARTIST MAKING MOVEMENT: 2015

ASIAN ART BIENNIAL 造動─ 2015 亞洲藝術雙年展

“How and where do I belong?” is the central question in this exciting play featuring the seamless integration of text, dance, and music. The actors/dancers are confronted with the complexity of an increasingly interconnected world, echoing the daily experience of audience members, making this the most contemporary of artistic explorations and shedding light on the changes in people’s lives that come with new modes of communication and interconnectivity, such as social media.

8/14 6/13 2016

National Museum of History

BRILLIANCE AND SPLENDOR: ENAMEL WARES IN NMH COLLECTION 鑠金溢彩─ 館藏琺瑯器特展

First organized by the museum in 2007, the Asian Art Biennial showcases a wide range of observations on contemporary social phenomena and aesthetic issues in Taiwan and around Asia. The theme for the 2015 Asian Art Biennial is “Artist Making Movement”; the exhibition will encompass 140 works by 28 artists and groups from 17 areas/countries across Asia, featuring the wonderful diversity of contemporary Asian art, including painting, sculpture, installation, sound, video, and performance art.

Travel in Taiwan

Enamel wares, with vitreous glaze fused onto the surface by intense heat, are characterized by their brilliantly colored surface, which is hard and durable. The wares are used as daily-life vessels, furnishings, and gifts. This exhibition showcases various types of enamel work from the museum’s collection of 200 pieces, including Cloisonné, painted enamel, and Basse-taille enamel.

CMY

c u lture s c ene

11/13 11/15

National Theater

11/27 11/29

National Theater

DANCE FORUM X TAN DUN PROJECT:

TAIWAN BANGZI OPERA COMPANY:

舞蹈空間 X 譚盾計畫 :《迴》

臺灣豫劇團 : 天問

HUI

This performance explores the traces that lie between sound & silence, light & dark, past & present, and physical & transcendental, through the piano music of Tan Dun and choreography by Ivan Perez Aviles and Ming-Lung Yang, with direction and design by Cryptic. The project, a cooperative effort between artists from the US, England, the Netherlands, Spain, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, has taken four years to realize.

12/4 12/6

Taipei Arena

PETER PAN 小飛俠

QUESTIONING HEAVEN

Questioning Heaven is an adaption of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy King Lear, in which an old king awards shares of his realm to the two of his three daughters who most flatteringly declare their love to him. The third, refusing to play by the rules, is granted nothing, a decision the king lives to regret. In this bangzi- style Chinese opera – bangzi is an ancient style of Chinese opera that originated in China’s northwestern provinces – the king is played by acclaimed local actress Wang Hai-ling, whose character – like King Lear – is going insane while dealing with power struggles and family relationships.

Go on an unforgettable adventure with Peter Pan, who takes the children from the Darling family to the mysterious Neverland, where they encounter the Lost Boys, Indians, mermaids, and the evil pirate Captain Hook. This is a grand musical with beautiful costumes, elaborate special effects, gifted actors, and great oldie hits, including Supertramp’s Dreamer and Alphaville’s Forever Young . For more information, visit: www.peterpan.is/en.

FEATURE LISHAN

Up into the High Mountains Visiting the Lishan Scenic Area

There are many locations in mountainous Taiwan where you can see clouds meander – or race – by at eye level, not above you. We here present you with the most precious delights, created by nature and man, in northeast Taichung’s highpeak Lishan region, a place where rivers are born. Text: Rick Charette

Travel in Taiwan

Photos: Chen Cheng-kuo, Wuling Farm, Fushoushan Farm

FEATURE LISHAN

The town of Lishan seen from Fushoushan Farm

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE LISHAN

i s h a n’s l o f t y, r o m a n t i c landscapes have led many to f lights of word fancy, such as the bestowal of the moniker “little Switzerland.” After trekking through the words and photos that follow, you’ll maybe agree that “little Switzerland with big Taiwanese characteristics” is perhaps a characterization further along on the way to apt. Though you’ll still see plenty of people unless you hit the mountainto-mountain hiking trails, this place, in terms of Taiwan reality, is remote. In Taiwan there is little chance you’ll find yourself in a spot bereft of other humans if anywhere near road access, and all locals understand this area meets the most indisputably basic definition

Travel in Taiwan

of “remote” – the nearest conveniencestore chain outlets to the east are out-ofreach far down on the Yilan Plain and at the mouth of the fabulous Taroko Gorge, and hours to the west over Taiwan’s highest paved-road point near far-off Qingjing Farm. Tell Taiwan folk you’re headed up to Lishan and a clear and consistent set of images flashes before their eyes: mag n if icent mou nt ai n pa nora mas, old vet e r a n-set tle me nt fa r m s now transformed into recreational farms, slope-hugging pear, peach, and apple orchards, tea plantations perched equally dramatically, sleepy Atayal-tribe villages with cross-topped church steeples visible from great distances, and wonder-filled trail walks.

Day 1 After a long yet leisurely drive up through the magisterially meandering Lanyang River valley, your Travel in Taiwan exploration crew reached the Siyuan Pass. From the lookout here you enjoy a fine eagle’s-eye field of vision back down through the serpentine valley, and notably over a couple of attractions that will prove a taste of things to come – quiet indigenous farming villages and field upon field of Chinese cabbage. Yes, you’ve entered Taiwan’s cabbage country. You’re also set to enter the Lishan Scenic Area, part of the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area (www.trimt-nsa.gov.tw). Over the top! The scenery – the pass is also the border point separating Yilan and Taichung – changes instantly. No more distant-view, wide-open valley sliding quickly down to the lowlands. You’re in alpine country now, surrounded by coniferous trees at the headwaters of the Dajia River, which flows west through the mountains, on to the plains, and into

the Taiwan Strait. Here, the river is little more than marsh in a shallow, narrow upland vale, struggling to gather up a stream. Soon rushing, gurgling waters are f lowing, and unlike most Taiwan waterways the liquid here is sparklingclear and, despite the end-of-summer 30-degree temperature, ice-cold. Some of the area’s isolated cabbage farms appear, on the little flat land that is available. We’ll see many more in the days to come – sometimes what seems to be whole cabbage-planted mountainsides. Ahead, the Dajia slices ever deeper into the rock of the valley, still no wider, like a jeweler’s knife on ultra-geo-slow, the highway moving up ever higher to hug the side. You meet the Wuling Farm entrance road, and down into the valley you run, to the bottom, where suddenly a wide side valley pops open at a T-intersection, carved by the symphonic crystal-clear Qijiawan River. This is the farm’s home, a true hidden-away Shangri-La setting.

1. On the way to the Mt. Xue trailhead 2. Wuling Farm Visitor Center 3. Bridge over the Qijiawan River 4. Wuling Farm tea plantation 5. Qijiawan River

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE LISHAN

Wuling Farm (www2.wuling-farm.com. tw ) was settled by retired servicemen in 1963, with a focus on fruit-growing. These men had come from mainland China in the great late 1940s Nationalist exodus to Taiwan. The government set up this and other high-mountain veterans’ farms along the Central CrossIsland Highway, built 1956~1960 by many of these same servicemen, to help the decommissioned vets earn a living. T he se d ays , on ly a few show orchards still exist, and most of the cultivation that still goes on is dedicated to tea. A si ng le ea sy-g r a de roa d traverses the farm valley, with a side road leading up to the alpine-meadow campground and beyond up past tea orchards to the Mt. Xue Trailhead

Service Station, starting point of the high-mountain hiking trail leading to the peaks of Mt. Xue (Snow Mountain), which is part of Shei-Pa National Park (www. spnp.gov.tw). The side road is a fine choice for a moderately strenuous walk (about 2 hours return). There are numerous pleasant short walking trails branching off from the main road, and you can also rent bicycles beside the farm’s visitor center. Note that during the fabulous spring cherry-blossom season there can be comparatively heavy traffic into the recreational farm, though visitor numbers are controlled. For my part, beyond the spirit-lifting p a nor a m ic s c e ne r y, t he fa r m’s t wo highlights are the landlocked salmon and

Taoshan Waterfall Hiking Trail. The critically endangered sub-species, one of the world’s rarest fish, was trapped in the Dajia River system’s upper reaches during the last Ice Age. Learn about preservation effor ts at the Taiwan Salmon Eco Center, and view the fish au naturel at the roadside/riverside Fish-watching Lookout. The popular waterfall trail starts at the main road’s terminus, past Wuling Suspension Bridge, another good salmon-spotting platform. The paved, pine tree-shaded 4.3km forest walk, mildly strenuous, ends with a grand view of the 50m-high falls, cascading down like twisting white ribbons of silk. Give yourself 3 hours (return). If you return around dusk wildlife spottings may well be a bonus reward. 4

Free Fun at Wuling’s Hoya Resort While at Wuling Farm, take advantage of the regular program

of free activities organized by the 2

Hoya Resor t Hotel Wuling (w w w.

hoyaresor t.com.t w/ Wuling ), open t o n o n - g u e s t s . D u r i n g o u r s t ay, we took in a night-time concer t by a t alented c lassic al Chinese instrument ensemble, which included explanations of each instr ument. Other activities available are a stargazing instruction/viewing session and, during the day, a guided farm eco-tour. All activities are in Chinese.

1. Mt. Xue Trailhead Service Station 2. Shei-Pa National Park marker

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3. Taoshan Waterfall 4. Formosan landlocked salmon 5. Fushoushan Farm tea plantation

FEATURE LISHAN

Day 2

Back on the main highway, continuing southwest toward Lishan village, the Dajia River valley soon opens up dramatically, presenting long-distance views in three directions from your high-slope vantage points – back up the valley, down the valley, and across. Coming around a promontory corner, Huanshan indigenous village suddenly appears at your feet down below, laid out like a baby giant’s playset, the Dajia waters roiling below it.

The Atayal, Taiwan’s third-largest tribal people, live in the north and north/central mountains. Three area tribal villages, Huanshan, Songmao, and Liyang, all on plateaus overlooking the river, form a special “towns in the mountains” area. In Huanshan, the largest of the three, the cultural center/historical antiques center has displays on Atayal culture, with early indigenous artifacts, decorations, traditional-design rooms, a henhouse, granary, etc. Instr uction sessions on traditional Atayal weaving are also offered.

T he ent ra nce to Fushoushan Farm (w w w.f ushousha n.com.t w ), a not her veterans’ farm, is directly above Lishan. The village is high up a mountainside; the fa r m, hig her still, t a kes up the mountain mammoth’s uppermost reaches. Beside the visitor center of the farm is the Apple King, a magical, photogenic t ree ont o wh ich 43 apple va r iet ie s have been g raf ted, all named on an information board. (Note: free guided farm tours, in Chinese, are launched daily from the center.)

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FEATURE LISHAN

One of the farm’s best-known draws, Tianch i ( Heaven Pond), sit s at t he mountain’s very top. This is the best farm location for views of Mt. Xue’s west peak, though often blocked by cloud and mist in the afternoon. Daguan Pavilion, beside, is an airy two-story Chinese-style building once used by Chiang Kai-shek as a temporary residence. Two other farm villas built for him, Fushou Villa and Sunglu Villa (his son, Chiang Ching-kuo, spent more time at the latter), are today accommodations for visitors staying at the farm. My most pleasant walk during our stay – the farm has a number of easy trails – was through the broad, fragrant orchard behind the visitor center, which has good English signboard information, leading to the immortals-amongst-the-clouds views at Guanxue (“Snow Viewing”) Pavilion and Songlin (“Pine Forest”) Trail. Among the autumn produce readying for harvest were numerous apple varieties and persimmons, along with such unexpected treats as kiwi fruit and chestnuts.

Fushoushan’s Sunrises and Stargazing Tianchi and the campground area below it are well-liked destinations for sunrise and stargazing pleasure. Though luck was not with us on this trip, skies are generally clear. In the mornings, expect company at Tianchi – people bring picnic eats and hot tea, and many practice their tai chi , absorbing the qi -rich mountain air.

1. Fushou Villa 2. Huanshan indigenous village 3. Apple orchard

4. Tianchi and Daguan Pavilion 5. Campground at night 6. Lavender field

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FEATURE LISHAN

Day 3 From Lishan (“Pear Mountain”) you look down on a nigh-bottomless chasm. Across, to the north, is an enchanting Cinemascope-feel Mt. Xue Range sweep. The village’s crowning glory is the radiant Lishan Guest House, one of dozens of villas built on the island for Chiang Kai-shek for inspection tours and vacations during his days of rule. Built in the Chinese imperial-palace style by the same architect responsible for the main building of Taipei’s iconic Grand Hotel, the facility was seriously damaged in Taiwan’s infamous 9-21 Earthquake of 1999, and reopened in 2013 after 10 years of renovation. Other key sites in the expanded complex are an “imperial-style” post office and a tourist information center.

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Arching the high slope behind the guest house is the Lishan Ecology Trail, which takes you along steep boardwalk stairs and viewing decks. It follows an old trail long used to reach Fushoushan Farm further up. The region is home to many bird and butterfly species, and on this day’s trail adventure I thrilled at my first-ever sightings of the Fire-breasted Flowerpecker and the Highland Red-belly Swallowtail. Finally we visited the Deji Reservoir. Though not on the standard Lishan-area tour itinerary, the hour-long drive (return from Lishan) is worth the effort, with extraordinary rugged scenery and striking engineering on display. The reservoir can be reached by

FEATURE LISHAN

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following Provincial Highway 8 west from Lishan; this was the original Central CrossIsland Highway, but an extended section past the dam has long been closed due to typhoon and earthquake damage and is open only to locals with special permit. The reservoir, 14km long and covering 592 hectares, is framed in many spots by towering, sheer granite walls. The high (290m), thin hyperbola-shaped dam, unfortunately only visible from a distance, is Taiwan’s first arch dam, an impressive testament to man’s audacity. English and Chinese Atayal tribe 泰雅族 Daguan Pavilion 達觀亭 Dayuling 大禹嶺 Dajia River 大甲溪 Deji Reservoir 德基水庫 Fengyuan Bus 豐原客運 Fish-watching Lookout 觀魚台 Fushoushan Farm 福壽山農場

Getting There & Around Self-Drive: The fastest route from Taipei to Lishan is National Freeway No. 5 into and through Yilan County, then Provincial Highway No. 7 and 7A. From the Taichung area, follow Highway No. 14 and 14A, via Qingjing Farm and Hehuanshan, and then turn onto Highway No. 8 at Dayu-ling. From the East Coast follow Highway No. 8 through Taroko Gorge and turn right at Dayuling. Public Transport: Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport (www.kingbus.com.tw ) operates the dailyservice No. 1751 between Yilan (Yilan Bus Transfer Station) and Lishan, on the way stopping at Wuling Farm. Fengyuan Bus (www.fybus.com.tw ) operates the daily-service No. 6506 between Fengyuan and Lishan and the daily-service No. 6508 between Lishan and Wuling Farm. Hua-lien Bus (www.hualienbus.com.tw ) operates the daily-service No. 1141 between Hualien City (Hualien Railway Station) and Lishan via Taroko Gorge. A Wuling Farm tour-bus package tour (with English guide) is also offered as part of the Tourism Bureau-vetted Taiwan Tour Bus (www.taiwantourbus. com.tw ) service.

Hualien Bus 花蓮客運 Huanshan 環山 Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport 國光客運 Lanyang River 蘭陽溪 Lishan Ecology Trail 梨山生態環保步道 Mt. Xue Trailhead Service Station 雪山登山口服務站 Qingjing Farm 清境農場 Siyuan Pass 思源啞口

Songlin Trail 松林步道 Taiwan Salmon Eco Center 台灣櫻花鉤吻鮭生態中心 Taoshan Waterfall Hiking Trail 桃山瀑布步道 Tianchi 天池 Wuling Farm 武陵農場 Wuling Suspension Bridge 武陵吊橋

1. Lishan seen from Fushoushan Farm 2. Lishan Guest House

3. Lishan farmer 4. Dam at Deji Reservoir

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FEATURE LISHAN

Up into the High Mountains penghu Visiting the Lishan islands Scenic Area Taipei

Yilan Taichung

Lishan Scenic Area

Hualien

Day 1 Kaohsiung

Day 2

Tianchi and Daguan Pavilion

Day 3 Deji Reservoir

road closed from this point on

Apple orchard

to guguan 20

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Fushoushan tea plantation Fushoushan campground

FEATURE LISHAN

View from Siyuan Pass

To Yilan

Qijiawan River

Siyuan Pass

7A Wuling Farm tea plantation

Wuling Farm

Huanshan indigenous village

Formosan landlocked salmon

Huanshan indigenous village

Deji Reservoir

Lishan

Fushoushan Farm

Lishan pears

to Taroko Gorge

14A

to Hehuanshan Travel in Taiwan

STAY/EAT/BUY LISHAN

High Living

Livin’ It Way Up in the Lishan Region– Where to Stay, What/Where to Eat, What to Buy Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Chen Cheng-kuo

The clean, fresh mountain air heightens the flavor and intensity of all Lishan-area experiences, whatever they may be.

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STAY

Wuling Far m and Fushoushan Far m offer a range of choices to stay, from hotel accommodations to campsites. The campsites feature spaces for tents as well as simple, tiny, decidedly cozy twoperson cabins. The small Wuling National Hostel (Wuling Hotel; www2.wuling-farm.com. tw ) is in a visually dramatic location along the Dajia River, looking more like a rushing stream than a true “river” in this high headwaters area, where the rivervalley walls are very close to each other. The river, running ruggedly in this section, slices along one wall. The main hostel building stands close by. Annex buildings,

STAY/EAT/BUY LISHAN

including a café/pub, lodge, and cottages, line the other wall. A forest of coniferous trees looks down upon this from above. The tastefully refurbished modern-style rooms have a strong wood theme, and are infused with the wonderful aroma of Taiwan high-mountain hinoki cypress. (Rooms start at NT$2,936; buffet breakfast and dinner included.) At Fushoushan Farm (www.fushoushan. com.t w ) we opted for rooms i n t he Sungchung Villa, which has a façade done in Tudor-like style and a ceramic-tile roof done in Mediterranean-like style. The room furnishings are very basic, save for the large digital TV in each. Bathrooms, large in comparison to the rooms, have spacious closed-in showers. A large kaleidoscopic English-style flower garden spreads itself before the entrance. Beyond, farmer folk can be seen bent over at their timeless tasks in neatly tilled vegetable fields. Beyond that, the mountaintop drops away on three sides to reveal cloud-filled, mountain-backed deep-valley vistas. On the fourth side, the view is blocked by the forest of trees and, more crucially, the mountain hulk’s long, wide finishing upslope. (Rooms start at NT$2,800; breakfast included; check-in at the farm’s visitor center; meals are taken at the visitor center restaurant.) If you’re a history buff, or just like treating yourself extra-swell and want to “live it up” while so high up, consider a stay in Fushoushan Farm’s Sunglu Villa, a large log-façade cottage built decades back specifically as accommodation for government officials. You’ll be able to boast that you’ve shared the same space inhabited on occasion by a veritable political f ig u re, Chiang Ching-k uo, president of the Republic of China from 1978 to 1988. Though close to the farm’s visitor center, the villa is hidden away behind tall pine trees, on landscaped grounds made poetically colorful in aut u m n by t he ch a ng i ng mo o d s of surrounding Taiwan maple trees. (Rooms, 4 in total, start at NT$4,400.)

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1. Sunglu Villa 2. Wuling Hotel cottage 3. Wuling Hotel guestroom 4. Sungchung Villa 5. Sungchung Villa guestroom

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STAY/EAT/BUY LISHAN

EAT

Save for those at the upscale Hoya Resort Hotel Wuling (www.hoyaresort.com.tw/ wuling ) and Lishan Guest House (www. lishanguesthouse.com.tw ), restaurants in this region serve up honest, simple, straightforward, inexpensive traditional Chinese fare, and eschew fancy trappings. The food’s the thing – and the only thing – with most dishes built on ingredients almost surely plucked from local fields and streams that very morn. Our best meal during our 3-day area stay (we did not eat at the Hoya) was at the no-frills Hao Wei (“Good Flavor”) Restaurant on the main drag in Lishan town. All dishes were good, notably the fresh river shrimp, batter-fried small river

fish, bamboo shoots, and bird's-nest fern. The family running the restaurant owns both tea plantations and fruit orchards, and I noticed that a good many tourist diners made purchases at the family sales stand in the eatery entrance. Just a few doors down from Hao Wei is the Ren You (“Benevolent Friend”) Restaurant. As at Hao Wei, you order Chinese-style: generally, one dish per person in your party, plus a soup. Recommendable offerings were the Chinese cabbage – Lishan’s Chinese cabbage has a nice sweetness – and lightly fried pork chunks, which come with a tangy vinegar-based sauce. The price per person here, as at Hao Wei, is NT$200~$250. 1. Ren You Restaurant 2. Fried river shrimp 3. Spicy tofu

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4. Batter-fried river fish 5. Chinese cabbage

Hao Wei Restaurant ( 好味平價美食 ) Add: No. 78, Zhongzheng Rd., Lishan Borough, Heping District, Taichung City ( 台中市和平區梨山里中正路 78 號 ) Tel: (04) 2598-0711 Ren You Restaurant ( 仁友平價小館 ) Add: No. 67, Zhongzheng Rd., Lishan Borough, Heping District, Taichung City ( 台中市和平區梨山里中正路 67 號 ) Tel: (04) 2598-0568

Farm Dining The breakfast/lunch/dinner services served at the large restaurants at Wuling National Hostel and Fushoushan Visitor Center are popular with farm visitors (staying overnight and daytripping). The service is Chinese buffet-style, save for dinner at Fushoushan, which is a Chinese-cuisine lunchbox-style setmenu service. Though not 5-star dining, the buffet dining is inexpensive, ingredient quality high, and range good.

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Eat more cabbage!!!

STAY/EAT/BUY LISHAN

BUY The two key items that tourists purchase in the Lishan area, for immediate and takehome consumption and as gift offerings, are the local tea and fresh farm produce. Wuling Farm has an attractive sales center for the teas produced on its slopes – the building is expansive, open-air, with a façade of stained wood, red brick, and ceramic tiling, shaded by soaring coniferous trees, and filled with woodcarvings and wall photos of the farm’s flora and fauna. The center is engagingly named the Wu Ling Tea Saloon – sadly, I had left both my horse, chaps, and six-shooters down on the plains – and the bestsellers here are the Wuling Chang Qing Oolong Tea (looseleaf green tea; NT$1,400 for a set of two 60g metal containers); Wuling Chang Hong Oolong Tea (loose-leaf tea; NT$250 for a 30g container); and Wuling Chang Qing Qing Xin (Green Heart) Oolong Tea (loose-leaf green tea; NT$700 for set of two 30g containers. All containers and gift boxes feature attractive designs. The Fushoushan Farm sales center, connected to the visitor center, has a forecourt-cum-viewing deck with views over the Elysium-evocative fruit orchard canvas out back. At the time of our visit, early September, among the apple varieties already being harvested were Tsugaru apples (NT$450 box of 22 small apples). Other brisk sellers were the nectarines (NT$40 for 0.5 kg) and Fushoushan Oolong

green tea (loose leaf; NT$800 for giftbox with two 30g metal containers). Perhaps the single best location for fresh-from-the-field farm-produce purchases is the Lishan Market, a long line of covered, open-air stalls directly across Lishan’s main road (i.e., the highway) from Lishan Guest House. Hardy farm women drive their loaded-down four-wheeler producetoting buggies right in, the buggies instantly becoming their sales stands. The ladies, decked out in the de rigeuer colorfulfabric garb and sporting traditional widerimmed farmer hats and face-protecting scarves to keep skin fair, laughingly refer to themselves as “Lishan beauties.”

English and Chinese Chiang Ching-kuo 蔣經國 Dajia River 大甲溪 Hoya Resort Hotel Wuling 武陵富野渡假村 “Lishan beauties” 梨山美女 Lishan Guest House 梨山賓館 Sungchung Villa 宋莊 Sunglu Villa 松廬 Wuling Tea Saloon 武陵茶莊 Wuling Chang Hong Oolong Tea 武陵長紅烏龍茶 Wuling Chang Qing Oolong Tea 武陵長青烏龍茶 Wuling Chang Qing Qing Xin Oolong Tea 武陵長青青心烏龍茶 Wuling National Hostel 武陵國民賓館 1. Fushoushan tea plantation 2. Wuling Tea Saloon 3. Fruit vendor in Lishan 4. Wuling tea 5. Fushoushan Farm apples

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INDIGENOUS CUISINE P I N GT U N G

Paiwan Cuisine and Paiwan Art Qiu Yue's Restaurant in Sandimen

For some years, Sandimen in Pingtung County has been known as an excellent place to seek out and purchase artworks and handicrafts produced by members of Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous people. A bastion of the Paiwan tribe, this compact hillside town is home to artists and artisans who work with wood, stone, leather, fabric, and other materials. It is also a great place for sampling indigenous culinary specialties. Text: Steven Crook

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Photos: Rich Matheson 1

INDIGENOUS CUISINE P I N GT U N G

ccording to official statistics, the Paiwan number almost 98,000, meaning the tribe is Taiwan’s second-largest indigenous ethnic group. Sandimen can be considered the northwestern outpost of the Paiwan, who also inhabit areas in Taitung County, on the other side of the Central Mountain Range, and areas further south down to the Hengchun Peninsula. Reaching Sandimen involves a short but steep drive up from Shuimen, a lowlands community separated from the mountains by the Ailiao River. Most tourists visiting the town browse the souvenir shops lining the main road. A few may wander into the backstreets, where they’ll hopefully follow the bilingual Chinese/English signs to, or simply stumble across, Sha Tao Zazurite Art Studio (Add: 7, Ln 37, Sec. 2, Zhongzheng Rd.; tel: (08) 799-4849; 9am to 6pm, closed Mon). In addition to being one of the area’s best glass-bead workshops, this is also the home base of a renowned indigenous dance troupe. If visitors feel hungry, there’s a good chance they’ll buy a portion of sliced pork or some sausages from one of the town’s stone-barbecue stands. Rather than cook on a metal grill over charcoal, these vendors place choice cuts on a slate slab heated from beneath. Because the juices don’t immediately drain off, the meat is basted as well as roasted. For meat lovers, the results are exquisite. Visitors heading higher into the hills beyond Sandimen toward breathtakingly scenic Wutai know that there’s an even better eating option a minute or two further along Provincial Highway 24. It’s called Qiu Yue’s Restaurant, and in keeping with the town’s creative leanings, it was originally an artist’s workshop. The restaurant takes its name from and is managed by Ms. Li Qiu-yue. Surprisingly, given the role she plays in the local community, Ms. Li isn’t Paiwan. She’s not even from an indigenous tribe. Like approximately four-fifths of Taiwan’s population, she’s a descendent of the migrants from mainland China’s Fujian province who came to the island in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. An industrious promoter of local indigenous culture and a gracious host, Ms. Li is the wife of a prominent Paiwan carverillustrator, and the mother of an up-and-coming artist. Her husband is Sakuliu Pavavalung. If that name seems very different from others you’ve come across while reading about Taiwan, it’s

because it’s a true Austronesian name. The word sakuliu means “arrowhead” in Paiwan. The majority of indigenous Taiwanese still use the Han Chinese surnames given to their parents or grandparents by the authorities soon after World War II. Sakuliu, however, is one of a growing number of native people who’ve taken advantage of a special law to fully restore his “Pavavalung” tribal surname. Sakuliu, a man of many talents, created a large number of the decorations which now adorn the restaurant. Among them is a set of alluringly asymmetrical chairs he made two decades ago. Each is a hybrid of iron and wood, but the blend of materials isn’t so much an artistic statement as a reflection of that period’s economic realities. “Back then, iron was cheaper than it is now, and the government was very strict about people taking large pieces of wood out of the forests,” Ms. Li explains. A master potter to boot, Sakuliu can often be seen at the restaurant, when work isn’t calling him to other parts of Taiwan. These days he’s much in demand. And if you’ve flown between Taiwan and New Zealand recently, you may well have come very close to one of his largest works.

1. Qiu Yue's Restaurant 2. Ms. Li Qiu-yue and her husband Sakuliu Pavavalung 3. Outside seating area 4. Indigenous specialties

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INDIGENOUS CUISINE P I N GT U N G

Since March 2014, an Airbus A330-300 operated by Taiwan’s China Airlines has carried 47m-long versions of Sakaliu’s illustrations on both sides of its fuselage. These images depict Paiwan wedding traditions: On the port side, a procession is shown carrying the bride, while the starboard side features the delivery of betrothal gifts. Part of the restaurant is given over to works of art that are for sale. You’ll need a fair bit of time to properly browse the fabric items, metal jewelry, and other expressions of indigenous creativity on display, yet there’s a good chance you’ll find something you’ll want to take home. A Sakuliu original may set you back over NT$50,000, but not everything is so high-priced. There are also such things as postcards (from NT$30), and CDs by indigenous singer-songwriters such as Dakanow. Sakaliu’s and Ms. Li’s son is named Reretan Pavavalung. Interestingly, reretan means “earthenware vessel” in Paiwan. Along with glass beads and bronze knives, earthenware pots were among the most treasured possessions of Paiwan families in the days of old. Key uses were to ferment liquor and store heirlooms. In 2003, the couple, who also have a daughter, decided to turn part of their workshop into a space where visitors could relax and enjoy the view. Initially, Ms. Li provided only coffee and live music. But because customers kept requesting food, she began to serve simple meals. “We cooked for ourselves and the guests at the same time. What we ate, they ate,” she recalls. Live music is still offered on weekends; local musicians perform from 7pm to 9pm on Saturday, and from 6pm to 8pm on Sunday. In the restaurant’s early years, Ms. Li was the sole cook. As the number of customers increased, staff were added and the range of options grew. The current menu lists more than two dozen meals, plus snacks and desserts. There are hotpots (all NT$390) and noodle dishes (from NT$290), but perhaps the most authentically indigenous – and therefore the most exciting for

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first-time visitors – is the Paiwan Flavor Set Meal (NT$480). In addition to soup and rice, the set includes small servings of stonebarbecued pork, fish, wild seasonal greens gathered from nearby hillsides, chinavu , and ahvai . The last two are true Paiwan specialties. Chinavu is a tube of meat and taro paste wrapped in two layers of leaves, of which only the inner is eaten. Ahvai , sometimes called “indigenous sushi,” is glutinous rice that has been pounded into a paste, flavored with pumpkin and adzuki beans, then wrapped in banana leaf. Unlike many common Taiwanese dishes, neither comes with a sauce. And because very little salt is used, it’s possible to enjoy the natural flavors of the ingredients. If the chinavu goes down especially well, you can order an extra portion (NT$100). Alternatively, try the Paiwan-style Roasted Bamboo Partridge (NT$250). Hot dishes are available from 11:30am to 8:30pm. While the main part of the menu is in Chinese only, the list of drinks (NT$100 and up) is bilingual. The choice is impressive: In addition to almost 30 different teas, there are sorbets, juices, beers, vodkas, and whiskeys. Among the 17 coffees are outside-the-box options like Kahlua and Yolk Coffee and Tiramisu Coffee (both NT$180, iced only). Upon seeing what’s listed in English as Taiwan Native Coffee (hot NT$180, iced NT$200), those who can read Chinese and/or who know this part of Taiwan well will quickly make the connection. The “native” beans are grown in nearby Dewen. This community, where Paiwan families live alongside members of the Rukai tribe, was renowned for the quality of its coffee during Japan’s 1895-1945 occupation of Taiwan. By the 1990s, coffee growing had almost disappeared from the area, but a gradual revival is now underway. Sipping a cup of local coffee is a good way to support local farmers, and perfectly accompanies the activity that draws repeat customers to Qiu Yue’s

INDIGENOUS CUISINE P I N GT U N G

Restaurant: gazing at nearby peaks, then out over the lowlands, then once again at forest-covered mountains. February to September are the best months for clear skies, says Ms. Li. If you’re exceptionally lucky, you’ll be able to see right across the lowlands of Pingtung County as far as Little Liuqiu, an island 59km to the southwest. Even if it’s hazy, which is sometimes the case in the drier winter months, you’ll likely experience the wonderful sensation of looking down on an eagle as it soars high above the Ailiao River, searching for prey. 5

English and Chinese Ailiao River 隘寮溪 Dakanow 達卡鬧 Dewen 德文 Hengchun Peninsula 恆春半島 Li Qiu-yue 李秋月 Little Liuqiu 小琉球 Paiwan Flavor Set Meal 排灣風味套餐 Paiwan-style Roasted Bamboo Partridge 燒烤竹雞 Paiwan tribe 排灣族 Rukai tribe 魯凱族 Sakuliu Pavavalung 撒古流• 巴瓦瓦隆 Sandimen 三地門 Shuimen 水門 Sha Tao Zazurite Art Studio 沙滔琉璃工作坊 Wutai 霧台

Qiu Yue’s Restaurant ( 風刮地秋月的店 ) Add: No. 150, Sec. 2, Zhongzheng Rd., Sandi Village, Sandimen Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣三地門鄉三地村中正路二段 150 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-1524 Hours: 10am~12 midnight; closed last Thursday of every month

1. Paiwan Flavor Set Meal 2. Delicious dessert 3. Indigenous art 4. Local-bean coffee 5. Sculpture inside the restaurant

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RAIL/BUS/BIKE KAOHSIUNG

Zhongzheng Lake

Biking in Greater Kaohsiung The Rural Districts of Meinong and Qishan Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song, Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau, Public Works Bureau of Kaohsiung City Goverment

Meinong Kiln

Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum

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Zhongzheng Lake Qishan River

Meinong Meinung Folk Village

Qishan

Jin Xing Shop 28 181

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There are a number of marked bicycle routes around Meinong and Qishan in Kaohsiung, making it easy to explore these districts, which are characterized by farmland, old houses, heritage sites, and traditional Hakka culture. 30

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oli

Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village

on't let the fact that it's classified as a single municipality fool you. Kaohsiung is a huge, sprawling area, with districts varying from dense and urban to wide open and verdant. To get to Meinong, the starting point for a recent bicycle journey by a crack Travel in Taiwan research team around the rural northeastern portion of Kaohsiung, we caught a bus outside Kaohsiungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main railway station. Upon reaching Meinong after about 45 minutes, we took a taxi to a bike-rental shop near the first tourist attraction we would visit, Zhongzheng Lake.

Jin Xing Shop

Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village

Qishan Life and Culture Park

Meinung Folk Village Trying a Qishan popscicle

Old Hakka residence in Meinong

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Cycling in Meinong

Zhongzheng Lake This artificial lake is Kaohsiung's second-largest. A cycling and walking path runs around the lake's circumference. At its southeastern end a pathway juts out onto the water, leading to a red-pillared pavilion, an attractive spot suitable for taking photographs or just stopping for a moment to bask in the cool tranquility of the calm water. The lake is abutted by fields on three sides, giving you a feel for the pastoral nature of greater Kaohsiung. Toward the southwestern end there is a small shrine dedicated to the Earth God, one of the deities most commonly seen around Taiwan. If you happen to be visiting any time from October through March, you'll also find the lake frequented by migratory birds using this place as their winter sanctuary.

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RAIL/BUS/BIKE KAOHSIUNG

Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum

Add: No. 49-3, Minzu Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區民族路 49-3 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-8338 Website: meeinonghakka.kcg.gov.tw/index.asp (Chinese)

Jin Xing Shop From the museum we rode our bikes into central Meinong to learn about traditional local crafts. Since 1926, the Xie family has been making the traditional Hakka blue shirt, a simple garment worn by Hakka women. Xie Guo-yao now runs the humble workshop started by his father many decades ago. The shirts serve as a subtle indication of a Hakka woman's marital status. On the sleeve of the shirt, a white stripe runs from armpit to shoulder. Women who are as yet unattached have a pattern featuring simple stitch designs of suns, butterflies, and pine trees, whereas married women wear shirts with only a plain white stripe. The sun denotes the diligence of Hakka farmers, the butterflies represent a return to the ancestral home and the importance of remembering one's roots, and the pine tree symbolizes the need to protect Hakka traditions. Xie's shop has remained unchanged by the passage of time or its ever-growing fame. Pictures of former Republic of China presidents who have visited him here adorn the walls, alongside black-and-white family photographs from as long ago as the 1930s. Xie remains as busy as ever, claiming to be in charge of the only operation still making the blue shirts, keeping the age-old custom alive day after day.

Add: No. 177, Yong'an Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區永安路 177 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-1191

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This museum is located a shor t distance from the northeastern end of Zhongzheng Lake. Here you can learn about the culture of Meinong's Hakka people. The Hakka are an ethnic minority that came to Taiwan from mainland China during a mass movement lasting from the end of the Ming Dynasty into the early period of the Qing Dynasty. In Mandarin, the term “Hakka people” literally translates as “guest people.” This term first appeared in household registries during the Song Dynasty, and was used to differentiate between those born in a particular area and those who had migrated from parts elsewhere. Founded in 2001, the Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum has taken up the important mission of preserving and passing on Hakka culture and history, and telling the story of the Hakka people in Meinong. Its architectural style – the building resembles traditional tobacco sheds – and compound design is plain and rustic. Visitors are provided with rich information on Hakka life and culture through the display spaces on the second floor, which relate the face of Hakka culture in Meinong and give an in-depth understanding of the interactive relationship between the nature of a people and their environment.

Its distinctive Japanese style is the first impression that Taian Tangyue Resort gives visitors. With its unadorned appearance, time seems to stand still here, allowing you to relax and reflect. Looking out from the guestrooms, your long-confined soul that wishes to escape will be seduced by the scenery… cast aside the clamor of everyday life and give yourself a vacation, pursuing a paradise that nurtures your heart.

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TAIAN TANGYUE RESORT (湯悅溫泉會館) ADD: No. 45, Henglongshan, Jinshui Village, Tai’an Township, Miaoli County (苗栗縣泰安鄉錦水村橫龍山45號) TEL: (037) 941-941 WEBSITE: www.tangyue.com.tw Mail: mail@tangyue.com.tw

RAIL/BUS/BIKE KAOHSIUNG

Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village Next, we rode about 2 kilometers south to visit a place where another important Meinong craft – the making of paper umbrellas – is kept alive. Yuan Xiang Yuan is a shop cum cultural village. Tourists can learn how oil-paper umbrellas are made from start to finish from the center's expert workers, some of whom have been dedicated to the craft for more than 30 years. An umbrella’s wooden frame is made up of different types of bamboo, each having traits of pliability and strength suitable for specific parts, such as the handle or the spokes of the parasol. The parasol itself is made of cotton paper, folded by hand and then coated with a synthetic oil. In the past the natural oil of the tung tree was used for waterproofing. The oil goes over the paint job, with designs featuring peonies, scenery, and people alongside brief poems, excerpts from classical literature, or religious texts. Guests can try their hand at making their own umbrella: NT$120 for a small one, or NT$350 for a larger piece. There is also instruction in potterymaking available, and an on-site restaurant featuring Hakka dishes. Add: No. 147, Sec. 1, Zhongxing Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區中興路一段 147 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-0888 Website: www.meinung.com.tw (Chinese)

Meinung Folk Village

Add: No. 80, Lane 421, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區中山路二段 421 巷 80 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-7508 Website: www.meinung-folk-village.com.tw (Chinese)

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The Meinung Folk Village was next on our cycle tour. Located on a main road between central Meinong and Qishan, this is a kind of one-stop cultural shop with a heavy emphasis on the “shop” portion of that description. Though billed as a folk village, this is primarily a shopping center – a place to pick up some Hakka-related souvenirs and snacks. The center's saving graces are the oil-paper umbrellas with iconic Meinong scenery crafted on-site, a shop where you can make your own traditional Hakka lei cha , or “pounded tea,” a hearty energy-replenishing teabased beverage containing ground tea and herbs along with various roasted nuts, seeds, grains, and other flavorings, and a restaurant with some very nice Hakka dishes on the menu. Recommendations include stir-fried pork intestine with ginger, Hakkastyle mixed stir fry, stewed cabbage, stewed gourd, pork knuckle, and rice-flour thick noodles. Owing to the Hakka people's past, most of their food had to be easily preserved and transported, and so in choosing ingredients and methods of preparation, they always had to keep in mind the fact that they could be on the move again soon. Thus, they became masters at utilizing hearty ingredients in their culinary creations – perfect for anyone who spends a day on a bicycle.

RAIL/BUS/BIKE KAOHSIUNG

English and Chinese Chu Pan-hsiung 朱邦雄 Hakka people 客家人 Jin Xing Shop 錦興藍衫店 lei cha 擂茶 Mei Nung Yao (Meinong Kiln) 美濃窯 Meinong District 美濃區 Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum 美濃客家文物館 Meinung Folk Village 美濃民俗村 Qishan 旗山 Qishan Life and Culture Park 旗山生活文化園區 Qishan Old Street 旗山老街 Wude Temple 武德殿 Xie Guo-yao 謝國耀 Yingge 鶯歌 Yuan Xiang Yuan Cultural Village 原鄉緣文化村 Zhongzheng Lake 中正湖 Zuoying 左營

Mei Nung Yao (Meinong Kiln) From the folk village we headed back east, to get to our final Meinong stop. When it comes to the question of the center of ceramics in Taiwan, there are a few places vying for the title. For commercial works, Yingge in northern Taiwan is the undisputed mecca. But for artistic works, Meinong definitely enjoys a stronger reputation. One of the artists who has based his studio in Meinong is locally born-andbred Chu Pan-hsiung. Now 77 years of age, Chu is the man who introduced the ceramics industry to his hometown several decades ago, and in the course of that time he has cultivated a strong international reputation for the gargantuan pieces he takes from concept to completion here at his home studio. Chu's artwork is featured all over Taiwan, with the largest piece of public ceramic art in the country bearing his name at Ciaotou Station at the northern end of Kaohsiung City's metro system. The piece weighs in at a hulking 70 tons, measures 12 x 9 meters, and took a year to complete. If you would like to try making some ceramic artwork of your own, classes are available for children and adults for NT$300. Techniques are imparted, but what you mold from your own formless lump of clay is up to you. There is also an on-site coffee shop, serving up coffee, tea, and healthy snacks.

Add: No. 6, Lane 496, Fumei Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區福美路 496 巷 6 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-7873 Website: www.mei-nung.com.tw (Chinese with some English)

Bike Rental Guang Rong Xing Paper Umbrella ( 廣榮興紙傘 ) Add: No. 38, Minquan Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區民權路 38 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-7051 Note: This is a small oil-paper umbrella shop on the southwest side of Zhongzheng Lake, which also offers Hakka specialties and bike-rental service.

Qishan After returning our bikes at the rental shop near Zhongzheng Lake, we took a taxi to Qishan, the district just to the west of Meinong. Qishan is best known for its banana production and its historic buildings. We checked out Qishan Old Street, which offers up many different snacks and treats with banana and plantain as the staple ingredient. Banana bread, cake, ice cream, chips – if it's got banana in it, chances are you can get it here. The Old Street is blocked to vehicle traffic, and the façade of its

colonial-era buildings bear the names of the families who built them. On the street running perpendicular to Old Street is Wude Temple, with its mix of architectural influences from China’s Tang Dynasty and from the Japanese, dating from the latter portion of Japan's 1895-1945 colonial presence on Taiwan. Finally, we turned right at Wude Temple and follow the signs to Qishan Life and Culture Park, on the site of the former Gushan Elementary School, another holdover from the colonial days that is now a place to learn about the intriguing Qishan story.

Mei Nong Zhuang Agricultural Produce Center ( 美濃莊農特產中心 ) Add: No. 49-2, Minzu Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區民族路 49-2 號 ) Tel: (07) 681-8989 Note: This center for agricultural produces offers a bike-rental service and is located south of the Meinong Hakka Cultural Museum. Bike Ya Bicycle Rental ( 百悅自行車 ) Add: No. 197, Tai’an Rd., Meinong District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市美濃區泰安路 197 號 ) Tel: 0979-001-912 Note: This bike-rental shop is located on the main road from central Meinong to Zhongzheng Lake.

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TAIWAN SLANG

Watch Out for the Mines! When Your Fun Is Spoilt by Revealing the Ending (of a Film, Ballgame, etc.)

Illustration: Karen Pan

ou have probably been in this situation before: Just before heading out to the theater to take in a film you’ve been longing to see, you accidently read about or hear someone talking about the ending. Or you have recorded an important game in which your favorite sports team is playing, planning to enjoy it later on, but before you get the chance you inadvertently come across the result in the news. Fun spoilt. The excitement is now gone – there’s no way you can enjoy the flick or game nearly so much, now that you already know the outcome. In Taiwan a popular term for “spoiler” is 雷 (léi ), meaning “thunder.” The character also forms part of the term used for “land mine” ( 地雷 ; dìléi ), and when talking about spoilers such as the unwanted revelation of the ending of a film or ballgame people in Taiwan will say that a “mine has exploded” ( 暴雷 ; bàoléi), as if you have accidently stepped on a mine. In Taiwan’s online communities, considerate users who are going to post something about a new movie or a recent ballgame will sometimes add the sign 雷 , meaning “spoiler alert,” to the title of their post as a warning. If users have already read a post or an article (like a movie review) that has no spoiler-alert warning in the text, they might indicate its “safety” level, that is, how much it reveals about the outcome, by using the following terms: 雷文 (léiwén ; “article with a spoiler”); 微雷 (wéiléi ; “reveals some of the story, but not much”); 好雷 (haoléi ; “positive article with spoiler”); and 負雷 (fùléi ; “negative article with spoiler”). The next time your fun is spoilt upon hearing or seeing something you’d rather have avoided, you can exclaim, 我被雷到了！ (wo bèi léidào le!; “I’ve stepped on a mine!”).

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The Indigenous Charm of Pingtung, Taiwan Admire the splendor of classic indigenous culture View superb ocean and mountain scenery

Admire the splendor of classic indigenous culture View superb ocean and mountain scenery

Fine Food – Culture – Architecture – Ecology – Crafts Pingtung is located in the very south of Taiwan. Long and narrow in shape and sandwiched between mountains and sea, it has a pleasant climate all year round and is known as the “Southern Ocean of Taiwan.” Pingtung’s rich tourism resources, beautiful natural landscape, distinctive culture, and local industry give it a special charm and make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taiwan. The main indigenous tribes in Pingtung are the Paiwan and the Rukai. The two tribes have a number of commonalities and have highly distinctive crafts, costumes, cuisine, and architecture; and they are amongst the few tribes in Taiwan to still retain the class system. Learn more about these fascinating tribes on your next trip to beautiful Pingtung! 527 Ziyou Rd., Pingtung City, Pingtung County http://www.pthg.gov.tw/planibp/Default.aspx Advertisement by the Pingtung County Government

FARM FUN PINGTUNG

DaMorLee Leisure Farm An E y e- O p en in g E s c a p e f ro m

For the past few centuries, Taiwan's south-central/southern lowlands have been the island's agricultural heartland. Thanks to reliably warm weather, and a vast network of channels and ditches, which carry water to farms during the long dry season, the region produces an abundance of rice, vegetables, and fruits. It's no surprise, then, to find an exceptionally popular recreational farm in this part of Taiwan. Text: Steven Crook Photos: Rich Matheson

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et DaMorLee Leisure Farm is quite different from the majority of local agro-tourism destinations. Hardly any food is grown on site, and there are no sheep, goats, and other cute residents to pet and feed. Rather, a variety of eco-friendly construction and living tech niques are demonstrated, which visitors are encouraged to try. “We welcome visitors interested in recycling and nature, as we provide recycling education in a great natural setting,” says John Lamorie, who owns and runs the farm together with his wife, Shelly. John and Shelly have been developing this seven-hectare plot in Ping t u ng County's Ligang Township since 2007. Bananas, betel nut, and other crops are grown in the area, which abuts a tributary of the Laonong River. “When we bought the land, it had been fallow for a number of years,” says

John, who was born in Canada and later lived in New Zealand. “The previous owner had earned a little bit of money from the government by growing nitrogen-fixing plants, which were then plowed back into the soil. When we took it over there was nothing on it – no trees, grass, or even weeds. “I only wanted flora and fauna native to Taiwan, but some compromises had to be made. I wanted the place to look more 'wild' than Shelly wanted, but we achieved a pretty good balance. When visitors come, I lead the paper-house DIY activities, and any English components. Actually, many groups ask us to do as much as possible in English. Shelly takes care of time management and food.” Guests can make their own pizzas (NT$500), using German-style sausages, imported cheeses, and other choice items. Another food option is German-style pigs' trotters (NT$350), a feast of Canadian meat served with sauerkraut and mustard. DaMorLee's

FARM FUN PINGTUNG

Relaxing at DaMorLee Leisure Farm

bread is deservedly popular, packed with tasty morsels such as macadamia nuts and figs marinated in rum. According to Shelly, the farm gets 200 to 250 visitors during an average week, and groups should always book ahead. “We've had university groups and kindergarten groups, as well as tour groups. We try to limit larger groups to one bus in the morning and one in the afternoon,” she says. John, an energetic sexagenarian, has acquired an impressive range of skills over the years. He's an eighth-generation woodworker who has held 45 different jobs over the years. He worked at a fivestar resort in the US, and taught computer studies in New Zealand. Arriving in Taiwan in the late 1990s, he worked as an English teacher in Yunlin and Chiayi counties before settling in Ligang. He designed and built all nine of the farm's finished structures, proudly stating: “About

95% of what I use is found, scrounged, or rescued.” John paid a nominal amount for an old blackboard that he then dismantled and turned into roof beams for the farm's coffee shop/restaurant. He crafted the window frames from a polished-hardwood floor torn out of a residential building. He made the tables from wood scraps and recycled panes of glass. What's called the Japan House features incorporated screens and windows John salvaged when a local friend demolished a family property dating from Japan's 18951945 occupation of Taiwan. The roof tiles were taken from the house, not far from the farm, where Shelly was born. A new addition to the roster of activities offered at the farm is traditional soapmaking. As recently as the 1960s, factorymade cleaning agents were unavailable or too expensive for many ordinar y

Taiwanese. Many rural folk did their laundry with the aid of the fruit of the Sapindus tree. Each Sapindus berry is about 1.5cm in diameter. Most of it is seed, there being just one or two mm of flesh beneath the yellow-black skin. As Shelly explains, the berries need no processing. If you break the skin of one with your fingernail, then start rubbing it between your fingers while adding a little water, suds appear straight away. “We do sell bars of handmade soap and bottles of liquid soap, but we really want people to try and make their own,” says Shelly. I f a ny si n g le a t t r a c t io n h a s m a d e DaMorLee locally famous – it's been featured on at least 25 TV shows in Taiwan, as well as in magazines and newspapers – it is John's use and advocacy of papercrete. Those who've not previously

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FARM FUN PINGTUNG

heard of papercrete may well guess that this portmanteau word describes a concretelike substance made with re-pulped paper fiber. Conventional concrete is strong and durable, yet requires a great deal of energy to produce. In Taiwan, the associated extraction of gravel from riverbeds and hillsides has been blamed for environmental problems in certain areas. Concrete is also very difficult to recycle. In addition, should reinforced concrete (RC) roofs and walls collapse during earthquakes, the consequences for people inside are dire. “The cost of papercrete is just a fraction of that of normal concrete,” says John. “Papercrete walls provide much better noise and heat insulation than concrete. Papercrete walls are less likely to fail during earthquakes, and even if they do fall on you, you're unlikely to be seriously hurt.” John's papercrete production method – which he now teaches to students at Chang Jung Christian University in Tainan City – results in bricks almost as big as cinder blocks, but no heavier than a small bottle of water.

One drawback of naked papercrete is that it isn't waterproof. For this reason, exterior walls are sealed first with tung oil and then with an elastomeric coating. Interior walls are treated with tung oil, then plastered with a blend of liquid papercrete to which sand and a little cement have been added. Insects, especially termites, have long been an enemy of those trying to build in Taiwan using materials other than steel, glass, and concrete. Based on his several years of experience, John avers: “Nothing eats papercrete, except snails!” To add an artistic flourish as well as let in natural light, John places vintage sake bottles between papercrete blocks. John is now midway through his tenth building, a steel-framed, papercrete-walled structure on stilts that will be the couple's home. And he's considering assembling another, this time using bamboo, to serve two purposes. Elements normally hidden behind plaster or board would be left exposed, to educate visitors about vernacular architecture. (Even now, old single-story houses with bamboo frames and wattle-anddaub walls aren't uncommon in Taiwan's

1 2 3 4

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countryside.) As well, it would be a studio where he could indulge his passion for raku pottery. The far m may lack domesticated animals, but the two-hectare pond is an ecological hotspot. More than 20 species of dragonfly, plus butterflies, damselflies, and water striders present themselves as reward to those who stand still and pay close attention to the surface of the water and the surrounding plants. John estimates the fish population as 6,000 or higher. “We've at least seven different fish species. Some of them are quite tasty, I might add,” he says. These water dwellers attract kingfishers, egrets, and herons. There is also a handful of turtles. The bridge which links the “mainland” to one of the three miniature islands was built according to ancient Chinese principles, meaning not a single metal nail was used. “We advise everyone to bring a hat, sunscreen, and a change of clothes for children who might play around or on the pond. The raft is a very big thing for the kids!” says John. “If there's been a lot of rain, however, we do unfortunately get quite a few mosquitoes.”

FARM FUN PINGTUNG

English and Chinese Daqiaotou 大橋頭 Gaoshu Bridge 高樹橋 Japan House 日本厝 Jiuru 九如 Laonong River 荖濃溪 Ligang Township 里港鄉 Sapindus 無患子

Getting There Self-Drive: Finding DaMorLee can be a little tricky. Those approaching from beyond the borders of Pingtung County are advised to take National Freeway 3 to Jiuru, then proceed north on Provincial Highway 3 into the center of Ligang. For a short stretch, Provincial Highway 3 merges with Provincial Highway 22. When these roads bifurcate, follow Highway 22 due east for almost 5km. Just before the Gaoshu Bridge, which takes the road over a broad gravelly riverbed, take the small road on the right. The farm’s name is marked clearly in Chinese, but there's no English sign. Drive straight down this side road for a minute or two, until you see another Chinese-language sign with an arrow pointing to the left. Then keep going to the very end. On weekdays it's usually possible to park just inside the farm's entrance gate. Public Transport: From Pingtung City you can take bus No. 8217 of Pingtung Bus Co. (www.ptbus.com.tw ) get off at Daqiaotou bus stop. From there, it is a walk of about 20 minutes to the farm.

DaMorLee Leisure Farm ( 大茉莉農莊 ) Add: No. 20, Aly 12, Ln 19, Zainan Rd., Zaixing Village, Ligang Township, Pingtung County 8師大國語中心英文招生_E_1-3W_2014_12.pdf 1 2015/5/7 下午5:14 ( 屏東縣里港鄉載興村載南路 19 巷 12 弄 20 號 ) Tel: 0925-930-989

1. Self-made pizza 2. Pond of the farm 3. John Lamorie at work

4. Sapindus berries, used for soap-making 5/6. Papercrete walls

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Manga Mania A Day at the 2015 Comic Exhibition

If you want to find out about the latest trends in Taiwan ' s comic and manga scene, the annual Comic Exhibition is the place to go. Text: Nick Kembel

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Photos: Maggie Song

POPULAR PASTIMES COMICS

espite the looming threat of a major typhoon, the organizers of the 2015 Comic Exhibition (www. ccpa.org.tw/comic; Chinese) announced that they would push forward with the event. For comic, anime, and manga aficionados island-wide, this summer expo is one of two annual not-to-be-missed shows, along with the Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival, held during the winter school break. When, late on Friday, August 7, Taipei City started to experience strong winds, the Chinese Animation and Comic Publishers Association granted teens who’d traveled from far away early access to their mecca. There were 200+ youths camped outside Hall 1 of the Taipei World Trade Center. For safety’s sake, the devoted fans were allowed access to the site’s covered atrium. On Saturday morning, as the storm continued, a steady flow of attendees trickled in. Apparently nothing can come between Taiwanese and their comics. This year’s expo was appropriately themed “Dreams Come True.” According to organizer Candy Chou, “Manga and anime allow people to transform their dreams into a piece of work, while that creation can in turn allow them to fulfill their dreams.” I was there on day one of the event. The moment the main entrance was opened, a small army of attendees surged forward, racing to predetermined points to get their hands on limitededition merchandise. Many had camped outside the venue for up

to a week to secure a spot toward the head of the line. By the end of the first day, 106,000 fans had poured into the hall, setting a new record for the expo. This year’s edition was the sixteenth. Early birds at this year’s event were greeted with the spectacle of a pack of Stormtroopers, led by Darth Vader himself, parading into the venue to the tune of the Star Wars theme song. Terminating at an impressively detailed replica of the Millennium Falcon at the Walt Disney Taiwan booth, which had a Marvel Star Wars theme, the parade was but one of many firsts at this year’s expo. This was the first time a number of game companies were invited, such as Sony, renowned for its Playstation, granting gamers the opportunity to test out new games. This year’s event also marked the debut of the Japanese Pavilion, featuring a row of booths showcasing artwork related to some of Japan’s greatest contributions to the cartoon world, including Sanrio’s ultra kawaii (cute) My Melody and the famed Hello Kitty. An array of performances were staged over the course of the sixday event, including the Japanese female-idol group Tokyo Girls’ Style and internationally reputed vocaloid producer Hachioji P, not to mention a number of performances by (non-human) anime singers. The exhibition featured 610 booths, with exhibitors including 71 publishers. There were 34 book signings and other events, featuring more than 50 animators, authors, graphic artists, and voice actors. While Japan has always been at the forefront of the

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POPULAR PASTIMES COMICS

manga industry, output is now growing exponentially in Taiwan as well; and big-name local novelists Mao Luo, Yanghane, and Yu Wo, among others, were at the exhibition this year to meet their fans. Taiwan’s manga industry is developing more intimate ties with Japan’s, and the organizer of the Comic Exhibition Taipei has formed a partnership with the Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair, one of the largest such events in Japan.

Secondly, while I never found myself attracted to the normal-guybecomes-superhero-and-saves-the-world theme common to most classic Western comics, manga seems to be far more varied in its content. Whether you are looking for mainstream fare or for more eclectic entertainment ranging from things such as robot violence and pirate explorations to the adventures of anthropomorphic Chinese steamed buns, manga offers something for everybody.

As I browsed through the displays, I couldn’t help but contrast Taiwan’s comic-book culture with what I remember growing up in Canada. Admittedly, I was never really into comics. When I was a kid, comic books struck me as the domain of introverted, predominantly male students. But in Taiwan, much like in Japan, there is no shame in the enthusiastic obsession with manga, with young males and females alike proudly self-identifying as anime and manga fans, many of them strutting into the expo in full cosplay gear.

Which leads me to my final observation: While most of my peers grew out of their comic-book obsession in their teens, that seems to be about when Taiwanese start getting into it. And the outsider can’t help but notice how visually attractive a lot of the characters are (along with the models employed to dress up for the event). Maybe if comic-book culture had been as cool (and tantalizing?) when I was growing up as it is in Taiwan these days, I would have been the biggest comic-book fan of them all.

English and Chinese 2015 Comic Exhibition 漫畫博覽會 Candy Chou 周岑 Mao Luo 貓邏 Yanghane 楊寒 Yu Wo 御我

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Let’s

Slow Down and Savor

Chiayi County Government Advertisement

Enjoy the Beauty of Chiayi County at the Ruifeng-Taihe Leisure Agriculture Area and Chashan Village

In contrast to Chiayi County’s Alishan Forest Recreation Area, Ruifeng Village and Taihe Village in Meishan Township are crisscrossed by trails and the valleys are covered in neat rows of tea bushes. Here you can walk on trails lined with pristine vegetation alongside cold streams and stroll through moso bamboo groves and original forest. Throughout the four seasons, plum, peach, pear, and cherry blossoms can be viewed as well as over 100 species of fern native to Taiwan. A visit to Chashan in the far south of Alishan Township gives visitors a chance to experience the traditional hufu pavilions and sharing culture of the Tsou tribe. Visiting these places, remember to slow down and savor the tea plantation feast and be moved in the purest and most natural way.

The Tea Fragrance and Ancient Trails of the Ruifeng-Taihe Leisure Agriculture Area The Ruifeng-Taihe Leisure Agriculture Area can be reached by following County Road 162A. The road, rising from an elevation of 100 meters to 1,000 meters, is famous for its numerous turns. It goes from hilly, low-elevation to deep-mountain terrain. The area’s many mountain paths and historic trails are an important part of the cultural heritage of Meishan Township. Offering distinctive scenes, including waterfalls and cliffs, a dense network of ancient trials, and bat caves… the magical mist-shrouded deep mountain scenery attracts many visitors. Dayao viewing platform, on County Road 162A, at the point where the counties of Nantou, Yunlin, and Chiayi meet, is also an excellent spot from which to view the Alishan sunrise. Most township residents are farmers, their produce including jelly fig, high-mountain tea, wax apple, Mandarin orange, betel nut, Taiwan jewel orchid, and red plum. The output value of the high-mountain tea produced here is amongst the highest of any of the economic crops of Chiayi County. At tea harvest time every year, a large number of tea picking women and tea makers descend on the usually quiet mountain area. Meishan Township is like the tea it produces, intriguing, and always appealing.

Aveoveoyu! The Pavilions of the Tsou at Chashan Located in the far south of Alishan Township, Chashan has a beautiful name in Tsou language, Cayamavana. The Tsou people of Chashan are known for their love of sharing and the warmth and hospitality with which they greet many visitors, leaves deep impressions. Summer is when the people of the village are busy working in the fields, river fishing and hunting; the activities only coming to an end in August. In winter, when there is little work to be done in the fields, villagers often gather together at night around a fire and tell stories. In recent years, Chashan has become well known for its hufu pavilion culture. Pavilions large and small can be seen all around the village, mostly made of grass, bamboo, and wood. In November every year, Chashan village holds the Hufu Festival for which villagers decorate their pavilions and hang up freshly harvested fruit, waiting to welcome visitors. Visitors are free to share the fruit but should remember to say the phrase of appreciation aveoveoyu, which translates as “my heart is filled with gladness.”

Contact information

Ruifeng Village, Village Chief Huang Wen-zhong, Tel: (05) 250-1627

Taihe Village, Village Chief Hsu Yuan-shun, Tel: (05) 256-1826

Chashan Village, Village Chief Liao Wen-diao, Tel: (05) 251-3384

MY FAVORITE SPOTS TAINAN

Tainan -

A City with a Past History Exploring and Snack Food Sampling in the Old Capital

Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

Travelers should visit the southern city of Tainan for two main reasons: rich history and excellent snack food. Making a visit even more appealing is that the city’s old temples, heritage sites, and local specialty eateries are often conveniently located in close proximity to each other.

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Tainan Resident: Writer Wang Hao-yi When he was young, Wang Hao-yi studied mathematics. But he was always more interested in architecture, and his passion was history. Engaged for a time in international trade, he now works as an industrial designer and brand manager. Born in central Taiwan’s Nantou County, he went to college in Tainan, and that’s when he fell in love with this old city. After graduation he moved to Taipei in the north, where he worked for 13 years. Later, his work allowed him to move back to Tainan, and during his time off he started to explore the nooks and crannies of the city with camera in hand, documenting its fascinating culture and history. He eventually became a writer as well, introducing Tainan in several books with a focus on the city’s many options for eating and exploration. The places introduced in this article, with the exception of Hayashi Department Store and Tainan Cultural and Creative Park, have all been featured in Wang’s books, including “Slow Eating in the Old Capital ,” “Talking Books at the Temple Entrance ,” “Black Tile and Old Tree ,” and “Wandering through the Old Capital.”

MY FAVORITE SPOTS TAINAN

ainan is the former capital of Taiwan, and the island's oldest city. As such, the place is rife with history, with temples dating back hundreds of years (many having been reconstructed or refurbished). Fort Zeelandia (today better known as Anping Fort) in the city's Anping District stands as witness to the position of power temporarily held by European colonialists in Tainan, namely the Dutch, who were unceremoniously shown the door by the famed Ming Dynasty loyalist Koxinga (Zheng Cheng-gong) in 1662. Tainan is understandably held in high regard by historians, but also by foodies, who flock to the many eateries and vendor stalls, along the city’s streets and in its markets, specializing in snacks coveted island-wide. The area surrounding the railway station is replete with such places, both obvious and out of the way, that are worth a look, all within walking distance of each other. We begin a journey through the back alleys and along the main thoroughfares of the heart of the city with a glimpse into the development of the literary realm – not only of Tainan, but all of Taiwan.

Hayashi Department Store

National Museum of

Qingshui Temple

Taiwan Literature

Located among a series of colorful back lanes off Kaishan Road, narrow and winding ways lined with art studios, cafés, and shops, is Qingshui Temple. This particular place of worship dates back to the period of the Kangxi emperor (1661~1722) during the Qing Dynasty, and its name comes from the fact that worshipers once brought their offerings there to worship the god Qingshui Zushi, a deified government official of the Northern Song Dynasty (960~1127). It is said that in the year 1770 hard rains brought ancient driftwood to the area's waterways, the people used a selected piece of wood to create a carved likenesses of the goddess Guanyin, and the temple thereafter became primarily dedicated to this deity, the Goddess of Mercy. As with many of Taiwan's venerable temples, this is a reconstruction, completed in 2011. It is one of 15 such sites around the Tainan area, providing ample fodder for temple buffs and enthusiasts of theological diversity and ornate artistic splendor.

This museum, opened in 2003, traces the path of literature in Taiwan from the oral storytelling traditions of the island's indigenous tribes to the digitization of books in the present day. Exhibits, with texts in Chinese, English, and Japanese, explain the cultural, linguistic, and natural factors that together have given Taiwanese literature a unique voice, born of an environmental and political landscape like no other in the world. Following a path through the main wings of the ground floor, visitors can get a feel for the nature-inspired aspects of the Taiwanese voice, such as the influence of the imposing mountain ranges and of the Pacific Ocean. Placards tell of ways in which intercultural relations, conquests, and ethnic and armed conf licts have all combined to galvanize Taiwanese literature in its present form, highlighting literary movements along the way, such as writers decr ying environmental damage in Taiwan during its economic miracle of the 1960s~1980s. The common thread is the relationship of Taiwanese literature with Taiwan's self-identity; you will come away from a visit to this museum with a more clearly defined picture of both.

No. 10, Ln 3, Kaishan Rd.

No. 1, Zhongzheng Rd.

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MY FAVORITE SPOTS TAINAN

Hayashi Department Store From a restored relic of the distant past we move on to a reminder of times more recent. The Hayashi Department Store opened its doors on December 5, 1932, at a time when Taiwan was a part of Japan's growing regional empire. The area around the multistory structure, designed with a blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles, was then known as “the Ginza District of Taiwan,” an important commercial hub and place for the affluent to get their shopping done. This was the first fashion department store in the area comprising Tainan and neighboring Yunlin and Chiayi counties, and was also one of the first department stores in all of Taiwan, sharing the title with Taipei's Kikumoto Department Store (which opened just days before). Today the department store is still largely a place to do a bit of shopping, with tea, handicrafts, and other Tainan-related goods for sale. There is also a restaurant on the 5th floor, and above that there is a sake brewery and Japanese-style eating and drinking establishment alongside the 6thfloor observatory that offers a good view of the downtown core. If you simply fancy a cup of coffee or tea, head to the 4th-floor coffee shop.

No. 63, Sec. 2, Zhongyi Rd.

Zheng Family Mackerel Soup

Old Tainan Magistrate Residence

If eating is half of any trip for you – perhaps even the better half – check out this eatery. It’s part of a collection of eateries within a small indoor complex that might appear unassuming, even dingy in spots – but this does nothing to diminish the fact that it's one of the culinary hotspots of Tainan. Some of the eateries within look little changed from the time of their founding, in some cases decades ago, while others have gone through a gastronomic and aesthetic gentrification. The mix of old and new, glitz and the mindful lack thereof, is Taiwan in a nutshell, a place where history is by turns paved over and forgotten, or faithfully preserved. The mackerel soup served up by the family Zheng is essentially a thick broth with pieces of fried fish and a helping of noodles, garnished with coriander and other spices. It all makes for a hot, tasty, classic dish perfected over the generations. Taiwan takes its food seriously, and if you do too, this place is a must. There are other small mom-and-pop shops within the complex well worth a sit-down, and outside you'll find yourself in the Guohua You’ai New Shopping District, at one time one of the most important fashion districts in Taiwan, and still a magnet for shoppers today.

This building, const r ucted in 1900, is another remnant from the Japanese colonial days. As the name suggests, it was the place of residence for one of Japan's highest political representatives in the colonial territory, which was signed over to the Land of the Rising Sun in the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War. Over the years, various members of the Japanese royal family were also hosted here, notably Crown Prince Hirohito during his visit to Taiwan in 1923. On the second f loor visitors can see a living room furnished specifically for the Japanese prince, preserved just as it looked way back when. Visitors may notice various aesthetic similarities between this place and the Hayashi Department Store, and in fact the two are run by the same company. There is also some redundancy in the various products on offer at the two locations, though the residence leans more toward literature than to handicrafts or foodstuffs, and the 1900 Café within the elegantly appointed mansion offers up fare similar to that which you can get at the shopping facility.

No. 3, Ln 16, Sec. 3, Guohua St. 48

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No. 1, Weimin St.

MY FAVORITE SPOTS TAINAN

Luocheng Migao

When you inevitably find yourself in need of more local food specialties, head for another hole-in-the-wall eatery – the kind of place where you always seem to find the best eats. Here you can sample another simple, beloved Tainan delicacy, pork rice. This dish is little more than bits of braised pork laid on a bed of white rice with pork floss, peanuts, a couple slices of cucumber, and pork-fat drippings. Simple but effective. Don't let appearances fool you when it comes to eating in Taiwan. Some places may look a tad dodgy on the outside, but beneath that suspicious veneer likely lurks a recipe passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, since times long forgotten.

No. 241, Sec. 2, Minzu Rd.

Tainan Cultural and Creative Park Located right next to Tainan Railway Station, the doors to this complex were opened this June. It's primarily a shopping center, though the “cultural” portion of the name is borne out through an art center, an exhibition space, a classroom for various workshops, the Center of Pop Music, and a lecture hall. From 1947 on, the buildings were the home of the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau (forerunner of today’s Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation), the state-run monopoly. Nowadays it's a place of both education and commerce, with a tranquil courtyard looking out onto the train tracks. Not a bad place to spend some time if you're waiting on a train, contemplating a fine day exploring the history, culture, and food of what is perhaps the city that remains the truest representation of Taiwanese culture.

No. 16, Sec. 2, Beimen Rd.

English and Chinese Anping District 安平區 Anping Fort 安平古堡 “Black Tile and Old Tree ” 黑瓦與老樹 Fort Zeelandia 熱蘭遮城 Guanyin 觀音 Guohua You’ai New Shopping District 國華友愛新商圈 Hayashi Department Store 林百貨 Kaishan Road 開山路 Koxinga 國姓爺 Luocheng Migao 落成米糕 National Museum of Taiwan Literature 國立台灣文學館 Old Tainan Magistrate Residence 原台南知事官邸 Qingshui Temple 清水寺 Qingshui Zushi 清水祖師 “Slow Eating in the Old Capital ” 慢食府城 Tainan Cultural and Creative Park 台南文創園區 “Talking Books at the Temple Entrance ” 在廟口說書 “Wandering through the Old Capital ” 漫遊府城 Wang Hao-yi 王浩一 Zheng Cheng-gong 鄭成功 Zheng Family Mackerel Soup 鄭記土魠魚羹

SPECIAL REPORT HOT SPRINGS

Taiwan Hot Spring & Fine-Cuisine Carnival Explore the Island through its Fine Hot-Spring Resorts Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Vision

Do a Google search for “the world’s best hot springs” and you will be presented with such luminous hotspot names as Japan’s Beppu, Indonesia’s Banjar Hot Springs in Bali, Australia’s Morningstar Peninsula, and New Zealand’s Waikite Valley Thermal Pools. Time to add Taiwan in its entirety to this list. Don’t just take our word for it – here’s an internationally respected source that also says so:

ichelin gives its highest rating, the coveted three stars, to the Beitou hot-spring resort on Taipei’s north side, where scores of resort accommodations from rustic heritage inns to swanky new hotels are

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SPECIAL REPORT

HOT SPRINGS

OCT. 2, 2015 to JAN. 31, 2016

Taiwan’s Hot Springs – How So Many? Go online and check out Taiwan on Google Maps, using the satellite view. The mountain-dominated island sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and this view dramatically presents the almighty geo-tussle going on between the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates. The island is literally, geologically 4

speaking, being thrown up out of the ocean, its young, rugged north-south mountain chains still growing slowly, and the result is scores of hotspring locations, each almost invariably set in a thrillingly picturesque landscape.

Taiwan’s Hot-Spring Culture – Soothing Traditions In days of yore, local native peoples would heal aches and wounds by soaking in hand-dug pits in river- and streambeds at hot-spring locations, easing in after the pits filled up with a mix of hot mineral waters and cooler river/stream waters. Later came the Japanese, who ruled Taiwan 1895~1945 and who brought their famed love of soaking and rustic hot-spring inns with them. Legend has it that their soaking tradition long

found in and above a narrow valley tucked up against the south side of the majestic Yangmingshan massif. Among other locations, it also specially recommends the mountain-backed Jiaoxi resort in the northeast coast’s Yilan County and central Taiwan’s more traditional-style Tai’an resort, surrounded by peaks and reached by a narrow, winding mountain road. There are more than 100 hot spring areas on this island, and its size means that you can visit several even on the shortest of trips. Immersing yourself in the land, its people, and its culture on a tour with mineral-spring enjoyment at its core has become a hot ticket in recent times, and the annual Taiwan Hot Spring & FineCuisine Carnival makes such adventures even more attractive. The event has been a key factor in the flourishing of this trend. Each resort area highlights local themes in individual discount offers and in packages that take care of accommodation, soaking,

dining, special tours, transportation, and more. The Taiwan Tourism Bureau oversees the event, ensuring quality and consistency. You’ll find all the detail you need on the official website (www. taiwanhotspring.net). This year, a total of 19 hot-spring resort areas are participating in the carnival, wh ich r u n s f r om O c t ob e r t h r ou g h January, the coolest and thus happiest time of the year for hot-spring soaking in Taiwan. Something extra special this year is the unveiling of a Hot Spring Pass & Brochure (Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean editions), which presents you with great deals and much useful information. You can also join in one of the three special monthly raffles, with the big prizes an Apple Watch, an accommodation voucher at a premier resort, and a range of premium limitededition themed souvenir items.

ago took root after observing monkeys descend mountain slopes for warming winter hot-spring baths. The people of Taiwan adopted the mineral-spring soaking tradition with passion, in time creating their own distinctively Taiwanese version. (One key difference is that Taiwan folk for most part do not bathe in the buff.)

More Practical Info For more general information on Taiwan’s hot springs and hot-spring culture, detail on individual resort areas, etc., stop in at the Tourism Bureau’s website (www.taiwan.

net.tw ). And if you run into any language difficulties while here, note that friendly help is always at hand using the Tourism Bureau’s 24-hour toll-free Travel Information Hotline (0800-011-765). 1. Grand View Resort Beitou 2. Zen Garden 3. Spring City Resort 4. Grand View Resort Beitou

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EASY HIKING MT. QIXING

ing Up to k i H

Seven Stars

Mountain Ta ak ipe e iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Highest P Text: Richard Saunders

Photos: Choc Hsu, Vision

When looking north while in central Taipei, from many vantage points you will see towering mountains in the distance. These mountains are all within Yangmingshan National Park, a natural and scenic wonderland on the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s north edge. The peak of the highest of these mountains, Mt. Qixing, can be reached on a slightly demanding, but not too difficult, hike. 1

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ver twenty volcanoes, a similar number of steaming hot-spring sou rces, and large areas of impenetrable wilderness covered in tall grass or forests of bamboo and many other tree species make Yangmingshan a remarkable national park by any standards. Most remarkable of all, though, is that its stunning volcanic mountains lie just outside the urban core of Taipei City, within striking distance from the center of the metropolis. T h e Ya n g m i n g s h a n m a s si f (t h e national park takes up its higher elevations), like the rest of Taiwan, owes its existence to the collision of the Philippines oceanic plate and the Eurasian continental plate, the former uplifting the latter, an ongoing process that has created the land that is now Taiwan. About 2.5 million years ago a series of

EASY HIKING MT. QIXING

huge volcanic eruptions commenced, covering the base sedimentary rock and creating the Datun Volcanic Group at the island’s north end over the next halfmillion years or so. Today the volcanoes are dormant, and apart from the tell-tale cone-like shape of several peaks in the range such as Mt. Miantian, the main clue to the volcanic nature of these hills is their steaming fumaroles and many hotspring sources. Yangmingshan National Park (www. ymsnp.gov.tw ) covers an area of over 11,000 hectares, and has a rich variety of landscapes, so there’s a lot to explore. The plethora of trails can keep both serious hikers and casual walkers busy for many weekends. A hike to the highest point in the volca n ic g roup, Mt . Qi x i ng (1,120

met e r s), is a g r e at i nt ro duc t ion t o the national park, since most of the attractions that make the place so special can be seen here – the remains of a volcanic crater, steaming fumaroles, hotspring sources and pools, and rich flora and fauna. It’s a hike of an hour or two to the top (depending on the trail chosen and your fitness), along clear, stone-surfaced t rails, and although steep in places the walk lies within the reach of most walkers. Certainly the view from the top (weather permitting) is well worth the effort: an incredible 360-degree panorama over the national park, the sea beyond, and (to the south) the Taipei Basin. In really clear weather the Central Mountain Range can even be seen, and in winter the snow-capped, 3,000-meter-plus heights of this range are a conspicuous landmark on the horizon.

The name Qixing (“seven stars”) comes f rom the way the mou nt ai n’s seven knobbly little summits surround a volcanic crater, which are said to be arranged in the form of the seven stars of the Big Dipper. The most popular trail up the mountain crosses two of these summits, the main and east peaks; among the other summits is a mysterious little pyramid-shaped peak which was once claimed to be a prehistoric man-made structure. Fit and strapping locals appear to favor the toughest route, which starts beside the Yangmingshan National Park Visitor Center on the main Yangmingshantraversing highway (the second stop, Second Parking Lot, on the public bus no. 108 route) and involves 600 meters of vertical ascent. First-timers, however, might prefer the easier and also more scenic climb from the impressive fumaroles

1. Trail up Mt. Qixing

2. Taking in the mountain scenery Travel in Taiwan

EASY HIKING MT. QIXING

1 2

3 4

of X iaoyoukeng on t he mou nt ai nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northern side (get off at the Xiaoyoukeng bus stop), with a descent along the eastern face of the mountain, where at the bottom the hot springs of Lengshuikeng await your tired feet. This trail starts at the Xiaoyoukeng car park, and before starting the long haul to the top a quick detour along a short trail to the edge of the huge, steaming gash in the side of Mt. Qixing is de rigueur. Sulfurrich steam escaping to the surface through cracks has eaten away at the rock here and created a huge, crumbling gash in the mountainside. A second short trail winds through the large expanse of tall arrow bamboo surrounding the car park. Pass this way in June and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see beautiful

butterflies called chestnut tigers, with skyblue markings on their dark brown wings. Amazingly, these beautiful creatures migrate, flying several hundred kilometers from southern to northern Taiwan and back each year, spending the summer in this part of Yangmingshan, where they feed on nectar from the tiny pink flowers of a plant that grows in profusion here. Leaving the car park, the trail to the summit of Mt. Qixing immediately dives into the arrow bamboo and silvergrass that covers the exposed northern face of the mountain, and climbs up around the edge of Xiaoyoukeng. Near the top of the gash the trail draws close to the brink for a spell, then strikes left up a grassy valley,

passing several much smaller steaming fumaroles. This part of the hike is stunning in November and December, when the sea of silvergrass here bursts into bloom. The flowers of the grass are normally white, but the sulfur in both the air and soil here turns the fluffy plumes a very beautiful shade of salmon pink. The path continues upwards, passing pretty little Seven Stars Pond, located in a deep depression on the left. A little further on, take a right at a junction to a wooden viewing platform and enjoy a breather while absorbing the magnificent view. After a final short, steep climb, the path emerges onto the summit ridge, crosses a hollow filled with arrow bamboo, and zigzags up to the main and east peaks of Mt. Qixing.

1. Xiaoyoukeng sulfur pit 2. Menghuan Pond

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3. Descending Mt. Qixing 4. Hot-spring foot bath at Lengshuikeng

Let’s experience some exciting traditional Taiwan stage performances! TaipeiEYE stages shows for tourists visiting Taiwan, including folk music, aboriginal dance and music, Peking opera improved by new scenes of dances and martial arts, and much more. English subtitles are provided so that foreign visitors can easily follow the action. The performances at TaipeiEYE are a must-see for anyone interested in the amazing performing arts of Taiwan.

Performances: Mon., Wed., Fri., & Sat. at 20:00

Please contact us if you need more detailed information

www.taipeieye.com

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EASY HIKING MT. QIXING

Allow plent y of time to gape at the incredible views from both summits before tackling the descent, which drops steeply off the east peak, with magnificent views towards the grassy heights of Qingtiangang and beyond. As the trail drops lower you may just be able to make out a small pond at the foot of the mountain below. Milk Pond, beside Lengshuikeng car park, owes its striking white appearance to particles of sulfur suspended in the water. Another body of water, shallow Menghuan Pond (Dream Pond), a shor t detour to the left of the trail shortly before it reaches Lengshuikeng, is a secluded little spot and a very important one, as it’s the only place in the world where a rare form of water plant, the Taiwan isoetes, is known to grow. From the pond it’s just a short walk down to the big car park at Lengshuikeng. There’s a visitor center here, with a shop selling cold and hot drinks and simple snacks. You can also pay a visit to the war m waters of Lengshuikeng’s hot springs, just a couple of minutes’ walk up the road to the left. The water spurts out of the ground at a blissful 40 degrees Centigrade into an outdoor foot-bathing trough that’s perfect for soothing achy feet. Even better, bring a towel and plunge into the deeper pools in the huts just behind: the perfect way to end any hike!

Getting There Getting to Yangmingshan and the trailheads for Mt. Qixing is quick and easy from the center of Taipei. Simply take either bus R5 (from MRT Jiantan Station) or bus 260 (from Taipei Main Station) to the Yangmingshan terminus, and change there to minibus 108, which travels along a long loop around the center of the national park, encircling Mt. Qixing and passing the trailheads of all three routes to the summit – from the national park visitor center, Xiaoyoukeng, and Lengshuikeng. You can also take bus S15, which connects MRT Jiantan Station with Lengshuikeng on the east side of Mt. Qixing. Preparation Before trying the climb up Mt. Qixing, check the weather. Note that the peaks of Yangmingshan are often covered in clouds, even when the sun is shining in downtown Taipei, meaning that you won’t be able to enjoy the magnificent mountaintop views should you ascend at such times. Wear proper footwear, and take warm clothes and protection against both sun and rain. Although it’s a straightforward walk, the weather can change very quickly, and though you may start out under clear skies be sure you won’t end up in heavy rain or a blowing gale.

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English and Chinese Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Datun Volcanic Group 大屯火山群 Lengshuikeng 冷水坑 Menghuan Pond 夢幻湖 Milk Pond 牛奶湖 Mt. Miantian 面天山 Mt. Qixing 七星山 Qingtiangang 擎天崗 Seven Stars Pond 七星池 Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑 Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園

1. On top of Mt. Qixing 2. Mt. Qixing main peak in the distance 3. Milk Pond

SPECIAL REPORT FREE TOURS

Quick Trip to Taipei Free Half-Day Tour for Transit Passengers

Tourists at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Text: Owain Mckimm

Photos: Maggie Song, Twelli

In the last issue, Travel in Taiwan tagged along on the Taiwan Tourism Bureau's free morning tour to the small artisanal towns of Sanxia and Yingge, where we visited a temple, drank tea, and saw some impressive pottery. The Bureau's free tours, provided for transit passengers with layovers of between 7 and 24 hours, are operated daily from Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport. This time around, we joined the afternoon tour to the heart of Taipei City, to see two of Taipei's grand landmarks – Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall and the towering Taipei 101.

he drive from the airport into the city takes about 45 minutes, and on the way our tour guide, Edward, fills us in on the island's history. Our first stop is to be Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall, and because Chiang was one of Taiwan's most significant figures, Taiwan's political history is the primary focus of the introduction. It's fascinating stuff – Japanese colonial rule, retrocession to China, Nationalists fleeing to the island as Communists take the mainland, decades of martial law, and eventually, the establishment of a vibrant democracy. According to our guide, Taiwan's political history is a mystery to most casual visitors, who have never given much thought to the differences between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China, or indeed noticed that there is any difference between them in the first place. We arrive at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, therefore, a little more informed and with our interest suitably piqued. The complex is breathtaking, bordered with lush landscaped gardens and ponds as well as two, quite literally, palaces to the arts – the National Theater and the National Concert Hall. The memorial hall at the rear of the complex – a white cuboid with a blue

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SPECIAL REPORT

FREE TOURS

2 3

octagonal Chinese roof – is fronted by a large plaza, which visitors enter through a multi-arched, Ming Dynasty-style gate. Climb the 89 stairs (Chiang's age at his death) to the hall's entrance and you're confronted with a 6.3-meter-tall bronze statue of the former leader, with the Chinese characters for Ethics, Democracy, and Science – which Chiang considered to be the essence of the Three Principles of the People – carved into the wall behind him. We’re just in time to catch the hourly changing of the guard in front of the statue, and are afterwards whisked away to Taiwan's tallest building – Taipei 101. From 2004 to 2010 the skyscraper, standing at a whopping 508 meters, was the world’s tallest building (it is now the sixth-tallest). Jade-green in color and stretching toward the heavens like a giant bamboo stalk, the tower is nothing if not eye-catching. According to our guide most people find themselves in awe of the building's height, but don't let its great stature blind you to its less obvious charms. In fact, the structure and façade of Taipei 101 are steeped with symbolism – making it much more than just a particularly tall skyscraper, and adding much to the visual enjoyment for those in the know. The main tower is made up of eight trapezoids – each containing eight floors – stacked on a truncated square pyramid. In Chinese numerology, the number 8 is considered lucky, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune. In addition, each of the eight trapezoids resembles an ancient Chinese gold ingot, while the circular

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protrusions at the top of the base resemble ancient Chinese coins. And finally, the building's total of 101 floors represents going one better than the best. The beauty is in the details. To register for one of the two free transit-passenger tours, reserve in advance or sign up at the Tourist Service Center in the Arrival Lobby at Terminal 1 or 2 of Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport. The tours are operated on a first-come, first-served basis. There are 18 places available per tour. The Taipei City tour starts at 1:30pm, and returns to the airport by 6:30pm. To pass through immigration you'll need a valid R.O.C. visa or be from a country eligible for visa-exempt entry. For more information, visit eng.taiwan.net.tw/tour/index.htm .

English and Chinese Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 中正紀念堂 National Concert Hall 國家音樂廳 National Theater 國家戲劇院 Sanxia 三峽 Taipei 101 台北 101 Yingge 鶯歌

1. Taipei 101 2. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 3. At Taipei 101

OHYA‧ALL YOUR CHAIN BOUTIQUE MOTEL

Hotels of Taiwan

歐悅。歐遊國際連鎖精品旅館

HOTEL ÉCLAT 怡亨酒店

Taipei 台北

Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when it comes to accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest international standards, to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in the countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies every

No. of Rooms: 60

No. of Rooms: 20~98 Room Rates: Superior Titanium Flagship VIP Presidential

traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan — small and big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that serve and hospitality are always of the highest standards. The room rates in the following list have been checked for each hotel, but are subject to change without notice.

Room Rates: Suite Suite Suite Suite Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

3,500 - 4,300 3,800 - 4,500 5,000 - 6,000 6,000 - 7,200 8,800-12,000

美麗信花園酒店

No. of Rooms: 203 Room Rates: Deluxe Room Business Room Executive Deluxe Room Boss Suite Premier Suite

Taipei 台北

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

8,000 10,000 11,000 17,000 21,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, and Chinese RestauRaNts: Rain Forest, Garden Terrace, Lounge 81, Tic-Tac-Toe Café sPecial featuRes: Business Center, Multifunctional Room, Fitness Club, Outdoor Pool, Sauna, Spa, Aromatherapy, Car Park

MIRAMAR HOTEL HSINCHU 新竹美麗信酒店

No. of Rooms: 141 Room Rates: CORNER 8 COMFY ZONE D ROOM QUEENS KINGS STUDIO M

Hsinchu 新竹

6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 12,000 20,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, and Chinese RestauRaNts: The Zone Bar & Restaurant sPecial featuRes: Gym, Sky Lounge, Sky Garden

83 Civic Boulevard, Sec. 3, Taipei City, 104

111, Sec. 2, Gongdao 5th Rd., East Dist., Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan

10 4台北市市民大道三段8 3號

3 0 0 新竹市公道五路二段111號

Tel: 02.8772.8800 Fax: 02.8772.1010 E-mail: info@miramargarden.com.tw

Tel: 03.623.1188 Fax: 03.623.1199 E-mail: info@miramar-hsinchu.com

www.miramargarden.com.tw

www.miramar-hsinchu.com

12,000 12,500 13,000 15,000 35,000

(All rates are exclusive of 5% VAT and 10% service charge)

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

sPecial featuRes: Parking lot, free internet access, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, pool, massage chair

Hotels of the World; strategically located in the most fashionable and prestigious district of Taipei; offers guests great convenience for business and entertainment; Wi-Fi connectivity and in-room business facilities; variety of meeting rooms providing the ideal venue for professional meetings, corporate functions, and social gatherings.

English, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Cantonese

RestauRaNts: Éclat Lounge, George Bar sPecial featuRes: Member of Small Luxury

Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County, Linkou (New Taipei City), Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, Taichung City, Changhua City, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, PingtungCounty Tel: 886.5.551.5555 Fax: 886.5.551.7755

370, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 106 106 台北市敦化南路一段 370 號 Tel: 02.2784.8888 Fax: 02.2784.7888 Res. Hotline: 02.2784.8118

www.ohyamotel.com

www.eclathotels.com

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI

HOTEL SENSE

華泰王子大飯店

伸適商旅

Taipei 台北

No. of Rooms: 220 NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Chinese RestauRaNts: Breakfast Buffet

Room rates at the hotels apply.

MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI

Deluxe Room Grand Deluxe Room Premier Room Premier 9 Éclat Suite

Room Rates: Deluxe / Single / Twin & Double NT$ 7,800-8,500 Suite NT$ 9,500-20,000 Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: Chinese, English, Japanese RestauRaNts: L’IDIOT RESTAURANT & BAKERY (Western), Chiou Hwa (Chinese) sPecial featuRes: Coffee Shop, Fitness Center, Business Center, laundry service, meeting and banquet facilities, non-smoking floor, parking lot, airport transfer service

Taipei 台北

No. of Rooms: 79 Room Rates: Superior Room Business Room Deluxe Room Executive Deluxe Room Executive Suite Sense Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

7,500 8,500 9,500 9,000 10,000 15,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

sPecial featuRes: Business center, fitness center, meeting rooms, Club House with luxury furniture and advanced media facilities for private meetings and gatherings, wood-floored open-air Sky Garden, parking tower, close to the MRT system near Zhongshan Elemen tary school MRT station and key commercial and entertainment districts.

Tel: 02.2581.8111 Fax: 02.2581.5811, 2568-2924

477 , Linsen N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104 104 台北市林森北路 477 號 3 minutes by foot from Exit 2 of MRT Zhongshan Elementary School Station Tel: 02.7743.1000 Fax: 02.7743.1100 E-mail: info@hotelsense.com.tw

www.gloriahotel.com

www.hotelsense.com.tw

369, Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City, 104 104 台北市林森北路 369 號

Travel in Taiwan

TAIPEI GALA HOTEL 慶泰大飯店

Taipei 台北

No. of Rooms: 160 Room Rates:

Single Room Deluxe Single Room Deluxe Twin Room Suite Room

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

6,200 6,800 7,600 11,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

English, Japanese, Chinese

RestauRaNts: Golden Ear Restaurant (Western semi buffet); Golden Pot (Chinese Cuisine)

sPecial featuRes: Business Center, meeting rooms, airport transfer service, parking lot, laundry service, free Internet access, LCD TV, DVD player, personal safety box, mini bar, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, hair dryer

THE GRAND HOTEL 圓山大飯店

No. of Rooms: 500 (Suites: 57) Room Rates: Single/DBL NT$ 8,200-13,000 Suite NT$ 18,000-30,000 Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese RestauRaNts: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop sPecial featuRes: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards

186 Songjiang Rd., Taipei City,104 104 台北市松江路 186 號 Exit 1 of MRT Xingtian Temple Station on the Luzhou Line.

Tel: 02.2541.5511 Fax: 02.2531.3831 Reservation Hotline: 02.2541.6888 E-mail: galahtl@ms18.hinet.net

www.galahotel.com.tw

Edison Travel Service specializes in Taiwan tours and offers cheaper hotel room rates and car rental services with drivers . Edison welcomes contact with other travel services around the world.

Travel in Taiwan

Taipei 台北

1 Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10461 R.O.C 10461 台北市中山北路四段 1 號

TAIPEI WESTGATE HOTEL

53 HOTEL

永安棧

寶島53行館

Taipei 台北

No. of Rooms: 121 Room Rates: Cozy Deluxe Premier Premier City View Dual Queen Premier Dual Queen Executive Suite Grand Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

7,200 7,800 8,500 8,800 10,800 11,800 12,800 12,800

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Chinese, Japanese RestauRaNts: Unwind Bar & Restaurant sPecial featuRes: Located in the heart of the energetic Ximending; 1 minute on foot to MRT Ximen Station; free wireless Internet access; fitness center; business center; meeting room; laundry; express laundry service; complimentary Chinese/ Western buffet breakfast; safety deposit box; limousine service; airport pick-up. 150, Sec. 1, Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City, 108

(MRT Ximen Station, Exit 6) 108 台北市中華路一段 150 號

Tel: 886.2.2886.8888 Fax: 886.2.2885.2885

Tel: 02.2331.3161 Fax: 02.2388.6216 Reservation Hotline: 02.2388.1889

www.grand-hotel.org

www.westgatehotel.com.tw

No. of Rooms: 70 Room Rates: Standard Room Superior Room Deluxe Room Family Room Deluxe Family Room Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Chinese

Taichung 台中

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000

sPecial featuRes: Our guests enjoy easy access to all attractions lively Taichung City has to offer. From the hotel it’s a two-minute walk to Taichung Railway Station and a three-minute walk to the bus station, from where guests can easily reach popular tourist sites, such as Qingjing Farm, Xitou Forest Recreation Area, and Sun Moon Lake. 53 Hotel offers a wide range of services, including laundry/dry cleaning, a business center, a gym, and free wireless Internet access. 27, Zhongshan Rd., Central District, Taichung City, 40042 ( two minutes from railway station) 40042 台中市中區中山路 27 號 (距離火車站兩分鐘) Tel: 04.2220.6699 Fax: 04.2220.5899 E-mail: service@53hotel.com.tw

www.53hotel.com.tw

Atami Hotel

Taipei

VIEW BEITOU FROM THE SIDE OF BEITOU CREEK Imposing Atami Hotel Taipei Onsen stands tall on Guangming Road at the side of Beitou Creek, the gushing water of which has ﬂowed unceasingly since time immemorial. Amidst unchanging scenery, the Atami Hotel Taipei has faithfully served its guests for over 40 years. Open the window of your room and hear the sound of the ﬂowing water while breathing in the sulfur-scented air, creating a memorable Beitou moment you will remember fondly.

GUESTROOMS AND HOT-SPRING WATER COMPOSE A SWEET SONG Enter the Atami Hotel Taipei and you will be greeted by a grand spacious lobby, the opulence reﬂecting our guest-ﬁrst approach. The sunlight shining into the guestrooms tells of the attentive care we extend to each and every guest. In the hot-spring bathhouse, built using natural construction methods, where the sulfur scented air has been unchanged since ancient times, you can wash away the noise and hassle of the city, recharge your tired spirit, the guestrooms and the hot-spring water composing the uniquely and moving song of the Atami Hotel Taipei.

Tel: (02) 2891-5161 Fax: (02) 2891-6741 Email: info@atamihotel.com.tw Add: No. 258, Guangming Rd., Beitou District, Taipei City (台北市北投區光明路258號) Website: www.atamihotel.com.tw 台北市旅館014-1號

ISSN:18177964

GPN:2009305475

200 NTD