Hsinchu County Councilor Chiu Chen-wei has launched a fight to save an old Formosan ash tree and has received a lot of support from local people. Hu Pao-yuan, director of the China University of Science and Technology’s forest pest diagnostic clinic, was invited to inspect the tree. After he had inspected it, he said the old tree was not only sick but also had termites, so they would have to cut off the old branches and inject medicine to try to help it recover.
“The old tree, which is located behind a shelter, is over 100 years old. Many elderly people from Baoshan share memories of the tree, and none of us wants to see it cut down,” says 57-year-old former township councilor Liu Yun-fa, who now acts as an ecology guide. He found that the old Formosa ash tree was dropping leaves and its branches were becoming yellow, among other symptoms, which prompted him to rush to ask Chiu for help. He hopes to preserve this landmark tree of Baoshan Village.
Chiu said that in Youtian Village, where this old Formosan ash tree stands, there were once many Formosan ashes, so the old name for the local area was “protruding ash trees.” This grandfatherly tree is over 100 years old and is like a local cultural symbol made by nature. Chen said that he and local residents will fully cooperate with Hu to rescue the old tree, and he will make sure it continues to grow there, allowing the young people of Baoshan Village to go on appreciating its magnificence.
(Liberty Times, translated by Clare Lear)
Photo: Tsai Meng-shang, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者蔡孟尚
新竹縣議員邱振瑋發起的搶救寶山「雞油樹爺爺」大作戰,獲得不少鄉親響應;中華科技大學樹木病蟲害診斷中心主任胡寶元應邀到場調查後說,老雞油樹不但染病且遭白蟻入侵,將以清除枯枝及投藥方式協助它恢復健康。
「這座位於茶亭後方的老雞油樹,已經有一百多歲的樹齡,是許多老寶山人的共同回憶,我們都不願意見到它倒下。」五十七歲前鄉民代表劉運發目前擔任生態導覽員,他發現老雞油樹出現樹葉掉落、樹枝枯黃等症狀後,趕緊向邱振瑋求助,希望能夠保住這棵寶山鄉的地標性植物。
邱振瑋說,這棵老雞油樹所在的油田村早年有許多雞油樹,所以當地的古地名叫「雞油凸」。這棵有一百多歲樹齡的「雞油樹爺爺」可說是當地天然的文化意象;他和在地鄉親會全力配合胡寶元搶救老樹,一定要讓它繼續聳立當地,讓寶山鄉的年輕子弟也能繼續欣賞它的英姿。
(自由時報記者蔡孟尚)
A: Artificial intelligence technology has been causing controversy lately: a student was caught cheating with AI to win the grand prize in an art contest. B: That’s so absurd. Does this mean that AI paints better than humans? A: Maybe. Luckily, the student was later disqualified. B: And more absurdly, it’s becoming more and more popular to use AI technology to “resurrect” people. A: Yeah, some netizens even posted videos featuring the late singer CoCo Lee, who was “resurrected” by them with AI software. A: 人工智慧的爭議不斷,有學生違規使用AI參加美術展,甚至贏得首獎。 B: 真誇張,這是不是代表AI比人類還強大? A: 或許吧,幸好得獎資格被取消。 B: 還有更誇張的︰讓死者重現的「AI復活」技術越來越熱門。 A: 對啊,還有網友製作已故歌后李玟「復活」的影片呢! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
It’s no secret that Japanese people have a deep affection for noodles. Like in the rest of East Asia, noodles are an important staple food, second only to rice. Japanese people have enjoyed noodles for over 1,000 years. The first noodles came from China and were introduced around 800 CE. As time passed, noodles in Japan not only became widespread but also developed some unique Japanese characteristics. The three most popular types of noodles in Japan are ramen, soba, and udon. Ramen, typically made from wheat flour, is usually thin and firm. The dough is kneaded and left to
Rice is an essential ingredient in Taiwanese cuisine. Many foods are made of rice, adding more variety to our cooking, such as rice cake, or “gui.” Wagui is made by steaming rice flour batter in a bowl. The term “gui” refers to a type of food made from rice, while “wa” refers to a bowl. The pronunciation of “gui” in Taiwanese Hokkien is similar to the word for “nobility” in Chinese, so it is common for people to prepare various types of gui, including wagui, as offerings to the gods or ancestors,. 米是台灣重要的主食,用米製成的食品十分多元,豐富我們的飲食,如米做成的「粿」。粿的意思是米做成的糕點,碗粿是將在來米漿倒入碗中蒸熟,因而得名。粿因為音同「貴」,因此碗粿等粿食常用作供品祭拜神明和祖先。 nobility (n.) 高貴,高尚;貴族 offering (n.) 供品 While Taiwan may not be
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang As with many aspects of Japanese culture, there is etiquette to follow when you enjoy noodles. To fully experience noodles like a local on your next visit to Japan, consider these simple guidelines. First, be careful where you put your chopsticks. Don’t leave them sticking up in the broth or set them at the side of the bowl. When you have finished eating or if you’re taking a break, place them on the chopstick rest next to the bowl. Also, it is impolite to wave chopsticks around or bring them above mouth-level. Second, don’t take too