Government Information Office Minister Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) likes to collect antiques, especially items connected with Taiwanese folk culture.
“We all die one day, but antiques remain. Antiques should be preserved and not destroyed just because people die,” Su said as he displayed dozens of his collection of molds used to make red sticky rice cakes (紅龜粿), a popular Taiwanese treat at Lunar New Year and other festivals.
The dough is dyed red for auspiciousness and pressed into a tortoise-shaped mold to create a shape akin to a turtle shell to symbolize longevity.
Since starting his collection 16 years ago, Su said he had acquired more than 400 red sticky rice cake molds, each with a story to tell.
“This is the smallest one I have ever seen. It’s a toy for little girls. This, the biggest one I have, I found by accident in Tainan. It cost me almost NT$10,000 and was used especially at temple fairs. My father bought this one for me, this one was given to me by my nanny, and I bought this from a scrap-collector for a very cheap price,” Su said as he showed off his treasured collection.
Su said he was attracted to collecting the molds not only because he likes red sticky rice cakes but also by the traditional and delicate designs on the molds, many of which are engraved with images of coins, fish, peaches and the Chinese character for longevity.
He said he did not just put all his molds in boxes and store them but displayed some in a room in his house, like many people arrange their books.
“I often like to have a look at the molds and that makes me feel better when I am down,” he said.
The molds are just one of many items Su collects, all connected to the history of Taiwan.
He said these included “Tatung bao bao (大同寶寶)” dolls, a Tatung Company mascot, Warinta soft drink bao baos (萬達汽水寶寶), a mascot of a former soda-water company, Buddhist woodblock prints and collections of local literature.
“Last time I moved, it took a 3.5 tonne truck two trips to transport all of them,” he said.
Su said he appreciates antiques connected with Taiwan’s history as “they are the original flavor of Taiwan” and “remain part of the memories of my childhood.”
This is why he does not collect Chinese antiques even though he has seen many on his numerous trips to flea markets.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese