Surrounded by mountains, with lakes and babbling brooks to boot, Meinung (美濃) is the ideal getaway spot. The Hakka town boasts more than just scenic beauty -- the hardworking, familial spirit of traditional Hakka culture also imbues Meinung with oodles of charm.
The heart of Meinung's traditional Hakka culture is concentrated on the town's main street, Yungan Road (
Bicycling is an excellent way to take in Meinung's sights. Seven paths, each color coded, are currently open to cyclists. The red line is devoted to cultural relics, the green line has a literary theme, and the blue line offers charming views of the irrigation canals that crisscross the landscape. The far-off silhouettes of mountains, the expanse of rice paddies, and the inverted, watery reflections of Chungcheng Lake (中正湖) have enchanted travelers for years. The delicious Hakka cuisine keeps visitors coming back.
PHOTOS: WU MENG-FANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Blue Hakka tunics
Blue tunics are a Hakka cultural mainstay. In the past, most Hakka women donned the baggy, loose blouse. The tunics were worn until they became dog-eared and tattered, and only then would new ones be bought -- a testament to the Hakka work ethic and their thriftiness. The versatility of the traditional tunic also extended to when one could wear it -- always. Loose-fitting and practical, the tunic was appropriate in both formal and informal circumstances, and comfortable in all seasons.
Of course, the popularity of the tunic has faded: Now Meinung residents rarely wear it, save for at Hakka cultural performances and other special occasions. As a result, Hakka tunic shops have all but disappeared. However, one shop still holds tenaciously to tradition, with its old-style tailoring services and handmade tunics. The Chinhsing Blue Tunic shop (錦興藍衫店) on Yongan Street is the last of its kind. Hsieh Ching-lai (謝景來), a spry nonagenarian, is still behind the scissors in his shop after more than 70 years of fashioning tunics. He was apprenticed at 17 and launched his own tunic-making business in his 20s. At the height of his business, Hsieh taught his trade to over 200 students. Later, however, the rising popularity of Western fashions affected the blue Hakka tunic industry. Although the tunics are not fancy, they are meticulously made and are high quality.
■ Price: NT$2000 per tunic
■ Can be custom-made in about two weeks
■ Chinhsing Blue Tunic Shop telephone: (07) 681 1191
Oilpaper umbrellas
Some folks believe that umbrellas make unlucky gifts. In Meinung, however, umbrellas are elegant, auspicious objects. Oilpaper umbrellas are Meinung's specialty. Moreover, a play on words makes these paper parasols especially propitious. The Chinese words for "paper" (
Hakka oilpaper umbrellas were once practical necessities. Now, such parasols are considered more decorative than useful; nevertheless, they remain popular as mementos of trips to Meinung. Although the umbrellas are fashioned from simple materials like cotton paper, bamboo and twine, the production process is complicated. The bamboo is first boiled in water to leech the sugar from its core, after which it is cut into strips that are to be the umbrella's spokes. Once the spokes are attached to the shaft of the umbrella, concentric circles of twine are added. Then, the cotton paper is fastened to the umbrella's "skeleton." The paper is then decorated with colorful illustrations of natural landscapes, mythical creatures, or other traditional images. Finally, the umbrella is varnished and set out in the sun to dry.
Of course, even today's oilpaper umbrellas retain their practical uses. They still keep folks more or less dry in the rain, but although they're water resistant, they're particularly susceptible to fire. Also, they become brittle if not used regularly, and the oilpaper tends to stick to itself if the parasol remains closed for an extended period.
Pottery
A small pottery and ceramics industry sprung up in 1987, when local artist Chu Bang-hsiung (
Potters set up work shops, and seven ceramics shops in the kiln's vicinity. Slowly but steadily, Meinung gained recognition as a center of the ceramic arts. The shops retail a wide variety of ceramics, and although more rustic than sophisticated, they encapsulate the unpretentious spirit of Meinung culture.
Local delicacies: Bantiao noodles
A trip to Meinung wouldn't be complete without sampling bantiao noodles. Made from aged tsailai rice (
■ Meinung Chuang telephone: (07) 681 8989
Sightseeing in Neimen
Separated from the Meinung Township (美濃鎮) by Chishan (旗山鎮) and Shanlin (杉林鄉) townships, Neimen township (內門鄉), on Highway 3 (
Locals with a big stake in the future, from soon-to-be-wed couples to political candidates, often converge on Neimen's famous Tzuchu Temple (
Tzuchu Temple is the religious center of Neimen. The village hosts performances that combine mock martial arts battles and dance, which are performed by costumed acrobatic troupes. The Songjiang Battle Array (宋江陣) is the most popular of these spectacles. In addition to the traditional battle arrays, Kaohsiung County Government also hosts the Creative Battle Array Competition (創意宋江陣), an annual nine-day contest that attracts hordes of enthusiasts.
In addition to its cultural attractions, Neimen's landscape also contributes to its uniqueness. The eerie Moon World (月世界), a barren landscape covering 100,000 hectares, encircles Neimen with its strange, denuded mountains. Moon World's infertile soil is known in geological terms as "mudstone," originally a clay-like, ocean-floor sediment dredged up on the backs of mountains that were formed through orogenic movement.
Over millions of years the soil was eroded by the elements, becoming mudstone, which is too salty, dry and loose to sustain vegetation.
As its name suggests, Neimen's Moon World, in the vicinity of the 29-kilometer marker on County Road 182 (182
The view from Hill 308, where the townships of Neimen, Lungchi (
Just after 6am, I walked up to the ticket gate at Taipei Main Station and entered the Taiwan Railway platform without scanning any ticket; instead, I flashed the Sanrio Fun Rail pass on my phone to the gate worker and was admitted. I found my train and prepared to board. My destination? This very same station. I was embarking on a 13-hour journey on one of two round-the-island trains operated by ezTravel. They run each day, one counterclockwise around the island and one clockwise. They differ in a number of ways from an ordinary Taiwan Railway train and can make for
Jason Han says that the e-arrival card spat between South Korea and Taiwan shows that Seoul is signaling adherence to its “one-China” policy, while Taiwan’s response reflects a reciprocal approach. “Attempts to alter the diplomatic status quo often lead to tit-for-tat responses,” the analyst on international affairs tells the Taipei Times, adding that Taiwan may become more cautious in its dealings with South Korea going forward. Taipei has called on Seoul to correct its electronic entry system, which currently lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan),” warning that reciprocal measures may follow if the wording is not changed before March 31. As of yesterday,
The Portuguese never established a presence on Taiwan, but they must have traded with the indigenous people because later traders reported that the locals referred to parts of deer using Portuguese words. What goods might the Portuguese have offered their indigenous trade partners? Among them must have been slaves, for the Portuguese dealt slaves across Asia. Though we often speak of “Portuguese” ships, imagining them as picturesque vessels manned by pointy-bearded Iberians, in Asia Portuguese shipping between local destinations was crewed by Asian seamen, with a handful of white or Eurasian officers. “Even the great carracks of 1,000-2,000 tons which plied
On Thursday, former Taipei mayor and founder of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was sentenced to 17 years in prison and had his civil rights suspended for six years over corruption, embezzlement and other charges. Seven others related to the case were also handed prison sentences, while two were found not guilty. It has been a bad week for the TPP. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Chinese immigrant Xu Chunying (徐春鶯) with suspicion of taking part in Beijing-directed election interference. Xu has strong links to the TPP, which once offered her a party list legislator nomination. Tuesday also
RSS