When you think of Wanhua, Longshan Temple, always filled with worshipers, and the hustle and bustle of Ximending with its constant flow of tourists, often spring to mind. However, if you walk toward the intersection of Zhonghua Rd. Sec. 1 and Changsha St. Sec. 2, you will discover a square so serene that it almost feels like an otherworldly paradise. Its lush grass, its neat, quaint brick walkways, and its time-honored Japanese architecture will make you begin to wonder whether you are in Japan. It’s known as Nishi Honggan-ji Temple Square.
An online search for “Nishi Honggan-ji” will tell you that Taipei is not the only city with a Nishi Honggan-ji Temple. There is another one in Kyoto, Japan. In fact, the temple near Ximending was a branch temple established in Taiwan by the Nishi Honggan-ji in Kyoto.
The renovation of the Nishi Honggan-ji was completed in July, 2013, and it was opened to the public. In March, 2014, the Taipei City Archives along with its collections moved in. The square, then, is more than just a wonderful, comfortable place to relax: it also holds a treasure trove of Taipei’s history.
Photo: Ethan Zhan, Taipei Times
照片:台北時報詹豐造
The Taipei City Archives designated the Nishi Hongganji’s Shuxin Hall a place to hold exhibitions. It will also have permanent exhibitions and an archive room, introducing the public to how Taipei has evolved and developed through its rich collections and documents.
Source: Liu Tzu-li, Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government, originally in the Taipei Pictorial, 557 edition.
(Translated by Ethan Zhan, Taipei Times)
說到萬華,總是讓人想到香火鼎盛的龍山寺及人聲鼎沸的西門町,充滿喧囂熱鬧。但行經中華路一段和長沙街二段交叉口,會發現一座靜謐猶如世外桃源的廣場,綠油油的草地、整齊而樸實的石磚步道和古色古香的日式建築,彷彿來到日本一般,這裡就是「西本願寺廣場」。
上網搜尋關鍵字「西本願寺」,會發現西本願寺不僅存在於臺北市,日本京都也有一座。事實上,位於西門町附近的西本願寺,是日本京都西本願寺來臺建立的別院。
二零一三年七月西本願寺修復完成,正式對外開放,二零一四年三月臺北市文獻委員會及其典藏的蒐藏品進駐,讓西本願寺廣場不但成為優美舒適的休憩空間,也是珍藏臺北回憶的寶庫。
文獻會將西本願寺中的「樹心會館」規劃為不定期展覽的空間,另外還有常設展區及文獻資料室,民眾可透過豐富的典藏品和文史藏書了解臺北市的變遷和發展。
文/劉子立,臺北市政府觀光傳播局《台北畫刊》第557期
(台北時報記者詹豐造英譯)
A: Wow, three Taiwanese restaurants just won the 2024 “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” awards. B: Awesome! Which three restaurants? A: Taipei’s Logy at No. 22 and MUME at No. 34, and Taichung’s JL Studio at No. 33. B: Actually, there are many more great establishments in Taipei. How about other Asian cities? A: Singapore claimed nine spots this year, making it Asia’s new “food capital.” A: 2024「亞洲50最佳餐廳」名單揭曉了,台灣有3家餐廳上榜。 B: 好厲害,哪3家? A: 台北的Logy和MUME分獲第22和34名,台中的JL Studio獲第33名! B: 其實台北還有很多好餐廳,那其他的亞洲城市呢? A: 新加坡今年入選9家,可說是亞洲美食之都。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A situation puzzle is a game in which one person describes a scenario and asks the players to explain it. The situation is deliberately lacking in details, but the players may acquire more information by asking questions — however, these can only be answered with “yes” or “no.” A player wins by describing the approximate events that led up to the situation. To do so, they must use a blend of logical and lateral thinking. A famous example of this is sometimes known as “Turtle Soup.” Here’s the riddle: “A man in a restaurant orders turtle soup, tastes it
A: From Logy and MUME to JL Studio, winners on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list are all high-end fine dining restaurants. B: Really? I wonder how a meal costs there? A: I once dined at RAW, which used to be on the list: the meal cost NT$6,888 each plus 10 percent service charge. B: But fine dining establishments usually offer better food, decor and service, so they are more pricey. A: Let’s start saving money now, so we can go once a year. A: 獲選為2024「亞洲50最佳餐廳」的Logy、MUME、JL Studio,都是高檔的「精緻餐飲」。 B: 真的嗎?不知道吃一餐多少錢? A: 我去吃過曾上榜的RAW,每個人就要6,888加一成。 B: 不過精緻飲食餐廳的食物、環境、服務都比較好,自然也不便宜。 A: 我們來存錢吧,每年去吃一次。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Food shortages have been experienced by people across the world throughout the centuries, but these challenges have driven people to cope, like the Taiwanese, who have found creative culinary uses for all parts of their animals, including blood. Pig’s blood cake, or rice blood cake, consists of sticky rice mixed with animal blood. After being steamed, the cakes are often cut into rectangles and skewered onto bamboo skewers so people can enjoy them while walking. It can also be braised or cooked in soup. 糧食不足是各國多少世紀以來的難題,但面對困境,台灣人學會善加利用牲畜的每個部位,包含血液。豬血糕又稱做米血糕,在糯米中混入豬血後,蒸熟後切成長方形,插上竹籤方便邊走邊吃,還可以滷豬血糕或煮湯。 shortage (n.) 缺少,匱乏 rectangle (n.) 長方形 There are regional variations in how pig’s blood cake is eaten. In northern Taiwan, people