Summary

My Grand Tour -- Why I decide to travel around Taiwan on foot?

 " Walking animates and enlivens my spirits."  

Book IV, Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau

I towed a trolley behind me.

(The backpack was too heavy to carry, so I bought the trolley.)

         This summer vacation I made a Grand Tour -- to travel around Taiwan on foot. 

         I was informed of my Advanced Subjects Test (a kind of college entrance exam) scores on July 18. Surprisingly, my scores were incredibly high enough to let me enter any department in the college of science, engineering, or EECS in National Taiwan University. I have long been interested in physics and astronomy since I was in junior high school; as a result, I chose the department of physics, NTU as my first choice, and submitted the list of choices on July 24. Preparing for the college entrance exams really took the students a lot of efforts and persistence. Most of students have no extra time to engage in leisure activities, only to sit in front of piles of reference books all day long. The life was tedious at that time, and the most pleasant pastime was daydreaming. I imagined that, after taking the exam, I would do something different, something challenging, and something that I've never experienced before; then, I came up with the plan for walking around the island.

Taking a photo with a family who was driving on South-Link Highway (Provincial Highway 9).

         In Taiwan, highways and railways are both built coastally because mountains made up most of the island's central area. They form two main circles of transportation, providing multiple options for people to travelling around the island. One can travel by train, by bus, by car, by motorcycle, or by bicycle. In recent years, cycling has become a fad and fashion for those who intend to have a colorful vacation. However, seldom of them try to travel on foot. It's probably because of time duration. Small though Taiwan is, it takes up to 40 days on average to finish the journey if you'd like to walk all the way around the island. This challenge requires lots of patience and determination, and maybe some audacity and good luck. Since I had gone through the process of taking college entrance exams, which is quite similar to that of walking around the island -- both are long and seem endless -- I thought it would not be a problem to embark on the challenge.

Taking a selfie on a bicycle path leading to Huwei Township, Yunlin County.

         Besides, I'd heard of a concept called Grand Tour, which was an European custom during the Renaissance. Young men from the nobility set out on journey to France or Italy, in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilization. The tour could last from several months to several years, and were often taken as a sort of “coming-of-age” rite of passage. I'd also read several books such as "Marcher, une philosophie" by Frédéric Gros, and was deeply fascinated by such trekking full of spiritual and philosophical meaning. Therefore, Taiwan, my homeland, a familiar place where I've long been unfamiliar with, became my first place to explore. I decided to trek no matter on the plains or among the mountains, in the fields or through the forests. I decided to silently observe the crowd in the cities and reflect on how modernity affect our life. I decided to learn local customs, adopt local lifestyles, and even take part in local lives. Finally, I decided to enjoy an independent trip without any interference, that is, only I could decide where to stay, where to rest, where to go.

Provincial Highway 30 in Yuli Township, Hualien County.

         For these reasons, I embarked on the tour on July 25, with three sets of clothes, two books, and a big backpack. Although there were some twists and turns on the way, I finished my Grand Tour on Sept 1, walking for more than 780 km. 

A selfie taken at the southeast seashore in Taitung.

Ba-wan (Taiwanese meatball)

       Ba-wan (肉圓, literally means "meat circle"), gets its name due to its ball-like appearance and pork filling inside. Or you can also call it directly "Taiwanese meatball". With chewy and firm skin, and sweet and savory sauce, ba-wan always ranks in the top 10 of the best-loved Taiwanese cuisine. 

Li's ba-wan, Caotun (草屯 肉圓李)

photo credits to: 0492320330.tw.tranews.com/

        It is said that ba-wan was first invented in 1898 by Fan Wan-ju (范萬居), who served as a psychic translator (文筆生) of a temple in Beidou, Changhua. At that time, a heavy flood struck the region, so the deity instructed Mr. Fan to prepare some food for disaster relief. He came up with an idea to prepare dumpling that was suitable for mass production: ground dried sweet potatoes into starch, bunch it up into dough, fill it with cabbage, then cook it into the shape of pastry. This was the prototype of ba-wan. As the recipe was passed down to Mr. Fan's offspring, Beidou ba-wan has become the "standard" style and also developed into the modern version -- the stuffing had been replaced by pork, and the skin had been blended with rice flour or cornstarch. Interestingly, you may see some pinch marks remaining on the skin of the Beidou ba-wan because it is dug out by hand from the bowl!

Fan's ba-wan, Beidou (北斗 范氏肉圓生)

photo credits to: www.web66.com.tw/CW7/

        Later, ba-wan was spread island-wide and the practice varies widely according to different areas. Almost every township has its well-known ba-wan vendor. Although ba-wan is initially cooked by steaming to form the glutinous skin, poaching in oil or deep frying are also common cooking methods, making the skin crispy and crumbly. In central Taiwan, fried ba-wan is in the mainstream, while steamed ba-wan prevails in southern Taiwan. As for the stuffing, it is usually a mixture of lean meat, and bamboo shoots; shiitake mushrooms, red yeast, shrimps, and scallions are optional. Here is an introduction to special ba-wans all over Taiwan!

A-wen's ba-wan, Qingshui (清水 阿文肉圓)

photo credits to: mystore.tranews.com

        When I was a child, I did not like to eat ba-wan, because I thought its skin is too sticky to swallow and its stuffing is too less to bring me satisfaction. Now I realize the gelatinous texture is its most distinguishing feature. Besides, serving with some sweet chili sauce and cilantro (Chinese parsley, 香菜) will greatly enhance its taste. I am still exploring delicious ba-wan all over Taiwan. In my opinion, Achang ba-wan (阿璋肉圓) in Changhua City and Fuji ba-wan (福記肉圓) in Tainan City are worthy of trying!

        Wanna have some ba-wan in your kitchen? The video below will teach you how to make one:

Braised Pork Rice

        When it comes to Taiwanese folk cuisine, “braised pork rice” is always on my favorite list. It is so common and popular that you can find it almost from every street vendor and local restaurant in Taiwan. Topped with savory meat sauce, translucent white steamed rice accompanies the tantalizing aroma and delectable tastes. Braised pork rice is purely and simply a feast for your eyes, nose and stomach!

        In Chinese, braised pork rice is written as “滷肉飯”, with Mandarin pronunciation “lǔ-ròu-fàn”, or Taiwanese pronunciation “lóo-bah-pn̄g”. The term “滷” refers to boil or stew with soy sauce as seasoning. But you can usually see “滷” incorrectly replaced by the character “魯” on the menus. Two wrongs make a right -- nowadays the two homophones are both acceptable. 

        In addition to variant characters, “滷肉飯” comprises regional differences. In northern Taiwan, “滷肉飯” means rice with braised ground/minced pork sauce, while people in the southern of Taiwan call it “肉燥飯”.  On the other hand, in southern Taiwan, "滷肉飯" means rice with braised pork belly, which is called “肉燥飯” in northern Taiwan. The major difference is whether the pork is minced or not. In fact, what I refer to in this post is "滷肉飯" with northern meaning.

Northern name: 滷肉飯 (lóo-bah-pn̄g) -- braised pork rice

Southern name: 肉燥飯 (bah-sò-pn̄g) -- minced pork rice

photo credits to: lohas.pixnet.net/
     

                      

Northern name: 炕肉飯 (khòng-bah-pn̄g) -- soy-stewed pork rice

Southern name: 滷肉飯 (lóo-bah-pn̄g) -- braised pork rice

photo credits to: newsblog.chinatimes.com/leafphoto/

        The video clip below gives a vivid explanation (or debate~) to the regional differences of Taiwanese foods:

        It is quite easy to prepare this delicious dish by yourself. All you have to do is stir-fry the ground pork with sliced shallot in oil, bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer it for hours. And don’t forget the most crucial condiment -- soy sauce. The quality of soy sauce can determine the savor of braised pork rice. Stir the sauce occasionally while simmering in order to thicken it moderately. You may also need some spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, etc.) to make unique flavor. Here is a recipe with a complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions. If you don't feel like cooking, eating outside is OK. Only pay NT$30 and you can enjoy an medium-sized bowl of braised pork rice in the basement of Men's 1st Dorm, NTU. Just give it a try!

photo credits to: hewoksoflife.com/

Mazu culture in Taiwan

        Mazu (or spelt Matsu) religion is originated from the coastal regions of China. With the immigration of Chinese, the religion was spreaded to the East and Southeast Asia as well. In the 17th and 18th centuries, crossing the Taiwan Strait was risky for those who intended to move from the mainland to Taiwan, since they often lacked sailing skills and expenses. Hence, they sought blessing from Mazu. After arriving the destination safely, they erected temples in village to worship her. Nowadays Mazu religion has become one of the most important and popular folk religion in Taiwan.

        Mazu is believed to have been born in Meizhou (湄州), Fujian Province in Song Dynasty (宋朝). She was given the name Lin Moniang (林默娘, literally means a silent girl) because she didn't cry when she was born. Legends has it that she possessed special powers to help people. Knowing her father and brother was going to suffer a shipwreck, she jumped into the sea in hope of saving them; unfortunately, none of them survived. Moniang's corpse was washed ashore on one of the islands which was later named "Matsu Islands (馬祖列島)" in memory of her. Since then, she has been seen as a Goddess of the Sea and known as Mazu, which means "Mother-Ancestor". In Qing Dynasty, Mazu was canonized as Tianshang Shengmu (天上聖母), which means "Heavenly Holy Mother." 

Mazu's statue

Always with a kindly smile, Mazu is the protector of the fishermen and the sailors. 

photo credits to: orchid.shu.edu.tw/

        In Taiwan, there are two large-scale pilgrimages held annually for celebrating Mazu's birthday festival, which is on March 23 of the lunar calendar. 

Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage

       One is hosted by Dajia Jenn Lann Temple (大甲鎮瀾宮). It takes nine days for the pious devotees to walk in procession from Dajia District, Taichung City to Fengtien Temple (新港奉天宮) in Singang Township, Chiayi County and back. Mazu is said to rest at different Mazu temples in different towns every night. Although the walk is tough and long, food and accommodation are provided by the residents along the way, usually for free! Maybe this is part of the reason why the 300-kilometer journey attracts 200,000 participants each year. No wonder that the festival is nicknamed Mazu March Mania (三月瘋媽祖) by the locals. 

Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage

The route covers four counties and cities: Taichung, Changhua, Yulin, and Chiayi. There is one mispelling in the picture above--"Day 6, Chengan Temple" is actually "Day 6, Dian-an Temple."

photo credits to: travel.cnn.com/

Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage 

        The other pilgrimage is held by Baishatun Gongtien Temple (白沙屯拱天宮). Starting in Tongxiao Township, Miaoli County and ending in Chaotien Temple (北港朝天宮), Beigang Township, Yunlin County, the journey is much longer than that of Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage. The biggest difference between the two is that, the actual route of Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage is not scheduled by human in advance, but decided by Mazu's will during the pilgrimage. 

Baishatun Gongtien Temple

Baishatun Gongtien Temple, built in 1863 and rebuilt in 1989, is a well-known Mazu Temple in Miaoli. I sometimes went stargazing with my friends in Baishatun when I was in senior high. But I haven't visited this famous temple yet.

photo credits to blog.xuite.net/hsis68/twblog 

        I have never participated in a Mazu pilgrimage before, but I did visit several Mazu temples during my walking-around-Taiwan trip (徒步環島). For example, Dian-an Temple in Beidou Township, Changhua County (北斗奠安宮), Fuhsing Temple in Xiluo Township, Yunlin County (西螺福興宮), etc. They are all magnificent and breathtaking! I would say, Mazu is not only about a religion, a tradition, but also about a spirit, a culture representing Taiwan. 

        By the way, I am looking for an opportunity to attend Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage next year! Haha~

Crawling beneath the palanquin

The ritual called "crawling beneath the palanquin (鑽轎腳)" can bring blessings to the pilgrims. I have gone through the ritual once, but not in Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage.

photo credits to: www.formosaimage.com/

Dajia Jenn Lann Temple

Jenn Lann Temple, built in 1732 and rebuilt in 1787, is one of the most renowned Mazu temples in Taiwan. I attended a cycling activity called "萬眾騎bike" in March, 2013. We rode for 80 km and went through 14 districts in Taichung. The task was to collect four stamps from four Mazu temples in Taichung, one of which is exactly Dajia Jenn Lann Temple.

photo credits to: www.taiwantourbus.com.tw/

Beigang Chaotien Temple 

Constructed in 1694, Chaotien Temple has witnessed the rise and fall of the small town for over 300 years. I took this photo in Beigang during my walking-around-Taiwan trip. 

photo credits to: Hsin-you Ho

The Incense Race at Chaotien Temple

This photo depicts a popular ritual during Chinese New Year, the "incense race  (搶頭香)." If one burns the first incense sticks in the incense urn, he or she will receive the most luckiness from it.

photo credits to: udn.com/



Singang Fengtien Temple

Singang is the birthplace of my grandfather, great grandfather, and great-great grandfather! My great-great grandfather was a teacher in traditional Chinese private school (私塾) and he once served as the secretary of Fengtien Temple.

photo credits to: Hsin-you Ho

Penghu Tianhou Temple (澎湖天后宮)

Established no later than 1604, Penghu Tianhou Temple is the oldest Mazu temple in Taiwan and Penghu. 

photo credits to: digitalarchives.tw/Exhibition

Brief History of Taiwan (II)

        After the Zheng-family regime was destroyed, there was a debate over whether or not to bring Taiwan into Qing Empire's realm. The Kangxi Emperor (康熙皇帝) disagreed to annex Taiwan in the beginning, but was later convinced by Shi Lang (施琅) that Taiwan has its strategic significance. However, generally speaking, the Qing dynasty ruled Taiwan with a passive attitude in first 190 years.

        In early period under Qing rule, immigration from the mainland to Taiwan was under rigid limitations. For example, only single Fujianese men were allowed to immigrate Taiwan, leading the phenomenon of "Tangshan grandpa, no Tangshan grandma (有唐山公，無唐山媽). " The Han settlers (漢人移民), as well as the aborigines had suffered many hardships since food, land, water, and other kinds of resources were scarce at that time. Consequently, armed conflicts occurred regularly between the aborigines and the Han people, or between settlers from different provinces and prefectures. In addition, revolts broke out quite often. During Lin Shuangwen's rebellion (林爽文事變), the most massive one, three county seats (縣城) once fell into 30,000 rebels' occupation, and it took two years to stamp out the riots. The combative climate could be proved through the proverb "every three years an uprising; every five years a rebellion (三年一小反、五年一大亂)."

Lin Shuangwen's rebellion

"The Qing army laying siege to Daliyi Village" (清軍圍攻大里杙)

photo credits to: twnpluplu.blogspot.tw

        Not until the second half of the 19th century did Qing Empire notice the importance of Taiwan in their maritime defense strategy. In 1860, China lost in the Second Opium War (第二次鴉片戰爭); according to unequal treaties, four treaty ports in Taiwan were forced to be opened to trade with Western countries. In 1871, four Ryukyuan (琉球) vessels met a violent typhoon and one of them drifted to the southern tip of Taiwan. Fifty-four members of its crew were killed by the Paiwan aborigines due to some misunderstanding. This accident brought about Japanese invasion of Taiwan against the aborigines in 1874.

Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1874)

photo credits to: ihc.apc.gov.tw

        In response to changes in the international situation, the authorities began to alter its policies towards Taiwan. These policies were implemented to develop infrastructure, education, and fortification. In the aftermath of the Sino-French War (中法戰爭), administrative divisions are adjusted as well: Taiwan was declared a separate province in 1885, divided into four prefectures (府/直隸州), eleven counties (縣), and three sub-prefectures (廳). Liu Mingchuan (劉銘傳), the first governor of the Taiwan Province, was dedicated to modernizing Taiwan. Under his leadership, a railway was built from Keelung to Taipei, becoming the earliest railroad system of Taiwan and China.

Liu Mingchuan

photo credits to: www.epochtimes.com

        Less than a decade later, First Sino-Japanese War (甲午戰爭) broke out. Failure of the Qing Empire led to the end of its rule over Taiwan.  The island of Taiwan and Penghu was ceded to Empire of Japan as a result of Treaty of Shimonoseki (馬關條約) in 1895. Unwilling to accept the fact of cession, some Taiwanese managed to resist Japanese forces. Although there were resistance movements such as the short-lived Republic of Formosa (臺灣民主國), and the militia organized by people island-wide, they couldn't withstand the fierce offensive launched by Japanese and were finally suppressed.

Brief History of Taiwan (I)

        During glacial periods in the Late Pleistocene (更新世晚期), the sea levels became so low that some people from southeast Chinese coast were able to walk through Taiwan Strait and settle on the island. They are believed to have been the ancestors of Taiwanese aborigines.

        With the increasing prosperity of East Asia trade during Age of Discovery, the Dutch, with a view to trade with China and Japan, choose Taiwan as their commercial base. In 1623, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) first arrived on Tainan and build Fort Zeelandia. Meanwhile, the Spanish establish a colony in the north of Taiwan and built two fortresses in Keelung and Tamsui, respectively. The result of competition between the Dutch and the Spanish is that the Spanish was driven out from Taiwan in 1642.

         In the 17th century, while the Dutch occupied the south and the Spanish seized the north, the Kingdom of Middag (大肚王國) formed the third political power in the central west plains in Taiwan. The Kingdom was actually a supra-tribal alliance composed of several plains aboriginal (平埔族) tribes, including Papora, Babuza, Pazeh, and Hoanya. It had been independent from other regimes for 100 years until it was overwhelmed by Qing Dynasty in 1732.

         Koxinga (國姓爺), or Zheng Chenggong (鄭成功), was born to a well-known Chinese merchant and pirate Zheng Zhilong (鄭芝龍); he was against the Manchu regime which had overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644. He needed a proper place for his "Anti-Qing sentiment (反清復明)," so he led his fleet to Taiwan and defeated the Dutch in 1662. After the takeover of Taiwan, Koxinga established a government (known as Kingdom of Tungning), and refused to surrender to Qing court.

The statue of Koxinga

photo credits to wikipedia.com

         However, after the death of Koxinga's son, Zheng Jing (鄭經), the Qing court dispatched admiral Shi Lang (施琅) to attack Zheng's fleet in Penghu. Eventually, Zheng Keshuang (鄭克塽), the successor of Zheng Jing, conceded defeat and thus Taiwan was annexed by Qing dynasty. Since then, Taiwan was declared part of the territory of Fujian Province...

(To be continued)

The video below provides a overview of Taiwanese history, though some of its historical perspectives are debatable~