Kendō Monkeys

Beautiful weather makes for great hiking, and so do monkeys. Seconds into the start of my walk up Tak'eng's 大坑 No. 3 Trail, I encountered a small group of Formosan macaques タイワンザル foraging amongst the foliage. Climbing over the railing to get a better look might not have been a good idea, as it made at least one of them annoyed enough to start approaching me, but it turns out a camera flash makes for an effective deterrence. With all the moving around in the dense undercover, it was impossible to get any decent photographs, with the two shots below the best I could do:

...but, with no offense to any literally-minded Christians out there (OK, offense intended), it was great having a close encounter with our nearest relatives.

Following my nearly three-hour excursion up the No. 3 and down the No. 4, I rode into downtown T'aichung (Taichū) 台中 to check out a Japanese-era kendō 剣道 dōjō 道場 that I had heard about from Andrew Kerslake (of "Taiwan in Cycles" http://taiwanincycles.blogspot.com/). Located close to the intersection of Linsen 森林路 and Sanmin 三民路 Roads, the building is a beautiful example of colonial-period architecture. The original martial arts building was constructed in August 1912, before being replaced by a cement brick building in 1930. Half of the interior is covered with tatami 畳 mats, and was used for jūdō 柔道 training, while the exposed wooden flooring was intended for kendō practice:

There are also two wooden buildings, one adjacent to the practice hall, and the other directly behind it. The rear building serves as a museum, though it was undergoing some final touches by workmen when I took off my shoes and had a look inside:

A banyan tree stands tall among the old structures:

The area around the martial arts compound has a number of Japanese-era homes, but, sadly, most are in a state of disrepair. This green house below was a happy exception, and had just been used as a setting for a couple's wedding photographs when I stumbled across it:

A tip of the hat to the T'aichung city government for not letting ideological considerations get in the way of historical preservation. And a big thanks to Andrew for telling me about this. However, I must respectfully disagree with his explanation:

"Its significance in Taiwan is that it was used to prepare Taiwanese school children to learn the militarism necessary to fight for the emperor."

Actually, as a couple of plaques on-site make clear, these buildings served as a training center for guards at the T'aichung Penitentiary (which was built on the same grounds in 1895). Even today, kendō is an important part of training for many police officers in Japan. After all, it instills discipline, builds stamina, develops a sense of timing and comes in handy for those who must wield a baton or a stick in their line of work. Though kendō was banned in Japan after World War II by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces (SCAP) 連合国軍最高司令官総司令部 (as were all other martial arts), the proscription was short-lived, and by 1950 it was allowed to be practiced again. For more on kendō, follow the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo.

Thanksgiving

Yes, it's that time of year again, at least for Americans. In Taiwan, of course, this day isn't a holiday, but we were still able to have a turkey dinner this evening at an expatriate bar/restaurant in T'aichung (Taichū) 台中. Amber seemed especially satisfied with the meal. As this day is meant to be a time of reflection, I have a lot to be thankful for. While the last ten years or so certainly haven't progressed in the manner in which I had hoped (and in some areas, there has been virtually no progression), I realize things could be much, much worse. I have a wonderful family, I've gotten to know a lot of great people (though, sadly, a couple of them are no longer with us), and I've had the chance to do things and go places that many others will never get. No matter where you are in this world, or what your passport has stamped on its cover, I wish all of you a happy thanksgiving in the truest sense of the word.

写真

Taken on my way home from the pool this afternoon:

 

In the news ニュース

In a move that is sure to generate yet another unintentionally hilarious China Post editorial fulmination, it's "Japan eyes doubling ground troops on islands close to China, Taiwan" http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/govt-plans-to-send-troops-to-islands-to-monitor-chinese-activity, courtesy of Japan Today:

"The Defense Ministry 防衛省 is considering doubling the number of ground troops deployed in Okinawa 沖縄 and other Nansei islands 南西諸島 in southwestern Japan close to China and Taiwan to 4,000 by 2014 under its basic defense program to be updated at the end of this year, defense sources said Sunday. In the new National Defense Program Outline, the full strength of the Ground Self-Defense Force 陸上自衛隊 would be stipulated as 157,000, the sources added. The figure is less than the 168,000 personnel stated in the ministry’s initial plan but 2,000 more than the current 155,000. The new troops will be deployed in the islands as part of Japanese efforts to step up vigilance against China, which has been increasing naval activities in areas around the Nansei Islands, a chain of islands stretching from southern Kagoshima 鹿児島 to Okinawa prefectures near Taiwan. Tension grew between the two countries following collisions in September between a Chinese trawler and Japanese patrol vessels near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島, which are also claimed by China."

Play ball

Sports are in the news now in Taiwan, but for all the wrong reasons, as the country reacts with disbelief and fury over the disqualification of Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Yang Shu-chun 楊淑君 at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Rather than throw my two cents-worth into the maelstrom of anti-Chinese and anti-Korean conspiracy theories, I'll refer you to an article in the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売 about baseball, that shared national pastime among the USA, Japan and Taiwan. The veteran baseball writer Jim Allen, in his regular Hot Corner column, has a piece on efforts being made in Japan to expand the grand old game in the international market, with a large part of the article referring to Taiwan ("Taiwan next stop on road to future" http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/T101116004929.htm):

"...Nippon Professional Baseball 日本プロ野球 Commissioner Ryōzō Katō 加藤良三 met with his counterparts from Australia, South Korea and Taiwan in September. As a result of that meeting, Taiwan has offered to host a revived Asia Series in November 2011. The club championship started in 2005 and was held at Tōkyō Dome 東京ドーム four times. 'It's been our goal to unite Asian baseball,' Richard Wang, the secretary general of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League 中華職業棒球大聯盟, told The Hot Corner by phone on Tuesday. 'From many years ago, we had a dream of having a champion of the Asia Series アジアンシリーズ play against the major league champion.' Taiwan makes an interesting setting for the Series' revival, considering the CPBL is undergoing its own rebirth nine months after being rocked by a massive game-fixing scandal. 'It [the scandal] was somewhat of a disaster,' Wang said. 'But since then, we've gotten great support from the Taiwan government's baseball revival plan. We had trust issues. Baseball had been tainted with bad influences.' Wang says the government's recognition of pro baseball's role in the nation has been crucial. 'It's not just from government policy, but from law enforcement,' he said. 'This is so helpful to keep the bad things away from baseball.' Wang believes the more visible government role will make it easier to secure sponsors. 'More than just getting their names out in public, companies will see involvement with baseball as a positive thing,' he said.

As a crucial part of today's baseball business, sponsorship - or the lack of it - can make or break a venture. The Asia Series began as the Konami Cup and for three years participating teams reaped the rewards of the sponsorship deal. In 2008, the tournament operated without Konami's コナミ cash and hasn't been played since. In the meantime, Japan's champion and the winning team from the Korean Baseball Organization have squared off in a single game. A year ago, the Yomiuri Giants 読売ジャイアンツ beat the KIA Tigers in Nagasaki 長崎. On Saturday, the Chiba Lotte Marines 千葉ロッテマリーンズ defeated the SK Wyverns at Tōkyō Dome before a crowd of 32,743. The strong gate ensured a profit, but was more a reflection on the Marines' fanatic local following than an indication of the tournament's popularity. 'Making money is good,' Wang said. 'But we need to build this Asian Series. It's our goal to unite Asian baseball. In the process, we try to make money.' A challenge for the 2011 tournament, will be finding a way to include a team from Australia, a difficult prospect considering the Australian Baseball League's schedule begins in early November, just as the Japan Series 日本選手権シリーズ is ending. Teams from Taiwan and South Korea already have to wait until the Japan Series ends in early November to meet Japan's champions. To make international competition work, there needs to be coordination and compromise among teams and leagues, particularly in the touchy area of scheduling. It isn't going to be easy, but when individual owners believe their operations will benefit from baseball having a higher international profile, they will jump on the bandwagon like nobody's business."

It's a good article, and one hopes the professional leagues in the various countries will be able to bring about a revival of the Asia Series. There are many obstacles to holding a true World Series with the Major League champion, however. The season is long enough as it is, and MLB is talking about expanding the playoffs further, starting in 2012. The MLB Players Association would also have to be involved in any negotiations to bring about a trans-Pacific championship.

As for Taiwan, Wang sounds very optimistic on the issue of gambling, but considering all the controversies that have beset the league since its formation in 1989 (see this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Professional_Baseball_League#Controversies), it's doubtful the specter of game-fixing has gone away.

Random pics

While having to take care of some personal matters in T'aichung (Taichū) 台中 this afternoon, I managed to squeeze in a 2½ hour walk in Tak'eng 大坑. Here are a few random photographs taken today:

 

Why bother with all that hiking when you can just drive up to the top of the Tak'eng No. 3 Trail?

 

ケムシ

 

I have no idea what kind of establishment "Pretty Wife Eat Cheese" is, but if I'm not mistaken, the Chinese is either "Jellyfish ("Shuimu" 水母) eat cheese" or "Medusa eats cheese".

 

Better be good around this temple, because the god is keeping watch over the neighborhood.

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part VII

The final act of Jeff and Barbara's visit to this fair isle was played out this past weekend in T'aipei (Taihoku) 台北. Having taken the train from Fengyuan (Hōgen/Toyohara) 豊原 after work on Friday evening, I joined my friends for a dinner of "Thai Fusion" that was pretty good, and coined the buzzword for the rest of the weekend. After listening to their impressions of T'ainan (Tainan) 台南 and their first two days in the capital, we returned to our rooms (same hotel), and met up early the next morning for the train trip to Fulung (Fukuryū) 福隆, the start of the Ts'aoling Historic Trail. The weather would prove to be less than amenable for the entire day, but kitted out with rain ponchos courtesy of the Fulung 7-Eleven, we were ready to go:

The 9.7 kilometer (6 miles)-long trail that exists today is the last remaining section of an early-19the century stone trail that linked Tanshui (Tansui) 淡水 in the west with Ilan (Giran) 宜蘭 in the east. Both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet books describe the walk in glowing terms, with the LP guide going so far as recommending it as THE route to take if you only have time to do one hike in Taiwan. Unfortunately, thanks to the weather, we weren't able to enjoy the "mesmerizing views of the ocean" or "the high grassy bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean that make this trail such a treasure". The fact that it was a Saturday meant the trail was crowded despite the inclement conditions. The guidebooks also neglected to mention that getting to the start of the route from Fulung Station 福隆駅 meant a long walk along a busy highway, with tour buses and trucks brushing close by us at high speeds (though it was much easier to find the trail head than the Rough Guide made it out to be).

All things considered, however, it was still a worthwhile trek. The scenery that we could see was splendid, with several historical sights along the way, such as the Tiger Tablet - somehow, inscribing a large stone with the character for "tiger" resulted in some serious wind control back in 1867:

Descending towards Tali (Dairi) 大里, the rain started to let up, and the views improved, with even Turtle Island (Kisan-tō) 亀山島 becoming visible. Passing by the large T'ienkung Temple, we made our way to Tali Station 大里駅, and the return trip to T'aipei:

Back in T'aipei, the evening turned into one of frustrating searches topped off with alcoholic rewards. A long walk along Tunhua Road failed to turn up a promised brew pup, but we did end up having some drinks and appetizers at a Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill. From the restaurant, a taxi took to the area near the Shihlin (Shirin) Night Market 士林夜市. However, from where we were dropped off, we couldn't see the building where the majority of food stalls had been relocated to a few years ago, and spent most of the time walking the around the vicinity of the original market (which I remembered from a couple of visits in years gone past). Beer at a roadside food stand saved the evening (having the Asahi Beer アサヒビール girl pour our drinks didn't hurt, either), and we did manage to find the new building and have a walk-through before taking the subway back to our hotel (I preferred the old market layout before things were "improved"):

 

Sunday opened with a walk over to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 中正記念堂, where Jeff was afraid his Slovenian soccer jersey might be judged as "slovenly dress", but we managed to make it out of there before anyone could take umbrage:

Next up was the Chienkuo Holiday Flower and Jade Markets, with some tasteful items for sale:

Following lunch, we took the MRT 台北捷運 to Kuantu (Kanto) 関渡 and the nature park. Unfortunately, an event of some kind was being held. While it was free to get in, the noisy crowds ensured that not much wildlife was going to be hanging around in close promixity. While the mass of humanity was a drawback at the nature reserve, the hordes only added to the atmosphere at the nearby Kuantu Temple, one of the largest and liveliest I've seen in Taiwan, with great views looking out from the front and back:

It was getting late in the afternoon, and I had a train to catch back to Fengyuan, so the three of us headed back into central T'aipei, and dinner at a Korean restaurant in the Breeze Mall at T'aipei Station 台北駅. A final cup of coffee and dessert, followed by a walk around the neighborhood, and then it was time for the final goodbyes:

I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it's been to see my old friend Jeff again after all these years, and getting to spend more time with his lovely wife Barbara was an additional pleasure. The two of them really seemed to have enjoyed their two-week stay on the island of Formosa, and I hope all the memories they take back with them of their trip to Taiwan will be good ones. With talk about meeting up in Tōkyō 東京, along with an invitation to visit them in Belgium, I'm sure it won't be that long again before I get to meet up again with Jeff and Barbara.

In the news ニュース

From today's Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ, it's "Taiwan seizes chance to make regional statement" http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101111f2.html:

"Taiwan has thrown its support behind a proposed Pacific Rim free-trade zone and considers APEC a key forum to achieve this, according to a senior T'aipei (Taihoku) 台北 official...APEC is one of the few international gatherings where Taiwan has representation."

For those who don't know, Yokohama 横浜 will play host this weekend to the annual gathering of leaders from the Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum, and the Japan Times is running a brief interview with Cho Shih-chao, director general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs 中華民国経済部:

"'Due to political realities, APEC and the WTO (World Trade Organization) are two of the most international organizations we attend," Cho said...'Unfortunately, we are not able to attend the Group of 20 meetings or the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), even though we'd like to. As a result, we treasure our participation in APEC.'...Cho said Taiwan has actively undertaken steps to slash tariffs and open its service sector in an effort to reach APEC's ultimate goal of trade and investment liberalization. It also launched the APEC Digital Opportunity Center project in 2004 to enhance the information and communications technology of member economies in an attempt 'to transform digital divide into digital opportunity.'" (whatever that means)

One focus of this year's APEC gathering is the U.S.-proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement, the negotiations for which the Japanese government is considering joining, while weighing the opposition from the country's influential agricultural sector. TPP has also caused some confusion in Taiwan, with "Chinese T'aipei's" チャイニーズタイペイ APEC representative, Lien Chan (Ren Sen) 蓮戦, claiming that Taiwan has been invited to join, while a trade official said only that the country is "interested" in the initiative (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/10/2003488181). In any event, Cho stated that...

"Bilateral economic partnership agreements and (Free Trade Agreements) are 'not a good way to develop trade facilitation and liberalization,'...adding a free-trade accord covering the entire Asia-Pacific region would bolster trade by easing import-export restrictions. Taiwan, however, is concerned that it may be left on the sidelines of the APEC summit due to political pressure from China. 'Legally speaking, as a member of APEC and the WTO, we have the right to enter into any free-trade agreements,' Cho said. 'But practically, because of the global political situation, we may have a little bit of difficulty in doing so.'"

Being a government official, it should come as no surprise that Cho toes the party line, noting that...:

"...China-Taiwan relations have improved significantly in recent years, especially since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou (Ba Eikyū) 馬英九 took office in 2008. Under Ma's leadership, Taiwan has taken a number of steps to strengthen ties with Beijing, including direct commercial flights between the two rivals. In June, the two governments signed the historic Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement 両岸経済協力枠組協議, which obliges China to cut import tariffs on about 540 goods and services worth an estimated $14 billion (¥1.15 trillion/NT422 billion). On the flip side, the agreement requires Taiwan to slash tariffs on around 270 imported products worth $3 billion (¥247 billion/NT90.4 billion). '(The ECFA) was a very positive development because it (established) a predictable and systematic way of doing business with China,' Cho said. 'The ECFA provides a really good opportunity for mutual benefits...Our president adopted the so-called pro-China policy and he sees China as an opportunity instead of a risk...'"

In the interview, Cho also chose to ignore the recent clashes over the Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島, and Taiwan's tacit siding of China in the dispute. Instead, he mimics his boss in noting that:'

"'We have a solid relationship with Japan at all different levels — economic and trade levels, as well as people going back and forth...We'll only get better and better in future.'"

Compass points the way

It isn't often that Compass Magazine ("Making silk purses out of sows' ears") actually gets something right, but this article on T'aiyuan (Taigen) Station 太原駅 from the October issue - http://www.taiwanfun.com/central/taichung/articles/1010/1010TCTM2.htm - is fairly spot on. While I don't share the anonymous government hack's admiration for the station's exterior architecture, and I had to settle for a can of Mr. Brown instead of the promised NT40 ($1.30/¥110) cup of coffee, it was fun to sit in the cafe area and watch the trains go by (and under). The shop also makes for an interesting browse, and if I hadn't already spent a lot of cash showing my friends around central and southern Taiwan this past week (not to mention the horror I received this afternoon at the travel agency when I learned just how much it's going to cost the three of us to fly back home during the next Chinese New Year 旧正月 holiday), I might have bought a few things. No doubt I'll make the mistake of bringing Amber here (probably by train) in the very near future.

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part VI

Jeff and Barbara's last day in T'aichung (Taichū) 台中 was spent high above it, in the hills of Tak'eng 大坑, or, to be more specific, on Trails 1 and 2 (and a segment of #5). They were impressed with the lushness of the vegetation, and the variety of insect life. But most of all, it was the Formosan Rock Macaques タイワンザル that will probably be the highlight of the day for them. For while we didn't get to actually see any monkeys, we definitely heard them moving about in the trees, and in one brief moment, arguing with one another over some simian matter.



Following the hike, I dropped my friends off at T'aichung Station 台中駅, where they caught a train for T'ainan (Tainan) 台南. As for me, life has gone back to normal, at least until the weekend, when I'll meet up with Jeff and Barbara again up in T'aipei (Taihoku) 台北.

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part V

After several days of experiencing Taiwan's more modern side, Jeff and Barbara finally got to see the "real" Asia, beginning with the Great Buddha Statue 大仏 of Changhua (Shōka) 彰化:

[caption id="attachment_225" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Japanese lantern"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_226" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Backside of the Buddha"][/caption]

 

From Changhua, we drove to Lukang (Rokkō) 鹿港, and plunged into the chaos so typical of popular tourist spots in Taiwan on weekend days. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the souls - the meaning of the term "jenao" 熱鬧* was starting to become clear to Jeff and Barbara:

When in Rome, do as the Lukangans, so lunch was oyster omelets 蚵仔煎 and dragon whiskers 龍鬚糖:

 

[caption id="attachment_228" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jeff was unaware of the gangster giving him the hairy eyeball"][/caption]

 

No time for quiet contemplation at the T'ienhou Temple (Tenkō-kyū) 天后宮...:

...but plenty of time to try some snacks on the street, such as these "namakashi", a kind of croissant:

For 波ちゃん, Lukang meant an opportunity to get a T-Rex balloon:

Streets thronged with visitors, old storefronts selling touristy knickknacks and glimpses of traditional homes behind locked gates - welcome to Taiwan:

Some locals discuss the transient nature of existence:

Lukang on a Sunday not only means hordes of people, but also lot of cars clogging the roads. Eventually, we made it back to T'aichung (Taichū) 台中, meeting up with Steve and his kids for dinner at an Indian restaurant, followed by dessert at Swensen's. Taiwan, truly Asia:

[caption id="attachment_235" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Citrus Heights contingent partially reforms in central Taiwan!"][/caption]

Monday was Jeff and Barbara's last day in T'aichung. While I went back to work today, our intrepid duo set out by themselves for T'ainan (Tainan) 台南 and T'aipei (Taihoku) 台北. I'm looking forward to hearing about their travels next weekend.

* 熱鬧 = bustling with noise and excitement/lively