A break in the weather 天気の破れ日

It had been raining since Tuesday, but this morning was finally bright and sunny, and a perfect day to go for a walk. However, I waited until 1 o'clock before leaving for Chung-cheng Park. By the time I got there, the sun and rain clouds were battling for control of the skies. Fortunately, the sun prevailed most of the time.

火曜日から雨が降った。しかし今日の天気はよくなって、１時にうちを出て中正公園に行った。

"Ch'ing wu chien k'ai OK (Cing wu jian kai OK)" 請勿剪開ＯＫ "Please don't cut open, OK?" This poor fruit farmer must have had his fence cut open (and some fruit stolen) in the past.

Life 生物:

Gregory Clark

I'm sure he loves his mother. He's probably kind to children and small animals. And he has written some good articles in the Japan Times on education issues. But when it comes to international relations and politics, what pours out of Gregory Clark's keyboard and onto the Commentary pages of the JT is often vile. This is a man who feels that China's claim to Tibet is justified, and never mentions the ongoing crusade by the Chinese government to destroy Tibetan culture. This is a man who thinks it was OK for North Korea to have abducted ordinary Japanese in the 70s and 80s, because thousands of Koreans were forced to come to Japan up until the end of World War II. I guess Clark's mother never taught him that two wrongs don't make a right. And this is a man who frequently criticizes resident foreigners in Japan (and even foreigners who have become Japanese citizens) for going to court to fight cases of outright discrimination, on the grounds that the Japanese have a right to defend their way of life (though he has never made it clear how admitting several Westerners into a hot spring could threaten Japan's "unique" culture). If Clark were an American (he's an Aussie, actually) writing in the mid-1950's, he probably would have told Rosa Parks she should accept the fact that her place was in the back of the bus.

Clark is at again, in a commentary in today's Japan Times, "So much for Abe's reconciliation policy". While not as offensive as some of his past writings, it's pretty indicative of GC's tendency to put on the blinders when it comes to China. While there is nothing wrong with being a Sinophile (I'm an admitted Japanophile, and I have Anglophiliac tendencies as well), seldom is heard a derogatory word about China when it comes time to submit a piece to the JT. 

In Clark's alternate universe, the Chinese government was doing Japan a favor by focusing on the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals at the Yasukuni Shrine, and now the poor Chinese have to put up with Shinzo Abe's new assertiveness in Japan's foreign relations because he has not declared he will visit Yasukuni. Those cunning Japanese have managed to pull a fast one, and now they are teaming up with the Americans to confront China over Taiwan. Why, Tokyo still lobbies the European Union to maintain its ban on arms sales to the Chinese. And watch out, Tokyo is upgrading its military in order to...well, as Gregory puts it:

"These are people [meaning the Abe administration] who are in love with the military and its trappings, and are determined to find the enemies needed to keep the military employed."

In Clark's article, you are not going to find any references to China's ongoing buildup of its military, which has officially recorded double-digit spending increases for more than a decade (and unofficially a lot more). There are no remarks about the worries of other Asian nations over Chinese claims to the Spratly Islands, the Senkakus and other areas. Has China deployed up to 900 missiles aimed at Taiwan, a self-ruled island for over 50 years with democratically elected leaders? You won't get the answer from Mr. Clark. And why does the EU have a ban in place on arms sales? Clark won't tell you it was because the Chinese government turned the People's Liberation Army on its own people in Tiananmen Square back on June 4, 1989. And why talk about China's deplorable human rights record, or Xinjiang, or even the fact that more Chinese have died at the hands of the government in power in Beijing since 1949 than were killed by the Japanese Imperial Army? Never let facts get in the way of a good story, eh Greg?

But it's not only China that's a victim in GC's world. Poor little North Korea is also being picked on by those resurgent Japanese militarists. Japan supports "...U.S. hawkish positions that in effect justify North Korea's nuclear and missile developments" (without clarifying what those "positions" are, of course). So Pyongyang isn't to blame for its long record of broken promises and deceit when it comes to the nuclear weapons issue. And instead of thanking Kim Jong-il profusely for releasing five Japanese abductees back in 2002, Abe "...began to insist that Pyongyang had to liberate many more alleged abductees, including those Pyongyang insists do not exist or are dead." If the North Korean government says they don't exist or are no longer living, it must be true, right? As with China, you will never find any mention of North Korea's abominable treatment of its own people in Clark's articles.

It's hard to understand how people like Gregory Clark feel the need to apologize for and/or excuse murderous regimes (though an insight into his personality can perhaps be gleaned from this old article from the Australian Magazine). Yes, the rise of the right in Japan is something that needs to be monitored. But if Clark can ever sort out the psychological issues that seem to fog up his moral compass when it comes to the Middle Kingdom, he might realize that it's a resurgence of Chinese nationalism, combined with China's rise as an economic power, that is the biggest threat to security in East Asia in the long term.

Better yet, being the vice-president of Akita International University,perhaps he should just stick to writing on educational issues. At least he's marooned up in the Tohoku region. Let's hope he stays up there.

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

On weekends I like to go for walks in the hills above Chung-cheng (Jhong-jheng) Park 中正公園 in Fengyuan (Fongyuan とよはら 豊原), and this Sunday was no exception.

This small Taoist temple, Futetzu (Fudecih 福徳祠), often blasts karaoke into the surrounding hills, but today it was blissfully quiet. "Fute" is the name of the god enshrined in this temple, though Fute can be found everywhere in Taiwan. The characters above the temple's name read "Tingpeikeng (Dingbeikeng)". 頂北抗 is the name of the area, something I didn't know until my wife told me just now.

Later in the afternoon, Pamela, Amber and I headed into Taichung (Taijhong たいちゅう 台中), where we met up with Steve and his family at a new park on Wenhsin (Wunsin 文心) Road, the name of which escapes me. However, it is the site of a new outdoor amphitheater, part of the local government's campaign to bring some much-needed class to Taichung.

Amber couldn't care less about culture. She just liked being outside.

Amber must've been worn out, however, because she slept most of the time we were in Toys 'R' Us to buy some gifts for her first birthday next weekend. By the time we stopped off at Capita'n, a great Japanese supermarket on Chungte (Chongde 崇徳) Road, she was more alert. So much so, that she wanted to get out of her stroller and walk the aisles, and wouldn't give up the Nissin Seafood Cup Noodle that can't be found in ordinary Taiwanese convenience stores and supermarkets. My daughter has good taste.

Takeng 大坑

Last week, the wife suggested we go for a drive to see the plum blossoms 梅花. Well, come this morning, She Who Must Be Obeyed decided she didn't want to see them after all. So, not wanting to let a nice day go to waste, I headed out to Takeng (Dakeng 大坑). The last time I was there, I climbed up the No. 3 Trail, then came down the No. 4. This time, I decided to do the reverse course.

今週末は梅花を見るつもりがあったが妻は考えが変わった。そうして一人で大抗に行って山を登った。

I left home around noon wearing a sweater and jacket (and got back around 5 wearing the same things), but once on the trail, things quickly warmed up and it wasn't long before I was in short-sleeves. Even though it's only mid-January, the temperature on the mountain was 84 F. Even the bees were already out in force.

１月の中ごろのに、山の上の温度は２９℃だった。ミツバチはもう出て来た。:

Of the four trails leading to the top of the mountain, the No. 4 is the longest, and the most exposed to the elements.

大抗の四つの山道の中には第４はいちばん長くて、天気にさらされている。:

A flag for a group called the "Taichung City Mountain Climbing Environmental Preservation Association". Or something like that:

The view from the top of the ridge, looking down.
尾根からの景色:

A sign informing me that I had come 1600 meters to this point from the start of the No. 4 Trail, or roughly 1 mile.

第４山道の始めからこの看板まで歩いて１６００メートルかかった。:

The view from the highest point on the ridge
尾根のいちばん高い所からの眺め:

Going down the No. 3 Trail, which has more tree cover.
第３山道を降下していた。:

I hope my daughter doesn't get any ideas!:

The road not taken. The white sign pointing down is for a shortcut to the Chung-cheng (Jhong-jheng) Campsite, the start of the No. 4 Trail, and the place where my scooter was parked. I elected to stay on the No. 3, however. The sign in red warns of the dangers that lurk if you stray from the path:

Near the bottom of the trail was this box of emergency medical supplies. It appears to have been donated by the Rotary Club of Machida, Tokyo 東京町田ロータリークラブ (I used to work in Machida 町田に仕事をした). Japan and Taiwan may not have official diplomatic relations, but their rotary club chapters seem to be cooperating:

Finally! On the road walking back to the campground and my scooter.
ついに道に着いた。:

On the way back to Fengyuan 豊原, I rode by the new Tzu Chi hospital. Tzu Chi is a large Buddhist organization that performs many acts of charity. They also have dogs taken away to be killed:

Weddings 結婚式

There is a very interesting article in today's Japan Times titled "Low-key Taiwanese fancy Shinto nuptials". Could this be the start of a new trend - Taiwanese choosing to hold their weddings in places like Hokkaido, Okinawa and Shinto shrines in Kyoto? The article states at one point:

"...Lin and Chan's Shinto wedding...stressed the exquisite art of marriage etiquette rather than the sumptuous repast highlighted in modern-day Chinese celebrations."

Japanese weddings can be pretty lavish too, but there is a quiet dignity to a Shinto marriage ceremony (as I know from personal experience) that could prove attractive to some Taiwanese couples. Is it too early to start planning my daughter's wedding? Ise would be nice. Geku or Naiku? Hmm...

A cold Saturday 寒かった土曜日

I had hoped to go climbing in Takeng today, but unfriendly weather, combined with the cold that I'm having trouble shaking off, ruled that out. So instead I went for a shorter walk closer to home. Some pictures from today:

今日大抗という山へ行きたかったが、まだ風邪が引いたから家の近くにある中正公園で散歩した。

A factory seen through the trees 遠い工場:

A lizard trying to blend in トカゲ:

Spiders are still hanging around despite the chill 寒くなっているのに山でまだクモがいる:

Later in the afternoon, we went with Amber to the Pacific Department Store in Fengyuan to do some shopping. Amber had a good time, as usual.

昼になると家族と豊原の太平洋デパートへ買い物に行った:

I noticed this sign at the department store, unintelligible to most of the shoppers there:

The wording is a little strange in that the hiragana under the kanji in the upper left says "Kashuen" かしゅえん, when the characters are actually read as "Kashichoendo" 菓子町園道, literally "Candy Town Garden Road". The body of the sign says "Joshitsuna koku" 上質なコク or "High-quality...something" - I'm not sure what コク means here. The smaller print informs you that "Natural tasting ingredients were used" ナチュラルテイスト素材を活かした (Nachuraru teisuto sozai wo katsushita). I can't say for sure how correct the Japanese is on this sign, but the candy shop won't be open until the 18th of this month.

Taiwan's Shinkansen 台湾の新幹線

Taiwan's long-delayed Shinkansen service finally started running yesterday, and the Japanese media (most of it anyway) is keen on the story. The Daily Yomiuri has a front-page article on it's website today. This is the first time Japan's Shinkansen technology has been exported. As the last paragraph in the Yomiuri article puts it:

"While Taiwan does not maintain diplomatic relations with Japan, the project is seen as a symbol of economic and technological exchange in the private sector between Japan and Taiwan."

The Japan Times also had a story on the new high-speed rail line, but for some strange reason it was buried deep in their website.

UPDATE: I spotted the Shinkansen this afternoon as it was heading north, from high atop a hill overlooking Fengyuan, and with the aid of a pair of binoculars.