Taiwan Today

Taiwan Newsletter—Lin family compound The 14-acre Lin family compound, named after Taiwan's wealthiest and most influential family in the 19th century, is located at Panchiao on the southwest border of Taipei. Fifty years before the Japanese occupation of Taiwan in 1895, the Lin family was living in the compound, which consisted of two complexes. The old one was built in 1853, the later one in 1883. The architecture was classical Chinese. Most of the materials were brought from the mainland. The Lin family came from Fukien Province across the Formosa Strait from Taiwan. Lin Ying-yin reached Taiwan in 1778. The family's fortune was acquired by Ying-yin's son, Lin Pin-hou, who started out as a rice shop worker. Pin-hou saved some money, opened his own rice shop and prospered. He achieved a dominant place in Taiwan's salt trade and acquired a fleet of merchant ships. Pin-hou became an official in Fukien but returned to Taiwan on his retirement and began construction of the family compound. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, the Lin family lived on the mainland. The Japanese neglected the compound and hundreds of squatters occupied it. Restoration of the compound is now under way at a cost of US$2.6 million. Express News—Drama festival The Taipei Drama Festival, the city's third major cultural event in 1980, included 66 performances in 33 days. It lasted for a month and followed the Taipei Arts Season and Taipei Music and Dance Festival. Traditional dramas, folk plays and modern works were presented. One of the most popular was the curtain-raiser, Nien Yu Kuan Yin (Jade Goddess of Mercy) written by Prof. Yao Yi-wei but based on a folktale of the Sung Dynasty. The story tells how Tsei Ning, an artisan, carves a jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy for his master, chief of a prefecture in the Sung Dynasty, to be presented to the Emperor's mother. Noting that the features of the statue resemble those of his daughter Hsiu Hsiu, the master suspects an incipient love affair and expels Tsei Ning. Hsiu Hsiu elopes with the young man, but hardship and poverty force the pregnant daughter to return to her father. Thirteen years later, Tsei Ning—blind, hungry and dying—finds Hsiu Hsiu and his son. He devotes his failing strength to carving another jade statue and dedicates it to Hsiu Hsiu. Some 25 open air performances were presented free of charge at Taipei New Park and schools. Sinorama—Leader in education With her head of silver hair and her tall and upright figure, Dorothy T. Kao still has the bearing of a distinguished teacher despite her 80 years. Her 60 years in education can be divided into three stages. From 1919 to 1949, she taught physical education at the Peiping Women's Normal University and Northeastern University on the Chinese mainland. For eight years after she moved to Taiwan, she was the principal of the primary school affiliated with the Taiwan Provincial Hsinchu Junior Teachers' College. From 1956 to 1968, she was director of the Elementary School Teachers' In-Service Education Center and helped to develop many outstanding primary school teachers. She recalled that 60 years ago, it was unheard of for women to study physical education. Only persistence persuaded her parents to let her have her way. She was the second woman in Chinese history to study physical education in the United States. She spent two years in America, then returned to become director of the Department of Physical Education at her old college. By the time she retired in 1968, 17,899 teachers had completed training at the In-Service Education Center, including 208 from foreign countries and 1,172 principals and student directors. Min Sheng Pao—Cactus King Yeh Fu-chi, known as the "Cactus King" to inhabitants of his native Talien Village in Changhua County of central Taiwan, has shown the same resiliency as the plant he has cultivated for the last 25 years. His interest was kindled 30 years ago when one of his friends gave him a cactus from Japan. When he discovered cacti would grow well in a confined space provided they had sandy soil, good drainage and plenty of sunshine, he decided to grow them as house plants. Yeh's nursery produces 60,000 plants a year and this will be increased to 100,000. The wide variety of cactus shapes attracts buyers. An "old man cactus" has a shaggy coat of gray hair to protect it from the sun. Yeh exports to Japan, Singapore, Hongkong, the Philippines and the Netherlands. He will hire more trade and management talent to help enlarge the business. Though in the wild cactus thrives under inhospitable conditions, it needs special care and attention when mass produced. Yeh protects his plants with plastic sheeting. If a typhoon approaches, the plants must be sheltered. Hotel Magazine—Island of orchids The distance between Orchid Island and Oluanpi at the southern tip of Taiwan is 35 nautical miles. The island is 12 miles wide and 6 miles long. Geologists say the island emerged out of a volcanic eruption of 1,600 years ago. It was discovered in 1726. Natives are Ya Mei aborigines. Of the population of 3,500, Ya Meis number 3,000. Ya Mei houses and canoes belong to the husband. The wife owns the family's domestic fowl. Ya Meis tend to marry early. The wife is usually 2 to 3 years older than the husband. Due to subtropical weather, clothing is skimpy. Until recently it was virtually nonexistent. Ya Meis like their wood and stone huts built on stilts for summer. In the winter, they keep warm in caves. Food is simple; much of it is from the sea. Staples are boiled calla, sweet potatoes, millet and seafood. Unlike other aborigine tribes, the Ya Meis dislike alcohol. They favor strong cigarettes instead. There are many ceremonies, celebrations and dances. Launching of a canoe is a big event. Vegetation includes the redheaded vine and redheaded orchid. The orchid is found only on the island. It grows on old banyan trees in the mountains. The flower is white and fragrant. Sinorama—Taiwan has music Wherever you go in Taiwan's cities and townships, you can hear music. Shops use music to attract customers. Taxi drivers keep up their spirits with it. A home is not considered complete without stereo. Phonographs were introduced to Taiwan during the 1895-1945 Japanese occupation. The making of records has a history of three decades. As the industry groped for its groove, most of the songs were pirated from abroad. In 1954, a recording was made of the National Anthem played by the band of the Ministry of National Defense. Mass production came in 1961. Exports began in 1965. Overseas Chinese were hungry for records of the Chinese language and music to teach their children. In the early 1970s, young people began to compose their own music. Sales of records and tapes soared. The Government Information Office presents five annual awards to record makers and three to composers or lyric writers.