8/2/2019 Hakka Liudui

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

B y Lin  y utingThe China Post

Liudui (六堆 ), meaning “six phalanxes” in Eng-lish, is a cluster of Hakka settlements spanningtoday’s Pintung (屏東  ) and Kaohsiung (高雄 )

counties. The name originated in early 18th century,when armed rebellions led by Zhu yi-gui (朱一貴 ) andDu Jun-ying (杜君英  ) expelled officials of the QingDynasty (清 ) from Taiwan.

The arrangement between the two leaders wasshort-lived and when Zhu attacked the Hakka settle-ments in southern Taiwan, residents there formed amilitia (六堆義民團 ) comprised of six phalanxes (front,back, left, right, center and spearhead) to defendthemselves. Today the term has become a generali-zation for “southern Taiwan Hakka.”

The Liudui Hakka Cultural Park (六堆客家文化園區 ), is a unique place in Liudui where you can experi-ence firsthand traditional lifestyles with your friendsand family.

Biking Around the Park

On bicycles, we departed from the red-brick archesof the Multimedia Exhibition Hall (多媒體展示館 ) andgot rolling over the gently undulating topography.

Our first stop was a wooden trail leading to the edgeof a large pond and extending further along its shore. A bamboo shack at this end of the trail looks acrossthe water at the UFO-like Umbrella Pavilions (傘架聚落 ) on the other side. These metal-frame giants tookinspiration from Hakka roundhouses traditionally builtin mainland China, as well as the paper umbrellas forwhich the nearby Meinon (美濃 )district is known.

The trail led to a garden restaurant and a tobaccohouse (菸樓 ), where workers were putting on finishingtouches. Right next to these were somewhat surrealplots of fields. Though they look fallow now, the planis that visitors will be able to experience farming first-hand.

Returning to the bike trail and riding further alongtook us to an elevated, semi-circular fountain (水頭廣場 ) that irrigated the adjacent field and will soon fea-ture an altar to the Water Deity, after Hakka custom.

Finishing our loop, we came to another modern-looking edifice — the Performance Arts Theater(演藝廳  ), inspired by Hakka architecture found innorthern Taiwan. Its imposing white walls and silvery-green metal roof still emanate a touch of old-timeelegance.

Back at the Exhibition Hall, we rested underneaththe red-brick arches. Sitting on wooden benchesaround a square wooden table and eating our boxof Hakka rice snacks, I thought about the variety of

contrasting, even jarring architectural styles we saw inthe park, but kept wondering about the park supervi-sors’ real motives.

Incidentally, if the whole park — excluding the metalumbrellas — is a microcosm of traditional Hakka set-tlements, then the children’s area in the Exhibition Hallis an microcosm within another one — this time downto the scale of small wooden blocks.

All of Liudui as a Cultural Park

Zeng Cai-jin (曾彩金  ) has been a central figurein Liudui’s cultural community for many decades.With Zeng as the chief executive, the Liudui Cultural

Studies Institute (六堆文化研究學會  ) has docu-mented rituals, customs, and their changes over

the years; it has also collected extensive oralhistory from locals.

When we consulted his opinion on the newpark, Zeng emphasized several aspectsto what he would consider a successful“Hakka Cultural Park”: professional man-agement, creativity and flexibility, and

integration with grassroots prosperity.Zeng lamented the fact that manycultural venues in Taiwan started

with dazzling architecture anda grand launch, but graduallydied due to lack of profes-

sional management. Expertise in museum studies, hebelieves, is crucial to the longevity of cultural venues.

Zeng also stressed that the soon-to-open parkshould act as a hub for coordinating tourismthroughout the whole Liudui area (六堆就是文化園區 ), and that more tasks should be delegated to satel-lite organizations that are the most adept at presentingthe distinctive culture of each of the “six phalanxes.”

“Don’t put all the eggs in one basket,” he quotedthe old Chinese saying.

Zeng further highlighted the importance of a cul-tural tourism that’s self-directed, self-motivated, andthat strengthens the community. To him, whatever isdone in the name of culture must benefit the actuallives of local residents. In the meantime, he encour-aged people to stop blaming the government forallocating disproportional amounts of resources tonorthern Taiwan, leading to disparate levels of devel-opment.

“We must stand up for ourselves and imagine a

place we would like to call home,” he said in a rhetoricthat recalls the independent spirit of the first Hakkapeople that emigrated from mainland China.

“We have many workers available, and plenty of idlespaces waiting to be used. They can be convertedinto guesthouses, while the government can subsi-dize upgrades in the hygienic facilities to meet currentstandards,” he added.

Respecting Texts: Touring Around Neipu

Earlier in the day, in fact, we just experienced thekind of organic cultural tourism that Zeng spoke of.Professor Wu Yang-ho (吳煬和  ) from Meiho Uni-versity (美和科技大學  ) gave us an impromptu touraround Neipu (內埔  ) on the subject of RespectingTexts (敬字 ).

 According to Wu, the idea of Respecting Texts goesback to the Shang (商 ) and Zhou (周 ) Dynasties. Later,the idea became formalized as the stipulation that anypiece of paper with writing on it should not be thrownaway carelessly, but should be burned in ceremony.

There are many small pagodas in the Liudui area forthis purpose. Such a pagoda is always beside a bodyof water, and often located by a shrine venerating theLand Deity (伯公 ).

The pyramidal tower is also likely to be dedicatedto Saintly Emperor Guan (關聖帝君 ), Emperor Wen-chang (文昌帝君 ) or Emperor of Broad Protection (孚

佑帝君 ). It is believed to counter flooding by keepingthe adjacent body of water under check, and theopening for the fire always points towards the villagethat the pagoda is meant to protect.

The practice of burning documents has nowstopped, due partly to environmental concerns,but the pagodas are left standing and are regularlymaintained due to their significance in terms of FengShui — the Chinese philosophy that governs spatialarrangement.

 Another interesting fact that Wu elucidated for usis that respecting texts was actually a practice preva-lent throughout Han (漢 ) culture, encompassing the

Hakka, Hoklo (河洛  ), and other identities. Yet theHoklo people, for one, have largely shed the customand couldn’t care less about it, allowing the Hakkapeople to claim monopoly over the practice (文化獨佔 ).

Like Zeng, Wu pointed out that Liudui is able to pre-serve older practices because it is far from today’sadministrative center. Even so, he continued, changescontinue to occur. Hakka women’s traditional bluegarment, for example, was worn in Liudui into the1960s, but eventually died out with that generationof elders.

It remains to be seen whether the Hakka peopleliving in Liudui can revive lost practices throughtourism, and what role the government-directed Cul-tural Park will play in the process. ■

Liudui Hakka Cultural Park (六堆客家文化園區 ) ► Tues. to Sun., 8am to 8pm (opensOct. 22, 2011) / No.588, Xinyi Rd., Neipu

Township, Pingtung County 912 (屏東縣內埔鄉建興村信義路588號 ) / Free admission / (08)

723-0100 / Transportation: Taxi, scooter, orbike from the Pingtung Train Station (屏東 )

http://thcc.hakka.gov.tw/wSite/mp?mp=12 / 

Before the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park opening on Oct. 22, The China Post was fortunate enough to get an exclusive preview, explore the vicinity and hear the possibilities of cultural tourism and community development in southern Taiwan 

 S P E  C I  A L  S  U P P L E ME N T 

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E  d i   t   e d  b  y D i  m

i   t  r i  B r  u y  a s 

(Left) It is the chief traditional Hakka paradigm to

“keep the household through farming and reading;

typically, the community names some feature of the

natural landscape or erect monuments as physical

reminders of the fame and prosperity that comes

through learning, or more precisely the Imperial

Examinations. This pagoda is popularly believed to

command superb Feng Shui comprised of the pen,

the inkstick, the paper, and the inkstone lab — whichwere the four essential writing tools in the old days.

Experiencing southernTaiwan Hakka lifestyle

The Umbrella Pavilions at the Liudui Hakka

Cultural Park. Below each umbrella frame,a skirt of dark mesh cloth further filters the

sunlight, creating a microclimate friendlier to

outdoor events. This is a twentieth century

attempt to imitate a bygone time recorded

in history, when “great trees obscured the

sky in A-Hou (阿猴, present-day Pingtung),”

and “one could walk for days without seeing

sunlight.”

 An interactive display

at the children’s

gallery at the

Liudui Cultural Park 

encapsulates the

typical Hakka village.

Professor Wu Yang-ho (吳煬和) from Meiho University (美和科技大學) takes us to a spirit-writing temple (鸞堂)

and explains the traditional practices of Respecting Texts (敬字).

 An aerial sketch of the

Cultural Park.

B y A lex DoBuzinskis

LOS ANGELES, Reuters

An attorney or Michael Jack-son’sin-housedoctorchallengedacrimesceneinvestigatoronThurs-dayandsuggested sheconductedashoddyexaminationothebed-room where the“Thriller” singerstoppedbreathingin2009. Jurors inthe involuntaryman-slaughtertrialoDr.ConradMur-rayalsoheardromatoxicologist,whosaidhe oundthe anestheticpropoolin Jackson’sblood, liver,urine andstomach. Thesedativelorazepamand other medicationswerealsooundinhisbody. AuthoritieshaveruledthatJack-sondiedoacutepropoolintoxica-tion, combinedwith the sedativelorazepam.

But the day’s most conronta-tional exchange came during thetestimonyocoroner’sinvestigatorElissa Fleak. Murray’s attorney,EdCherno,mountedthedeenseteam’s most orceul challengesincethetrialbeganinLosAngelesonSept.27. Murray has admittedto givingJackson propool through an in-travenousinjectionasa sleep aidon June 25, 2009. His attorneyssayJacksongavehimselanextra,ataldoseothedrugonceMurraywasoutotheroom. FleakcombedthroughJackson’sbedroom with police ater thesinger’sdeath. “Wouldyouagreewithmethatyoumadeasubstantialnumberomistakes in your investigation?”

Chernoaskedher. Fleak denied that suggestion,but acknowledged her originalhand-writtennotesweredestroyedwhen they were transerred intoanofcialreport.“I dothatinallmycases,”sheadded. Cherno questioned Fleak onherassertionthatabottleopro-poolwasoundinsideanIVbag. InvestigatorsoundthepropoolbottleandIVbagstashedinsideashoppingbaginaclosetareaourdaysaterJackson’sdeath,Fleaksaid. Prosecutors and deense attor-neys agree Murray’s fngerprintwason thepropool bottle. Theyalso stated that Jackson’s in-gerprints could not be ound onvials opropool andotherdrugs

retrieved rom the bedroom andnearby. Fleak admitted her originalnotesdid notmentionfndingthepropoolbottleinsidethe IVbag,andthatthefrsttimesheplacedthatinher notes wasearlier thisyear. But she denied suggestionsbyCherno she had changed herfndingsto make them ftin withanotherwitness.“I’venevertalkedtoprosecutorsaboutanotherwit-ness,”shesaid. In oneotheodder moments,prosecutors on Thursday alsoshowedjurorsaphotooatoydoll,thatappearedtobemadeopor-celainorplastic,andwasoundonthebedwhereJacksonwasoundlyinglieless.

Defense criticizes Jacksoncrime scene investigation

SYDNEY, AP

Oscar-nominated Australian actress Diane Ci-lento,whowasoncemarriedtoJamesBondactorSeanConnery,has diedin northernAustralia,anofcialsaidFriday.Shewas78. Cilento, aveteran odozenso flms,televisionshowsandstageproductions,diedThursdaynight,QueenslandstatePremierAnnaBlighsaid. Nocauseodeathwasgiven. TheQueensland-bornactressrosetoameinthe1950s and 1960s, starring alongside screen leg-endssuch asCharltonHeston andPaul Newman.In1956,shewasnominatedoraTonyAwardorherportrayaloHelenoTroyintheplay“TigerattheGates.”ShereceivedanAcademyAwardnomi-nationin1963orbestsupportingactressorherworkinthemovie“TomJones.” HercelebritygrewatershemarriedConnery—hersecondhusband—in1962.Thetwohadasonbeoredivorcing11yearslater.Shewentontowedherthirdhusband,playwrightAnthonyShaer,in1985. She and Shaer eventually settled intropicalnorthern Queensland,where shebuilta popularoutdoortheaterintherainorest. “Whileshe was originally knownas a glam-orousinternationalilm star,her workin lateryearsinthearnorthshowedhercommitmenttothearts,”Blighsaidinastatement.“IknowthatMs.Cilentowillbesorelymissedbymanyintheindustry.”

Actress Diane Cilento dies at 78

 AP

In this April 14, 1965 file photo, actor Sean Connery, holding

his son Jason under his arm, and wife Diane Cilento walk 

away from plane after her arrival at Nassau, Bahamas, April

14, 1965. Oscar-nominated Australian actress Diane Cilento

has died Thursday, Oct. 6, in northern Australia, at age 78.

Reuters

The release date or a SteveJobsbiographyhasbeenpusheduptoOct.24ollowingtheAppleco-ounder’s death on Wednes-

day, according to a spokesmanor publishing house Simon &Schuster. T he b oo k w as o ri gi na l lyplannedorreleaseonNov.21. The au thor i zed b iography“Steve Jobs,”writtenby WalterIsaacson, the ormer managing

editoroTimemagazineandcur-rentchieexecutiveotheAspenInstitute, is currently theNo. 1best-selleronAmazon’scustomerpurchaselist.

Meanwhile,BluewaterProduc-tions said it wasrushing outaspecialeditione-bookoitsorth-comingcomicbookonJobs. The 32- pa ge c om ic , t it le d“SteveJobs:Foundero Apple,”canbe purchasedon theNookandKindlereadingdevicesrom

Thursday. The print editioncomic book is due or releaseat the end o October, with a portionotheproitsrombothissues going to the American

CancerSociety. Jobs,thecharismaticco-ound-erand ormerchieexecutive o AppleInc.,diedonWednesdayinPaloAlto,Caliorniaattheageo56.Heisconsideredtobeamongthegreatest American chie ex-ecutivesohisgeneration.

Steve Jobs biography slated for early releaseMEXICO CITY, AP

Archaeologists ound a round Azteccer-emonialplatormstuddedwithstonecarvingso serpent heads at Mexico City’s TemploMayorruin,raisinghopesinthesearchoranemperor’stomb,authoritiessaidThursday. NoAztecruler’stombhaseverbeenlocat-edandresearchershavebeenonafve-year

questtofndaroyaltombintheareaotheTemploMayor,acomplexotwohugepyra-mids and numerous smallerstructuresthatcontainedtheceremonialandspiritualheartothepre-HispanicAztecempire. Mexico’s NationalInstituteoHistoryand Anthropologysaidthestoneplatormisabout15yards (meters)in diameterandprobably

builtaroundA.D.1469.Thesiteliesindown-townMexicoCity,whichwasbuiltbySpanishconquerorsatoptheAzteccapitaloTenoch-titlan.

Researchers uncover Aztec temple platform in Mexico

 AP

Figures in the shape of serpent heads decorate a

newly discovered platform at the archaeological site

Templo Mayor in Mexico City, Mexico, Thursday,Oct. 6. Archaeologists say they’ve found a round

stone Aztec ceremonial platform studded with

carvings of serpents’ heads at Mexico City’s Templo

Mayor ruin site. Archaeologist Raul Barrera said

Thursday that records written before the arrival of

the Spanish indicate such platforms were the site of

royal cremations.