Enter the Coal Town

Enter the Coal Town
Pingxi Line is a branch of the railroad, was built for transporting the coal mine, located in New Taipei City ,Pingxi District. On 1997, when the cost of Taiwan's coal no more had competition in the international market , the industry became a history and the railroad faced to be closed . In the meanwhile ,the writers, painters ,and photographers remains numerous beautiful scenery, culture and the memories of miners. Since people started to say good-by and everything happened in the blink of an eye, they saw that it is a Taiwan's coal mine natural museum.
We took a train of Pingxi Line to Sandiauling station and started to go hiking over the hills which produced coal mine ever. The miners almost moved out the mine areas rarely the senior living in torn up houses ,they liked somebody to come here but back to the routine peace soon and the school and office were given up, just some brick walls on the base to tell that the glory had died down.
The railroad was built along Keelong River through the tunnels to carry full of tourists instead of loading the coal mine. People cheer up the mountain view ,they never to understand the work of mining industry was hard and dangerous unless visiting the Taiwan Coal Mine Museum in Shinfen.
Walking on the old street of Shinfen is crowed and noisy ,there are filled with Japanese ,Korean ,Hong kong and local tourists to admire the special coal town and to taste the famous Taiwanese foods, the Coal Town is making a Tour Spotlight.
進入煤鄉
平溪線是一條鐵路支線，位於新北市平溪區，建來運輸煤礦產。1997年當台灣的煤開採成本在國際市場上不再具有競爭力時，這個產業走入歷史，運煤鐵路也面臨關閉。此時，作家、畫家和攝影家留下許多美景、文化及礦工回憶的作品。人們因此開始去道別，轉瞬間奇妙的事發生了，大家看見這裡是台灣煤礦業的自然博物館。
我們搭了平溪線的火車來到三貂嶺站，開始健行越過曾經產煤的幾個山頭。礦工們幾乎都搬出礦區，祇剩很少的年長者居住在老舊的房舍𥚃，他們喜歡看到有人經過這裡，但很快又回到往常的安靜坐息。這裡的學校和行政管理部門被廢棄了，僅留下一些基座上的磚牆訴說消退的過往繁華。
鐵路沿著基隆河建築穿過山洞，帶來滿滿的觀光客取代了往昔載運的煤礦產，人們歡呼美麗的山景，卻對礦業的艱苦危險不瞭解，除非到十分去拜訪台灣煤礦博物館。
走在十分的古老街上，擁擠又喧鬧，街上充滿著日本，韓國，香港和本地遊客，他們欣賞煤鄉的特色也品嚐台灣著名的小吃，煤鄉正形成旅遊亮點。

The Homeland of Immigrants- Pong Kang

The Homeland of Immigrants -Pong kang
Pong kang was an ancient place name which included Peikang of Yunlin county and Shinkang of Chiayi county . Hundreds years ago ,it was a prosperous harbor, many emigrants coming on shore from Fujian of China Main Land. The emigrants brought Mazu ,a Sea Goddess was born in Meizhou Island, to protect them across the terrific Taiwan Channel and to help them building a new homeland.
Peikang Chaotienkung temple was built in 1694, dedicated to Mazu . It was the home temple of over three hundred Mazu temples all around Taiwan. Being a famous Mazu temple fully reflects the local customs, culture arts and the folk belief. We appreciated the beautiful decorations above the roofs or along the walls with figures or folk stories and lucky animals or flowers. They are made from Koji Ceramics .
For the most part of Taiwanese temples 's Koji Ceramics, we visited to Bantaoyao ,a Crafts Studio of Koji Ceramics & Chien-Nien, and found a beautiful small countryside named Bantao. There is calm and peace, every path and house decorates colorful figures with pottery. The local residents seem the senior farmers hardly seeing children and young people , they were isolated , due to the transportation being changed ,no boats ,no trains, but they decide to recover activity and prosperity ever, starting to keep a clean and pretty environment with special artistic ceramics. Now the travelers are surprised at the amazing view and bring the tourist one by one.
The immigrants brought Mazu to go ahead anywhere and to struggle against the natural disasters when they were alive and got new life , they thanked Goddess for their harvest and built a Mazu temple to worship. Every year, on the 23rd day of third lunar month which is said the birthday of Mazu, all Mazus living in everywhere come back mother's home-Peikang Chaotienkung temple, it's a highlight day in Taiwan.
移民的故鄉一笨港
笨港是古地名，包含今之雲林縣北港和嘉義縣新港地區。幾百年前，它是一個繁榮的海港，許多來自中國大陸福建的移民在此上岸。移民帶來媽祖，一個生長在湄洲島的海神，庇佑他們渡過可怕的台灣海峽並幫肋他們建立新的家園。
北港朝天宮建於1694年，主祀媽祖。它是全台灣三百多座媽祖廟的總廟。身為最著名的媽祖廟充分反映出地方的風俗習慣，文化藝術和民俗信仰。我們欣賞廟宇屋頂和牆面許多雕刻的人物和民間傳說故事和吉祥動物花卉的裝飾。它們是交趾陶作品。
由於大部分台灣廟宇的交趾陶出自板陶窰，我們拜訪板陶窰交趾剪粘工藝園區。也因之發現一個美麗的小鄉村一板頭村。這是一個安寧平靜的小村莊，每一條巷弄和每一間房子都裝飾了多彩多姿的陶土雕刻。這裡的居民似乎都是年長的農民，幾乎看不到兒童和年輕人。由於交通運輸的改變，他們被孤立隔絕，沒有船也沒有火車。但是他們決定恢復往日的蓬勃生機和繁榮，他們開始保持整潔和美麗的環境，用特色的陶瓷藝術來美化。現在，旅行者驚訝於它們神奇的美麗並帶進一個接一個的觀光客。
移民帶著媽祖前往探索任何地方，並和大自然災害搏鬥。當他們存活下來，並獲得新生活。他們因收穫而感謝女神的庇佑並建廟祭拜。每年農曆三月二十三日，據說是媽祖生日，全台灣各地的媽祖都回娘家一北港朝天宮，這一日是台灣普天同慶的大日子。
Ps:台南大天后宫建於1683年，是官府所建媽祖廟。
台灣媽祖廟中有三百多座由朝天宫分靈出去的。