Visiting to Dong Mao Shan at the end of 2013

Visiting to Dong Mao Shan at the end of 2013
The site of Dong Mao Shan is in Nan Tou County near to Kukuan. The heights of the mountain is 1690m and the length of the trail is 6.5km. To hike on the path covering with fallen leaves is flexible and comfortable. Parts of the trails are built by Taiwan Electric Power Company for power transmission and the workers of power plant are often up and down to make sure power supply.
Standing on the top of the mountain , a far and wide scenery of mountains and a bird's eye view of Tachiachi river and her branch Dong Mao river are great .
The Tachiachi Hydropower Plant is located at the reach between the Kukuan Reservoir and the Tienlun Dam. It had been designed by Japanese in 1941 ,due to the impact of The World War 11 finished in 1952 and developed until today.
In that hard time afterThe World War 11, Taiwanese were thankful for the efforts of all workers of power plants to provide water power and fire power far away from the darkness. Nevertheless the Tienlun power plant was the light at the end of the tunnel. When typhoon induced heavy rainfalls and floods, the workers of power plants keep to maintain the power well.
Economic development needs more and more electric power ,nuclear was a new choice to replace water and fire power until 2011 Fukushima Nuclear crisis in Japan . People is afraid of pollution, radios and refuse to work reactor and combat the towers of the power transmission.
In the Dong Mao Shan ,looking up the electric towers and on the trail which works to keep from power failure, we think of every cloud having a silver lining.
在2013年最後一天拜訪東卯山
東卯山位於南投縣谷關附近。此山高度1690公尺，步道長6.5公里。健行在這鋪滿落葉的小徑上，很有彈性又舒服。部分的山徑是台灣電力公司開闢來作電力輸送和電廠工作人員時常上上下下確保電力供給的維護道路。
站在山頂遠望附近山脈，視野遼闊，俯瞰大甲溪和它的支流東卯溪景色絶佳。
大甲溪水力發電廠坐落於谷關水庫和天輪水壩之間。在1941年時日本人計畫在此設立電廠，由於第二次世界大戰的衝擊而停工，戰後完工於1952年並運轉發展至今。
在二次大戰後的艱困年代，台灣人感激電力公司員工的努力，提供水力發電和火力發電，使台灣遠離黑暗的日子。而天輪電廠不可諱言的是黑暗盡頭的一道曙光。當颱風帶來豪雨和土石流，電力公司員工都奮不顧身去維修保持電力供給順暢。
隨著經濟的發展需要越來越多的電力，核能發電是一個替代水力發電和火力發電的新選擇，直到2011年日本福島發生核能危機，人們害怕汚染，輻射，拒絕核子反應爐的運轉，也反對輸電的電塔。
在東卯山中，仰望電塔及俯看這條作為維護免於停電的小徑，我們由衷希望事情再糟總會有一線希望。

Hiking on Caoling Historic Trail

Hiking on Caoling Historic Trail
Caoling Historic Trail located on Northeastern of Taiwan to connect with Taipei and Yilan ,for exploring Yilan plain and providing deal in business. Since the trail was built in 1807, it was an important and busy way until the railway was finished, taking the train and bus instead of walking. Now the classic trail is a hot traveling line.
We started from Fulong along Yuanwanken Waterfront Park and Wukou to Dali Tiangon Temple . Stepping on the ancient path and thinking of the ancestors who carried goods on their shoulders hurrying in the trails on foot was excited . They devoted themselves to pursue their dreams , no longer escaping to face the challenge by calling and quit to go ahead, we are grateful for their effort .
Wukou located on a valley which the strong wind of Pacific Ocean blew into and broke all forest , just the Silver grass still survives today . As a Chinese philosopher,the founder of Taoism named Laozi, was born in 500BC,who said that the delicate still survives and the hard is easy to break.
Dali Tiangon Temple is a great worship center, when people started the path to face an indefinite future and the weather in the mountains could change rapidly to worship safety and owed the God a debt of gratitude for what had done .
Silver grass covering all hills and dancing to follow the wind is beautiful and spectacular and hiking on the classical Caoling historic Trail is a token of our gratitude to the ancestors.
健行於草嶺古道
草嶺古道位於台灣東北角連接台北和宜蘭，為了開發宜蘭平原和提供商務買賣交易，而於西元一八O七年闢建此路，在鐵路興建以前，它是一條非常重要和繁盛的路徑，直到火車和公路車取代了步行。現在這條古道是熱門的祣遊路線。
我們從福隆出發沿著遠望坑親水公園和埡口到大里天公廟。踩著古人踩過的小徑，想著先民肩挑負販步履匆促的走過，我們非常激動。他們致力於追求夢想，不逃避天命去面對挑戰，不離不棄勇往直前，我們感謝先民的努力奮鬥。
埡口位於山谷，太平洋吹進的強風，吹倒了所有的林木，僅有菅芒草至今仍然存活。正如一位公元前五百年的中國哲學家老子，在道德經所說，柔弱生之徒，老氏戒剛強，
大里天公廟是一座氣勢恢宏的信仰中心，當人們踏上征途，面對的是不確定的未來和山中詭譎多變的氣候，人們拜拜祈求平安，平安順利歸來還願獻上感激。
菅芒草覆蓋整個山頭，隨風飛舞，景色美麗又壯觀。在草嶺古道上健行緬懷先人我們致上感激。

Go Hiking on the Mountain Trails

Go Hiking on the Mountain Trails
Since 921 earthquake, a 7.6-7.7 Mw earthquake, occurred on 21 September 1999 ,we had no more entered the mountains of Nantou which was the center of the terrible catastrophe. The mountains were turned into a devastated areas. Then when the typhoons and heavy rains hit the weaken land , the muddy water and stones rolled down from the mountains to the roads and rivers. It was dangerous.
After many years ,stepping on the trails again is excited, we take a deep breath in the fresh mountain air, listen to the sound of the breeze blowing through the bamboos and watch the kinds of plants or colorful flowers. In the forest,an amazing big pretty spider's net catches our eyes.To go hiking to a foggy tea farm, we look like many angels flying around the green field under the cloudy sky. So happy and cheerful !
We admire the local people to struggle against a lot of damage and recover from the destruction. We will have a nice memory of the beautiful scenery and brave people .
健行在山中小徑
自九二一大地震，一個七點六至七點七級大地震，發生在一九九九年九月二十一日，從此我們再也沒進去過南投山區，這個可怕的大災難的震央。山區遭受到嚴重的摧殘。每當颱風和豪雨重擊這片脆弱的土地，泥流和土石從山區滾滾而下衝進路面和河流，非常危險。
經過這麼多年之後，重新踏上山區小俓，大家都非常興奮，我們在山裡清新的空氣中深呼吸，聆聽微風吹過竹林的颯颯聲，凝視各種植物和色彩繽紛的花卉。在森林裡，一個神奇的美麗大蜘蛛網引起我們的讚歎。走進雲霧繚繞的茶園，我們像許多天使在虛無飄渺的天空下，在綠色大地上飛舞，快樂歡呼!
我們敬佩在地人向許多災害奮鬥的毅力和從破壞中復元的堅靱，我們對這一片美麗的景色和堅強的人們留下美好的記憶。

Go Hiking in Senior Time

Go Hiking in Senior Time
Taking care of the babies was the happiest day in our retired life ,until our grandchildren entered the elementary school one by one , and then they were seldom coming back our home. In the meanwhile, thanks for the nice presents -iPad2 ,we enjoy their company .We learned how to use the e-mail ,Face Book and blog ,and felt far away from lonely.
IPad2 opens our minds and eyes, we receive new information and communicate with others. We join an active group ,a hiking team named Tao-Yuan ,parts of them are retired people. Every Tuesday morning, we take a bus together to start on a trip to someplace and go hiking on a trail of the hill. We walk and play about 4 -5 kilometers one day. Some volunteers run many things, such as to plan the route, to rent the traffic, to make sure that everywhere all members are safety.
We are happy to make many new friends and share kinds of knowledge and experience. We appreciate the talents of singing,dancing.cooking,sporting and many skills in them. We like to go hiking in a group that is pleased and relaxed to lead a leisure and healthy life in senior time.
參加健行的熟齡人生
我們的退休生活最快樂的時光是照顧幾個年幼的孫兒，直到他們一個個進入小學，很少再回到我們家。這時候，感謝有了美好的禮物一iPad2，我們享受它們的陪伴，學習如何使用電子書信，臉書和網誌，使我們遠離寂寞的感覺。
IPad2 打開了我們的心和視野，我們接受新的資訊並與其他人交流，我們參加了一個很有活力的團體一桃源健行隊，大部分成員多為退休人員。每個星期二早晨，我們共乘一輛遊覽車出發到某個地方旅行，健行在山丘步道邊走邊賞景，一天約步行上下四至五公里。成員中一些志工做了許多服務，如計畫行程路線，租交通工具，並確保所有成員在任何地方的安全。
我們很快樂結交了許多新朋友，也分享了各種知識和經驗，我們很欣賞成員中有歌唱、舞蹈、烹飪、運動和各項技能的才藝人士，我們樂於參與團體徤行活動，愉快又輕鬆的引領出健康休閒的熟齡人生。

Talk about The Moon Festival

1Talk about The Moon Festival
When I was in the childhood, at the mid-autumn festival ,my mother always prepared cakes, pomelo, cosmetics ,flowers and a tub of water to worship the Moon Goddess under the moonlight. She said that a beauty who named Chang Er ,lived in the moon for thousands years and became the Moonlight Bodhisattva.
July20/1969,when Armstrong said, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. " My mother watched TV and kept silent for a moment, then she said,"I wonder to worship the Moon Goddess, if the moon is just a planet and the shadow of the moon is the rocks." In my deep memory,the 1969' Moon Festival , we decided no more to worship the moon .Though that day , heavy rains and strong winds of a typhoon hit Taiwan . " Isn't the Goddess angry? " My mother said, " Don't worry. We prefer believing the scientist to the legend. " Since that year, the Moon Festival is just a day of family reunion to us.
In the ancient Chinese literary works, especial the poetries, there were lots of describing the feelings to watch the same moon when the poets were alone on the way, in the house, in the battlefield far away from their homeland thinking their family and lovers. So romantic and beautiful imagination of the moon came into the Chinese generations. The Moon Festival appeals to Chinese sentiment.
In Taiwan, we admired the full moon to enjoy the family gathering ,eating moon cakes, pomelo and drinking the tea. Recently, barbecue has become a popular family activity to celebrate the Moon Festival. This is a warm holiday.
談談中秋節
當我在孩童時期，每到中秋節，我的母親總會準備月餅，柚子，胭脂粉餅，花和一盆水在月光下祭拜月娘。她說有一位美女名叫嫦娥，住在月亮上幾千年，成了月光菩薩。
西元一九六九年七月二十日，當阿姆斯壯說：" 我的一小步是人類的一大步。" 我的母親注視著電視沈默了一會兒說："我對拜月娘感到納悶，如果月亮僅僅是一個星球，月亮上的黑影祇是岩石。" 我一直深深的記得一九六九年的中秋節，我們決定不再拜月亮。然而那一天，颱風帶來豪雨和強風重擊台灣。" 是不是月娘發怒了? "我的母親說："別擔心，我們寧願相信科學家而不是傳說。"從那一年以後，中秋節對我們僅僅是家人團圓的曰子。
在中國古典文學作品中，尤其是詩詞，有許多描寫欣賞同一個月亮的感受，當詩人孤獨的在旅途中，在屋裡，在戰場上遠離家園思念家人和所愛的人。對月亮懷有如此浪漫和美麗的想像力深深影響了世世代代的中國人。中秋節也因之觸動著中國人善感的心弦。
在台灣，我們賞月享受月圓人團圓，也吃月餅，柚子，並品茗飲茶，近年來烤肉更成了慶祝中秋節頗受歡迎的家庭活動。這是一個溫馨的節日。

The Ghost Month coming to an End

The Ghost Month coming to an End
The lunar seventh month comes to an end , in Taiwan, this month is called " Ghost Month". At the first day of the month ,the gates of the Hell are opened , then all spirits are allowed to have a month' vacation wandering in the living world.
This month,when we were in the childhood ,we were forbidden to whistle and play outdoors at the evening, to swim in the stream and pond .Due to the adults said that the ghosts would catch someone instead of them ,then they could re-enter the womb. Till now, it's not suitable for moving, marrying, or celebrating anything in folk tale.
Through the month ,especially on the first day, the fifth day, and the last day ,we are not only to worship our ancestors ,but also to prepare food, fruit, wine to treat passing by lonely soul and to burn paper money for them.
Because Taiwan is an immigrant society, during hundreds years, people were coming from China mainland to explore, to open up ,to develop the new land and to struggle against natural destructions. Many people devoted their whole life in the field ,no family, being lonely soul ,Taiwanese appreciated their effort and named them " Good Brothers" .People treated them in the month every year and became the Ghost Festival.
In fact, there are many typhoons hit Taiwan in summer ,during the lunar seventh month , people's properties were often destroyed by the strong winds, heavy rains and flood . So that people worshiped ancestors to pray living in peace and shared with the company to thank whom had struggled for the land.
Last the traditional activities,we are not afraid of the ghosts, but feel sympathetic to the all alone.
鬼月快結束了
農曆七月已近尾聲，在台灣，這個月被稱鬼月。在這個月的第一天，鬼門関被打開，所有的鬼魂被允許有一個月的假期在人界遊走。
當我們在孩童時期，這個月我們被禁止晚上逗留在屋外玩耍吹口哨，禁止在溪流，池塘戲水，因為大人們說鬼會抓人替代，他們好去投胎。直到今日，傳說中仍禁忌搬家，結婚及舉辦喜慶宴會。整個月，尤其是初一，十五及月尾，我們不僅祭祀祖先，也準備食物，水果及酒款待過往的孤魂野鬼，並燒紙錢給他們。
因為台灣是個移民的社會，在數百年間，人們從中國大陸來探險，開發，發展了這塊新土地，並且和大自然的災害搏鬥。許多人奉獻他們的一生在這塊土地上，沒有家庭終成孤魂野鬼。台灣人感激他們的努力，稱他們為好兄弟。人們在每年這個月款待他們而形成鬼節。
事實上，夏天有許多颱風重創台灣，在農曆七月，人們的身家財產常被強風豪雨洪流破壞。所以人們敬拜祖先祈求生活平安，並分享感謝曾為這塊土地奮鬥的夥伴。
持續這個傳統的活動，我們不害怕鬼，而是同情孤零零的人。

A Glorious Flowers Tree

A glorious flowers tree
In Southern Taiwan, Delonix Regina ,a glorious flowers tree, is in full blossom as burning in flame above fern-like green leaves 。In the meanwhile, the song of cicadas sings during the day .I ever rode a bicycle through the tunnel of flowers trees and watched the flowers flying in the sky and falling all the way on Zong-Shan road of Tainan for many years . It was a beautiful scenery of bright red and orange flowers appeared in Tainan's summer.
In early time, every June, when Delonix Regia's flowers started to come into bloom and the cicadas began to sing ,seemed to declare the graduating season coming and we felt sad for saying good-bye to the senior or to the junior on a graduation ceremony. For a long time after World War II , people were apart from relatives or friends feeling sorrowful to say good-bye.
Today, a graduation ceremony isn't an ending time, it's just a transfer from finishing a course to start another course. Every new stage will have a new field to explore. We are so happy to see the pretty flame trees cheerful in the summer sky.
壯麗輝煌的花樹
在南台灣，鳳凰木是一種開滿燦爛花朶的壯麗花樹，它盛放在羊齒狀綠葉上如燃燒的火焰，同此時蟬鳴整日有如放聲高歌。我曾騎腳踏車穿越花樹隧道，看著隨風飛舞的落花，一路踩著鋪滿繽紛的花毯前行，如此徜徉在台南中山路上多年。它鮮豔的紅色、橘色花朶呈現台南夏天的極致美麗。
在早期，每年六月，當鳳凰花開，蟬兒驪歌初動，彷彿宣告畢業季節來臨，我們感到悲傷，即將在畢業典禮向學長姐或學弟妹道別珍重再見。在第二次大戰後，有很長的一段時間，人們對離別親友說再見總是特別傷感。
今天，畢業典禮不是代表結束，它僅僅是轉折點，從完成一個學程然後再向另一個學程出發。每一個新階段都有新的領域去探索。現在我們是如此快樂的看待美麗如火焰的花樹,燦爛盛開鼓舞整個夏曰的天空。