We earned our lunch! Making tofu at Luoshan

About half of the population in Hualien's Luoshan are Hakka, the other half being a diverse mix of Hoklo (Taiwanese of Fujianese descent), "mainlanders" (those who arrived in 1949 or thereabouts and their offspring) and "new immigrants" (mostly women from southeast Asia who've married Taiwanese men). There's no industry, so it's hardly surprising that several households have embraced tourism to supplement their incomes from agriculture.

Big Nature Experience Farm (大自然體驗農家) is one of these, and gave us a warm welcome on a torridly hot day. Big Nature Farm's address is 58 Luoshan Village. (In Chinese: 花蓮縣富里鄉羅山村12鄰58號; tel: (038) 821 352).

This "fake" mail box has nothing to do with making tofu, but it sums up Luoshan's quaint appeal.

Big Nature Farm's boss, Mr. Lin, began by explaining that most of Taiwan's soy is imported, and almost all of what is grown domestically comes from the southwest. A single plant yields between 150 and 200 beans. The raw beans are soaked for six to eight hours in spring water drawn from near the mud volcano; this is the "magic" ingredient that gives local tofu its special taste. If the beans are left in the water for much longer than that, they start to go bad, he explained.

In the old days, soybeans were ground into soy milk with this kind of milling device. We all had a go...

...and were quite relieved when Mr. Lin told us it would take too long to do all the beans by hand, so he uses a modern machine:

The resulting soy milk is then simmered for about a quarter of an hour. It has to be stirred constantly so it doesn't burn, as that would give it a less appealing taste. Solid matter is then removed by filtering it with a muslin cloth. This requires two people to hold the cloth and rock the lumpy mass back and forth. The "milk" smells delicious, but it is the solid stuff that becomes the tofu.

This DIY activity costs NTD250 per person, is available to groups of at least four people, and should be booked a day or more in advance.

The final pressing is done by hand; the key, we were told, is to use your body's weight rather than your muscles.

Turning the tofu over onto a large plate, unwrapping it from the muslin cloth, and slicing it into quarters, requires a steady pair of hands. But, of course, the boss of Big Nature Experience Farm has done this countless times before.

The finished product has a mild yet delicious aroma and taste. Many people (this writer included) like to add a dash of wasabi to liven things up.

The folks at Big Nature are clearly experienced at hosting the media. Without being asked, they prepared a photogenic array of raw soybean, tofu, condiments and related items.

One of the items above is one of Big Nature Experience Farm's signature products: Dòufu rǔ made with mud-volcano water (pictured more clearly below). Dòufu rǔ, occasionally (and misleadingly) called 'Chinese cheese', is a form of fermented tofu but shouldn't be confused with stinky tofu. Non-spicy versions are usually a yellowy shade of brown and intensely tart. It's used in small quantities to enliven rice gruel at breakfast time. Only a tiny smear is needed - one reason I think the comparison with cheese is way off. It also finds its way into the wok, reportedly going well with various meats, water spinach, and aubergine with perilla seeds.

This visit and blog post were sponsored by the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration.

Mud, water and sweat: A cyclist's perspective on Luoshan

On a blistering hot morning at the beginning of what is technically autumn, we arrived in Luoshan (羅山), a corner of Hualien County's Fuli Township (富里鄉) famous for its waterfall, a mud volcano, and organically-grown rice. It's an exceptionally beautiful part of the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area.

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again in the future: Anyone planning to ride a bicycle in Taiwan should make themselves sun-proof, even if the sky looks cloudy. This day was one of the sunniest in a long time, and I could well believe the UV levels were dangerously high, as is sometimes the case in east Taiwan. A hat and long sleeves, as well as protection for your neck and hands, are essential. Bring a large bottle of water.

Much of the cycle route is flat, and motorized traffic is never heavy. Throughout Taiwan, road surfaces are almost always well maintained.

If you can make it up the hill to the car park nearest the waterfall, you'll enjoy some excellent views. The distance from the visitor centre is a little under 4km but the gradient is not to be underestimated. Unfortunately, both of the short hiking trails which approach the actual waterfall are currently out of commission; the authorities hope to rebuild them using eco-friendly materials rather than concrete. 

If the hill looks too daunting, do at least push on to what's called Luoshan Mud Volcano. 'Muddy spring' would be a more accurate name - there's no cone - but the pool here is very pretty. From it, you can look up to the waterfall.

Luoshan Mud Volcano lacks the visual impact of the mud-spewing domes at Wushanding in Kaohsiung. It's beguiling, nonetheless. At the time of our visit, three vents were visible, the oldest of which had been active for five years. Typhoons and earthquakes sometimes shut off a vent, leaving the gas and slurry to emerge somewhere else. Looking closely at the nearer of the two circular pits in the photo below, it was just about possible to make out bubbling caused by methane rising to the surface.

Because the mud volcano has altered local soil chemistry, some unusual plants thrive nearby. One is wild ginger lily:

Another is elephant ear, a poisonous relative of the humble taro:

Every township in Taiwan has a government-backed farmers' association which helps local agro-businesses by marketing their products, advising on how to add value, and investing in equipment (such as industrial fruit-drying machines) which are too expensive for individual farmers. Some associations are far more savvy than others, and Fuli's seems to be among the more enterprising and innovative. 

The association's showroom on Highway 9, about 500m north of the Luoshan turnoff, is an impressive size. Ice cream and hot coffee are sold here, as well as big bags of local ponlai rice. It's no wonder the showroom is a popular rest stop for cyclists on long-distance rides, such as this gentlemen. He told us he was part of a large group nearing the end of a seven-day west-to-east adventure. 

The fields next to the showroom are given over to flowers and public art. This Easter Island-like sculpture gained its colour from a coating of rice husks:

For some photos of this area in less summery conditions, see my 2014 blog post.

This visit and blog post were sponsored by the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration.

Revisiting Guanshan's Bicycle Trail

Completed in 1997, Guanshan Bicycle Trail (關山自行車道) was one of the first tourist-oriented bike paths in Taiwan. Its stunning success (a reported 700,000 visitors in 2001) inspired other towns around Taiwan - notably Meinong in Kaohsiung - to create their own bike-tour routes. Judging by the number and size of the bike-rental businesses I saw when passing through the town earlier this year, it still attracts a good number of tourists keen to enjoy the scenery and fresh air while getting a some exercise. 

The 4m-wide bikeway is certainly family-friendly. The first time I was here, my wife and I managed to complete the 15.2km-long circuit without any difficulty, even encumbered by our then-infant son.

The first five photos with this blog post are from our first visit several years ago. With one exception, the second batch is from earlier this year. Nowadays my son has the muscle and stamina to pedal his parents around, instead of the other way around!

A key part of the circuit is the 32-hectare Guanshan Water Park (關山親水公園, pictured below), down by the Beinan River. Some people come here to watch birds or to row a boat. According to this webpage, the patch of land used to a dumping ground. You'd never guess it from its current impressively tidy appearance, and the park certainly deserves some of your time... 

...but you get far better views from the highest part of the bike trail, near the road that leads up past fields of millet and stands of mahogany to the indigenous community of Zhongfu (中福).

Hats are essential, even if the weather isn't so bright you need for sunglasses. From more than one personal experience, I know it's possible to get sunburned through murky cloud.

Guanshan's population is slightly over 8,700 people. In the language of the indigenous Amis people, who are now outnumbered by Taiwanese of Hakka origin, it was known as Kinalaungan. Within the downtown, there's a Police History and Culture Museum (關警史蹟文物館; open Tue-Sun 10-11 and 3-4 only; enter through the police station at 27 Zhongzheng Road; 中正路27號), part of which occupies the original one-story station, built in 1932. Over 200 items are on display but there’s hardly any little English labeling; nonetheless, the riot gear and cells need no explanation. 

Even if the exhibits hold no interest for you, you'll likely agree the garden if a lovely place to relax for a little while. The photo above comes from this Chinese-language blog, where you'll also find more than dozen other excellent images of the police museum.

As in Luye and other popular biking spots in the east, the range of vehicles available for hire includes electrically-powered bikes and three-person pedicab-type carts.

Apart from the occasional eagle high overhead, the most interesting fauna you'll likely see are water buffalo cooling off in the creek at the bottom of the valley.

Where do you go once you've completed the bike trail and you still have time and energy? Whether you're starting from Guanshan or Chishang, it makes sense to push on across the river and then to Wanan Elementary School Zhenxing Branch Campus (萬安國小振興分校) at the 11km marker on Road 197. The campus, just under 6km from Guanshan Railway Station, features indigenous-themed murals and several gorgeous banyan trees. Whether you approach from the north or the south, getting here means a little hill climbing, but there’s almost no traffic on this road. 

This blog post was sponsored by the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration.

A map of Taiwan's living languages

Taiwan News, one of the country's three English-language newspapers, recently published a short article and map showing the dominant languages in various parts of Taiwan. By land area, the Formosan languages spoken by Taiwan's Austronesian indigenous minority are the most prevalent, but much of this area is barely-populated highlands. In the central west and southwest - and also most of Yilan County in the northeast - Taiwanese (which linguists consider a variety of Hokkien, a language widely used in China's Fujian province) is the leading language. Taiwanese is also known as Holo, Minnanhua, Minnanyu or Southern Min. Within this region there are efforts to revive Siraya, spoken by indigenous people in the Tainan area during the brief Dutch occupation in the 17th century, and used for the writing of land contracts well into the 19th century.

In the northwest, Mandarin is the most common language, while there are substantial pockets of Hakka speakers in the northern counties of Hsinchu and Miaoli, and in the southern interior, around places like Meinong. 

The map is an oversimplification in that Mandarin is generally the preferred language of younger people, whether they live in Tainan or an aboriginal village, as it remains the language which dominates the education system and the media. Few people under the age of 30 are as articulate in Taiwanese as they are in Mandarin, and several Formosan languages are on the verge of extinction.   

Miaoli's Hakka Roundhouse

There aren’t many reasons to step inside the Hakka Roundhouse (客家圓樓) a stone’s throw from Miaoli High-Speed Railway Station, but the exterior and setting of this newish landmark make it worth a quick stop if you’re in the area. The picture above shows the roundhouse, the station to the right, and some of the many geese and ducks which inhabit the pond, and defecate all over nearby walkways!

Rather than being a proper replica of the famous Hakka tulou in China’s Fujian province, the architecture of the Roundhouse can be said to have been inspired by the distinctive shape of those UNESCO World Heritage structures. For a start, the windows of the edifice in Miaoli are much bigger than those on any of the originals. The walls are thinner, and rather than be open to the elements, the centre has been glassed over to create a pleasant atrium where there’s a small stage.

In the exhibition rooms on the second and third floors, displays illustrate Hakka agricultural practices and cuisine. If you can read Chinese, you can learn how to make fucai (福菜), the pickled mustard greens which are a distinctive feature of Hakka dishes in Taiwan. There are tools, cots and a mockup of an old-style kitchen/dining room.

The displays are in Chinese only, so the majority of tourists won’t learn anything. That said, the website does have some English information, and admission is cheap enough at NTD30 per adult. The building is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00-17:00. 

For me, much more enjoyable and relaxing is Qingshui Corridor (lower image), a 2.6km-long eco-engineered waterway which starts just the other side of the bullet-train railroad and wends its way seaward in the direction of Yingcai Academy (英才書院). The waterway is lined with willows and a reported 111 species of aquatic plants; when I walked along it on a very quiet weekday morning, I saw hundreds of fish and several sizable waterbirds. Miaoli County Government is notorious for splashing out money on infrastructure which hardly benefits residents, but I’d say this was a very worthwhile project. On sweltering summer afternoons, I’m sure the waterway is crowded with people cooling their feet in the water.

Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park

A week ago in Taipei I had time to kill before meeting a friend for dinner, so for the first time I explored Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park (臺北市客家文化主題公園), a short walk from Taipower Building MRT Station. 

It's not a huge green space - just 4.03 hectares - but it is beautifully laid out and maintained. There's a farming demonstration area where rice is grown, a waterwheel, a number of pavilions where you can shelter from the sun or the rain, and a walkway/bikeway that goes over the levee to link with the cycle trails along the Danshui River. There are replicas of the tobacco-curing barns which still dot Meinong in Kaohsiung, and of the oblation furnaces in which Hakka people used to ritually burn any paper bearing written words.

The photo above comes from the park's thorough and bilingual website. Right next to the park you'll find the Taipei City Hakka Music and Theatre Centre, and the Hakka Cultural Centre.

Two attractions in Zhubei

Zhubei City (竹北市) is a rapidly-growing part of Hsinchu County, much of the growth being driven by residential and commercial developments near Hsinchu HSR Station. A handful of old, single-storey homes have been preserved and turned into New Tile House (新瓦屋), also known as the Hakka Art Village. New Tile House is visually attractive (see this Chinese-language blog for good photos) but unless you come on a weekend, when there's live traditional music, it's not worth going out of your way for. Bus #1782 from the HSR station stops outside New Tile House. If you want to walk, it'll take you around 20 minutes.

If you're in the neighbourhood and want a soft drink, a beer or English-language conversation, drop by the intriguingly-named Titty Tea, which is less than 100m away. In the evenings there's often live music or comedy.

Taiwan for Culture Vultures

Taiwan for Culture Vultures, my new downloadable travel guide published by Guidegecko, is aimed at visitors intrigued by Taiwan's fascinating blend of cutting-edge modernity and centuries-old tradition. Available for iPhones and iPads, it's priced at US$2.99. If you already have my Bradt guide, you'll find this app complements, updates and expands on the book's contents.

Electronic platforms have several advantages over traditional printed guidebooks. They're cheaper because there are no printing or distribution costs; they're lighter to carry and can be updated and corrected. As a writer, I've appreciated being able to avoid repetition. Instead of having to explain who a particular person (or deity or ethnic group) is each time there's a mention, I simply link to a background article, like the one on major gods, or brief histories of Taiwan's historic towns.

The guide features 95 places of interest, each entry averaging 250 to 300 words and accompanied by one to four photos. Taiwan-based professionals Craig Ferguson and Rich Matheson contributed many of the images. The app cover icon shown here was taken by Matheson.

Among them are museums, temples, churches, parks, and other landmarks. Taiwan's key cultural and architectural attractions - such as the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101 and Tainan's Confucius Temples - are featured, as are many lesser-known but just as fascinating attractions. At Ten Drum Culture Village, for instance, visitors can enjoy performances that are modern yet draw heavily on folk traditions, and which have won international acclaim.

Of the 95 sights, 31 aren't mentioned at all in my Bradt guidebook. In some cases, like Houtong Coal-Mine Ecological Park, they opened too late to be included. For many others, it was simply a matter of space; this is why the Zheng Family Shrine didn't appear in the book. I researched the app by combing both English- and Chinese-language sources, in addition, of course, to visiting each spot at least once. Many of the details I've included don't appear in any of the major English-language guidebooks to Taiwan.

There's plenty for those who want to learn about and appreciate traditional arts and crafts. If they want a more outdoorsy experience, they can head to the Old Mountain Railway Line. Those with environmental interests will enjoy the new Magic School of Green Technology. All in all, I think the app has a really good mix.

Hakka Cultural Artifacts Exhibition Hall

Several small museums around Taiwan celebrate the culture of the island's Hakka minority, and the one in Pingtung County's Xishi isn't bad, even though there's very little English labelling.

For me, the most interesting sections are those displaying traditional clothing and dealing with a custom that existed throughout the Chinese world, but which used to be especially strong in Hakka villages - that of scouring the streets for scraps of paper on which words were written or printed, picking them up and then taking them to a special furnace for burning. This tradition is said to reflect a deep reverence for learning and literacy.

According to Francis L. K. Hsu's often stupendously dull but occasionally fascinating book Americans & Chinese: Passage to Differences, traditional Chinese communities lacked the broad range of voluntary non-kinship groups we find in affluent societies including 21st-century Taiwan. Hsu says there were three exceptions: Associations that provided free coffins to the indigent, teetotalers' groups, and associations that, "hired men to roam the streets with bags on their backs and pointed sticks in their hands. They collected any piece of waste bearing written characters in the gutter or on the ground and burned what they collected at the end of the day in the specially provided urn in the local Confucian temple."

The museum includes a pair of dedicated baskets once used for collecting written-on paper (pictured above left).

I'm pretty certain the custom has died out. Would modern-day practitioners collect every single item bearing Chinese characters - cigarette packets, candy wrappers and the like?

The Hakka Cultural Artifacts Exhibition Hall (六堆客家文化園) is in the heart of Zhutian Township's Xishi Village (竹田鄉西勢村) and it's open Tuesday to Sunday, 09.00-17.30. If you read Chinese, you'll notice the Chinese name is actually "Liudui Hakka Culture Zone." The term Liudui doesn't refer to specific place, but rather to the six clusters of Hakka settlements in Pingtung and Kaohsiung who raised a militia to protect themselves during the Zhu Yi-gui (朱一貴) uprising of 1721.

The zone's other feature is an Yimin Temple (忠義祠). Similar temples throughout Taiwan celebrate the sacrifices made by militiamen during various rebellions. The exhibition hall and the temple side by side, about 500m from Xishi TRA Station.

Local colour III

A woman washes clothes the traditional way at a spring-fed trench in Nanzhuang, Miaoli County (苗栗縣南庄鄉). Nanzhuang is a delightful township far from the sea. The population is mostly Hakka with a significant aboriginal minority.