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Hannah served oo-long tea to guests at the Taiwanese
student's exhibit at Bethel College last week. |
Taiwanese students at Bethel College organized an exhibit
last week to share their magnificent culture with friends
and neighbors in the county. Many of the students choose
western names to make it easier to communicate with those
they meet at school, at church and in the communities
where they live. Each one is eager to share the culture of
Taiwan, and sharing food seems to be a favorite link among
all cultures.
Talented Taiwanese chefs Ava and Frances shared tempting
oriental treats like "sweet potato congee", a main
breakfast dish made from sweet potatoes and rice that is
said to "provide Taiwanese people energy to challenge the
whole day."
"Tou fu ru", preserved bean curd - or to-fu as westerners
often know it - is prepared with spices and mixed with
other dishes for a tasty meal. Guests were able to sample
preserved vegetables, fried gluten or dough, and delicious
noodles. On display were other dishes such as the "lunch
box" for students, a hearty meal of rice, ground beef
prepared with soy sauce and chili peppers, fried eggs,
cabbage and plums as well as chicken and boiled peanuts.
Smooth flavored oo-long tea was served alongside the
traditional oriental tea service by Bethel student,
Hannah. Interestingly, one learns that all "Chinese" teas
come from the same tea plant with different types of teas
produced by various levels of oxidation or fermentation.
Green and white teas are unfermented while oolong and
other teas are semi-fermented and black teas are fully
fermented. Tea drinking is said to help prevent cancer,
protect against heart disease, help lower cholesterol,
boost energy and oxidize fat, aid in weight loss and
digestion and reduce dental plaque.
 Sweet potatoes are more than a tasty food dish in Taiwan;
the people call themselves "sweet potatoes", which might
refer somewhat to their gentle and kind demeanor but more
specifically refers to the shape of their homeland. With
the central mountain range creating a gentle curve from
shore to shore of the island-country, the land indeed
resembles a sweet potato.
It takes only around five hours to drive from northern tip
to southern tip of the small country which boasts a
population of 23 million citizens. Located in the
subtropical region of the North Pacific off the coast of
China, below the Koreas and Japan and above the Philippine
Islands, Taiwan's winter temperatures are generally above
62 degrees Fahrenheit while temperatures from June through
September are above 80 degrees.
"It never snows in Taiwan," says Grace and Samantha, both
Bethel students since January 2001. They laugh at the
amazement of Taiwan students upon encountering snow in
West Tennessee, a thrill shared by local students who
enjoy the rare treat. Grace and Samantha giggle at the
Taiwanese students' fun in building snowmen, then having
their pictures taken to send back home.
Ava and Frances cooked a Taiwanese meal with samples
available for tasting. |
The Taiwanese exhibit at Bethel was part of the students'
Lunar New Year celebration. Based on the lunar calendar,
the new year typically falls within January or February
each year and lasts from two weeks to a month. Special
food made of rice stuffed with peanuts, red peas and
sesame is eaten, which is thought to bring prosperity in
the coming year, not unlike our own tradition of eating
hog's jowl, black-eyed peas and cabbage. Friends greet
each other with wishes for "happiness and prosperity"
while families share gifts of "lucky money" in bright red
envelopes.
The advent of the New Year is greeted in Taiwan with
"millions of firecrackers and skyrockets" as each
household follows the ancient ritual originally devised to
"frighten evil spirits from their threshold."
Taiwan's modern history dates from around 1544 when Jan
Huygen van Linschoten (a Dutch navigator aboard a
Portuguese ship), in a moment's passion, called the island
"Ilha Formosa" or beautiful island, a name that persisted
for 400 years.
Similar to the Indians or Native Americans of the United
States, Taiwan's aboriginal peoples, who live mostly in
the mountainous regions, gave way to Dutch occupation for
a time and later to settlers from China.
By the time World War II ended, Taiwan had been under
Japanese rule since 1985. Taiwan was freed from Japanese
domination only to be turned over to China's rule. Anger
surrounding the harsh oppression by China resulted in an
uprising that ultimately led to the "February 28 Massacre"
in which between 18,000 - 28,000 Taiwanese were
slaughtered in 1947 in a tyranny lasting 40 more years.
In 1997, Taiwan dedicated February 28 as a national
holiday to recognize the sacrifice of its people and to
commemorate their struggle for independence.
According to statistics compiled by Bethel Student Cathy
Yu, the Democratic Progressive Party was inaugurated into
office on May 20, 2000 and today the Taiwanese people are
said to be among the freest in the world.
But the sacrifice of former years remains embedded in the
hearts of those who lost love ones, and just as food forms
a bridge between cultures in fun and sharing, art binds
the hearts of people from every background who have given
the ultimate sacrifice, not their own blood but that of
their children.
Written by Ker Chi-Fa in 1987, and translated into English
by Y. T. Lin in 1997, this poem explains why the New
Year's fireworks was no longer a welcome celebration for
one of many mothers still grieving after 40 years.
Oh, please, no firecracker,
the firecracker sound would drive me insane;
My son, oh, my beloved son,
on that day,
with your eyes blindfolded,
in a round of cracking gunfire,
your bounded body hit the ground,
and blood smeared the soil of our homeland.
This all because at the end of February,
when that cold front arrived;
you stood up to protest,
against their corruption,
to defy their lawlessness.
They thus took you away,
and thereafter you never returned.
My tears of sorrow flew endlessly,
I cried until my eyes were completely blind,
my chest was filled with rage,
day and night twisted was my broken heart.
They murdered you,
the brightest college student of our hometown,
they deprived me of all my hopes,
how could I continue to live?
Son, my beloved son,
the day to reunite with your Mom,
shouldn't be too far away;
in another world we shall meet,
let me hold you as tightly as I can.
While we cry together;
let me soothe your wound,
to ease your excruciating pain.
Rest in the arms of our homeland,
we will no longer be parted.
Forever live in the hearts of our people,
we shall never be lonely again.
While history must never be forgotten, it would be a
mistake not to revel in Taiwan's brilliant present,
however.
Andrew Bertino learns how to spin a Taiwanese top. |
Like many American families, both mothers and fathers work
at least eight hours per day to provide for their families
in search of happy futures for their children.
Children start kindergarten at the age of four, entering
elementary school at seven, then progressing through
junior high and high school to graduate around the age of
18.
After high school, the burgeoning population makes it
easier for many families to choose to send their children
abroad to universities in countries like Australia, Canada
and the United States rather than schools at home.
From early adulthood, Taiwanese people set their goals for
the future with younger families often opting to purchase
less expensive apartments while older families may be able
to afford houses.
As hard as they work to build their futures, Taiwanese
also shop and play hard, with stores open until ten
o'clock and night and the night market open from 5:00 in
the evening until 4:00 a.m. Especially loved by tourists,
the night markets offers every type of food as well as
clothing, jewelry and all types of merchandise. Karaoke
and dancing are among the favorite activities of the
college-aged crown. A new lottery that just started has
also claimed much attention from Taiwan citizens.
Martha and Lyndol Glisson, who are employed at The
Grill on the Bethel campus, adopted 6-8 of the
students during Christmastime last year. |
The Taiwanese landscape in the brilliant colors and curved
architecture of temples and other gorgeous buildings, and
while cars are plentiful, bicycles are a favorite mode of
transportation.
Grace, who is from the capital city of Taipei, and
Samantha who comes from the far-southern city of Kaohsiung,
agree the values among Taiwanese differ between the north
and the south.
"The southern people are kinder," says Grace, who once
lived in the southern regions of the country. People from
the north are more inclined to dressing in richer fashions
and to eat in restaurants than their southern neighbors.
The two attribute the differences to the more hectic pace
and higher population density in the north, where people
find it more necessary to think of themselves than others.
Even so, the overall perception of the people of Taiwan is
one where visitors are welcomed with open arms and treated
as special guests. As a result, many westerners come to
Taiwan to teach the English language and stay because of
love for the beautiful country with her kind populace.
Like America, Taiwan has become a melting pot of people,
cultures and languages, and most importantly, a democratic
society with a promising future. |
