The name Meinong originated from Minong, which it was called when the Japanese inhabited Taiwan. Meinong is the most rural that I have yet to see in Taiwan and the sights of banana, coconut, rice and even corn fields (yes CORN fields!), the breath of clean air, the smell of horse poo and the friendliness of the locals made me feel like I was back home in Michigan. It is a small district of the much larger county (and city) of Kaoshiong. The town was once a thriving tobacco industry, but when Taiwan entered the World Trade Organization in early 2000s, Taiwan simply couldn't compete. Instead of collapsing, they remade the town into a country retreat focusing on Hakka history, food and culture. It was named one of the Top 10 Small Tourist Towns by the Tourism Bureau in 2012.
Meinong is a Hakka village. In Taiwan, the Hakka people make up about 15% of the population. In Meinong, the Hakka make up 95% of the population. In Chinese 'Hakka' means 'guest families.' Their ancestors are said to have come from northern China. When they moved into established populations there normally wasn't much land left for farming. Many Hakka men then made their careers in the military or public service. As a result, education is highly emphasized. Hakka people have had a significant influence in Chinese history as revolutionary, government, and military leaders. In Meinong, they specialize in farming and handicrafts and value education above all else.
After catching a train to Kaoshiong,I walked about a block to get on the bus to Meinong. It was about 130 NT and runs 20 minutes after the hour. It's the last stop so it's not hard to find. The 7-11 on the corner called me a cab since it was night time and the B&B that I was staying at was a 10-15 minute bike ride away. I stayed at a rather large place called Jhong Jheng Hu Lake B&B. It is surrounded by crop fields and the back yard is towered over by the mountains--visible in every part of Meinong due to the flat lands (which makes it impossible to get lost--even for me!). I stayed in the old building, which was a little dated but very comfortable for 1500 NT (1400NT on weekdays). We were served breakfast of hot soy bean milk and steamed rolls and various toppings including but not limited to ginger soaked apples, tofu, red beans and nutella for us foreigners; the bikes were also included in our nightly stay. They aren't the greatest of bikes (mine had a problem with the kick stand and another had a tire that rubbed), so I wouldn't plan on going for a long adventure (I was planning on a 14 mile ride to the butterfly gardens in Maolin and quickly realized that was not an option), but they are perfect to get you town and back. The B&B itself is breathtaking with orchids growing in trees, a long wooden covered porch, and quaint scenery at every turn. Beware of the chickens, though, they run the place. As I ate my breakfast the first morning I watched a hen climb all over the keyboard to their computer squawking away. It was hilarious because one of the men in charge (I believe it was the owner's husband) would just say 'how' every time the chicken screeched, meaning 'ok' and just chuckled as he watched her run the place. Notice there are chickens and roosters which means they will crow in the morning, but I was able to just turn over and go back to sleep. The owner is an adorable little woman who speaks no English (although one of the men managing the place--possibly her son?--does), but that won't stop her from hugging you, chatting and laughing with you. If you are lucky you will be there on a night that her ukulele group practices. They play and sing beautifully!
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| SHE'S the real boss! |
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| The view from the B&B |
So the next day I was ready to explore. And I really only needed one day. The town is about 3 miles long, an easy walking distance. Much of the day I spent watching the farmers and biking through the countryside. Jhong Jheng Lake is about a half mile away from the B&B and I stopped to watch some young people fishing. The water level of the lake is low--close to empty--although I was never clear why (my Chinese is very limited); it has been a dry year for Taiwan, so maybe it's as simple as that. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful sight.
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| Jhong Jheng Lake |
The first sight that I came across on my list of must sees was the Meinong Word-worshipping Paper Incinerator, on the main road called Tai-an, built during the Cing dynasty in 1779. as I stated above, the Hakka value farming and education above all else (a high number of PHDs can be found in this rural town), and respect the Chinese written language quite a bit. They believe that words were created by Cang-Jie who is a Chinese mythical figure. This makes words sacred relics and so they cannot be treated as normal objects. Instead, all paper with words on it is burned and the ashes are stored until the Lunar January 9th, when they are carried to the river, accompanied by music, by local literaries. Here, members of the Guang Shan Temple carry out a ritual and spread the ashes into the river. It is still used today and is also a place to worship Cang-Jie--indicated by the lit incense.
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| Word-worshipping Paper Incinerator |
Next I stopped at the paper umbrella shops down the road. Here the road changes names from Tai-an to Jungshan. There were two shops crammed with homemade paper umbrellas, qing dynesty coins, baskets, carvings, and hand painted silk and wooden fans. The wares range from about 100 NT to several thousands of NT so I stocked up on umbrellas, fans and coins for gifts and souvenirs! You can easily spend hours in these shops, looking at the many many different umbrellas, the trinkets and knick-knacks found in basket hiding places, watching the women paint umbrellas or even painting one yourself! The umbrellas are one of the biggest tourist attractions in Meinong. They are made of bamboo and paper and then coated in an oil that makes them safe for the rain. After drying for a few days they are ready to paint. Each one is hand made and hand painted (unless you buy the really tiny ones, which are printed, but they will be sure to tell you.) The skills were first brought to Meinong by a craftsmen who bought up all the paper umbrella shops and moved them to Meinong in 1924. The skill is handed through generations; I watched 3 generations of women running one store. 'Paper' and 'son' are homophones in Chinese, so paper umbrellas were traditionally given as dowries; this was a blessing to give birth to a son. But paper umbrellas also symbolize keeping away evil spirits and bringing good fortune. To me, they are breathtaking traditions passed down for 5 generations in Meinong alone.
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| This is just a small fragment of the umbrellas for sale. They come in varieties of colors, with flowers, birds, buildings, tigers, dragons, phoenixes, yin yangs, and anything else you can imagine! |
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| My painted umbrella--it doesn't quite match the beauty that generations have mastered, but it was a fun way to spend an hour |
Across the street is the Meinong Traditional Hakka Restaurant (not clearly marked in English but the only restaurant), where I got my lunch. I tried some chaobantiao noodles (40NT) recommended to me by the server when I asked her favorite, as well as some greens soaked in ginger (60 NT), but what really stole the show was that meigan kourou (200 NT). This is a ball of mustard leaves wrapped in tender fatty pork and it is so succulent that the pork fell apart with my chopsticks. Hands down this is the best dish I have had in all of Taiwan. The waiters (all three of them) chatted with me while I ate. I was the only customer (between lunch and dinner time) and although their English was limited they were excited to ask me questions, and help with any questions that I had;the entire staff was extremely friendly.
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| The meigan kourou! Yum! |
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| Ginger soaked apples, greens, rice, chaobantiao noodles and--of course--Taiwan Beer |
If you go a bit farther down Jungshan you will see a wall on the West side. Do go check it out as it hides an incredible view to the river and the city. Locals bike and scooter along narrow bridges across and many will stop you to chat. Not many speak English--and as far as I could tell they were speaking Hakkanese or Taiwanese (both are local languages) and not Chinese, but they don't mind. I don't think that they see many foreigners because many asked "Nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ?" meaning 'where do you live?' and I would respond with 'megwo' meaning 'USA' and they were thrilled. Even though we couldn't communicate much, they chatted a lot. While I find Taiwanese in general to be a friendly lot, it was nothing compared to that of the people in Meinong. Don't be surprised if they want to show off their musical skills outside their house or invite you to take a cup of tea with them!
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| The view from one of the narrow bridges |
Then I went back to the furnace and took that road: Yong'an rd. This was the first road in Meinong and still has quite a few traditional buildings--even if they are a bit worn. But if you are craving architecture, history and culture then you are probably starving in Taipei and they were welcome sights to me.
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| One of the larger traditional homes. This one seems abandoned but most are not. I was particularly drawn to this one because it shows Hakka style of architecture--revolving around communal living as well as defense |
The east gate seems out of place in the middle of the city, but you can't miss it. It stands in the middle of town, marking where the eastern edge once was. Although there is now a bridge over a narrow river, that once served as a moat. It's imposing nature clearly suggests that it was there for defensive purposes, but I will reiterate it anyways. It was first reconstructed in 1755. During the Japanese Colonial period--in 1895--it was destroyed in the battles between Luitui Yimin Army and the Japanese military. In 1937 it was again rebuilt and reinforced with concrete.
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| The East Gate from the "outside." Although it's in the middle of town, I'm facing the river that served as a moat when the Japanese were here, and this would have been the edge of the city. |
This little town stole my heart and will not be forgotten. It was an incredible solo retreat!
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