竹子

又到了筍子冒芽的時節，山上的桂竹筍有的已經衝出泥出，像把劍似地護衛著山地。只可惜不敵人類的大手，一一被折斷。被砍頭剝去盔甲之後，白嫩嫩的排放在大鍋裡，就等著爐下的柴火旺起。慢慢地直挺的身子軟了下來，或許一會就上了人類的餐桌。

身為人類的我，為了那鮮美的味道，明年此時還是會出草。

冰山樹玫瑰 Iceberg

前一天還含苞待放的樹玫瑰，早上竟然悄然綻放。在晨曦中，沾上露珠的花瓣更顯得晶瑩剔透，莫怪人稱冰山。花心的暈黃向外淡去，大自然的畫筆真令人讚嘆。

Mist in the mountains

Everything seems to change its appearance in the drizzle. When the mist moves, the hills look like wearing a scarf. Will a fairy greet hikers at the entrance of the mountain track? Shall we pass the suspension bridge to meet her?

山嵐

一大早打開生物教室的大門往外一瞧，陣陣山嵐在對岸的山間飄動。似乎仙人就要從古道口走出來。是不是該走過吊橋上前迎去?

Mist in the mountains

Everything seems to change its appearance in the drizzle. When the mist moves, the hills look like wearing a scarf. Will a fairy greet hikers at the entrance of the mountain track? Shall we pass the suspension bridge to meet her?

山嵐

一大早打開生物教室的大門往外ㄧ瞧，陣陣山嵐在對岸的山間飄動。似乎仙人就要從古道口走出來。是不是該走過吊橋上前迎去?

Bean sprout

It’s hard to believe that sprouts of more than twenty seeds are edible. With pure spring water, these sprouts are quite sweet. When grandpa was young, he had to carry water from the stream in the valley. How cute he is! Relax, Grandpa. No stand at attention.

豆芽

從來都不知道有那麼多種子的芽或是苗可以吃。現在可以吃的就有二十多種之多。有了仙山清澈水源的加持，果然清脆香甜。

以前都要阿公辛苦地擔水，現在兒子孫子都回家幫忙了，終於可以享享清福了。古錐的阿公拍照時，還會立正站好。阿公，放輕鬆喔!

阿公的孫子還會利用種子自然的色彩編排出圖案。真的很有耐心，我覺得很適合讓小朋友來創作，有可以培養耐心，一舉兩得。等我們家的小牛仔一歲之後，就帶她來訓練訓練。沒耐心的小妹妹，你要覺悟喔!!

眾生平等乎?

前天一群老師到明德水庫的園區參觀。理事長指著苦楝說道校園裡時常可以看到它們的身影。椿象會爬到樹上吸食樹汁，對樹木並無害。產在樹上的卵孵化之後，便會爬滿整樹甚至漫遊校園各處。人類因為對牠們陌生，也被牠們的大軍氣勢所攝，便想盡辦法將牠們趕離自己的活動範圍。從另一個角度思考，人類是否侵犯到牠們的生存權呢?人類有權這樣做嗎?

其實，人類對於同類也常採取差別待遇。理事長話鋒一轉變提到學校裡的學生。學習較慢的學生或是較無法聽從老師指令的學生，有時會被刻意的忽視，或屏除在外。這些孩子的受教權是否不被尊重呢?他們內心裡也希望被平等對待嗎?眾生平等乎?

tomb sweeping

Share love and luck with family.

Recently, Hahkka people start to sweep their ancestors's or family members' tombs. My mom dyed some eggs to share with kids when they come to our family shrine. According to my uncles, this custom is quite new. After life started to become better in Taiwan, they came out the idea of red eggs. Originally, to inform the birth of new born baby boy, parents prepared red eggs and shared with other family members. Gradually, we want to share more, such as good luck and love. When I was a child, I loved to collect these eggs in my pocket. It's nice to own more.

掃墓

昨天掃墓，阿娘前一晚就忙著蒸甜粄和染紅蛋。其實以前人並沒有這項習俗，後來生活富裕了，有智慧的老祖宗就想把蛋染的紅通通的，喜氣喜氣的。除了昭告親戚家裡添丁之外，也可以單純地分享好運，祝福家人新的一年事事順利。一顆蛋的美好，因為這樣的好念頭，感覺又加倍了幾萬倍。掃墓真是一件好事，讓大家不要忘自己的根在哪裡。

三義奉安殿

先前在圖書館聽了苗栗文史工作者的講座，其中提到一些過去台灣的教育體制。之後在朋友家中也聊聊現在台灣的教育，晚上在家看了一些日據時代台灣殖民教育的相關資料之後，不禁有了一個感想，台灣真是一個國際化的地方，連教育也蠻國際化的。可能因為台灣是一個位處太平洋重要戰略位置的海島，一直以來在教育方面受到許多外來文化的影響。例如，清朝的儒學、書院，基督教會的私立學校，日據時代的國語傳習所、公學校，以及光復後美國文化的影響。我自己本身就是一個好例子，大學念中文系時教授剛好是孔子的後代，後來為了看懂日劇還去學日語、後來到美國念書。看來我的求學歷程好像跟台灣的外來文化影響有關。


最近參加苗栗縣的英語導覽考試，題目就是日據時代殖民教育的象徵－奉安殿。根據文建會的資料，台灣目前僅存兩座奉安殿，一座在台南新化新化國小，另一座在苗栗三義建中國小。但是國史館台灣文獻館的資料提到花蓮港廳受小學校的奉安殿遺跡，不過現在改建成福德祠。從洗石子的外觀和大門上的梧桐花紋來看，的確與建中國小的奉安殿頗相似。目前以建中國小的保存狀況最為良好。

圖片來源：苗栗縣文化局網頁

為何奉安殿是殖民教育的表徵呢?這得從明治維新以後，日本成為亞洲唯一的殖民帝國說起。

教育是1867明治維新的重要內容。1890明治廿三年日本天皇發布教育勒語，以儒教的家族主義為基礎，強調「忠君愛國」、「忠孝一致」的基本教育，天皇不僅是政治上的主權者，也是國民道德、思想的中心，所以當時的教育勒語被納入學校國語、修身等教科書中，還要求學生背誦，透過學校廣設「奉安殿」，將天皇、皇后的「御真影」安置在殿內，學校朝會、儀典時就取出，由校長奉讀(文建會)。

圖片來源：苗栗縣文化局網頁

1895甲午戰爭之後，日本取得第一個殖民地台灣，正式成為殖民帝國之一。當時日本的統治目標是將台灣治理成殖民地的模範，一個有秩序、經濟的生產地區，以及一個和平、工業人口眾多的地區。

經過數年台灣人民的抵抗之後，日本統治當局意識到軍事鎮壓不是統治的最佳辦法。1898~1906第四任台灣總督兒玉源太郎和民政長官後藤新平起採取較溫和的手段，以教育配合內部統治，教育計畫即是新內政措施的重要部分。當然以明治時代的教育革新為藍本。

其中不同的是，只在台灣推行初等教育，而排除中高等教育。初等教育主要是接受新社會的生活方式和職業的手段，中高等教育是日本獲得治國所需的西方科技和管理技術的途徑。因為當時主要還是為了訓練忠貞的國民和團結地方，強調台灣人對日本和天皇的效忠，並不需要培養中高級的幹部。

由於隔離政策的關係，台籍子弟進入公學校。日籍子弟則進入小學校。例如，新化國小原名為新化尋常小學校，而建中國小原名為三叉公學校。小學校的課程教育與日本國內相同，教育兒童積極爭取機會，創造自己的命運。我在日本的朋友說，小時候日本的老師會拿頻果問學生好不好吃，還說中國大陸就像蘋果一樣，要把得到它。公學校的課程卻是改編過，要日本化台灣子弟，但並非要使台灣人成為日本人，而是使他們成為服從、勤奮工作的日本臣民。

1899年明治32年台灣總督府將教育勒語和御真影這一套推行到台灣。三義當時稱為三叉(原本習稱為「三叉河」，因此地恰恰位於火燄山與關山之間，溪流成三叉交界之處，故以「三叉河」命名之)，是台灣重要林場。1904年創立建中國小的前身銅鑼灣公學校三叉分校，1920年才獨立為三叉公學校。當時所有的課程設計以教育勒語為中心思想，如同聖旨一般，放在梧桐木錦盒所以和御真影一起鎖在特製的櫃子裡，也就是奉安庫或奉安櫃。苑裡山腳國小有一個。發生火災或水災等意外事件時，這是首要搶救目標。每逢日本新年、天皇誕辰等重要的日本節慶時，高舉過眉捧出錦盒，校長讀時，全校師生必須低頭聆聽。建中國小的奉安殿蓋在舊校門和舊校舍之間，師生經過必須行禮，重要日子還會在前面拍照。以前進校門要爬一排階梯，有99階，爬完不五體投地也難。

有了奉安庫還不夠，為了保護教育勒語和御真影，還興起蓋奉安殿的風氣，日本台灣皆是如此。建中國小的奉安殿是鋼筋水泥牆附蓋銅片屋瓦。根據李乾朗教授的台灣建築史一書，這是1932年起日本軍國主義陷入狹隘的民族浪漫主義，建築物披上民族主義的外衣，所以出現的冠式建築。建中國小的奉安殿興建年代不明，但是外面有一塊石碑刻著勒語奉安所昭和三年字樣(1928年)。根據李教授的分類，1926昭和元年到昭和十年台灣建築為鋼筋混泥土時期，線角裝飾簡化，洗石子很受歡迎，跟奉安殿外型很接近。新化國小的奉安殿建於1931年昭和六年。

圖片來源：苗栗縣文化局網頁

奉安殿座西朝東，象徵日出東方，以及日本人對太陽的尊重。屋頂有一隻鳳凰、門面有兩枚五七桐紋裝飾。桐紋之間的區別是在花朵的數量，其中間為7朵、二側5朵者稱為「五七桐紋」，是日本「大名」豐臣秀吉麾下武將木下家定之家族，於1585年開始使用。之後，「五七桐紋」從家徽紋變成朝廷所使用，除了天皇自身使用「鳳凰圖」及「重菊花紋」外，只有

「政權擔當者」（例如日本首相）及國定神社，才能使用「五七桐紋」，而一般日本國民，只能使用「五三桐紋」（中間為5朵、二側3朵者）。這都是日本皇室的象徵，日本把鳳凰視為瑞鳥，棲息在祥瑞的梧桐木上。後來天皇賜給武家使用，如豐臣秀吉的變種太閣桐，現在梧桐花紋則是日本首相的徽章，在首相對外發表演說台上看得到。如此神聖的地方，後來竟然曾被當作儲藏間，放打掃用具。小學生還說成鬼屋。

1945年台灣光復後，政府為消除日本殖民的文化陰影，下令將這類意識型態的建築物等破壞或消滅，校園內的奉安殿陸續拆除、毀損，僅有建中國小的奉安殿幸運被保留下來。建中國小奉安殿之所以保存下來的理由包括結構比木造建築強固不易拆除，加上校門易位後，奉安殿從校園進出要衝淪落為邊陲地帶，雖然曾拆除左、右、後側牆體，但主要結構得以幸運保存下來。

建中國小奉安殿，是苗栗縣僅存一座日治時期校園意識型態亭閣建築，共有歷史文化意義與歷史建築保存價值，2002 年登錄為歷史建築，並在 2003 年（民國 2 年）5 月完成修復工程，重現奉安殿昔日風貌。我去看過，但是鎖住了。

日本本土的奉安殿，在戰後間接統治日本的聯合國軍最高司令官總司令部(GHQ)下令廢止奉安殿之下，目前仍被保存下來的數量也不多。現在日本討論道德教育時，還有人重提教育勒語。

日本人在台灣的教育政策還算成功，其中原因之一有學者認為是因為日本人和台灣人都受到儒家文化的影響。法國殖民越南時，便沒有如此的成就，反而讓許多越南人識字率很低。台灣人受到日本教育之後，培養出一批知識份子，例如霧峰林家的林獻堂。有些人留日之後學習到民主主義、自由主義、和社會主義等思想，產生民族覺醒，最後加入反殖民運動。這應該是日本政府始料未及的吧。

Three-sided courtyard

On the way to Yuan Li, I felt the breeze from the ocean and see endless rice farming areas that turn into flower fields during the fallow period. No wonder, this area was developed earlier than other areas in central Taiwan and was a major rice producing area.


My destination was Dong Li Chia Feng, a three-sided courtyard compound. An association rents this compound and runs a pension or a BED and Breakfast here. After Mr. Lo, the project manager, started to renovate this compound, he slowly found out the story of this compound and the family that owns it.

The land was reclaimed by Mr. Chen Yo from Fu Chien province in southern China. Since he didn’t have children, he gave the land to his workers. They were two brothers, Chen Yuan and Chen Shun, from Kuandong province. To appreciateChen Yo’s generosity and kindness, the two brother’s descendants still sweep Mr. Chen Yo’s tomb next to the compound. After accumulating their fortune by cultivating this land, the fourth generation of the Chen family in Taiwan built this three-sided courtyard compound about 130 years ago.

Like most landlords at that time, the Chen family employed construction workers and masters from main land China to build this courtyard. They built a kiln here to produce bricks and tiles and also taught some members of Chen family to participate in the construction. We can find features of typical Chinese architectural style, such as red bricks commonly used in southern China. Bilateral symmetry, hierarchy, enclosure, horizontal emphasis, and Feng Shui were also implied in this compound to indicate a higher social status at that time.

The main structure is a hall with two bays on each side. To keep bilateral symmetry, the extension of this compound starts with two wings (known as "guardian dragons" by the Chinese). This resulted in a U-shaped building, with a courtyard suitable for farm work.

The projected hierarchy is based on the strict placement of buildings in the compound. The hall with two bays faces the front of the property and is considered more important than wings facing the sides. The hall was served as a living room or for ancestral plaques. The two bays were reserved for elder members of the family. The two wings were for the junior members of the family.

With the increase of family members, more wings were built on both sides of the original three-sided courtyard. Central courtyard is considered more important than peripheral ones, the latter which are typically used as storage or servant's rooms or kitchens. At that time, the hall would be a shrine for ancestors and would be used during festivities. The two wings became the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen. In the kitchen, there were five stoves to serve food for more than 40 people. The inner courtyard would be reserved for family activities and the otter one would be for farm work.

The main structure and wings enclose open spaces within the courtyard compound. These enclosed spaces come into two forms: the open courtyards and the sky well. On the other hand, the empty spaces are surrounded by buildings connected with one another either directly or through verandas. These enclosures serve in temperature regulation and in venting the building complexes and provide privacy to members living in the wings.

Classical Chinese buildings, especially those of the wealthy are built with an emphasis on breadth and less on height. Chinese architecture stresses the visual impact of the width of the buildings. Instead of moving out the compound, new members lived in the extended wings on two sided. That shows the prosperity of the family. In the case of the Chen family, they built extra pairs of "wings" on both side.

Concepts from Feng Shui were present in the construction and layout of this compound. Orienting the structure with its back to elevated landscape and ensuring that there is water in the front. The pond in front of the outer courtyard is gone now but there is still a stream there.

While the time flies, the family becomes bigger and can’t live together anymore. Members started to move out and this compound was almost hidden in bushes. Only Chen Yo’s tomb is swept once a year. This old courtyard compound not only tells the story of the Chen family but also of most Taiwanese families.

After this compound turned into a B&B, its rebirth was seen. The owners moved back from the US and family members walk around here from time to time. I met one there during my stay. Today, visitors can not only stay overnight here but also wear old-fashioned clothes to make their own family videos. How many old family-owned courtyard are buried and waiting for rebirth?

source: http://folkbandb.com/fong/6.html