Awaiting Husband Reef

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TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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Awaiting Husband Reef

***** Location: Taiwan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Earth

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Explanation


澎湖 七美 Wang Fu Reef

Waiting-husband reef
Cimei, Penghu




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Cimei Island (七美鄉)

The name of Cimei originally came from a historical story of the Ming Dynasty, in which seven women had to commit suicide when Japanese pirates raided the island.
Cimei was named in 1949, as a replacement of its original name "Da-Yu", to commemorate the seven women and their tombs. It now also connotes seven beautiful things as the island's tourist attractions. They are the scenery, the sea water, local products, people's hearts, the geology, the architecture, and the history as indications of the seven beautiful characteristics of Cimei island.

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

Awaiting Husband Reef...
the waves come and recede
at the shore

Note:
The poem is partly inspired by the story behind Wang Fu Reef (Awaiting Husband Reef), where is located within the south sea recreation area, Penghu, Taiwan, and where I had served my two-year compulsive military service as a border security agent and a cook.

The heartbreaking story took place in Cimei Island, about 48 sea miles west of Tainan, Taiwan.
There was a loving couple. The husband went out fishing every day, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night, and the wife would wait at the reef by the sea every evening for her husband to return. One day, when she was waiting, a storm suddenly occurred and the waves were fearsome; she waited the entire night in panic and her husband didn’t return. The second day, she still went to the seashore and waited for her husband to return, but he didn’t. The third day, the fourth day, … she waited by the seashore for a week. Her husband simply didn’t show up.

Her family and villagers all gave up hope for his safe return, and told her that her husband wouldn’t come back home and she needed to take good care of herself. She thanked them for their sincere concern for her, she still went to the seashore and waited for her husband. By the end of the month, she finally collapsed, and when people found her, it was too late to save her life. After countless years, the reef near the place she used to wait for her husband miraculously took the shape of a human form.



The amazing part is that the reef has a bulging belly, just like a pregnant woman. The later generations all believe that this is the image of the woman who waited night and day for her husband to return, and that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss here at sunset just like what the Westerners do on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

See Awaiting Husband Reef video .

Chen-ou Liu


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Related words

***** Couple's Day (fuufu no hi, Japan)



. TAIWAN SAIJIKI . 　


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. . . TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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Taiwan also known, especially in the past, as Formosa
(from Portuguese: Ilha Formosa, "Beautiful Island"), is an island situated in East Asia in the Western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It comprises 99% of the territory of the Republic of China (ROC) since the 1950s; therefore, the term "Taiwan" is also a common name to refer to the Republic of China itself.

Separated from the Asian continent by the 160 km (99 mi) wide Taiwan Strait, the main island of the group is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 kilometres (89 mi) wide.


Climate
Taiwan's climate is marine tropical.
The northern part of the island has a rainy season that lasts from January through late March during the northeast monsoon, and experiences meiyu in May.
The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September. The middle and southern parts of the island do not have an extended monsoon season during the winter months.
Natural hazards such as typhoons and earthquakes are common in the region.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Taiwan has a tropical climate,
varying from hot and humid in the south,
to cooler temperatures in the north and inland mountainous region.
Winters are short and tend to be mild, while summer is usually hot, with plenty of humidity.

Throughout the country, sudden rain showers occur frequently and visitors are advised to travel with raingear. In July and September, typhoons from the South China Sea bring heavy rains and as mentioned, monsoons occur frequently. September to October (autumn) is the driest period in Taiwan, followed by a generally damp and chilly winter, with snow on the island's mountain peaks.
Temperatures in the summer can reach up to 90ºF (35ºC) at the coast.
source : www.wordtravels.com

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. Personal Introduction to Taiwan
Chen-ou Liu . 　

Special Thanks go to Chen-ou for his valuable contributions.


NeverEnding Story
First English-Chinese Bilingual Haiku and Tanka BLOG
Chen-ou Liu
source : neverendingstory



Taiwan, 2013 - Chen-ou Liu

Happy Year of the Snake
a girl says with her hands
Taipei Sky Walker

Note:
Taipei Sky Walker is the first tourist e-book in three languages (Chinese, Japanese, and English), containing aerial photos of Taipei attractions
source : Taipei Sky Walker - google



fifth night of Chinese New Year
God of Wealth and I see
eye to eye in my dream

On the 5th day of Chinese New Year Festival,
it’s believed that the gods of prosperity come down from the heavens. Therefore, it’s the best day of the year to open new businesses.



Water Snake Lantern zigzags
through Ketagalan Boulevard ...
end of Chinese New Year

Note:
Today, February 24, is the Lantern Festival, marking the end of the 15-day Chinese New Year festivities.
Ketagalan Boulevard is in Zhongzheng District,Taipei, Taiwan, between the Presidential Building and the East Gate. Its length is 400 m,and there are ten lanes in two directions and no traffic islands.


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Season Words from Taiwan


Confucius Festisvals : Sekiten 釈奠 (せきてん) / Sekisai 釈菜（せきさい）
spring and autumn


Double Ninth Day, Chrysanthemum Festival
the ninth day of the ninth month
autumn


Lantern Festival Yuanxiao Festival 元宵節
spring


Moon Festival, Mid-autumn Festival
moon cakes, moon rice cakes
autumn


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Haiku Topics from Taiwan


Awaiting Husband Reef, Wang Fu Reef


Sun Moon Lake


Yangming Mountain, Yang-ming shan




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2/28 Peace Park
this familiar accent
Indonesian maids

Confucius minus the head
Indoneisan maid forgot the sage
as she helps take my picture

seeds of
independece
2/28 Peace Park

The 2/28 Peace Park, used to be the Taipei Park(also named New Park) , set up in 1899, is situated at the end of Guanqian Road in front of Taipei Main Station.
source : john tiong chunghoo



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. Taiwan 1979 : Photo Album Gabi Greve


. . . Asian Haiku Travelogue : Gabi Greve


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***** . TAIWAN SAIJIKI . 　


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Chen-ou Liu Taiwan

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TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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Personal Introduction to Taiwan
Chen-ou Liu

During my first year's stay in Canada, more than seven thousand miles (7,521 miles to be exact) from my family, I often dreamt of Taiwan where I was born and raised. Sometimes these random scenes evoked a sense of homesickness and displacement, and other times I would wonder what they were about. Most of them came to be forgotten, but I don't regret not remembering because there is no point in clinging to bygone days. However, my trouble is that I cannot forget completely. Taiwan is a place where I lived for almost forty years. This is a place I once hated and thought about running away from, then left it, and now I sometimes dream of going back.


The moral backbone of literature is about that whole question of memory. To my mind it seems clear that those who have no memory have the much greater chance to lead happy lives.

But the fact is that writing is the only way in which I am able to cope with the memories which overwhelm me so frequently and so unexpectedly. If they remained locked away, they would become heavier and heavier as time went on, so that in the end I would succumb under their mounting weight.

-- W. G. Sebald, author of The Emigrants

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The haiku/senryu below are dedicated to
Formosa, the Beautiful Island of Taiwan


Lake Ontario water
cupped in my hand --
Formosa ’s moon

Note:
In 1544, a Portuguese ship sighted the main island of Taiwan and named it Ilha Formosa , which means " Beautiful Island " .

Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Ontario, Canada's second largest and most populous province, was named for the lake.



Taiwan’s moon
hangs in Ajax sky ... the scent
on mother's apron

Note:
Ajax is a suburb of Toronto, the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada, where I continue to struggle with a life in transition and translation.

Taipei is the largest city in Taiwan and has been the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since 1949. Most importantly, it’s the city of my birth.



over Ajax
the rainy June sky --
I long for Taiwan

written for Basho
and in response to his haiku below:

even in Kyoto--
hearing the cuckoo's cry--
I long for Kyoto.

Note:
In Ajax, the sun comes in unequal measures, but it seldom rains. If it does, it seldom lasts half a day. In Taiwan, the main rainy season, which lasts from mid-May through to mid-June, is a period of time referred to as Meiyu Jijie (梅雨季節), meaning "plum rain season" as it coincides with the plum season. The island can expect heavy rainfall during the plum rain season, during which about 25 percent of the annual rainfall in northern Taiwan falls.



Taipei memories
here in a flash, gone in a flash...
snow on snow


I sleep in Taipei
but wake up in Ajax...
another winter dawn



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Sun Moon Lake
one by one I catch stars
for her

Note:
Sun Moon Lake, situated in Nantou County, Taiwan, is the island’s largest lake as well as the most famous tourist attraction.


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Yuanxiao Festival
soaring lanterns light up
the Taipei sky

Lantern Festival, Yuanxiao Festival 元宵節


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. Chen-ou Liu
Confessions of A Germanophile 　


. WKD : Chen-ou Liu - Urban Haiku




Read more of his poems on his poetry blog (external LINK)
Poetry in the Moment
http://chenouliu.blogspot.com/


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. TAIWAN SAIJIKI . 　


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Yangming Mountain

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TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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Mount Yangming, Yang-ming shan

***** Location: Taiwan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Earth

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Explanation


Mt. Yangming is situated in the north of Taipei the capital of Taiwan. It’s internalionally known for its natural mountain streams, hot springs, waterfalls and forest parks. Starting from late February to early April every year, the floral season of Mt. Yangming begins with azalea and cherry flowers in full bloom. Besides, camellia, peach, and plum blossom and apricot also vie with each other.

Chen-ou Liu

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©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !






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Things found on the way


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HAIKU




Mt Yangming at dawn
the scent of plum blossoms
drifts across the path


written for Basho
and in response to his haiku below:

in the plum blossom scent
the sun pops out
a mountain path

Chen-ou Liu


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梅が香にのつと日の出る山路哉
ume ga ka ni notto hi no deru yamaji kana

scent of plum blossoms
on the misty mountain path
a big rising sun


Walking along the Old Road to Izumo, I came along a stone memorial to this haiku:

Man no Tawa, the Old Pass to the Harima Province

In the middle of nowhere there is a sign and then a stone memorial in rememberance of Matsuo Basho !
The "Fragrant Plum Memorial", baikazuka, umekazuka 梅香塚.

In the year 1793, the local haiku master of Doi invited other haiku friends to celebrate the 100th death day of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) with the erection of a stone monument　with one of his haiku:

in the fragrance of plum blossoms
the sun comes out
on this mountain road

Basho published this haiku in the year 1694 in the collection A Sack of Charcoal (Bag of Charcoal) (Sumidawara　炭俵).

The area here was known for the beautiful mountain crossing of this pass.

. The Road to Izumo .



With plum blossom scent,
this sudden sun emerges
along a mountain trail
- Reference -

(The Japanese has the cut marker KANA at the end of line 3.)


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Related words


***** Plum Blossoms (ume 梅)



. TAIWAN SAIJIKI . 　



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Lantern Festival Taiwan

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TAIWAN SAIJIKI

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Lantern Festival

***** Location: Taiwan
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation


Isabelle writes:

On 17 February 2011, I received a lovely e-mail and photograph from a Taiwanese colleague :

"Today is the annual Lantern Festival in Taiwan representing the end of Spring Festival. Besides making traditional lanterns, one of the most interesting events is to launch the sky lanterns.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a happy, peaceful and healthy life in 2011!

All the best to you and Happy Lantern Festival!"




e-mail message --
a Taiwanese friend's wish
for lantern festival

Isabelle Prondzynski


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4eb0aDPwBY&feature=fvw

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The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival since Han Dynasty more than 2000 years ago. In the early Tan Dynasty (618-907AD), it was called the Shan-Yuan Festival, because of Taoism. in the late Tan Dynasty, it was called the Yuan-Xiao Festival. It was called Lantern Night in the Sun Dynasty (960-1297 A.D.). The Lantern Festival was used in Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD).

According to Taoism, Shan-Yuan (first period of the year) Festival is the birthday of the Heaven Officer who blesses human luck. On the 15th lunar day of 7th lunar month is Chung-Yuan (middle period of the year) Festival, which is the birthday of the Hell Officer who has right to pardon ghosts. On this day, all the ghosts can leave hell to human world for food. So the 7th lunar month is called Ghost Month. Many Chinese won't get married in this month. The 15th lunar day of 10th lunar month is Xia-Yaun (last period of the year) Festival. This day is the birthday of the Water Officer who can rescue people in trouble.

On the 15th lunar day of the year, some Chinese families worship the Heaven Officer of Taoism and pray for luck at home or temple during the daytime. Traditionally, Chinese should decorate the light lanterns around the house and children carry the candle paper lantern on the street at night. It might the safety concern, not too many follow this custom today. In stead, many people will attend different activities of the Lantern Festival.
source : www.chinesefortunecalendar.com




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Worldwide use

Japan

genshoosetsu 元宵節（げんしょうせつ）
genshoosai 元宵祭（げんしょうさい）
celebration of the first part (of three) of one year

There are three seasonal changes within a year, following the old Chinese Taoist lore, which has been introduced to Japan. They follow the Asian lunar calendar.
It is a day of prayer for good fortune in the coming year on the first day of each change.

. First third of the year (joogen 上元) 　

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There are many other lantern festivals in Japan.

Many are related to the ancestor worship at O-Bon or to the autumnal harvest festivals.

. WKD : Lantern Festivals


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HAIKU

Yuanxiao Festival, 元宵節 also known as the Lantern Festival, celebrated by the Chinese around the world.


not one lantern
under the Toronto sky...
one more bowl of yuanxiao

Yuanxiao Festival
soaring lanterns lighting up
the Taipei Sky


Note:
The fifteenth day of the Chinese lunar new year is traditionally called Yuanxiao Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival. It is celebrated by the Chinese around the world.
On this day, all the family members gather together to have bowls of yuanxiao or tangyuan (glutinous rice balls brewed in a sweet soup) right after dinner, and walk the streets carrying lanterns or launching sky lanterns.

For further information, read the Wikipedia entry entitled
. Lantern Festival


Taipei is the largest city in Taiwan and has been the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since 1949.

Chen-ou Liu
Taiwan/Canada


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lantern festival . . .
a paperboat rocking
in ocean song

- Shared by Asni Amin, Singapore -
Joys of Japan, 2012


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sky lanterns
our wishes afloat
among stars

- Shared by Christine L. Villa, USA -
Joys of Japan, 2012



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Related words


***** Moon Festival, Mid-autumn Festival Taiwan
moon cakes, moon rice cakes


***** Double Ninth Day, Chrysanthemum Festival
the ninth day of the ninth month


***** WKD : New Year Celebrations



. TAIWAN SAIJIKI . 　

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