Thursday, November 24, 2011

DREAMERS

Dear Editor, Taisiderata Blog City:

I know I am in the minority here when I state that I really liked the
musical "Dreamers," but to be honest, I watched the show on TV the
night it was performed in Taichung, and I loved
every minute of it.

Call me sentimental, call me romantic, call me late for dinner, but I loved the show and found myself laughing in some parts and
tearing
up in other parts and even standing up in my living room at home at
the end and applauding. I don't understand why so many critics from
both the green camp and the blue
camp wrote such scathing reviews in newspapers and magazines. It seems
some members of the DPP hated the show for their own reasons, and it
seems that some members of the KMT
also hated the show for other reasons. I don't understand what all the
fuss is all about. I watched a powerful musical drama unfold that
night and I was touched. Sometimes art trumps
politics, not always, but sometimes. In this case, I give "Dreamers" a
thumbs up, two thumbs up!

I came to the show on television as a non-Taiwanese man wanting to
know more about
Taiwan history, and I feel the show delivered the goods and gave me my
money's worth. By juxtaposing two stories and interweaving
the ideas of the old generation and young people in one rousing
musical show, I felt Stan Lai did a very good job. The music was
superb, the sets were eye-catching, the songs were lovely (even if a
bit
sentimental) and the drama going on on stage was very easy to follow
with the extremely well-written English subtitles that appeared on my
TV screen. Whoever wrote the subtitles in English deserves a round of
applause as well.

Okay, I am in the minority here, but I, for one, was captivated. For
me, the touching melodies and the plot that mixed history and family
dramas into a moving two-hour show gave me a nice sentimental feeling.
Sometimes sentiment is okay.

I didn't watch the show from the point of view of any political party,
and I had no idea at the time about the shady finances or the
backstage dealings involved. I came to show
as a non-Taiwanese TV viewer and stood up and applauded at home when
it was over. It was that good. I was that touched by the finale and
the entire show. Bravo, Stan Lai!

By portraying how young people of two different generations in Taiwan
pursued their dreams, the musical worked for me. Was I the only one
who applauded? Did I see the
same show the critics saw? Maybe not.

Sincerely,

Art Fann,
Kenting
US expat in Taiwan

Monday, November 7, 2011

When 羅苳公 and 林榕 Were Married in an Enchanted Yilan Forest (draft text)

draft text

很久以前, 阿嬤說「某天, 有隻小鳥兒嘴裡卸著的兩顆種子不小心掉落在森林裡, 這兩顆種子逐漸發芽長大, 樹根和枝葉彼此
交錯纏繞在一起, 成雙成對. 其中一棵是榕樹, 另一棵則是秋楓.」

這件事是發生於 1920年 日本殖民時期的宜蘭縣羅東鎮. 可想而知, 這兩棵神奇的「夫妻樹」一起歷經多少春夏秋冬,

兩棵樹要結婚了, 一段奇蹟的姻緣.
兩棵樹要結婚了, 一場森林裡的盛宴.
森林裡的動物, 昆蟲, 花草都歡歡喜喜地來湊熱鬧囉!

喜帖廣發給森林裡的所有村民, 日期訂於11月12日. 下面就是發給蝴蝶家族的邀請函, 內容是這樣的:

羅苳公 and 林榕

親愛的羅東蝴蝶家族們, 我們誠摯的邀請您們來參加我們的婚禮, 日期訂於11月12日, 地點在Noisy Brook Bridge.
歡迎您們盛裝出席, 妝點您們最豔麗的色彩, 準備參加世紀級的婚禮派對. - 羅苳公 v.s 林榕婆 敬邀

這將是一場多麼熱鬧的婚禮, 有狐狸和鹿, 松鼠和鳥, 蝴蝶和櫻花鉤吻鮭, 台灣黑熊和蛇, 還有蛞蝓, [Bee-hoo in Mandarin...sengah in Hoklo *wall dragons]. 馬, 牛, 豬, 羊
……等等. 七彩的蝴蝶紛飛. 好不熱鬧.

在這充滿快樂的森林裡, 羅苳公和林榕婆高高聳立在一片蔚藍的晴空之下, 白雲在天上也發出燦爛的微笑, 看著羅苳公和林榕
婆這對夫妻樹恩愛相擁將近 90年, 終於在羅東這座靜謐繁茂的叢林中要結婚了.

歡喜! 歡喜! 真歡喜! 蜜蜂, 老鼠, 烏鴉和魚群們都在慶喜. Noisy Brook Bridge'' 下, 你可以看見在清澈的水底, 魚群們快樂的擺
動著魚尾慶祝著.

市長和林務局局長出席為典禮致詞. 一百多位影視巨星和流行歌手也都從台北前來參加這場盛宴. 這將成為一場永恆難忘的
世紀婚禮.


主持典禮的司儀-公牛先生問羅苳公說:「今日你願意娶林榕婆為妻子嗎?」
羅苳公不假思索地回答說:「我願意!」
公牛繼續問林榕婆說:「今日你願意嫁羅苳公為丈夫嗎?」
林榕婆害羞又緊張地回應說:「我, 我, 我願意!」
公牛先生:「我在此宣布你羅苳公和林榕婆結為連理, 永遠不分離. 恭禧您們倆位, 攜手在羅東縣這座美麗的森林裡白頭偕
老」

婚禮儀式結束後, 大家舉杯同慶祝福這對新人, 「乾杯!」「LO LAT!」

THE END


=========================================
This is not the End. This is very beginning of a new chapter in the life of the fused trees of Ludong Forest.

Dear Children of Taiwan,
If you would like to write a letter in your own handwriting to the happy 羅苳公 and 林榕 to tell them your
feelings about this story and their Yilan forest wedding, you may write to them at this address:

Ludong Storybook
P.O. BOX 1000
Chiayi City, 600, Taiwan,
And every letter they get will be read, and will get a reply, too, in Chinese or English!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

When 羅苳公 and 林榕 Got Married in Yilan - 當羅苳公和林榕在Yilan結了婚 從臺灣的一個新的民間傳說由'想像; ' Biko Lang' ' 翻譯由____ 由____的例證 在顏色神色的前二頁喜歡此 ----- 羅苳公和林榕举行了一個愉快的婚礼聚會為所有樹和花和動物在Ludong森林裡,他們一起已經被熔化了 -- 象這样! (............雙卡車2這裡頁藝術品..........) -- 90年! 然后故事CONTNUTES 從前或者如此' ' Amah' ' 在森林裡說,一隻小的鳥投下了二顆種子一天,並且他們開始一起生長作為一棵雙重樹, a 被熔化的樹,糾纏在彼此' s根和分支。 一顆種子是榕树的種子,並且另一顆種子是秋天槭树的種子。 這發生了在Ludong在1920的Yilan縣在日本殖民地期間。您能想像,這棵驚人的樹看了許多夏天和冬天、充滿活力的春天和秋天憂鬱落的葉子! 二棵樹,一個奇蹟! 二棵樹,一婚姻! 二棵樹和所有動物和花的一個黨並且森林的昆蟲! 婚禮邀請出去了給森林的所有居民。日期定了11月12日。 這什麼一個邀請,對 Yilan,看的喜歡蝴蝶家庭: Ludong親愛的蝴蝶, 您熱忱地被邀請出席我們的婚禮在汩汩地流的溪在11月日期的橋梁。 請佩帶您最美好的顏色和準備對于最佳的婚礼聚會您出席了。 懇切地, 羅苳公和林榕 並且婚禮它是: 鹿和狐狸、灰鼠和鳥,蝴蝶和福摩薩陆封鲑,福摩薩熊和甚而蝸牛和子彈和sengaga! 馬和母牛和豬和山羊! 彩虹的所有顏色Butterlies! 並且在與白色雲彩高上面微笑的清楚的蓝天下下來在愉快的森林、羅苳公和林榕 --被熔化的togther 已經90年,結婚…在Ludong的安靜的樹木繁茂的樹叢裡。 高興! 高興! 蜂和老鼠和烏鴉和魚全部高興和您可能甚而看愉快的魚蠕動他們可疑在大海的尾巴在Gurling溪橋梁之下。 市長在那裡和Foresty局的管理者,和 100位电影明星和電視星和從臺北的流行音樂歌手來了黨。 它是和永远記住作為森林世紀的婚禮! 前述officating在婚禮的黃牛: " 今天您,羅苳公,作為林榕,作為您的妻子? 我。 並且今天您,林榕,作為您的丈夫的作為羅苳公? 我… I .....我! 我現在發音您丈夫樹和妻子樹,現在和永遠一起被熔化,祝賀你們倆,和万歲美麗的Ludong森林 Yilan縣! " 並且,當婚礼结束,大家培養了一塊小玻璃山露水祝賀愉快的夫婦的和說的GAN BEI和 LO拉特銀幣。 這不是末端。 這是非常開始一個新的章節 Ludong森林被熔化的樹的生活。 亲爱的學生,如果您在您自己的手寫希望寫信給愉快的告訴他們的羅苳公和林榕您關於這本書和他們的婚禮,您的感覺可以給他們寫在這個地址: Ludong故事書作家車間 P.O. 箱子1000年嘉義市, 600,臺灣, ROC 並且他們收到的每封信件將讀,並且反應對,同样, 漢語或英語或者日語!

當羅苳公和林榕在Yilan結了婚 從臺灣的一個新的民間傳說由'想像; ' Biko Lang' '

翻譯由____ 由____的例證 在顏色神色的前二頁喜歡此 -----

羅苳公和林榕举行了一個愉快的婚礼聚會為所有樹和花和動物在Ludong森林裡,他們一起已經被熔化了 -- 象這样! (............雙卡車2這裡頁藝術品..........) -- 90年! 然后故事CONTNUTES 從前或者如此' ' Amah' ' 在森林裡說,一隻小的鳥投下了二顆種子一天,並且他們開始一起生長作為一棵雙重樹, a 被熔化的樹,糾纏在彼此' s根和分支。 一顆種子是榕树的種子,並且另一顆種子是秋天槭树的種子。 這發生了在Ludong在1920的Yilan縣在日本殖民地期間。您能想像,這棵驚人的樹看了許多夏天和冬天、充滿活力的春天和秋天憂鬱落的葉子! 二棵樹,一個奇蹟! 二棵樹,一婚姻! 二棵樹和所有動物和花的一個黨並且森林的昆蟲! 婚禮邀請出去了給森林的所有居民。日期定了11月12日。 這什麼一個邀請,對 Yilan,看的喜歡蝴蝶家庭: Ludong親愛的蝴蝶, 您熱忱地被邀請出席我們的婚禮在汩汩地流的溪在11月日期的橋梁。 請佩帶您最美好的顏色和準備對于最佳的婚礼聚會您出席了。 懇切地, 羅苳公和林榕 並且婚禮它是: 鹿和狐狸、灰鼠和鳥,蝴蝶和福摩薩陆封鲑,福摩薩熊和甚而蝸牛和子彈和sengaga! 馬和母牛和豬和山羊! 彩虹的所有顏色Butterlies! 並且在與白色雲彩高上面微笑的清楚的蓝天下下來在愉快的森林、羅苳公和林榕 --被熔化的togther 已經90年,結婚…在Ludong的安靜的樹木繁茂的樹叢裡。 高興! 高興! 蜂和老鼠和烏鴉和魚全部高興和您可能甚而看愉快的魚蠕動他們可疑在大海的尾巴在Gurling溪橋梁之下。 市長在那裡和Foresty局的管理者,和 100位电影明星和電視星和從臺北的流行音樂歌手來了黨。 它是和永远記住作為森林世紀的婚禮! 前述officating在婚禮的黃牛: " 今天您,羅苳公,作為林榕,作為您的妻子? 我。 並且今天您,林榕,作為您的丈夫的作為羅苳公? 我… I .....我! 我現在發音您丈夫樹和妻子樹,現在和永遠一起被熔化,祝賀你們倆,和万歲美麗的Ludong森林 Yilan縣! " 並且,當婚礼结束,大家培養了一塊小玻璃山露水祝賀愉快的夫婦的和說的GAN BEI和 LO拉特銀幣。 這不是末端。 這是非常開始一個新的章節 Ludong森林被熔化的樹的生活。

亲爱的學生,如果您在您自己的手寫希望寫信給愉快的告訴他們的羅苳公和林榕您關於這本書和他們的婚禮,您的感覺可以給他們寫在這個地址:

Ludong故事書作家車間 P.O. 箱子1000年嘉義市, 600,臺灣, ROC

並且他們收到的每封信件將讀,並且反應對,同样, 漢語或英語或者日語!


When 羅苳公 and 林榕 Got Married in Yilan

A new folk tale from Taiwan imagined by ''Biko Lang''

translated by ______
illustrations by ______


FIRST TWO PAGES IN COLOR LOOK LIKE THIS -----

羅苳公 and 林榕 held a happy wedding party
for all the trees and flowers and animals in the forest of Ludong,
they had already been fused together -- like this! (............double
truck 2 pages artwork here..........) -- for over 90 years!

AND THEN STORY CONTNUTES

Long ago, or so ''Amah'' says, a little bird dropped two seeds in the
forest one day and they began growing together as a double tree, a
fused tree, entwined in each other's roots and branches. One seed was the seed
of a banyan tree and the other seed was the seed of an autumn maple tree.

This happened
in Ludong in Yilan County in 1920 during the Japanese colonial period.
As you can imagine, this amazing tree has seen many summers and
winters, vibrant springtimes and melancholy falling leaves of autumn!

Two trees, one miracle! Two trees, one wedding!
Two trees, and a party for all the animals and flowers
and insects of the forest!

The wedding invitations went out to all the denizens of the forest.
The date was set for November 12. Here is what one invitation, to the
butterfly families of Yilan, looked like:

Dear Butterflies of Ludong,

You are cordially invited to attend our wedding at the Gurgling Brook
Bridge on November DATE. Please wear your finest colors and be prepared
for the best wedding party you ever attended.

Sincerely,
羅苳公 and 林榕

And what a wedding it was: deer and fox, squirrels and birds,
butterflies and Formosa Landlocked salmon, Formosa Bear and even
snails and slugs and sengaga! Horses and cows and pigs and goats!
Butterlies of all the colors of the rainbow!

And under a clear blue sky with white clouds high above smiling down
on the happy forest, 羅苳公 and 林榕 --fused togther
already for 90 years, got married ...in quiet wooded grove in Ludong.

Rejoice! Rejoice! The bees and the mice and the crows and the fish all
rejoiced, and you could even see the happy fish wriggling their fishy
tails in the blue waters below the Gurling Brook Bridge.

The Mayor was there, and the Superintendent of the Foresty Bureau, and
over 100 movie stars and TV stars and pop singers from Taipei came to
the party as well. It was and always will be remembered as THE FOREST
WEDDING OF THE CENTURY!

Said the Ox who was officating at the wedding:

"Do you, 羅苳公, take 林榕, as your wife today?

I do.

And do you, 林榕, take 羅苳公 as your husband today?

I ...I.....I do!

I now pronounce you Husband Tree and Wife Tree, fused together now and forever,
congratulations to you both, and long live the beautiful Ludong Forest
of Yilan County!"

And when the wedding ceremony was over, everyone raised a small glass
of mountain dew to congratulate the happy couple, and said GAN BEI and
LO LAT.

This is not the End. This is very beginning of a new chapter in
the life of the fused trees of Ludong Forest.

Dear Students,
If you would like to write a letter in your own handwriting to the
happy 羅苳公 and 林榕 to tell them your
feelings about this book and their wedding, you may write to them at
this address:

Ludong Storybrook
P.O. BOX 1000
Chiayi City, 600, Taiwan

And every letter they get will be read, and responded to, too, in
Chinese or English or Japanese!