台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 11 (最後一個 The Last One)

The Chinese text below was taken from "Taiwanese Place Name Stories" 台灣地名故事, published by Windmill 三暉圖書發行有限公司 in 2021.  The Chinese text was written by Windmill and the English text was written by me.

This will be the last entry from this book.  As of this entry I've done the parts of the book covering Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung.

紀念義士的九腳桶

In Memory of the Heroes: Jioujiaotong

清朝乾隆年間 , 由於台灣百姓延續著明鄭 "反清復明" 的思想 , 又厭惡滿清派來台灣的官吏貪汙腐化 , 壓榨百姓 , 因此起義活動層出不窮 .  在屏東也出現一位名叫莊大田的抗清英雄 , 令滿清吃足了苦頭 . During the reign of Qing (Ching) Emperor Qianlong, the people of Taiwan persisted in the "overthrow the Qing, restore the Ming" thinking that stretched back to Koxinga.  They hated the corrupt, oppressive Qing officials who were sent to Taiwan, and for this reason one uprising followed another.  In Pingtung there appeared Zhuang Da-tian, a hero of the resistance, who caused the Qing Dynasty great difficulties.

那時候 , 林爽文在中部地區高舉 "反清復明" 的旗幟 , 聲勢非常浩大 , 許多起義軍紛紛響應 .  住在屏東番仔寮的莊大田為人豪氣 , 常主動接濟窮人 , 因此成為番仔寮住民的領導者 .  當他決定響應林爽文的起義時 , 當地居民立刻有上千人自願參加 .  莊大田出資製造軍器 , 又購買布疋製成軍旗 , 旗上寫著 : "南路輔國大元帥" .  南路是指天地會南路的意思 , 有意與 "順天大元帥" 林爽文南北相呼應 , 不過雙方並沒有隸屬關係 . At that time Lin Shuang-wen was recognized as the resistance leader in central Taiwan.  He was very influential, and he inspired many to join the resistance army.

Zhuang Da-tian lived in Fandzeliao and was a proud man.  He did his utmost to help the poor in Fandzeliao, and for this reason he became a leader in that area.  Once he decided to join Lin Shuang-wen's uprising, thousands of his neighbors immediately volunteered with him.

Jhuang Da-tian invested in weapons, and immediately had a flag made for his [part of] the army.  On the flag was written: "Southern Road, Auxiliary Grand Marshal."  The "Southern Road" was a reference to the Heaven and Earth Society, in which the "Shuntian Grand Marshal" was important.  Lin Shuang-wen exercised [nominal] authority over north and south [Taiwan], but he was for the most part unaffiliated [with Zhuang Da-tian's army]. (1)

一切準備妥當 , 莊大田便起義攻打鳳山縣城 .  鳳山縣城的參將胡圖里見莊大田的義軍來勢洶洶 , 不戰而逃 .  莊大田順利的佔領鳳山縣城 , 繼續招兵買馬 , 打算一舉攻下台南府城 . Once he was ready, Zhuang Da-tian attacked the Qing garrison at Fengshan.  Hu Tu-li, the general at Fengshan, saw Jhuang Da-tian's forces coming in great strength and fled without fighting.  Jhuang Da-tian easily occupied the fort, and from that point he continue to recruit soldiers and buy horses.  He planned on assaulting the provincial capital in Tainan [once he was ready].

這時候 , 在高雄左營的九曲堂 , 有十名武藝高強的壯士決定一起加入莊大田的起義軍 .  他們在戰場上非常勇敢 , 總是身先士卒 , 滿清的將士都知道這十位藝高膽大義士的名聲 . At that time ten mighty warriors from Jiuqutang in Zuoying, Kaohsiung decided to join Zhuang Da-tian's rebel army.  They were very brave on the field of battle, always the first to lead an attack, and word of these ten forthright men had even reached the ears of the Qing soldiers.

眼看起義軍的聲勢愈來愈浩大 , 滿清官員根據平定鴨母王朱一貴事件時得到的寶貴經驗 , 決定分化閩南人和客家人的情感 , 使他們產生嫌隙 , 進而一一擊破 . Watching the revolutionary forces grow in strength, the Qing officials fell back upon a strategy used during Zhu Yi-gui's uprising, exploiting the cultural differences between Hakka and Minnanese rebels, dividing one side from the other so that they could be picked off later.

受到分化的客籍人士忘了自己也曾受盡滿清貪官的迫害 , 齊聚忠義亭 , 宣誓效忠滿清 , 還前往台南支援清軍防守府城 .  The Hakka contingent thus estranged from [Zhuang Da-tian's] army forgot how they'd been persecuted by the Qing officials.  They went to the Jhong Yi Pavilion and swore allegiance to the Qing Dynasty, afterwards joining the Qing forces at the provincial capital in Tainan.

公元1787年 (乾隆52年) 1月7日 , 莊大田和林爽文合軍圍攻台南失利 , 林爽文率軍北走 , 莊大田則退屯大岡山 .  此後 , 莊大田和清軍不斷周旋 , 但是由於許多親信在戰場上捐軀 , 加上盟軍一一被滿清收編 , 莊大田部隊的聲勢已經大不如前了 . On January 7, 1787 on the Western calendar (the 52nd year of Qianlong's reign), Zhuang Da-tian and Lin Shuang-wen combined their armies in a failed assault on Tainan.  Lin Shuang-wen then led [his part of] the army north, while Zhuang Da-tian retreated [with his forces] to Dagang Mountain.  After this point Zhuang Da-tian and the Qing forces fought a war of attrition, in which Zhuang Da-tian lost many comrades on the field of battle while the Qing forces gained allies and grew in strength.  Zhuang Da-tian's army lost momentum and lacked its former power.

公元1787年11月 , 滿清加派協辦大學士福康安親率貴州 , 廣西 , 四川等省的精兵萬餘人 , 從鹿港登陸 .  這時候 , 滿清派來台灣的部隊 , 加上原本駐臺及從澎湖調來的軍隊 , 整體軍力已經比林爽文 , 莊大田剛起義時台灣原有的軍力增加十倍以上 . On November 1787 on the Western calendar, the Qing court consulted the great scholar Fu Kang-an, who personally led an army of over 10,000 elite troops from Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan and other provinces.  They disembarked from their ships at Lugang.  At this point the new troops, in addition to older troops from Taiwan ['s main island] and Penghu, formed in an army that was ten times stronger than Lin Shuang-wen and Zhuang Da-tian's combined forces.

過了不久 , 林爽文兵敗被捕 , 台灣中部的抗清起義軍徹底瓦解 .  福康安的部將繼續率軍南下 , 採取心理戰術 , 用 "善意呼喚" 對待莊大田的部隊 , 使得莊大田手下的大將李茂 , 謝檜山相繼投降 , 部隊只剩十分之三 .  莊大田只好率軍往南逃竄 , 最後也被逮捕處死 . Before long Lin Shuang-wen had been defeated and arrested, and central Taiwan's anti-Qing revolutionary army had completely fallen apart.  Fu Kang-an continued to lead his troops south, and using psychological tactics they made "housecalls" on Zheng Da-tian's generals, causing his generals Li Mao and Xie Kwai-shan to surrender in turn.  [Zhuang Da-tian's] army was down to a third of its former strength, and all he could do was flee south, where he was imprisoned and executed.

當莊大田敗逃時 , 十義士始終追隨左右 , 令莊大田非常感動 .  莊大田被清軍追殺 , 知道大勢已去 , 於是對十義士說 : "現在情勢非常不利 , 我遲早會血染沙場 , 為了替 "反清復明" 留一點香火 , 希望你們趕緊離開部隊 , 等待機會再給滿清政權致命的一擊 ." After Zhuang Da-tian fled following his defeat, the ten heroes continued to follow him everywhere.  This moved him greatly.  As Zhuang Da-tian was being pursued by the Qing army he knew their cause was lost, so he said to the ten righteous men: "Our situation is extremely unfavorable, sooner or later our blood will be spilled.  I hope you will leave our company quickly, in order to preserve some of the anti-Qing spirit.  You should wait for another opportunity to smash the Qing regime."

可是 , 十義士卻堅持繼續留在部隊裡 .  後來 , 實在禁不住莊大田一再的曉以大義 , 十義士才揮淚告別 , 逃回九曲堂 . Yet the ten heroes insisted on staying with the army.  Later still Zhuang Da-tian was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice [for their cause], and the ten righteous men fled in tears to Jiuqutang.

清軍肅清莊大田的部隊後 , 鳳山縣的守備陳明聲為了避免起義軍死灰復燃  , 於是以迅雷不及掩耳的速度 , 下令對各庄社進行 "清庄" .  剛回到九曲堂的十名義士立刻就被官府盯上 .  其中一人因為住得比較偏僻 , 平安脫險 , 其餘九人全部被捕 . After the Qing had wiped out Zhuang Da-tian's army, Chen Ming-sheng, commander of the garrison at Fengshan, ordered a lightning-fast sweep of the villages under Qing control in order to stamp out anti-Qing sentiment.  Nine of the ten heroes, just then arrived in Jiuqutang, were immediately identified and arrested by the government.  The tenth hero, who lived in a more remote area, lived on in safety.

陳名聲將這九名義士在庄內處斬 , 由於欽佩他們的民族氣節 , 就在每一位義士前面放置一個水桶 , 一共是九個水桶 , 以免頭顱斬下時被泥土沾汙 , 表示對義士的尊敬 .  因此 , 九曲堂又叫作九腳桶 , 也稱作九曲桶 . Chen Ming-sheng had these nine men beheaded in the village.  Out of admiration for their communal spirit he had a bucket placed before each man, nine buckets in all, so that their heads would not be dirtied by the ground after their beheadings.  This was how [Chen Ming-sheng] showed his respect for these righteous heroes.  For this reason Jiuqutang is also called "Jiujiaotong" or "Jiuqutong." (2)

Related Entries 相關的文章:

Kaohsiung in the News 高雄的新聞 (East 東) 2

台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 10

台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 9

Dzeguan District, Kaohsiung City 高雄市梓官區遊記

1. There are two places in Pingtung which may have answered to the name "Fandzeliao" at the time, one in Jiadong Township and another in Changjr Township.  

My explanation of the words on the flag is exceedingly inadequate, but I don't feel like diving into the Heaven and Earth Society's complete philosophy today.

2. Zuoying?  Way up there?  These places are very far apart.  Either the author is confused, there was another place by the name of Zuoying, or Zuoying was MUCH bigger back then.  At present Jiuqutang is in Dashu District, across the Kaoping River from Pingtung County.

3. 九曲堂 or Jiuqutang, as written on the train sign above.  九腳桶 means "nine feet bucket," a reference to the fact that the men were kneeling during their beheadings.  The bucket was placed near their feet to catch their heads.

Taiwan 101: Local Wildlife

Taiwan has many interesting animals, many of which are not easily observed in the wild.  I've been here 22 years, and there are still several native animals that I've never seen outdoors.  Take this "stone tiger" (leopard cat) for example, which was only recently identified.  At first glance you'd probably mistake it for a house cat.

If you're looking for an exhaustive list of species endemic to Taiwan click here.  What follows below is less than comprehensive.

1. Mammals

You'll see the Formosan black bear's likeness all over the island, but seeing a real one in the wild is hard.  They're very solitary animals, and you'd have to travel very deep into the mountains to see one.

Taiwan has deer, serow and muntjac, wild pigs and otters, whales and dolphins, but the animal you're most likely to see is the Formosan rock macaque, an animal universally hated by farmers and overfed by many tourists.  For the record I despise them.  They're both aggressive and very territorial.

Of the wild animals I've seen in Taiwan my favorite was a flying squirrel which flew across the road as I was cycling up the coast in Taitung.  The sun was just coming up, there were trees close to the road on either side, and the flying squirrel sailed right across my path.

I've seen a fair number of civets.  I've seen a Chinese hare.  I once saw a deer in a stand of trees along Highway 197 in Taitung.

Bats are easy to see at night.  The difficult part is telling one type of bat from another.

Rodents, shrews, moles and solenodons?  Same problem.  I used to go running a lot at night in relatively remote places, and rodents would often squeak at me if I got too close to them.  At night it was impossible to tell what kind of rodents they were.

A sign at Longluan Lake says that the area is inhabited by otters.  I've been over there around sundown a few times hoping to see one, but so far I've only spotted birds.

2. Birds

Taiwan has over 400 types of endemic bird.  I have two big books ("freshwater" and "saltwater") introducing these birds, and I have no doubt that you could spend years (maybe even a lifetime) attempting to photograph each type of bird in the wild.  Many of these birds you'll probably never see, while some are ubiquitous.

Little egrets can be seen around fields or rivers, the Taiwan barbet ("5 color bird") is an oft-used symbol of Taiwan's biodiversity, and the Mikado pheasant is on the 1000 NT bill.  I see brown shrikes everywhere.

3. Reptiles and Amphibians

I love snakes.  I love seeing them outdoors, going about their daily business.  I find them very interesting.

People new to Taiwan often worry over snakes.  Honestly, the odds of getting bit by one are extremely low.  Snakes such as the Chinese cobra, the many-banded krait ("umbrella snake") and the hundred-pace snake can definitely cause injury or even death, but a much larger percentage of snakes in Taiwan pose absolutely no danger to humans.  The most venomous snake is actually the sea snake, but their fangs curve inward and they're not generally aggressive.  As a general rule look at the head first.  If it's triangular the snake in question is probably a viper, and you should give it a lot of room.

In Taitung I saw a lot more snakes, and many more kinds of snakes, than I've seen in Pingtung.  The banded krait was fairly common, and people in the elementary school where I worked caught several Chinese cobras.  Big-eyed ratsnakes ("guo shan dao") and oriental ratsnakes ("southern snakes") were also easy to spot. (1)

I don't have much experience when it comes to turtles in Taiwan, but I can tell you that they love the irrigation ditches in and around Fangliao Township.  When my wife and I went walking around the area at night we often found stranded turtles next to the Mountainside Highway.

I know even less about Taiwan's amphibians, even though there are frogs and toads everywhere.  The lot across from where we lived in Fangliao had frogs (or toads) that would dry out with the weather, and these animals would magically return to life with the first big rain.  I found it somewhat unnerving.

4. Fish

My knowledge of fish only extends to the types farmed in Taiwan.  Oh, and there are also the "festival" types of fish such as tuna and sailfish.  The southern end of the island is surrounded by coral, so of course there are many types of fish to be found here.

5. Insects and Arachnids

You ever seen a giant grass mantis?  I saw one in Hsinchu once.  It was impressive.

Killer bees are a thing in Taiwan, so be careful when hiking in the mountains.  Perfumes, deodorants, and other things that make you smell like flowers should not be worn while hiking through dense vegetation.

On the level of day to day living you'll most likely be interacting with ants, mosquitoes and cockroaches.  These pests are more or less prevalent depending on the area.  Mosquitoes dislike wide open spaces, ants are constantly on the hunt for food, and cockroaches love moisture.  Older buildings will have more of these pests, while newer buildings will have less of them.

Spiders?  I wouldn't worry about spiders too much.  Those huge black and yellow bastards ("people face spiders") can be terrifying, but as long as you look where you're going they're fine.

6. People, Another Kind of Mammal

People are SO easy to see in Taiwan.  They're almost everywhere.  You have to work really hard to get away from people in Taiwan, but yes, it can be done.  There are more people on the west coast than on the east, and more people at lower elevations than there are at higher elevations.  My saying so probably seems obvious, but I've met many expats convinced that all of Taiwan is just like Taipei.

7. Places to See Animals

Are you an indoor or outdoor person?  And how do you feel about mosquitoes?  I'll start with the indoor places first, and then conclude this entry with the outdoor places.

Many of the forest recreation areas and national parks have interpretive centers where you can learn about local wildlife from a distance.  Of course the animals in these places are either stuffed or replicas, but hey, it's a place to start.

For living animals you can head to the Taipei Zoo, the Kaohsiung Zoo or the National Taiwan Aquarium.  I don't think that weird zoo in Tainan has any native animals.  Farglory Amusement Park in Hualien has a small aquarium, but it's not really worth the price of admission.  There are also the decrepit aquariums in Yeliou and Chenggong, Taitung County..  The science museum in Taichung and the National Museum of Prehistory in Taitung have exhibits on native animals.  Is the zoo in Hsinchu still a thing?  I'm not sure. (2)

To see animals in the wild, you'll have to head toward the mountains -- the deeper the better.  Try to find somewhere people don't usually go, far from noise, lights and other disturbances.  Finding such a place isn't easy, but then again it never is.  Happy searching?

Related Entries:

Taiwan 101: How to Get Yourself into Trouble

Taiwan 101: Widely Available Beers

Taiwan 101: Ten Important Dates

Taiwan 101: Both Kinds of KTV

1. Doesn't seem to be an English Wikipedia entry for the big-eyed ratsnake.

2. There's also a weird zoo in Nantou on Google Maps.  Never been there, no idea.  Last time I visited the Prehistory Museum in Taitung it was closed for renovations.  I don't know if it's open now.

Lame Things About Kenting Beaches

Actually it's "Hengchun beaches," but let's be real, when most people hear "Nanwan" or "Baisha" their minds immediately jump to Kenting.

I live about 15 minutes from both Nanwan and Baisha, the two most popular beaches in the area.  There are of course other beaches in Hengchun, notably the beaches closer to Kenting's night market, but Nanwan and Baisha are where most tourists get in the water.

What you read below is true for Nanwan and Baisha, the places where most people go to show off their new bikinis, ride a jet ski, or attempt surfing.  What you read below isn't as true for other places near the ocean, so don't lose hope, OK?

Lame Things About Kenting Beaches

Getting There

For most of Taiwan just getting to Kenting is difficult.  First of all there's the distance to contend with: 2 hours from Kaohsiung, 4 hours from Taichung and 5.5 hours from Taipei.  Second of all there's the traffic, which can grow very intense on weekends.  Third of all there are the transportation options.  The closest train station to Kenting is in Fangliao*, about an hour north, and taking a bus from either Fangliao or Kaohsiung to Kenting takes 1-2 hours.

Does all of this mean that I hope they build a new train line or expressway to Kenting?  HELL NO.  This area is only scenic because it's hard to get to, and I'd rather leave the remaining trees in Fangshan, Shrdze, Checheng and north Hengchun where they are.

Finding a Place to Park

Parking at Baisha isn't so bad unless you're arriving there on a Saturday afternoon.  Even if the parking lot across from the beach is full, there are plenty of auxiliary parking lots to the south.

Parking at Nanwan, however, can be an extreme challenge.  As you approach the beach from the north the main parking lot is on your right, and yes, you have to pay to park there.  This isn't normally a problem for me, but on weekends that parking lot is dangerously full of cars and buses, and getting in and out of it is hard.  On busy Saturdays and Sundays the attendants ignore the parking lines drawn inside the lot, and instead regard every open space as fair game.  To make matters worse there are countless tourists walking between the parked cars, and very few of them pay attention to what's going on around them.

There are auxiliary parking lots in Nanwan too, but most of these will be full of cars before you get there.  These auxiliary lots are used by the hotels and homestays on the main road, and getting in and out of them usually isn't worth the trouble.

Parking on the sidewalk is possible on weekdays, but on weekends it's unlikely.

Too Many People

What's that you say?  You don't like crowds?  If so, it's probably better if you avoid both beaches.  But if you're in town, and you or someone in your party is just dying to go to the beach, you definitely want to go to Baisha instead of Nanwan.  Baisha can be crazy sometimes too, but it's not as consistently crazy as Nanwan.

I live in such a rural area that I don't really mind crowds.  For me it's a nice change of pace.  In the middle of summer weekends there are so many rented umbrellas open on Nanwan that you'll have trouble seeing the sand, and forget about trying to surf there.  Baisha during the same summer weekends will be busy but tolerable.

Keep in mind, however, that one of the reasons Nanwan is more popular is the number of facilities there.  There are restaurants right on the beach, a shower/bathroom not far away, and a 7-11 across the road.  Baisha is farther from the tourist trail, and thus more rustic in character.

For my part I like sitting on the deck in front of the Nanwan restaurants and listening to people talk.  I like hearing kids play in the sand.  I'd avoid Nanwan on the busiest days because of the parking situation, but on moderate days I still like it.

Renting an Umbrella

If the sun is out, and you're staying at Nanwan or Baisha for any length of time, you'll need an umbrella for health reasons.  That much UV radiation isn't good for anyone.

If you're ordering drinks, eating lunch or eating an early dinner at Nanwan, the umbrellas on the deck are free for paying customers provided the wind isn't too strong.  If you want an umbrella on the beach it'll cost you 300 NT.  I've never rented an umbrella at Baisha, but I assume it's the same price.

The lame thing about renting an umbrella?  Some of the people renting them.  They'll often idle their ATVs behind or in front of where you're sitting, oblivious to the fact that you might not want them there.  But more on ATVs later...

That Damn "No Swimming" Flag

Imagine: you've driven to Nanwan or Baisha from Taipei.  You got up super early that morning, with visions of beach fun running through your head.  Then, when you get there?  You find red flags flying in the sand, meaning that the lifeguards have arbitrarily decided that the undercurrent is too strong, or that the waves are too big.

Few things make me more frustrated than seeing those flags.  I literally see red.  There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to why the lifeguards put them out, aside from a vague notion that a typhoon might be coming or that conditions are dangerous.  They don't even go in the water to check.  They just assume, and it's infuriating.

If you find yourself confronted with red flags, just know that there are other beaches in the area where you can probably still swim.  Obviously if the water's really dangerous you should stay out of it, but those flags don't always mean anything.  The other beaches I speak of aren't designated as swimming areas, but if you ask around you can find them relatively easily.

Lifeguards Who Can't Guard Lives

I'm importing a lot of my experience of Taitung beaches (Shanyuan) into this part of the conversation, but have you ever noticed that a lot of Taiwanese lifeguards can't really swim?  Just watch them out on the water, and their anxiety is plain as day.

A lot of them are like a lot of other Taiwanese people, in that they learn to "swim" in swimming pools.  Trouble is that there are no waves in swimming pools, and also no undercurrent or coral.

If you're out in the water it pays to know the conditions, and to know your own swimming ability.  Don't expect any lifeguard to save you if the current starts to pull you out.  Honestly, they might not even be paying attention.  I'm sure some of them know what they're doing, but a lot of them clearly don't.

Inexperienced Surfers

If you're in the water, watch your head.  This isn't a problem with Baisha, but Nanwan is THE place where people surf for the first time.  Many of them have no idea what they're doing, and many of them have little or no control over their surfboards.  They tend to cluster close together, and once a wave picks them up their actions become increasingly unpredictable.

At Nanwan they tend to gather near the north end of the beach, closer to the reactors.  I'm a terrible surfer myself - so they have my sympathies - but if you're in the water and you're not surfing give them a lot of room.

Jet Skis and ATVs

For me this is the #1 lamest thing about Baisha and Nanwan.  Were I running Taiwan, I would ban both kinds of vehicles from the entirety of the island.

Jet skis are loud, obnoxious vehicles that impact the environment in a number of ways.  There's the noise for one, but also the fuel they inevitably leak into the water.  There's also the damage their outflow can wreak on fragile coral reefs.  The Nanwan reactor's impact on a very fragile ecosystem is bad enough, but the jet skis are just adding insult to injury.

Add to this the fact that they're just irritating.  The workers renting or riding them invariably stray too close to shore, often endangering lives in the process.  Do you even need a license to own or operate a jet ski?  I highly doubt it.

ATVs are an added irritant.  Their tires churn up the coastline, and people often drive them where they shouldn't.  I believe they were recently banned from Haikou, up the coast in Checheng Township, and I'd love it if they were banned everywhere.

I've seen, by the way, people driving ATVs into protected areas of Kenting National Park.  As long as people in the area are renting ATVs there will be a temptation to do this.  And where else would tourists ride them?

Trash

Trash is a problem everywhere in Taiwan (and most of the rest of the world), but at least the people working in Nanwan and Baisha are making more of an effort to clean it up now.  10-20 years ago the situation was much worse.

This said, you'll likely find trash in the water or on the beach in either place.  With so many visitors this is unavoidable.  We're all swimming in the same oceans after all, and in Taiwan's case China is just across the water.

In a way the number of beachgoers in this area works in the beaches' favor.  Because so many more people are visiting these areas, because they're a valued source of revenue, there's more incentive to keep them clean.

Paying Too Much for Food

If you're looking for a meal in either place prepare to pay more money for it.  The restaurants in Nanwan and Baisha aren't exorbitantly expensive, but you'll definitely pay tourist prices for that hamburger, barbecue or seafood meal.

If I'm eating at Nanwan I always go to the Cowboy Bar and Grill, but in my opinion the only good thing on their menu is the burger.  I've also eaten at Wild Kid across the way from there, and while it's better it's also really slow and really overpriced (like just about any barbecue restaurant).  If you're in Baisha The Fisherman Restaurant is really good.  The other places down that road offer snacks.  I'm not sure if the restaurant on the other side of the beach is still open.

Can You Really Swim?

The problem with lifeguards is related to the general problem of most Taiwanese people being unable to swim.  Have you seen any swimming classes in Taiwan?  They practice in a pool that's at best only waist height, and very small to boot.  Most people here, when ebb comes to flow, really can't swim.

I once had to rescue someone in the midst of Taitung's Flowing Lake Triathlon because the lifeguards weren't paying attention.  I once had to swim out and rescue a kid in Baisha.  The kid in question was attached to a swimming ring, and his father, who asked me to bring his son back, was unable to bring him back in.

You'll see a lot of people at Nanwan and Baisha who came to "play with water" more than they came to swim.  This is fine as long as they know how well they can swim.  Unfortunately you'll see a lot of junior and high school students throwing each other into the deep water as as a way of impressing the opposite sex.  Sometimes they have to be rescued, and sometimes they even drown.

Instagram "Beauties"

I'm not going to complain too much about beautiful women in bikinis, but I sometimes see them at Nanwan and wonder why they're there.  They very carefully walk to the edge of the water - never actually going in - and once there they take selfies for an astonishing length of time.  As lame things go this isn't that lame, but married men beware - staring at them can be a source of trouble at home.

Sunburn

Wear sunscreen.  It helps.  I can't tell you how many times I've been sunburned at either of these beaches.  30 minutes of Kenting summer sun and most Caucasian people will be a worrying shade of pink.  An hour of Kenting summer sun and you'll be a nice deep red the following day.

Going Nuclear

Yes, there's an active nuclear reactor north of Nanwan.  It diminishes the view a bit, doesn't it?  It's an old, hulking thing, but as far as I know it's not dangerous.  As it happens I live right on the evacuation route for the reactor, so if anything goes down I'll be sure to write about it here... if I survive.

Sexual Frustration in the Age of Phone Addiction

I feel sorry for my daughters' generation.  For that matter I feel sorry for anyone looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend at Nanwan or Baisha.  People live so deep inside their phones now, and getting them to come out and interact with an actual human being is difficult.  In the summer there are many beautiful bodies at these places, but getting to the people that inhabit these bodies in an age of Facebook, Line and online games is a tall order.  I've seen plenty of the above-mentioned Instagram beauties completely engrossed in their own Facebook posts, to the point that they fail to realize that it's a sunny day, the water's perfect, and some handsome, lovestruck guy is trying to work up the courage to talk to them from a nearby table.

Personal Challenge: Leave your phone in the car next time.

Segregation?

This is something I only noticed recently.  It doesn't happen all the time, but on occasion the patrons at Nanwan will segregate themselves by race, with all the foreigners on one side, closer to the Cowboy Bar and Grill, and all the Taiwanese people on the other side, closer to Wild Kid.  Of course this perceived "segregation" has a lot to do with food preferences, and such preferences are more cultural than racial in origin, but still, it can be kind of sad to see at times.  Perhaps one day we can all come together over hamburgers, or barbecue - whatever the food might be - but that day is not yet, and we are not ready. 

Coral

No joke, some of the coral is SHARP.  Not long ago I swam out from Baisha during low tide, put my hand down into some coral, and when I pulled it out it looked like I was holding a fistful of razor blades.  Of course the salt water made the bleeding worse, but it scared the hell out of my wife just the same.

Another thing to watch out for is jellyfish.  In the greater scheme of things they're relatively harmless, but swimming into a cloud of them feels like someone putting out cigarettes on your skin.

Obsessive Mask Wearing

Modern life, or another manifestation of Taiwanese hypochondria?  At Nanwan and Baisha you'll see people wearing masks in the parking lot, people wearing masks in the concession area, and people wearing masks on the beach.  Will you see people wearing masks in the water?  Yep.  They will wear those masks while riding surfboards, while riding jet skis, and while riding banana boats while thinking little of it.

This one makes me sad more than anything.  I'm just not sure when people are going to feel safe again.  I'm not sure when they'll be able to let the COVID paranoia go.  I'm not trying to start a debate over national COVID policy, but hey, COVID isn't going anywhere and life is short.

The Bosses From Out of Town

This isn't something that most visitors are likely to notice, but I've observed several tourists behaving in a domineering manner toward local people.  I guess they figure that they're on vacation, they have money to burn, and everyone is either there to serve them or ready to get out of their way.

If you're at the 7-11, wait in line like everyone else.  If the cook at the restaurant is slow, give him more time to cook your food.  If the old guy on the scooter is in your way, pass him in a safe manner.  It probably goes without saying, but it's best to treat people the way you'd like to be treated, and to not regard them as a means to an end.

See You at the Beach?

In conclusion, I hope this entry hasn't put anyone off visiting the area.  I just wanted to vent.  For every lame thing above there's something good, and Nanwan or Baisha can be fun places to visit if you've come with the right set of expectations.  Maybe I'll see you there, under a nearby umbrella or out among the waves.

Related Entries:

Pingtung City, Pingtung County 屏東縣屏東市遊記

Playing Tour Guide 當導遊

Taiwan 101: Widely Available Beers

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (Central 中) 7

*There are actually three train stations south of Fangliao: Jialu, Neishr and Fangshan.  These train stations are very small, only the local (slowest) trains stop there, and taking the bus from those stations would be a problem.  There are no places renting scooters near those stations.

UPDATE 3/13/23: The Fishermen Restaurant has since moved.  The other larger restaurant, the one next to the bar at the other end of the beach, is also closed for remodeling.  At the time of writing the only place to get food in Baisha is the shack just in front of the entrance to the beach.  Their menu consists of fried rice, fried noodles, instant noodles and burgers.  I've had the fried rice.  It wasn't awesome.