Yo Gee Ti

During our first night in Taipei, we had the chance to see a dance performance at the National Theater. We took the subway to the theater and walked a short distance before we saw the building. Built in the 1970's, the theater is dressed in traditional Chinese ornamentation and painted with a variety of bright colors. It is a stunning sight, especially when it is lit up at night. Nearby is the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial and a beautiful archway, adding to the brilliance of the square between them. We stood looking at the scene with amazement, having never seen something similar before in the United States. The interior of the building was just as beautiful. The ornamentation continued, but with a modern twist. The inside of the theater itself was similar to the theaters of Pittsburgh. There was a large balcony section with floor seating. Smaller balconies, resembling a stereotypical opera theater, lined the side walls, allowing for private viewings. Eye-catching chandeliers hung down from the ceiling. All of the design students on the trip were pleasantly surprised to see a green wall in the lobby. We approached our seats and waited anxiously for the show.

The National Theater - Taipei

The performance was illustrated by Compagnie Kafig under the artistic direction of Mourad Merzouki. Merzouki has been a student of many types of dancing, beginning with circus styles in his youth. He also enrolled in boxing and karate classes. In his teens, he discovered hip hop on the streets. During his career as a choreographer, he has mixed these three components with live music to create unique performances. 

The choreography was a combination of Merzouki's traditional style with a French influence. Performers wore black or natural-looking costumes balanced by a setting of suspended silk threads. The silk was able to be adjusted into several different backdrops. Lights changed the color of the fabric and set the tone for the performers and the music. Each dancer had specific strengths, highlighted in each of their individual and group routines. 

In the span of about an hour, the audience experienced several "stories" portrayed by different dancers. One couple seemed to be locked into an abusive relationship, while another was madly in love. The dancing resembled a blend of styles, though all the dancers were in extreme physical shape. Once a dancer in my youth, I truly appreciated how skilled they were and how much effort and practice went into the final performance. 

Before the Performance

It was interesting to see what Taiwanese people would pay to see at the National Theater. I was expecting the performance to be much more traditional rather than a mix of modern dance and martial arts. Nevertheless, I felt a deep connection with the experience, as if I could see myself watching a similar show in the United States.

A Day in Lukang

During our first weekend in Taiwan, we traveled to Lukang for the day with a group of friends from Tunghai University. From our hostel in Taichung, it was about an hour or so by bus. We arrived on a hot, sticky Sunday for a day of shopping, eating, and a visit to the local Matsu temple.

Our first stop was a lantern shop that was world-famous for the artist's handmade, hand-painted lanterns. The storefront was covered from top to bottom in different designs, decorations, and colors. The windows were plastered with photographs of the store owner with various celebrities. When we approached, the old man sat outside the store, greeting us in his calm manner with a small smile.

The Lantern Shop

We entered the small area, covered in every bit of ceiling space, wall shelf, and floor area with lanterns of different sizes and colors. With the help of our friends to translate, we spoke with the worker inside, bartering for prices and searching for the perfect style to give to our family back home as gifts. Many of the lanterns were adorned with tassels, beads, and glitter, while others were painted with flowers, traditional images, and ancient Chinese calligraphy. It was also an option to have the man paint a message directly onto a plain lantern. Christina, another Chatham University student, asked him to write something in Chinese for her sister, who would be graduating during our trip. It was amazing to watch him write the ancient language. He finished by hair drying the ink, preventing it from being smeared on the return trip to the States.

We moved on to a street festival where we were able to try at least a half a dozen different types of Taiwanese snacks. Some were similar to American food, such as candied strawberries, while others were entirely different. As we walked along the midst of vendors, we came upon the temple. A parade celebration was attracting a large crowd of people, making it a bit uncomfortable along with the scorching heat. We decided to eat lunch, an herbal mix of noodles, and then claw our way to the interior courtyard. Fireworks, drums, and traditional parade costumes streamed from the area as we looked upward to the hundreds of lanterns strung between the gates. Our friends explained to us how important Matsu was to Taiwan and its people, emphasizing how special this experience was. We also learned that we had visited Lukang on Matsu's birthday, a national holiday.

Matsu Celebration

As we pushed further to the interior, we found the source of the celebration. Hundreds of people were preparing to worship the goddess through incense or for the next round of the parade. A moment of fortune struck when Matsu herself was carried out by her followers to meet the crowds. We were among the first to see her before she could be worshipped by the nation.

Matsu

Religion & Island Etude

As part of our East Asian Studies course, my classmates and I watched Huia-en Chen's Island Etude. Released in 2007, the film follows the journey of Ming-hsiang as he cycles around the perimeter of Taiwan. He meets a variety of people on his travels, including a Lithuanian tourist, a group of seamstresses, and a pair of graffiti artists. His inspiring interactions with others are especially interesting due to his hearing impairment. 

Ming-hsiang Cycles Around Taiwan

Ming-hsiang encounters several instances of religious imagery while on his expedition around the island. One that captured my attention was a moment when he joined a procession honoring the Chinese sea goddess Matsu. Legend illustrates that Matsu was originally born human with supernatural talents. She used her gifts to calm the oceanic storms and save sailors. Because of her selfless efforts, she was deemed a Bodhisattava, a Buddhist who chooses to stay on Earth to help others after achieving Nirvana. Ming-hsiang expressed emotion during the ceremony, proving his connection to the goddess. 

Statue of the Goddess Matsu

Although religion is not the obvious focus of Island Etude, I believe that it is an intricate piece to Ming-hsiang's journey. Buddhist themes appear continuously throughout the film and impact the main characters directly. In line with the Four Noble Truths, Buddhism encourages followers to detach themselves from their environment to limit personal suffering and loss. Ming-hsiang's behavior matches that goal because he is quiet, reluctant to speak with others, and not interested in maintaing long-term relationships with the people he meets on his travels. Perhaps cycling is his version of meditation and a way to better himself, revealing a religious agenda for his journey. 

Research courtesy of http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess-mazu.htm

Make it count,
RMS

A Lesson in Traditional Taiwanese Architecture

Before you travel abroad, it is always best to do research on the country to which you are traveling. In my case, I tend to look into architecture, design, products, etc. because it is what interests me most. In my opinion, the best kind of education on design is actually seeing it in person. 

As I mentioned previously, I will be flying to Tunghai University in Taiwan with a small group of classmates this upcoming May. I am really looking forward to traveling to Asia and experiencing an entirely new culture. As part of my pre-departure research, I have been looking into Taiwanese architecture. From what I have seen thus far, it is entirely different than any designs I have seen in Pittsburgh, let alone the United States. 

From my understanding, traditional Taiwanese architecture was largely influenced by Chinese designs. Similarities between the two include building the structure along an axis of symmetry, enclosed courtyards, wood construction, key bricks, and roofing heights. Despite the commonalities, Taiwanese design has developed in a unique way. The modern population in Taiwan is descended from immigrants, who came from two southern Chinese provinces. When these immigrants began to create fresh structures in Taiwan, they produced buildings with inspiration from their homeland. They were also free to experiment in their designs now that they were not forced to follow strict Qing Dynasty construction regulations. 

Chinese and Taiwanese architecture can therefore be classified into separate distinctions:

The Chinese Northern Style utilizes rigid construction, gently curved eaves, and heavy materials, all characteristics of the Qing Dynasty.

Gently Curved Eaves at the Forbidden City - China

The Taiwanese Southern Approach illustrates deeply curved eaves and lighter materials. Without such strict construction mandates, fortunate dimensions were developed that outlined orientation, height, width, and depth measurements. If followed correctly, fortunate dimensions brought good luck and karma to the building dweller.

Sharply Curved Eaves at a Taiwanese Pond

Now that I have learned the differences, I will be sure to look for them while I am in Asia this spring! For readers of this blog who live in Taiwan, do buildings actually look this way, whether in rural or urban areas? What makes a structure perfectly classified as Taiwanese architecture in your opinion?

Research courtesy of S. C. Chiou's The Fortunate Dimensions of Taiwanese Traditional Architecture (Issue #5 - P. 547-562) and The Grammar of Taiwanese Traditional Vernacular Dwellings (Issue #6 - P. 689-720), both found in Volume #22 of Environment and Planning. 

Make it count.

RMS

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

In my East Asian Studies course, we read the first volume of Nausicaa Of the Valley of the Wind. When I first learned that we were scheduled to read it, I was interested. I do not usually read comic books, despite having the opportunity to read several American stories at any given time. I am usually more inclined to read adventure or mystery novels rather than panels. I am proud to say that I have read my first manga! 

For those of you who have not read it, the first volume of Nausicaa illustrates the tale of a young princess who is close to taking the throne. The setting is hinted to be in a futuristic world that is struggling under the burden of excessive pollution and poor environmental conditions. Due to the hazardous surroundings, Nausicaa is highly in tune with nature. She has the unique ability to communicate with animals and creatures in order to protect them from harm. 

Nausicaa - Nausicaa Of the Valley of the Wind

During the course of the story, Nausicaa, on her aircraft, is involved in battle multiple times. She is devoted to making morally correct decisions and protecting her community. Many her choices are critiqued by her dying father, the king, in order to prepare her for when she becomes queen. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading Nausicaa. At times, the plot was a bit confusing because I did not understand every creature, character, or idea introduced. I am sure that some of the answers to my questions would be revealed if I read the next volumes of the story. 

In our class discussion, we learned that the name "Nausicaa" has also appeared in Greek mythology. She appeared in Homer's The Odyssey as a young maiden who helps Odysseus obtain permission to stay as a guest on her island. As a character, she seems to value helping others and respects the rules in her society. The manga's Nausicaa is similar in personality, though she acts as the heroine rather than in a supporting role. Despite the similarities, it surprised me to see a reference to Greek mythology in East Asian literature. 

Have you read Nausicaa? What did you think of it?

Make it count.
RMS

A Trip to the Carnegie

This past Sunday, a group of students from my East Asian Studies course and I visited Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art. The museum is one of many in the area surrounding the city and is less than a ten-minute drive from Chatham. Although we mainly examined Chinese artifacts from antiquity, the building is filled with artwork, sculptures, paintings, and furniture from the United States and around the world. A person can learn so much about the United States and foreign culture just by spending an afternoon at the museum!

We began out visit by examining pottery pieces left behind by the Shang Dynasty. We discovered that many of the markings were geometric in nature, though some illustrations were of mythical creatures. Animals, on the other hand, largely influenced Jin Dynasty creations. They had more details in their craftsmanship and utilized glazing to protect the pottery from water damage.

Geometric Designs of the Shang Dynasty

Jin Dynasty's Animal-Influence 

When the Tang dynasty took control of China, the area experienced an expressive, innovative period similar to the Italian Renaissance. Artists experimented with non-traditional designs, patterns, colors, and textures. Guardians were depicted in sculptural form to protect residences and other significant places.

Innovative Colors & Shapes of Tang Dynasty

Once European powers began to infiltrate Asia, they were largely inspired by Chinese art. They began manufacturing pieces that appeared similar to their impressions of East Asia. Vases, for example, were depicted with scenes from Asian culture, whether or not they were actually accurate.

By living so close to China geographically, Taiwanese students may have a better grasp of these concepts. If you are reading this post as a student at Tunghai University, what is your opinion about the topics discussed here? Was our class accurate in our assessment?

Make it count,
RMS

Introduction

Hello! My name is Rachel Siefert and I am a senior in Chatham University’s interior design program. I have been interested in design since I was a child, so I am very excited to begin my career after graduation! In addition to attending my classes, I work on campus and am involved in a few clubs. I love to bake, read novels, and spend time with my friends and family.

This past summer, I studied  abroad at a university in Florence, Italy. It was a wonderful experience! I loved learning about another country and culture first-hand. One of my favorite parts about the trip was trying all of the delicious food! Ever since I returned from Italy, I have wanted to travel internationally again and learn about other cultures. As part of this course, I will be flying to Tunghai University in Taiwan in May with a group of other Chatham students. I am really looking forward to it!

My family is from a small town just outside of Pittsburgh. I am an only child and do not have any pets. Much of my extended family lives in the same area, so we see them often and are very close. My family is also from Italy, making cooking and eating two of our favorite activities!

Jackie & Bob, My Parents

When I am in Pittsburgh at Chatham, one of my most treasured activities is visiting the nearby Phipps Conservatory. Phipps is similar to a giant green house that contains a variety of beautiful plants, trees, and flowers from around the world. Every few months, they change the arrangements so that there is always something new to see! The building is also one of the most sustainable in the world!

Exterior of Phipps Conservatory - Pittsburgh, PA

Make it count.

RMS