A Portrait of Meinong／蛻變與永恆：美濃印象
A Portrait of Meinong
◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Wu Sheng-huang, Pao Chung-hui
Oil-paper umbrellas are certainly indicative of Meinong and very symbolic in Hakka culture. Umbrellas represent the importance of practicality, an important virtue that is held in high esteem. The pronunciation "oil-paper" has the same sound as the popular sentiment, "Have sons". Characteristics of the umbrella are symbolic of four people taking cover, and the round shape symbolizes harmony and fulfillment. That is why parents in Hakka families gift sons a pair of oil paper umbrellas at their coming of age ceremony and at daughters' weddings, wishing them a future blessed with children and blissfulness.
Oil paper umbrellas were once the most important industry in Meinong. At its peak, there were as many as twelve umbrella factories in Meinong. However, synthetic material became the norm, and the umbrella industry eventually faded. The factories which remained survived by transforming the art form into a tourist attraction and can still be found at places such as the Meinong Folk Culture Village on Jhongshan Road and the Yuansiangyuan Culture Village on Jhongsing Road. Both places are great places to appreciate artisans creating umbrellas, purchase Meinong's traditional arts and crafts and sample Hakka cuisine.
There are also other great attractions in Meinong. Following the signs to Jianshan, visitors will arrive at the Shuangsi Viviparous Tropical Forest, a conservation area, where Taiwan's indigenous flower, fauna and insects are persevered. The lush forest is great place to take a stroll. Along the trail, there is a stone bridge that straddles the Shuangsi River. Further along the trail is "Yellow Butterfly Valley", although the natural habitat has been damaged, the magnificent sight of yellow butterflies can still be observed during the summer.
After spending some time in nature, drive to Chaoyuan Road where the Jhong Lihe Memorial Institute. In the gardens surrounding the institute, there are thirty steles which have carved lists of works by different Taiwanese writers. The installation was completed in 1997, becoming Taiwan's first "Literature Walk" Inside the museum. There is a special exhibition, where visitors can create "Divine poems". For example, "Love 09", can be found in a quote from Johng Li-he's novel, An Ordinary Couple, which states, "We did not aspire to obtain power and fortune, and owning a vast stretch of fertile land held no allure, either. All we wanted was a simple house in a simple place, where we would live our simple life, content in our love for each other even when we became old and gray. We had no want for anything else". This is indicative of Jhong Li-he who describes disappointments in the lives of people that essentially pursued an ordinary life and that love does not diminish through the trials of time, while reality becomes more precious.
Meinong, a beautiful small town, maintains strong ties with tradition, yet continues to evolve and transform. There are several buses that run from downtown Kaohsiungk, and it's a 45-minute drive by car down the number 10 Freeway. There are many attractions which provide the opportunity to experience Hakka culture and history.
蛻變與永恆：美濃印象
◎文／吳昇晃
◎攝影／吳昇晃、鮑忠暉
想到油紙傘，立即聯想到純樸的美濃小鎮。
從高雄市區到美濃，自行開車或搭高雄客運，皆能抵達。
記憶中的美濃總是晴天，卻又和油紙傘脫不了關係。在童年記憶，我總是涎著臉，用盡全身力氣吵鬧著，只是渴望繪製一柄屬於自己的油紙傘，用小小的手，撐起竹製支架，掌心攤開棉紙傘面，就像面對任憑想像的未知世界，毫無章法霑上各色顏料，塗繪許多無意義的、不成形的圖案，心裡很是得意，因為察覺了身旁小孩的羨慕。
後來才知道，油紙傘是美濃當地極具代表性的手工藝，在客家庄傳統禮儀裡，同樣扮演不可或缺的角色。不僅有遮陽、避雨的實用功能，取其「油紙」二字與「有子」諧音，「傘」字結構內有「四人」，且傘型象徵圓滿，在兒子成年禮和女兒婚嫁的時候，父母會餽贈一對紙傘，表示子孫傳代、生活順遂的祝福之意。
油紙傘一度是美濃重要傳統產業，全盛時期紙傘廠多達十二家。只是化學材質的傘逐漸取代之，風光不復存在。碩果僅存的傳統紙傘廠，多半轉型為推廣美濃客家風土民情的文化村，像是位於中山路的「美濃民俗村」或中興路的「原鄉緣文化村」。來到美濃，除了參觀傳統手工藝製作與體驗客家美食外，往尖山方向循著指標，便能抵達「雙溪熱帶森林遊樂區」，孕育台灣的珍貴樹種。置身茂密樹林，在植物環繞下，重獲身心的療癒與平衡。繼續往前行不遠處有座石橋，橋下潺潺的流水就是雙溪，是許多前來遊歷的人最常駐足戲水的地方。橋邊立著「黃蝶翠谷」的告示牌，雖然人們破壞自然環境，使黃蝶漫天飛舞盛況不再，但若是夏季，沿途不時仍可見黃蝶翩然的蹤影。
從黃蝶翠谷折返，可再前往位於朝元路的「鍾理和文學紀念館」，館外擺置著鏤刻台灣文學家作品的石碑，共計三十座，完成於1997 年，儼然是台灣第一座文學步道。
我特別喜歡紀念館裡一處文學詩籤的造景。
某回我抽出「愛情09」，是節錄自鍾理和短篇小說〈貧賤夫妻〉的句子：「我們不要高官厚祿，不要良田千頃，但願一所竹籬茅舍，夫妻倆不受干擾靜靜地生活著，相親相愛，白頭偕老，如此盡足。」很多時候，哪怕是微小願望，怎麼努力都無法獲得成全，這是生活的貧賤，卻因此獲得許多人用盡長長的一生去追求，也無法明白的愛。而鍾理和追求的，看似平淡的普通生活，其實隱藏著許多大不易，不僅要通過時間檢驗，巨大的現實磨難，仍然不離不棄，讓這一切顯得更加彌足珍貴，使我更相信愛與文學能帶給我們的支持力量。
美濃，如同一個生生不息的小鎮，不斷召喚我們一次次到來，看見它的蛻變，也看見它的永恆，看見它所能帶給我們的一切美好。