What do you know about Taiwan? | DW Documentary - VoiceTube: Learn English through videos!

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It's like any other country in Asia, but there's more than meets the eye.
In Taiwan, cows wade through mud flats.
There are mountains of seashells.
And brand new ships are built that will never see water.
Let's go for our final ride.
Taiwan is an island of contrasts.
The capital, Taipei, is a metropolis of millions, with spectacular wilderness just 20 kilometers away.
The island's east coast boasts 3,000-meter-high mountains.
And breathtaking gorges.
In between, fields of rice, with a view of the ocean.
Chinese tradition is everywhere.
People here are part of a millennia-old culture, with ancestor worship, fortune-telling and religious rituals.
The southern part of the island enjoys a warmer climate, averaging almost 25 degrees over the year.
The region around the Kenting National Park attracts a particularly large number of visitors.
Kilometers of lowlands dominate the west coast.
The people live both near and from the sea, harvesting sea salt and farming fish and oysters.
Near Fengyuan, the sea retreats several kilometers at low tide, exposing one of Taiwan's largest oyster farms.
Here the delicacy grows row upon row.
Three times a week, Annie walks through the mudflats, even though cows typically don't like the water.
It takes up to three months before a cow dares to go on the mudflats.
It's hard work to train them, and they remain cautious, especially of the tuk-tuks.
Tuk-tuks, motorized tricycles, have now taken the place of most cows.
Annie Wei-Qing Xue and a few of his colleagues still rely on the four-legged harvesters.
After an hour, the two reach their oyster beds.
First of all, I have to put on my gloves.
I want to do two things today.
First hang up these empty shells, and also take home some oysters.
Wei has ten lines of empty oyster shells with him.
He hangs them so that they hover just above the seafloor.
New oysters will grow on the old shells.
I hang the mature oysters next to them so their offspring can settle on the empty shells.
Each one has to come in contact with 50 to 100 mature oysters for this to work.
I have to align them well so they move with the tide.
It will take about a year and a half for the new oysters to be ready for harvest.
So there's no need to rush.
But in two hours, Annie and Wei have to leave.
That's when the tide comes in.
Taiwan is located off the Chinese coast in the western Pacific.
The island is about 400 kilometers long and 145 kilometers wide, making it slightly smaller than the Netherlands.
The sea has shaped the country, with its 1,500 kilometers of coastline.
The sea goddess Mazu is particularly revered here.
In the city of Tainan, a 16-meter-high statue of the patron saint of the sea stands right at the mouth of the harbor.
It's believed many ships in distress have been miraculously rescued by Mazu.
In Taiwan, hundreds of temples are dedicated in whole or in part to the goddess of the sea.
Many temples here house sacred ships, known as kingboats.
They are believed to keep evil spirits at bay.
A new kingboat has just been finished here in a suburb of Tainan.
Lin Yangtai is one of the last boat builders in the country still making these vessels.
The client is, in a way, the goddess Mazu.
It took a month to build this boat.
The goddess decided everything — its size, appearance, and even how long I should work on it.
Everything was given to me.
Today the boat is handed over and checked by the temple head.
None of Lin's kingboats will see water.
Instead, they will be set up next to the temples for a year, and then burned.
He is quite the unique kind of boat builder.
I built my first one when I was 13 years old.
At that time I was working on a fishing boat.
And then an old teacher came and explained to me how to make these special boats.
He only knew the theory, but I put his advice into practice, and that's how I built my first boat.
Lin has been building kingboats for almost 60 years now.
Hi. Yes, no problem. I'll be right there. Wait for me.
An emergency operation is taking place in this hall next to the Xiangshan temple of Dongshu.
One of several Wangye festivals will take place here in two days.
The highlight — this boat built by Lin — is to be burned.
But there's a crack.
And a broken boat for the sea goddess is out of the question.
The wood is warped. It's a very hard wood, and the boat has been sitting here on dry land for a year after all.
Lin decides to let the painter take care of the crack with some silicone and paint.
But he has a more urgent problem to deal with.
The mast, which will be mounted on the boat at the festival, still needs some rope.
Otherwise, it won't hold later.
Two days before the festival, we're already pretty stressed, but we're looking forward to it.
You can't forget anything. Every detail is important now.
And most importantly, the goddess is watching what we do very closely.
In two days, Lin's boat will make its way in a procession to the sea.
But it won't go any further than the shoreline.
The country's east. Famous for its steep shoreside cliffs.
The Suhua Highway is considered one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world.
118 kilometers long.
The Sanxiantai Arch Bridge is modeled after a sea dragon.
Crossing it takes some effort, but it's said to bring good luck.
The east coast is also home to Taiwan's famous hot springs.
There are more than 100 of them on the island.
The warm water, with its sulfurous rotten egg smell, has attracted bathers since the 19th century.
Nowadays, it's also a booming business for wellness tourists.
On a street corner in Hualien, there's somebody who wants in on the wellness boom.
Tong Fanchun has a special business idea.
He's a business man who's been doing business for over 50 years.
He's a business man who's been doing business for over 50 years.
He's a businessman who's been doing business for over 50 years.
Tong Fanchun has a special business idea.
He rents out bathing sheds by the hour.
They're one and a half square meters in size.
Instead of spring water, this just comes from the tap.
But unlike real hot springs, the temperature here can be regulated.
Originally, I built this just for myself.
Then I realized that it has a wider appeal.
A key part of the business is his bath additive invention, which provides that hot spring scent of rotten eggs.
It's a particular smell, and not everyone likes it.
You can put more or less in.
I, for example, would take a third of the bottle.
Customers here can book the little bathtub spa on the street corner over the Internet.
Tong doesn't even have to be there.
Guests are supposed to give it a quick wipe-down after the bath and throw the money in a money box.
Not bad.
I already have 12 reservations for today, and some are still coming in.
The afternoon has long been booked up.
Lukang.
In the 18th century, this was one of the most important places in Taiwan.
Today, its narrow alleyways and historic homes make it a tourist hot spot.
Of the more than 200 temples in the city, the Tien Hou Temple lies in the center and is dedicated to the goddess of the sea, Mazu.
To please the gods, puppet shows are performed regularly.
Without a human audience, only a few statues are in attendance.
Mazu will hopefully provide a good catch and a bountiful oyster harvest.
On the west coast, there is a small temple called Tien Hou,
On the west coast, many villagers make their living via oyster farming.
Here, almost every household is somehow involved in the shellfish business.
Whole families take care of recycling empty shells.
They clean them, drill holes in them, and string them on lines.
Today, Wei Qingshui gathers some fresh oysters, which have grown in the last 18 months and are now ready for harvest.
The ones from Fengyuan are considered particularly tasty.
Here we have strong tides and the oysters are not always under water, so they don't taste too strongly of the sea.
Here we have strong tides and the oysters are not always under water, so they don't taste too strongly of the sea.
They're more mild.
You can enjoy them on their own with a glass of white wine or even red wine.
His mother has ordered a line of oysters.
The cow Annie reliably helps deliver them right to her front door.
Hi, Mom. I'm on my way back. I have your oysters.
Wei's family had also previously switched from using cows to tuk-tuks.
But about 10 years ago,
Wei decided to decommission the motorized vehicle.
Since then, he has been commuting between the mudflats and his home with his four children.
He has been commuting between the mudflats and his home with his four-legged co-worker.
My family has done it this way for generations.
I grew up with it like this.
It would be a shame to lose that tradition.
I want to prove that you can still earn money this way.
What Wei harvested today is only for personal use.
In the village, though, the shellfish business is running at full speed.
These women here are considered the fastest oyster shuckers in the country.
She's taken part in several oyster-shucking championships and has always earned first place.
She's even participated in a televised competition.
Yes, there are competitions all over the place.
The fastest women can get through five kilos of fresh shellfish or more in a day.
Wei is taking care of the cow, Annie.
Now his 85-year-old mother is tending to the oysters.
I'm proud that my son is carrying on our oyster tradition.
And it's going well, too.
Ten years ago, people used to make jokes about me.
They said I would never make money from it.
But his oysters, mild and transported by an environmentally friendly
People even come to Wei from the capital for them.
Oyster omelette is one of Taiwan's national dishes.
A handful of fresh oysters fried with rice flour, egg and herbs.
In Taiwan, an oyster omelette can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Wei's mother believes that oysters have helped her reach 85.
I don't know if it's really because of the oysters, but it gives mom something to do, and that makes her happy.
I think that's crucial.
Wei's mother, Annie, is also an oyster-shucking champion.
She has won the gold medal in the world of oyster-shucking.
You can get an oyster omelette on nearly every street corner in Taiwan.
Oyster fritters are also popular.
And as an appetizer, oyster soup.
Just one more day until the Big King Boat Festival.
In Dongshue, at the Xianxian Temple, evil spirits must first be driven out with fireworks and small processions.
Boatbuilder Lin has also come.
Statues of deities are placed in palanquins and carried through the village.
That way, it's believed, the gods alone will decide which direction to go.
The procession ends at Lin's king boat.
But even in the hustle and bustle, he's focused on preparing the mast-rigging.
Lin's boat has been in the water for a long time.
He's focused on preparing the mast-rigging.
The gods have gathered all the evil spirits from the village into the palanquins.
Now they are brought on board.
Some spirits seem a bit reluctant to board.
The ship is seaworthy again.
The painter has repaired the crack on the keel.
Now the boat can go on its first and last voyage from the temple to the shore.
I'm already sad.
We have to burn the boat tomorrow, no matter what I think about it.
I have to go through with it.
It's going to be burned back there on the beach.
I can build another boat for the next festival in five years.
It's all a big cycle.
Lin has built around 200 boats in his career.
A number of temples are his loyal customers.
Lin's boat has been in the water for a long time.
He's focused on preparing the mast-rigging.
The southern tip of Taiwan is famous for its coasts of coral rock.
Seaside resorts are nestled here on the island's most beautiful sand beaches.
Nearby Kenting National Park is the country's most popular park.
Still, you won't find giant hotel complexes here.
Back on the east coast, in Hualien, there have always been hot springs on the outskirts of the city.
But, as of a year ago, there has been one right in the center.
Today's first customer is Ah Long.
The bus driver stops here regularly when he's in the area.
This time he takes three squirts of the sulfur classic.
This spring is different, because you can set the smell yourself.
Milk, chocolate, sulfur.
You can experiment with the hot spring feeling.
He chooses a temperature of about 40 degrees, and subtle sulfur scent.
To keep he's after-ALL out of his wallet.
Accompany him to a 45-minute Christmas Ryasa year-end celebration.
Until well into the 20th century, agriculture was the country's main industry.
Near the coast, Seneca rice is still grown.
It's considered to be of particularly high quality due to the maritime climate.
In the mild evening sun, the beaches fill up.
And in the cities, a colorful hustle and bustle begins.
Three o'clock in the morning in Dongshu, the big day.
Today, the Wangye Festival is taking place.
And the gods determine the entire daily schedule.
They communicate through this little chair.
Moved by the hand of the gods, they write their will in the ashes.
A medium translates.
Every detail of the procession is determined in this way.
Who will help set the mast and the sails?
Who will pull the boat through the village?
And most importantly, who will be allowed to light it?
Boat builder Lin is responsible for making sure everything on board is in order.
The workers at the temple have designed and mounted a wheeled trailer under the boat to pull it out of the hull.
When the boat rolls out is, of course, a divine decision.
Finally, they receive the signal through the chair.
Forward!
A broken axle on the boat trailer.
Perhaps a test from the gods.
Actually, the boat needs to be up there so we can mount the mast.
We have to hurry up.
The broken axle is not Lin's job.
The locksmith will weld it.
Lin wants to quickly raise the mast and rig the sails.
He directs the crew.
The gods have chosen six people to help raise the mast.
Probably not because of their experience.
It's always the same.
Because this only happens every five years, I'm often the only one who knows how to do it.
Most of the people here have no idea.
Tainan is the oldest city on the island.
Built by the Dutch in 1624 as a trading port, it later became the country's first capital.
But after just around 40 years, the Dutch were driven out.
The Chinese then ruled the island for more than two centuries.
Today, there is little left of its European colonial rulers.
An important history museum now stands on the site of the former Dutch outpost.
Fort Provincia.
Just outside Tainan is Ao Gu Wetland Forest Park, a large protected area.
More than 200 different species of bird live here, including some that are quite rare.
Volunteer park ranger Tsai Chin-Yu is part of the team responsible for counting the birds.
Every day, he awaits the arrival of the black-faced spoonbills.
The northeast winds are getting stronger now, so they come from colder areas like Korea or Japan.
They spend the winters here. They can cover 2,000 kilometers with a tailwind.
But instead of black-faced spoonbills, Tsai is counting more and more human-made flyers.
With the conflict with China coming to a head, the military in Taiwan has responded with more training flights.
They come from all directions and fly over here. Sometimes they also shoot missiles.
There is a training area back there.
The mainland Chinese government has long claimed the island of Taiwan is a part of China.
It threatens to annex the country by force.
We won't let it rattle us. This has been going on for decades.
We're not afraid. No, we're not. There are perhaps a few who are worried.
War is always bad, of course.
Most people in Taiwan are afraid of war.
Most people in Taiwan seem to have the same approach.
They continue to live their lives as normal and don't think about the danger.
In the middle of the residential area of Taoyuan,
Zhan Jiaming has to refill his pools.
His shrimp are selling like hotcakes.
He carries them from one tank to another by bucket.
This is a hall for shrimping, shrimp fishing.
It's been around for 40 years. In Taiwan, it's one of our favorite pastimes.
Shrimping is booming, mostly in halls like this one.
Young, old, women, men, everyone loves it.
They use special bait to fish the shrimp back out.
The crustaceans can be prepared directly next to the pool.
Or you can pass the time in other ways.
Two hours of shrimping at Zhan's pool costs 750 Taiwan dollars, less than 25 euros.
We give away the basic bait for free.
But shrimp are like people, they have different tastes.
And what they like depends on the weather.
That's why we also sell pig-flavored bait, for example.
Two came today, with ten friends.
This is the best shrimp I've ever seen.
They want to eat the shrimp they catch for lunch.
A ladle of salt, and the shrimp is ready to cook.
Tu is here almost every weekend.
It's a part of our culture. I love catching shrimp.
You can meet up with friends, or make new friends while fishing.
And then you can share the shrimp with all your friends.
Zhan's shrimping hall is open from 10 in the morning until midnight.
Some halls are closed, but others are open.
The great thing is that when you're shrimping, you're just sitting inside.
There's no rain here, you don't get sunburned.
It's a unique shrimping vibe. You have to experience it for yourself.
Taroko Gorge on the east coast cuts through marble and glass.
It is well known medical evidence for the beauty and skill of the��
The Liyue River has created an impressive natural wonder here.
The gorge is famous for its waterfalls and temples.
The Liyue River flows into the Pacific Ocean near Hualien.
Just 15 minutes before the big Wangye procession is set to start, the masts and sails that have just been raised must come down again to fit the boat under the power lines.
The boat trailer has been patched up.
But Lin is skeptical.
What time is it?
Eleven forty-nine?
After all, the boat weighs seven tons.
I'm a little worried.
It doesn't look stable enough.
I don't want everything to break apart again.
Lin and two helpers are the only ones allowed on board now.
Let's go for our final ride.
Then anchors away and the boat is ready to start its journey.
The trip takes about an hour, with a constant stream of water spread under the keel.
The axle is still holding.
All of the evil spirits and demons from the village are on board.
They will burn with the boat.
The exact path to the water is of course dictated by the gods.
Upon arriving at the shore, a deity in his palanquin wants to go for a quick swim.
That was a beautiful trip, better than any first-class train ride.
The boat sits atop an offering of mountains of paper spirit money called joss paper, which is made from coarse bamboo.
Around a ton of firecrackers and all that paper money can really heat things up.
Several thousand people take in the main highlight of Dongchi's Wangye Festival.
But Lin is no longer there.
He's already gone back to the temple.
He never watches his ships burn.
We all put our hearts into it.
We did it for the gods, so we fulfilled our mission.
But to be honest, I am very sad.
All that work, and in a few seconds it's gone up in smoke.
I'm already sad and a bit emotional.
Launching into a sea of flames, all the evil has been burned away.
Dongchi is now clean and pure.
Taiwan, home to many sites and special traditions.
Taiwan, home to many sites and special traditions.