常春藤生活英语【128】Taiwan's Handmade Crafts 台湾好手艺

Taiwan's Handmade Crafts 台湾好手艺

No matter where you go in Taiwan, there are lots of things to buy and look at, but you should be most curious about the items specially made in Taiwan. Many of these crafts have long histories. Some are traditions brought here by immigrants while others started locally. Taiwan's crafts show off the skills of its people and how unique this island is.

One simple yet special craft is making dough figures. Originally, these edible figures were made for temples. Aside from representing offerings to the gods, they can be famous characters or parts of scenes from legendary stories.

There are two ways to make dough figures. The first is to use colored dough to shape the figures. The second is to create the figures and then paint them. Today, these figures are collector's items that are adored by children and adults alike.

Over 100 years ago, a man moved an oil-paper umbrella workshop in Guangdong to Meinong. At that time, oil-paper umbrellas were used in daily life and also exported to Japan. These carefully crafted umbrellas are still popular today but are usually just for gifts and decorations. Making an oil-paper umbrella takes patience and care. The long process includes soaking the bamboo in water for at least one month. This gets rid of the sugar in the bamboo so that it won't mold and insects won't be attracted to it. For Hakka people, oil-paper umbrellas are given as wedding gifts to wish the couple good luck in having many children.

不论您到了台湾的什么地方，总会有许多东西可买可看，但您最应该感到好奇的就是台湾特制的物品。这些手工艺品大多都拥有悠久的历史。有些是外来移民引入的传统，其它有的则是源于台湾本土。台湾的手工艺充分展现出岛上人民的技能，以及这座岛屿是何等独特。

一项简单却特别的手工艺就是做捏面人。起初这些可食用的塑像是为了庙宇而做。除了可用来代表供奉给神明的祭品，它们也可以是传奇故事中的著名角色或部份场景。

制作捏面人的方法有两种。第一种是用染好色的面团捏出塑像。第二种则是先制作塑像再着色。如今，这些老少咸宜的塑像已成为了收藏家的收藏品。

一百多年前，一名男子把一间位于广东的油纸伞工坊迁至美浓。在当时，油纸伞不但用于日常生活中，同时还出口到日本去。这些精心制作的伞如今依然深受欢迎，不过通常都只作为礼物或是装饰品之用。制作油纸伞需要耐心和细心。其漫长的制作过程包含了把竹子浸泡在水中至少一个月之久。这么做能除去竹子中的糖分，如此便能防霉避虫。对客家人来说，油纸伞是结婚礼物，可用来祝福新人有多子多孙的好运道。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. craft　n.（尤指传统的手工）工艺；工艺品 & vt. 手工制作（本文中以过去分词作形容词用）
This glass artwork was crafted by my dad.
这件玻璃艺术品是我父亲手工打造出来的。
2. edible　a. 可以食用的
Not all kinds of mushrooms are edible.
并非所有的菇类都可食用。
3. legendary　a. 传说中的；非常有名的
The legendary monster is said to have lived in this lake.
据说那只传说中的怪兽曾栖息在这座湖中。
4. adore　vt. 非常喜欢
That singer is adored mostly by kids.
喜欢那位歌手的大多是小孩子。
5. export　vt. 出口
We exported our products mainly to the US.
我们产品的主要外销地是美国。
6. process　n. 过程；程序
The process of writing a book is complex.
撰写一本书的过程相当复杂。
7. soak　vt. 浸，泡
I always soak my laundry before I wash it.
我在洗自己的衣服之前都会先将它们浸泡一下。

Phrases for Learning

get rid of...　　摆脱∕除去……
How do you get rid of ants in the kitchen?
你如何驱除厨房里的蚂蚁？

Extra Words

1. immigrant　n.（外来）移民
2. dough　n. 生面团（本文中亦作形容词用）
3. offering　n. 供品，祭品
4. collector　n. 收藏家
5. workshop　n. 工场；工作坊
6. mold　vi. 发霉

Tips In Use

...that are adored by children and adults alike.
（……老少咸宜的……）
1. 此处的 alike 作副词用，表『同样地，一样地』。
Friends and family alike are worried about Janet's health.
（朋友和家人同为珍娜的健康感到忧心。）
2. alike 也常作形容词用，表『相同的，相像的』，通常置于 be 动词后作主词补语，而不可置于名词前修饰。表『相似的，相像的』时，其前不可用 very 修饰，而应用 much。
Owen and his brother are much alike.
（欧文与他的兄弟很神似。）

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