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| Pu-Li Traditional Paper Plant Tour/Class |
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| Gauangshin Paper Mill |
The modern sign at the front gate signaled we had arrived at the Pu-Li paper plant. We got off the bus and walked up a very steep hill past a few shops and some very beautiful flower gardens. As we entered the facility, it was like stepping back in time. There was not modern factory, air conditioning, or sophisticated machinery. We were shown the ingredients used to make paper and the process. The importance of good water was stressed as well as the process to make paper by hand. What I noticed was the workers all seemed to be hard-working and a lack of noise considering it is a factory. Everywhere we visit in Taiwan seems to exude a calmness and respect for preserving harmony. This is so unlike the U.S. - I am afraid we may experience some culture shock when we return to the States!
I looked up the paper plant online and found out that Puli is a paper manufacturer with a long history in Taiwan. The facility we visited is actually call Gauangshin Paper Mill and is classified as a tourist attraction. Well I am glad I visited as a tourist because we had the opportunity to design and make our own paper.
We also got to make our own fan. When we failed to understand the steps or complete the projects, the staff stepped in to help us. Then the were given the opportunity to use calligraphy to personalize our fans. It was the deer in the headlights look - since it was one more thing we Americans could not do - write in Chinese or use calligraphy. Wait - Shaun was the only person besides Dr. Peng who knew how to do calligraphy and could write some Chinese symbols. It seems like this is one more aspect of Taiwanese culture that we Americans lack. Dr. Peng completed our homework for us by writing in Chinese calligraphy the words we wanted to express. I am trying to preserve my art projects so that I can show my family and friends when I return home - without ruining my artwork in my crammed suitcase space. Thank you Dr. Peng and the staff at Gangshin Paper Mill for being so patient with our group!
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