On the surface, Love of May (五月之戀) is a movie about a Taiwanese boy encountering a mainland Chinese girl in Taipei.
Like many Taipei 20-somethings, they hang out in Eslite Bookstore listening to Mayday's (五月天) Taiwanese rock `n' roll music and have lunch at NY Bagels.
The movie is another attempt, following the success of Formula 17 (十七歲的天空), by Taiwanese filmmakers to aim for a piece of the younger market. Gone are the dreary commentaries about political change or social critiques. Instead, in this teen love story, the director tries to introduce a youthful spirit and refreshing romance.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATA ENTERTAINMENT
More ambitious is the story's attempt to highlight the ways young people across the Taiwan Strait can connect with the help of cellphones and Internet chat. It also tries to present the stark differences of these connections compared with those of older-generation mainlanders nostalgic for lost hometowns in China.
In the film, Ah-lei (played by Chen Bo-ling,(陳柏霖) is the younger brother of Shi-tou (石頭), guitarist of Mayday. He and two college classmates work as webmasters for Mayday's official Web site and one of their jobs is to reply to fan mail. One day, a fan sends a message, saying: "Who can tell me what May snow is?"
"I've never heard of May snow," replies Ah-lei. "I only know there is Mayday."
The reply makes the female fan, named Xuan Xuan (played by Liu Yi-fei, 劉亦菲), suspicious that the respondent is not really Ah-hsin (阿信), lead singer of Mayday. "You're not Ah-hsin! He's not so low in culture."
"Yes I am him!" Ah-lei replies.
To keep up his lie, Ah-lei tells Xuan Xuan details about Mayday concerts. Xuan Xuan believes him and begins a daily correspondence.
The film is, in a way, similar to what happens in You've Got Mail. The two finally meet up in Taipei and Ah-lei accompanies Xuan Xuan on a trip to see the "May snow." May snow is, in fact, the term given to the fallen blossoms of the Tung Flower, which are found famously in Sanyi, Miaoli County
Ah-lei finds out that Xuan Xuan is actually from Harbin, in northern China, and is a Peking Opera school student who visited Taipei as a Teenage Cultural Exchange Ambassador. Her dream is to come to Taipei to attend a concert by her favorite band Mayday and get photos of the band members autographed.
After meeting in Taipei, Ah-lei thinks he will never see Xuan Xuan again after she returns to Harbin.
But the romance is thickened during their separation, when Ah-lei finds out why Xuan Xuan has been longing for the so-called May snow. It traces back to her remote connection with Taiwan, and brings in a sentimental journey of Xuan Xuan's grandfather who came to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese Civil War.
Unfolding the May-snow secret, the movie's scenery shifts from the snowy white flowers of Sanyi to the snowy world of Harbin.
Chen, who debuted in Blue Gate Crossing (藍色大門), is probably the fastest-rising star in Taiwan, with roles in First Love, Last Love (最初的愛, 最後的愛), 20, 30, 40 and Twins Effect 2 (千機變2). He makes an impressive performance in Love of May, too, playing an aimless young man with a goofy smile, whose pet phrase is "duo-a," a mangled, lazy version of "dui-a" (對啊), meaning "yes" in Mandarin.
Playing opposite Chen, 18-year-old Liu, who bears a striking resemblance to Hong Kong's Cecilia Cheung (張柏芝), shows the potential to become a genuine star, while senior actor Tien Feng (田豐) and the band Mayday are strong presences in the movie.
April 14 to April 20 In March 1947, Sising Katadrepan urged the government to drop the “high mountain people” (高山族) designation for Indigenous Taiwanese and refer to them as “Taiwan people” (台灣族). He considered the term derogatory, arguing that it made them sound like animals. The Taiwan Provincial Government agreed to stop using the term, stating that Indigenous Taiwanese suffered all sorts of discrimination and oppression under the Japanese and were forced to live in the mountains as outsiders to society. Now, under the new regime, they would be seen as equals, thus they should be henceforth
Last week, the the National Immigration Agency (NIA) told the legislature that more than 10,000 naturalized Taiwanese citizens from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) risked having their citizenship revoked if they failed to provide proof that they had renounced their Chinese household registration within the next three months. Renunciation is required under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), as amended in 2004, though it was only a legal requirement after 2000. Prior to that, it had been only an administrative requirement since the Nationality Act (國籍法) was established in
With over 80 works on display, this is Louise Bourgeois’ first solo show in Taiwan. Visitors are invited to traverse her world of love and hate, vengeance and acceptance, trauma and reconciliation. Dominating the entrance, the nine-foot-tall Crouching Spider (2003) greets visitors. The creature looms behind the glass facade, symbolic protector and gatekeeper to the intimate journey ahead. Bourgeois, best known for her giant spider sculptures, is one of the most influential artist of the twentieth century. Blending vulnerability and defiance through themes of sexuality, trauma and identity, her work reshaped the landscape of contemporary art with fearless honesty. “People are influenced by
The remains of this Japanese-era trail designed to protect the camphor industry make for a scenic day-hike, a fascinating overnight hike or a challenging multi-day adventure Maolin District (茂林) in Kaohsiung is well known for beautiful roadside scenery, waterfalls, the annual butterfly migration and indigenous culture. A lesser known but worthwhile destination here lies along the very top of the valley: the Liugui Security Path (六龜警備道). This relic of the Japanese era once isolated the Maolin valley from the outside world but now serves to draw tourists in. The path originally ran for about 50km, but not all of this trail is still easily walkable. The nicest section for a simple day hike is the heavily trafficked southern section above Maolin and Wanshan (萬山) villages. Remains of
RSS