Traditional Culture
Traditional Culture
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Housing And Living
My hometown located in the mountainous area of Tainan City (old Tainan County), in my childhood, most of houses were bamboo house (竹屋) (Fig. 5 ) and a few mud block house ( 土角厝 ) with thatch roof. The jiazan's (甲長) house (see fig. 2 religion page ) was the best one where our deities were put into custody during WWⅡ. Then my new ancestral house built in 1956, I was just a toddler, and was growing up there, my parents still living there (Fig. 6, 7).
(Fig.5) This house originally move form my old ancestral house where I was born. The house frame built of thorny bamboo.
(Fig. 6 ) My new ancestral house in 1960's, my parents, 3rd. uncle, aunts, brothers and cousins, most of them were bare their feet then.
(Fig.7) My new ancestral house now day, there were renovated for many times, the original roof tiles were black.
(Fig. 8) Three deities enshrined on altar in my new ancestral house hall, the altar was set over 66 years since I was a toddler.
Fig. 5 was my first uncle's house at northeast of our village where his farming land at, the house frame original moved from my first ancestral house where I was born, when the new ancestral house was built, my first uncle lived in rightside room of new ancestral house ( Fig.7 ) ; I am living in the same room right now, because I am oldest son of my parents too. Traditionally in Taiwanese custom, rightside bed-room called first room for first son, the leftside bed-room called 2nd bed-room for 2nd son, when the house was built, my 2nd uncle lived in there. Later, my 5th uncle ( youngest ) got marrryed, 2nd uncle moved to Xi-pu street, the 2nd bed-room became bridel-room of my 5th aunt. Right now is belong to my young brother ( 2nd )
A few years later ( 1950 ) 3rd uncle and 5th uncle moved out to built a new house ( Fig. 9 ) just below of my ancestral house front yard. You can see both two house building-style is the same, but uncles house whithout wings, their ketchens set in two side of additions. Around 1960s, 5th uncle moved out again, he built a house on the hill top where my old ancestral house at, the original house frame which was my first uncle moved to his farming land ( Fig. 5 ).
I had seen a few mud-block houses, but had seen many bamboo houses in my childhood, because there were advantages: 1. There are bamboo everywhere. 2. Easy to build. 3. Easy to move. 4. Easy to remodel. 5. Cool in summer. But it's a shortcoming too, easy to catch fire.
There are mainly 4 kinds of bamboo in my hometown, Thorny Bamboo (刺竹) , Long-branch Bamboo (長枝竹), Ma Bamboo (麻竹), Green Bamboo (綠竹). There are introductions below:
1,Thorny Bamboo is the toughest one because they grow in the harshest environment, and thorns are on the branches called thorny Bamboo. It can be made for bamboo house frames, post, shoulder pole for carry baskets and buckets, ox yokes for ox carts and plows etc.
2, Long-branch Bamboo, it's a little similar to thorny Bamboo, but thinner, straight and no thorns on the branches. it's can be made for long handle for various farming tools, most bamboo houses roof used for support thatch or tiles.
3, Ma Bamboo, the size a little bigger than Thorny Bamboo, but straight and the cluster scattered than Thorny Bamboo. It's can be used for water container, cup, night pot ( PS ) etc. their slices can be weaved various basket, container etc.
4, Green Bamboo, it's the smallest of 4 kinds bamboo, we often used for make bamboo toy, bamboo gun, bamboo raft etc. 4 kinds of bamboo shoots can be eaten, but Green Bamboo shoots is the best.
Then the building style changed, my new ancestral house (Fig. 5,6) built in 1956, it was built of brick, wood, bamboo, and black roof tile. My third uncle's house was built in 1970, and my fifth uncle's house was built in same style in 1974.
(Fig.9) My Third Uncle's house, built in 1960, the building style similar to my new ancestral house, the house just below my new ancestral house.
(Fig.10) Look down my Third Uncle's house from my front yard. The roof was original black tiles, it's remodeled in PVC similar roof, recent years .
(Fig.1 add) The two houses look from distant, the upper one is my house, the lower one is my uncle's, two houses were built in 1956 and 1960, the main houses construction style is the same, but my uncle's house without two wings.
(Fig.2 add) The houses look in the different angle
PS. Night pot? yes, the early rural Tainan County every families were raising pigs, the pig poo and urine were collected for manure fertilizer, the toilet usually built near the manure pit for human poo and urine can be collected too, you won't go there for urinate at night, especially in the winter.
The urine night pot, we called (尿管) in Taiwanese, which means urine tube. The Urine Tube collected urine only, and suit for man and women, even children can use it easily. And collected urine can't be wasted a single drop, it's the best fertilizer for vegetable like garlic, green onion etc.
How to make a urine tube? it's pretty simple, take a 5 joints long of Thorny Bamboo, the inside of the joints dash with iron or wooden bar, except the bottom joint, then cut the upper end as an 45° oblique angle，and take all debris out, every thing is done.
(Fig.11) Urine tube made of Thorny Bamboo, this picture was drew with an APP, because I can't find a real one today.
(Fig.12) Bamboo Cradle, before 1960 s, babe usually put in the cradle and swing for sleep.
(Fig.13) This house's frame built of Thorny Bamboo, the house original moved from my old ancestral house, where I was born. It's looks crooked every bamboo on the wall. The original house might built over hundred years.
(Fig.14) This bamboo house is my wife's ancestral house, built over hundred years and still standing there, the frame is Thorny Bamboo too, my wife's grandfather and father both were born there.
(Fig.15) Even the wall was weaved of bamboo slices.
(Fig.16) Inside of bamboo house, the roof crossbeam and tiles supports were bamboo too.
(Fig.17) Thorny Bamboo, looking closer you may seen thorn on the twigs.
(Fig.18) My wife's 2nd ancestral house, her grandfather built this house while her father was a child in 1930 s, the house wall frame built of Thorny Bamboo too. Her father and mother, (my in-laws) in front of house.
(Fig.19) The wing-house beside the main house, looking closer, the wall of wing house is half brick, it's might remodeled after years. A young mother and a toddler is my wife and son, we married two years then.
(Fig.20) My wife's new ancestral house, the main house and single-wing-house might rebuilt in 1993 or 1994.
(Fig.21) The left wing-house of my new ancestral house, for kitchen and dining-room ( inside the window ). Both two wing-houses were originally built of bamboo, the new wing-houses remodled in 1973.
(Fig.22) The right wing-house of my new ancestral house, inside the door is a living-room for my parents, and inside the window is a bed-room for my youngest brother, there is a door inside the living-room.
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