太魯閣的歷史與文化

Taroko: A Place of Nature, Culture, and History (太魯閣：自然、文化與歷史之地)

Vocabulary and Grammar (字彙與文法)

park n. [pɑrk] 公園

A large area of land kept in its natural state for people to visit. (為供人們參觀而保持自然狀態的大片土地。)

Taroko National Park is famous for its canyons. (太魯閣國家公園以其峽谷聞名。)

nature n. [ˋnetʃɚ] 自然；大自然

All the plants, animals, and things that exist in the universe that are not made by people. (宇宙中所有非人造的植物、動物和事物。)

Taroko has amazing nature. (太魯閣有令人驚嘆的自然景觀。)

history n. [ˋhɪstrɪ] 歷史

Things that happened in the past. (過去發生的事情。)

The park has a rich history. (這個公園有豐富的歷史。)

culture n. [ˋkʌltʃɚ] 文化

The ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society. (特定民族或社會的思想、習俗和社會行為。)

You can learn about Truku culture. (你可以了解太魯閣族的文化。)

indigenous people n. phr. [ɪnˋdɪdʒɪnəs ˋpip!] 原住民

The first or original people who lived in a particular area. (最早或原來居住在特定地區的人們。)

The Truku are the indigenous people of this area. (太魯閣族是這個地區的原住民。)

terrace n. [ˋtɛrəs] 臺地；梯田

A flat area of land on the side of a hill. (山坡上的平坦區域。)

Buluowan Terrace is a place to learn about Truku culture. (布洛灣臺地是了解太魯閣族文化的地方。)

museum n. [mjuˋziəm] 博物館

A building where important cultural, historical, or scientific objects are kept and shown to the public. (保存並向公眾展示重要文化、歷史或科學物品的建築物。)

There is a museum at Buluowan. (布洛灣有一個博物館。)

highway n. [ˋhaɪ͵we] 公路；幹道

A main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities. (主要的道路，尤指連接主要城鎮或城市的道路。)

The Central Cross-Island Highway goes through Taroko. (中橫公路穿過太魯閣。)

gorge n. [gɔrdʒ] 峽谷

A deep, narrow valley with steep rocky sides. (兩側有陡峭岩壁的深窄山谷。)

Taroko Gorge is very famous. (太魯閣峽谷非常有名。)

shrine n. [ʃraɪn] 祠堂；聖壇

A place regarded as holy because of its associations with a divinity or a sacred person or relic, marked by a building or other construction. (因與神靈、聖人或聖物相關而被視為神聖的地方，通常建有建築物或其他結構。)

The Eternal Spring Shrine remembers the workers. (長春祠紀念著那些工人。)

remember v. [rɪˋmɛmbɚ] 記得；紀念

To keep an idea or image in your mind; to honor the memory of someone. (將想法或影像保留在腦海中；紀念某人。)

The shrine was built to remember the workers. (建造這座祠堂是為了紀念那些工人。)

worker n. [ˋwɝkɚ] 工人；工作者

A person who does a particular job. (從事特定工作的人。)

Many workers built the difficult road. (許多工人建造了這條艱難的道路。)

Introduction

Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園) in Taiwan is famous worldwide for its amazing marble canyons and beautiful natural scenery. But Taroko is not just about stunning views; it's also a place rich with human history and the vibrant culture of its original inhabitants.

Reading (閱讀)

Long before Taroko became a national park, it was home to the Truku people (太魯閣族). The Truku are one of Taiwan's indigenous groups, meaning they are the original people who have lived in this mountainous area for a very long time. Their culture is deeply connected to the land, its rivers, and its forests. Visitors can learn about the unique traditions, crafts, and way of life of the Truku people. A good place to start is the Buluowan Terrace (布洛灣遊憩區). Buluowan is a wide, flat area on a hillside where you can find exhibits and sometimes performances related to Truku culture. There is also a small museum that offers more information.

The park's history also includes more recent stories of human effort and change. One of the most significant features is the Central Cross-Island Highway (中部橫貫公路). This road winds its way through the narrow and steep Taroko Gorge, a deep valley with high rock walls. Building this highway was an extremely difficult and dangerous job, completed many years ago by brave workers.

To honor and remember the workers who lost their lives during the construction of this challenging road, the Eternal Spring Shrine, also known as Changchun Shrine (長春祠), was built. This beautiful shrine is set into the mountainside, with waterfalls flowing beneath it. It serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made to connect the eastern and western parts of Taiwan. These historical sites, along with the stories of the Truku people, show that Taroko Gorge is a place where nature, culture, and history meet.

Questions (問題)

Q: Who are the indigenous people of the Taroko National Park area?

A: The Truku people (太魯閣族) are the indigenous people of this area.

Q: What major road was built through Taroko Gorge?

A: The Central Cross-Island Highway (中部橫貫公路) was built through Taroko Gorge.

Q: Why was the Eternal Spring Shrine (Changchun Shrine) built?

A: It was built to remember and honor the workers who died while building the Central Cross-Island Highway.

Discussion (討論)

Q: When you visit a new place, what interests you more: its natural beauty, its history, or the culture of the people there? Why? (當你參觀一個新地方時，什麼更吸引你：它的自然美景、它的歷史，還是那裡人民的文化？為什麼？)

A: For me, it's often a mix, but I'm usually most drawn to the natural beauty first. However, learning about the history and culture makes the experience much richer and helps me understand the place on a deeper level. (對我來說，通常是混合的，但我通常首先被自然美景所吸引。然而，了解歷史和文化會使體驗更加豐富，並幫助我更深入地了解這個地方。)

Q: Why do you think it is important to have places like the Eternal Spring Shrine to remember past events and people? (你認為為什麼擁有像長春祠這樣的地方來紀念過去的事件和人物很重要？)

A: I think it's important because it helps us not to forget the efforts and sacrifices people made in the past. It also teaches younger generations about their history and the challenges that were overcome to achieve something, like building an important road. (我認為這很重要，因為它幫助我們不要忘記過去人們所做的努力和犧牲。它也教導年輕一代了解他們的歷史以及為達成某事（如修建一條重要道路）所克服的挑戰。)

Conclusion (結論)

Taroko National Park offers visitors much more than just breathtaking natural landscapes. It is a place where you can connect with the ancient culture of the Truku people and reflect on the significant historical events, like the challenging construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway, commemorated by sites such as the Eternal Spring Shrine. This blend of nature, culture, and history makes Taroko a truly unique and memorable destination.