Today my sister and I took my daughter to visit the place where we grew up when we were children - Beitou. Beitou is located in the northwest suburbs of Taipei City and is the second largest administrative district in Taipei City. Its place name is because the early Basai people believed that the geothermal valley was caused by witches casting spells to produce smoke, so it was named after the witch "PATAW (Ba Island)" in Basai language. It was named because it has a similar pronunciation to the Taiwanese word for Beitou. Beitou District is rich in natural resources. In the early 17th century, Spanish documents recorded that Beitou was rich in sulfur. In 1896, a Japanese businessman established Taiwan's first hot spring hotel here. I grew up in Beitou until I moved to Taipei in my senior year of high school so I miss Beitou deeply. I will attach many old photos in this article when we visit different spots.
今天我與妹妹帶我女兒去探訪我們小時候成長的地方 － 北投。北投位於臺北市的西北郊，是臺北市面積第二大的行政區。它的地名是因為早期巴賽族認為地熱谷是女巫施法才會冒煙，故以巴賽語裡的女巫「PATAW（巴島）」稱之，因與北投的臺語發音相像，故命名為「北投」。北投區自然資源豐富，17世紀初西班牙文獻即有北投社域盛產硫磺的記載，1896年由日本商人在此設立臺灣第一家溫泉旅館。我從小在北投長大，直到高三搬到台北，因而對北投有很深的懷念，所以在這篇中會附上許多舊照。
Our first stop was the primary school where my mother used to teach - Taipei Municipal Qingjiang Elementary School. Of course, the school and the surrounding environment are very different from what they were more than 50 years ago.
我們的第一站是媽媽以前任教的小學 － 清江國小。當然學校與周遭的環境，與50多年前相比，真是迥然不同。
Then we went to take pictures outside our old apartment. I spent two years of elementary school, three years of junior high school and two years of high school here. Because of the remoteness here, when we went to school or didn’t want to wait for the bus that runs every hour, we had to walk for 15 to 20 or even 30 minutes to Old Beitou to catch the bus or to the school. This kind of natural walking training since childhood is actually good for our health. I also remember that when I was in high school, I had to catch the first bus to school. I studied on the crowded bus and stood all the way until I arrived in Taipei. Those were really long ago.
然後我們到舊家的公寓外拍照留念。我在這裏渡過我的兩年小學、三年國中及兩年高中。由於這裏偏逺，我們上學或者不想等一個鐘頭才一班的公車，就都要快走 15 到 20 甚至 30 分鐘到舊北投搭公車或學校，這種從小自然走路的訓練，其實對我們的身體有很大的助益。我也記得高中的時候要趕第一班車上學，在擁擠的公車上啃著書，搖搖晃晃站到台北，那真是很遙遠以前的日子。
The next stop was the church meeting hall where we had church gatherings when we were children. I remember that there used to be a wall here, and the meeting place used to be a bungalow (see an old photo below that my friend found online for me). In the front at the meeting hall was a platform covered with wooden boards, and underneath was a pool for baptizing people. Now a new building has been built and there are more spaces for gatherings.
接著我們到小時候聚會的會所。我記得這裏原本有個圍牆，以前聚會的地方是個平房，(請看網上找到的舊照)， 聚會大廳的前方有個鋪著木板的台子，下面是個水池，給人施洗用的。現今蓋起大樓，聚會的地方也增加了。
Then we stopped by my junior high school - Beitou Junior High School. When I was born, I lived in a dormitory on campus. Today, the campus is completely different.
然後我們的下一個目標是我的國中 － 北投國中。剛出生的時候我還住在校園中的宿舍，現今的校園完全不同了。
We walked around Beitou Hot spring area.
我們在北投溫泉區逛逛。
We first visited the Geothermal Valley. It is the hot spring with the highest water temperature in the Datun Mountains. The water temperature can reach 98°C (208°F), while other places are only 60~70°C (140~158°F). The hot springs in the Geothermal Valley are hydrochloric acid, commonly known as "green sulfur" and are extremely corrosive. Because the spring water is clear and slightly green like jade, some people call it "Jade Spring Valley". And because the steam is permeable all year round, the light and shadow change like the image of a fairyland. During the Japanese occupation, it was one of the most famous scenic spots in Taiwan. In the early years, this was where tourists cooked hot spring eggs and had fun. I remember when I was in the third or fourth grade of elementary school, the school took us here for an outing. At that time, the sulfur hot springs were scattered on the slopes, filled with steam, just like the names of Hell Valley or Ghost Lake at that time. We had to carefully walk on the uneven road to see these hot springs. But, no matter how careful we were, a naughty male classmate still slipped into the hot springs and was seriously burned. I think this kind of burn accident may happen more than once, so the government reorganized the Geothermal Valley landscape, guided the spring flow, stored water into a lake, and surrounded it with trails and handrails. It also set up viewing pavilions and waterfront ditches for tourists to soak on foot.
我們先走訪地熱谷。它是大屯山群區域內水溫最高的溫泉，水溫可達98℃，而其它地方僅60〜70℃。地熱谷溫泉為鹽酸酸性，俗稱「青磺」，腐蝕性極強。因泉水清澈微綠似玉，所以有人稱為「玉泉谷」，又因終年蒸氣瀰漫，光影變幻有如仙境的意象，在日據時期為臺灣八景十二勝之一，有「磺泉玉霧」的美稱。早年這裏是遊客煮溫泉蛋和遊樂的所在地。我記得小學三或四年級的時候，學校帶我們來這裏郊遊，那時硫磺溫泉一坑一坑的散佈在坡上，蒸氣瀰漫、熱氣騰騰，活像當時的名稱地獄谷或鬼湖，而我們得小心翼翼的走在凹凸不平的道路上去看這些溫泉，但是再小心，一個頑皮的男同學還是滑進了溫泉中，嚴重燙傷。我想這種燙傷意外可能不只發生一次，因而政府重整地熱谷景觀，導引泉流，蓄水成湖，並以步道、扶欄環繞四周，也設有賞景涼亭及親水溝渠讓遊客泡腳。
On the way to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, walking along the sulfur-smelling hot spring stream reminded me of the familiar smell from my childhood.
到北投溫泉博物館的路上，沿著有硫磺味的溫泉溪水行走，讓我回想起童年熟悉的味道。
We passed by Beitou Park Playground, originally called "Playground Affiliated to Public Baths". It was the first playground designed for children in Taiwan and was completed in 1916. Originally It was intended for visitors to the Beitou Public Baths, providing a space for leisure and entertainment of children. When I was just one or two years old, I came here to play on the swings and slides made of grindstones.
我們途經北投兒童樂園，原本名為「公共浴場附屬遊園地」，也是台灣第一個為兒童規劃的遊樂公園，於西元1916 年完工，當初規劃是要提供給前來北投公共浴場泡湯的民眾兒童休憩娛樂之用。我一、兩歲的時候便來這裏盪鞦韆、溜磨石子做的滑梯。
The Beitou Hot Spring Museum used to be a public hot spring bath. It was built in 1913 and modeled on the Izuyama Hot Spring in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was the largest and most gorgeous public bath at the time in East Asia. The bath area on the first floor is made of brick, the rest area on the second floor is made of wood, and the entrance is on the second floor. It was designated as a third-class historic site in 1997 (later revised to a municipal historic site). In 1998, it was renovated into the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, with the theme of the development history of Beitou Hot Spring, including the theory of hot springs, Beitou Stone, and volcanoes (first floor exhibition area) In the later period, the development history of Beitou Hot Spring Township, the history of Ketagalan people (Beitou Indigenous people), Beitou industry and Taiwan Hollywood and other planning (exhibition hall on the second floor).
北投溫泉博物館過去是北投溫泉的公共溫泉浴場，它建於1913年，為仿照日本靜岡縣伊豆山溫泉的方式興建而成，是當時東亞規模最大、最華麗的公共浴場。一樓浴池區為磚造，二樓休憩區為木造，入口處位於二樓。1997年被指定為三級古蹟（之後修正為市定古蹟），1998年整修為北投溫泉博物館，以北投溫泉發展史為主題，從溫泉的原理、北投石、火山（一樓展場）到後期北投溫泉鄉發展史、凱達格蘭族歷史(北投社原住民)、北投產業和台灣好萊塢等規劃（二樓展場）。
Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch is the first green building library in Taiwan. The roof is a lightweight ecological roof, equipped with solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, and uses a large number of deep balconies and vertical wooden grilles to reduce heat radiation from entering the room and reduce consumption. It can achieve an energy saving effect. The green roof and sloped grass design can conserve water and drain it naturally to the rainwater recycling tank. The recycled water can then be used to irrigate plants and flush toilets, achieving greening and reducing water waste. The building uses wood and steel, and the building materials can be recycled and reused.
臺北市立圖書館北投分館是臺灣首座綠建築圖書館，屋頂為輕質生態屋頂，設有太陽能光電板發電，並採大量陽台深遮陽及垂直木格柵，減少熱輻射進入室內，降低耗能達到節能效果。綠化屋頂及斜坡草坡設計可涵養水分自然排水至雨水回收槽，再利用回收水澆灌植栽及沖水馬桶，達到綠化與減低水資源浪費。建物使用木材及鋼材，建材皆可回收再利用。
Beitou Park was established in 1913, and the Beitou Hot Spring Public Bathhouse was also established at this time. It was the first hot spring park in Taiwan. This is also the park we often played in when we were children. Many of the landscaping in the park were built during the Japanese occupation.
北投公園於1913年成立，北投溫泉公共浴場也在此時建立，是臺灣第一座溫泉公園。這也是我們小時候經常來玩的公園，先今園中的許多造景均是日據時代所建。
After leaving Beitou Park, I saw Yixian Elementary School behind the police station. I thought that in the past, I had to climb a steep hill to get to school. My legs were really strong back then. There used to be a bus station in this circle, and there were stairs next to it to get to Yixian Elementary School, but they are gone now.
出了北投公園，看到派出所後面的逸仙國小，想到以前上學都得爬個大坡才到得了學校，那時的腳力真好。以前這個圓環有個公路局車站，旁邊有階梯也可到逸仙國小，現在都沒了。
During the Japanese colonial period, in order to develop the hot spring tourism industry in the New Beitou area, the New Beitou Station was built in 1916. It is the only century-old station on the Tamsui Line of the Railway and even in Taipei City. The station body is made of wood. The carved brackets under the eaves and the dormer windows added due to the expansion in 1937 are a major feature of the station architecture. In 1988, the station was demolished and moved to Changhua Taiwan Folk Village due to the suspension of the Tamsui Line. After several twists and turns, the reorganization of the station was finalized in Qixing Park near the original site. In April 2017, the reorganization was completed and it was reopened to the public.
日治時期為發展新北投地區溫泉觀光產業，於1916年興建新北投車站 (新北投線，俗稱浴湯線)，它是鐵路淡水線甚至是臺北市僅存的百年車站。站體為木造結構，簷架下的雕花托座及1937年因擴建而有的老虎窗，是車站建築的一大特色。1988年因鐵路淡水線停駛而走入歷史並將站體拆遷至彰化台灣民俗村。幾經波折後，車站重組定案於原址附近的七星公園內，並於2017年4月重組完成再次對外開放。
One of the purposes of our visit to Beitou this time was to find the place where we lived before. My sister and I pieced together our childhood memories. What impressed me the most was that there was a big ditch near our home. Now I know that this ditch is Beitou Creek. We looked for several big spots along the creek. After finding the fire station, we went back down the slope and found out that the former basketball court was already a Qixing Park with many banyan trees. The old home behind the basketball court may now be close to the part of Beitou MRT.
我們這次來北投，其中一個目的是想找一找以前住過的地方，我與妹妹拼湊著兒時的記憶，印象最深的便是家附近有一個大水溝，現在才知道這是北投溪。我們沿著溪尋找幾個大點，找到消防局後，又往回下斜坡，才確定以前的籃球場已是眾多榕樹的七星公園，而籃球場後面的舊家，現在可能是接近北投捷運的一部分。
On the way back, we saw the Ketagalan Cultural Center and went to visit it. The Ketagalan Cultural Center is Taiwan's first cultural, art and educational research center with indigenous people as the main subject. It records the historical context related to the Pingpu people, as well as the contemporary art and cultural relics of the indigenous people.
在往回走的路上看到凱達格蘭文化館，便去參觀一下。凱達格蘭文化館是全國第一座以原住民為主體的文化藝術及教育研習中心。它記錄了平埔族相關的歷史脈絡，以及原住民族當代藝術及文物。
Hokutolite Nature Reserve 北投石自然保留區
What an unforgettable day! 好難得又難忘的一天！
Other Related Posts 其他相關的帖子
I have described some of the life in my old home in "Tribute: In Remembrance of Dad 4". Those who are interested can check the following link.
我在【緬懷李老師 4】有描述一些舊家的生活，有興趣者可看以下連結
Travel/Point of Interest Posts 旅遊景點帖子