JAPÓN (IV) - Christian Cave Chapel Kyushu (with Formosa Rice and Indigenous Etymology)

 




To make the thread complete - here is the final one. None of these is planned, but three years later in 2026 - I realized there is a fascinating 'Nanban/Nánmán *南蛮' thread to tell!


Typical supermarket 南蛮 Bento in Tokyo


*In Japan Nanban 南蛮 term definition changed from SE Asia region to western influences owing to Portuguese arrival in the latter 16th century. Not specifically pointed out - but mentioned in my Taipeitimes article. In Southern Taiwan, a Portuguese name for Spanish mackerel?


2023 Sendai 仙台
Formosa (Penglai) rice seeds origin - Hiraizumi 平泉 Sendai 仙台 area.
Penglai rice changed Taiwanese dietary habit for good since 1928.

おうう Ōu 奧羽
學友年鑑 1936
Details HERE.


Autumn bounty - Freshly harvested rice drying in the sun @ Hiraizumi 平泉

After my Sendai trip, my historian friend told me that area おうう Ōu 奧羽 was the father of Taiwan's Penglai rice. The name Penglai Rice (蓬萊米) was coined in 1926 by Prof 磯 at a national rice and grain conference in Taipei.

"Starting in 1900, the Japanese Colonial Gov't ordered experimentation of rice breeding, importing 1,256 strains from Japan and settling on 752, represented by the Nakamura 中村 strain, to be inter-bred with 236 Zhailai 在來 strains. With the help of an angel passing by 路過的天使 who inserted a segment of aboriginal rice DNA (no explanation to this day*). Nakamura 中村 most likely Tohoku 東北大學 University researcher or professor who cultivated the strain. Source HERE." 


'Lee Teng-hui Visit' Monument
@ Tohoku University 東北大學

In 2007, Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) made a tour covering the prefectures of Miyagi, Yamagata, Iwate, Akita and Gunma, retracing a journey made by the Japanese poet Basho 芭蕉 in 1689 on which his famous work Oku no Hosomichi, or The Narrow Road to Oku 奥の細道 was written. @ Tohoku University 東北大學

2024 Tainan 400. "Transcending 1624 - Taiwan and the World" @ the National Museum of Taiwan History

The special exhibition highlighted the exchanges between Taiwan and the world with a special focus on the Dutch East India Company (VOC).



2025 Kyushu 九州 
Christian Cave Chapel (Taketa, Oita)
Takeda（たけだ）竹田. Oita（おおいた）大分

A friend reminded me of something I didn't see but  fascinating! 


Christian Cave Chapel at Taketa city 
(Photo source HERE)
It is thought to have been built in the Edo period (1603-1867) as a chapel
by Catholics who secretly worshipped after Christianity was banned in Japan. 


Takeda（たけだ）竹田 - Bamboo Forest
The moment I walked into Takeda 竹田 (meaning bamboo forest), I was immediately reminded of Indigenous Atayal villages - Wulai, Chingchuan, Shibi (Raysinay) for example.







Divine Tree 

Atayals traditions known deeply and closely connected with bamboos - it is said they moved and settled with bamboos. Takeda 竹田 is used as a name for the Atayal.


Shibi (Raysinay) (Miaoli) name means stone boulders (in Chinese). Impressive large stone rocks landscape in Takeda formed a perfect location for secret hideout - The Christian Cave Chapel.

Not to forget, of course, 'The Oka Castle Ruin' (which was said to be built in 1185) on the stone mountain an altitude of 325m.  

荒城の月／こうじょうのつき
"The Moon over the Ruined Castle"
a Japanese song written in the Meiji period


「キリシタン・南蛮文化交流協定協議会」
Christian and Nanban cultural heritage - A Council aims to highlight and preserve this unique heritage is established in Takeda city.


Oita（おおいた) 大分 place-name
Both Wulai (Taipei) and Chingchuan (Hsinchu) former name U'lay (Yuゆ湯refers to Hotspring. Not just 'hot steaming water' but specifically 'Hotspring. Yu ゆ湯is Japanese language. 

Bunun Hotspring 大分
There is a Bunun place in Hualien named 'dahun 大分'  meaning hotspring / hot steaming water (According to Indigenous council). See HERE. 

Interesting varieties of Nanban confectionaries showcasing the unique Nanban heritage in this area.  






鯪鯉lâ-lí” Pangolin - Walking Carp
It appears Austronesian linguists have mistakenly listed 'halum' (Bunun's spelling, there are several ways) into PAN (Proto). It is Hokkien/Chinese 鯪鯉lâ-lí. Carp (Li) for its typical elasmoid scale. 

鯪鯉lâ-lí” in ancient China (the term first appeared in Eastern Han dynasty) was identified as a walking fish. Some hundred year later someone identified it a mammal and not a fish. Only until Ming dynasty Li Shizhen (author of Compendium of Materia Medica) debunked all myth acknowledging the creature's physical features and values.

At Oniyama Jigoku 鬼山地獄 Beppu "Crocodile Hell" where utilizes hot spring heat to breed about 80 crocodiles from different places around the world -  I saw a few 'Walking Carp' and it's the first time I saw the resemblance between carp and pangolin!






Ceramic Road 


占城（Champa）is where I have recently been. The Chams are  - Austronesian. I mentioned HERE. 
- 琉求 Liuqiu is Taiwan. 
- 崑崙 Kunlun is SE Asia. Hence "Kunlun slave 崑崙奴" Dark-skinned people from SE Asia during Tang and Song dynasty. 
I do wonder though if Kunlun is related to 'Qulun' meaning People? 






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