My very own handmade Hakka Oil Paper Umbrella

So pretty, so strong, so unique.

I wanted one.

I chose my favorite.

How could I resist?

I asked the young female cashier about it's history.

My father made it from bamboo. My grandmother painted it. The Chinese words wish you luck and happiness. It takes a month to make one. These umbrellas are special and will bring you good luck.

The family run business is quite famous in Taiwan. It is one of the only remaining paper oil umbrella workshops in Taiwan, and perhaps the world. The Hakka people used the umbrellas in their everyday life. They are also used as wedding presents with parents giving them to their children on their special day.

In 1989, after watching his skilled parents make umbrellas, Lee Ming-Hsiang decided to open a business of his own. I am glad he did. You can visit the family run business's website here.

Meinong is about a 50 minute drive from downtown Kaohsiung.

You can buy your own oil paper umbrella from the Lee family store. Directions below. 

View Larger Map

Christmas Day Cycling in Meinong 美濃

My partner and I are not your usual present-giving types. For birthdays we have taken each other to Normandy, France, and to a Broadway production in New York City. Christmas' have been spent in Casablanca, Morocco as well as in scenic and snowy Collingwood, Canada. This year, due to a mildly confusing rule at the semi-International School where we work and only Chinese holidays are observed, Christmas this year would inevitably be spent in Taiwan.

We attended a 'Croissant, Champagne and Coffee Christmas Brekky' organised by an Aussie family from work. After, we decided to do something a little more unusual and headed 45 minutes north east of Kaohsiung for some cycling around the fields of Meinong.

The drive was pleasant along the quick paced highway. Following the signs for 'Meinong' there was no chance of us getting lost. Once closer, we then looked for signs directing us to the Hakka Museum. The Hakka are a Chinese minority who migrated to Taiwan in the 12th century.

We rented bicycles for a steal at 100NT each in the building next to the museum. Then it was up to us to ride our single speed bikes through the various fields of tea, tobacco, bananas, cabbages and other numerous green vegetables.

Bike Rental 

We took a map from the bicycle rental store, which although in Chinese, gave us a little piece of mind that we could find our way back if need be. There are various bike routes in Meinong, but we decided to venture on our own. We came across the Green line and Red line. Faded painted colored lines can be found on the road, along with interspersed signs containing maps.

One of the Bike Route signs

We found the maps a little difficult to read, but followed some of the lines regardless to see where we would end up. The Green path led us to a large temple. The Red path led us to an Arboretum where we decided to eat our Christmas picnic lunch of tomato and cheese crackers, fruit salad, juice and chocolates.

We stumbled across this Temple on our ride

A sign in the arboretum

Heading back to the rental shop, we saw some familiar sights so we knew we were on the right track. The lush scenery, endless working fields, sleepy towns and friendly faces make us want to return. Although we don't need an excuse to return, I want to see some of the Oil Paper Parasol workshops for which Meinong is famous for. I am looking forward to our next visit.

We stopped for some water at a small shop

Meinong can be found here,

View Larger Map