We(ETGBC)held an activity of crossing Guandu Plain (關渡平原) on March-27-2017.  Our members came to the meeting place – MRT Zhongyi (忠義) station one after  another before the reunion time 2:00 pm.  Because the event was scheduled to cross the Guandu Plain, including walking along the water channel, we really worried about the situation of the roads.  Fortunately, the roads were dry enough.  Under the leading of event organizers Yvonne and guider Alfonso, we started a fantastic journey of crossing Guandu Plain.

Exiting through the bridge of MRT Zhongyi station, oncoming was a row of kapok.  Here the flower color of kapok was lighter, not like those in the central city. It was said that the color was affected by the acid value of the soil.  It was really interesting to think about the natural affection between the soil and the flowers.  Out of the MRT station, we saw a lot of pitayas (火龍果) on the walls of the farm. They should be beautiful and colorful if on the season.  Then, we began to enter the paddy fields of the Guandu Plain.  We stopped at a square to listen carefully to Alfonso’s explanation on the customs and characteristics of the Village Deity (土地公) in Taiwan.

There are two important rivers in Guandu Plain - Guizikeng Creek (貴子坑溪) and Shuimokeng Creek (水磨坑溪).  During the period of Japanese occupation, the ceramic industry in Beitou was flourishing.  In 1977, a typhoon destroyed Beitou area seriously and brought debris flow into the town.  Accordingly, the government was determined to carry out remediation projects. It included the banning on clay-mining, slope reconstructing and planting, as well as Guizikeng Creek and Shuimokeng Creek water flow control construction.  We can see clearly nowadays the straightened water channel of these rivers.

Walking into the paddy field, we saw the seedlings and the fields were executed the watering operation.  It was really spectacular to look at the endless green fields matching the distant high mountains.  After a left turn, we began to walk along the edge of the water channel.  The edge of the water channel was about 50cm wide.   One side was the green fields where some egrets stopped and the other side was the water flow where fishes played.  An old song jumped into our mind - Take Me Home Country Road – super suitable for this moment!

We may say Guandu plain is the last large piece of green field of Taipei area.  Sincerely hope that Guandu Plain can continue to play the important role - the lung of Taipei. Thus, we will see again and again the same scene we saw today.