1.Have you heard of any difficulty encountered by the predecessor in the development of the three channels? How did them resolve it?

Big Brother Lin told us that the technology back then was not as developed as now and not to mention the abundance of machineries and tools. The development of channels was highly difficult. Predecessors had to use manual approach for handling. For example, when big rocks blocked the channel trail, the predecessors must use hoes to break the rock and relocate it to other places. If there are still rocks inside the tunnel, someone must go inside the tunnel to remove the rock, then give the rock to people standing outside of the tunnel, before working together to move the rock to the single-wheel bike. The predecessor would avoid these rocks by deliberately excavating the channel trails into curving shape.

2.How do you prevent typhoon. How should you treat the contaminated water after typhoon?

Big Brother Lin said the in the event of typhoon, they would observe the weather forecast and if it a land alert for typhoon is released for northern Taiwan, they would go to the mountain and release the key water gate and latches in order to discharge the water while shutting down the gate at water outlet. After the typhoon, they would patrol the site. Assume there is road collapse or some disaster, they will call our typhoon prevention center and tell us which section of the local channel trail is brother and they need immediate assistance. Then we would report to the superior such as the Taipei City Government of Council of Agriculture, so that they could easily control and understand the actual situations of local area in the event typhoon hits. If the disaster is serious, they will need some machineries or more personnel because the mountain area of the channel could not be operated via machinery through manual operation.

Additionally Big Brother Zhou also told us that these channels do not contain heavy-metal contamination and the channels are mainly used for residential irrigation. It is not drinking water and hence the water will be acceptable after typhoon even when there is some sand or leaves. Therefore it does not have any issues with contamination.

3.In the case of landslide, which departments are in charge and how do they repair?

Big Brother Zhou told us that the channels are administered by region. Currently there are 17 leaders in the Irrigation Association. For example, Uncle A-Jiang administers Pingding Channel while the plane is divided by the property of each region, in approximately 17 regions. Therefore each region has a patrol, water gate guard, and channel patrol, assisted by local personnel according to the regional characteristics. The assisting unit will rescue depending on the disaster condition at the time. In general, the Irrigation Association is responsible for the maintenance and administration of channel trails. In terms of roads, Dali Engineering Office shall be responsible for assistance. In case the channel trail encounters collapse, the leaders will first make simple removal. In case the disaster is serious, leaders will ask local residents for help to first keep water flow and then Irrigation Association will ask outsourced suppliers for construction in case improvement on certain areas is necessary.

4.What is the time point for controlling the water gate in the coming of torrential rain or typhoon?

Big Brother Lin said that in case typhoon land alert is issued for Northern Taiwan, they would rush to the mountain and release the key water gate and latch with the channel patrol, in order to discharge the water. They would also shut down the gate to the water. Therefore the point of water gate control is activated according to the typhoon forecast issued by the Central Weather Bureau.

5.What principle does the water measurement apparatus on the aqueduct apply to measure the flow?

Big Brother Lin told us that the water measuring device is called “non-shrinking rectangular weir.” First measure its water gauge, width and height, followed by bringing a formula to measure the flow speed. Next, Big Brother Lin took out a sheet of formula table for measuring the flow speed and he made a humorous joke with us: “Now you all know that learning mathematics is very important,” and that made us laugh out loud.

6.What king of experience, background or training does it require to become a channel guide?

Big Brother Lin told us that if we want to become a channel guide, we must take the recruitment examination first. The content of recruitment examination includes engineering and management. If we pass the recruitment examination with some relevant background and interests, the Irrigation Association would randomly allocate us to one of the administrative districts. After learning with the leaders at the administrative district for some time, we will gradually understand the ecology of the channel. The guides do not need to take seminars but will be led and instructed by predecessors. The learning method is apprenticeship while most guides have background in engineering or irrigation major. Members of Pingding Ancient Channel Foundation will also have the opportunity to become the guide if they know about the ecology and plants in the channel. Currently most of the guides in Irrigation Association are male with only one female guide.

7.This used to be the key region for growing national orchids. Is it still grown here? Or if the land used for other purpose?

Commissioner Zhou told us that the land area of Pingdeng Village is about 6.7 square kilometers and there are about 480 households with population of approximately 1,800 people and 1,200 votes. The residents of Pingdeng Village rely on farming for living. The period between 1984 and 1995 was the peak period for growing national orchids in Pingdeng area, which was also the part-time job of the residents back then. Nearly all households grew national orchids. Today, there are still people growing the orchids but the quantity has substantially reduces because of the economic downturn plus it the thriving period for orchids already passed. There are many species of national orchids in Pingdeng Village with most of them grown on the rooftop of their houses. Growing on the rooftop not only provides better care and sunlight but also safer since the residents here are conservative and these orchids will not get stolen. On contrary, growing orchids inside a house in the city could be subject to risks of stealing and robbery.

Commissioner Zhou further said: “Pingdeng Village is the most suitable region for growing national orchids in Taiwan because the weather and air quality are both suitable. The only disadvantage is that it gets wet and cold in winter and we must turn on the heater for national orchids. Nonetheless in the past ten years, residents gradually rent the rooftop to people in needs of fund for use.” Commissioner Zhou added: “The reason for national orchids to be named so is because it is purchased in Taiwan but it will not be called national orchid in China but addressed directly in the name of its species.”

Moreover, there is an abundance of agricultural crops in Pingdeng Area, and particularly vegetables are most suitable for growing here. Vegetables suitable for growing in the summer: green bamboo shoot, bamboo shoot and Makino bamboo shoot. Vegetables for growing in winter: Chinese cabbage, cabbage, celery, green onion, and turnip. In particular, the turnip grown here is sweet and tastes the best. The life here is simple and the farmers must work hard. However everyone is diligent and sometimes people get off the mountain to get part-time job for some income. There are many agricultural crops: Turnip in the winter and green bamboo shoot and vegetables in the summer. Makino bamboo shoot is harvested between March and April, which takes 75 days for harvest. All households grow their own vegetables and are self-sufficient, so they do not need to buy vegetables elsewhere.

8.There are the Erwei Mountain Trail, Gouyinqin Trail, Daling Road Trail, Channel Trail, Niopu Trail, and Neiliao Trail in Pingdeng Village. Which trails did we pass when visiting the Pingding Ancient Channel? Which trails are usually open to the public? Which one is the favorite trail for the public?

Commissioner Zhou told us that the channel trail was intended for patrol to maintain the channel path.  However people today value leisure so the path was changed to channel trail for leisure purpose. He previous Neipu and Neiliao Trail were derived from Qingtiangang. Many trails were used for trading to avoid the Japanese. Now the trails become the channel trail for leisure purpose. The Ancient Channel, New Channel, and Dengfong Channel for visiting Pingding Ancient Channel are all located at the channel trail.

Additionally, Leader Zhou said that any public can come to take these trails any time for hiking because the channel is unrestricted, unlike some high mountains which require Class A or Class B Mountain Pass, the Pingding Ancient Channel are easy to visit. Any public willing to take a walk here can come. Moreover Pignding Ancient Trail does not require special application or mountain pass since it is not high mountain and most people like channel trail because it’s close to the water.

9.What is the main belief of the Pingdeng Villagers? Is there a God of Nature like mountain god or water god? What are the worship rituals?

Commissioner Zhou told us that more than 95% of the Pingdeng Village residents hold belief in Buddhism. The most important enshrining deity is Matsu. Every year the date for greeting Matsu is held on February 14^th of lunar calendar, which is different from other Taipei City residents celebrating on March 23^rd of lunar calendar, the birth date of Matsu. The reason is that everyone treated people a meal on the birthday of Matsu, where more quests coming meant more fortune for this year and harvest in agricultural crops. On contrary, the farmers would have back luck and poor harvest in agricultural crops if no guests came. Nonetheless if everyone treated others on March 23^rd of lunar calendar, they would have trouble inviting the guests so the residents of Pingdeng Village changed to greeting Matsu on February 14^th of lunar calendar and held the party. If worshipping Matsu on different day than others, personals Matsu could listen to the prayer and would bless this area with more crop harvest and peace. As for god of mountain and water deity, Commissioner Zhou said that nobody worships god of water because only residents living by the ocean worship them while god of mountain here refers to ghost while the gold joss paper for burning also differs from that of Matsu.

Commissioner Zhou also told us that there are some temples on the mountain where the origin of water for Dengfong is, but they consisted of deities brought by some speculating public during the popular time of gambling, which they used for inquiring the numbers. Those deities were not the kind of deities which local residents enshrine as they were meant to bless the residents. It was really impolite that these speculators used them as means of finding the gambling numbers, and also different from the god of water, god of mountain, god of land, or god of earth, or the ghosts. Additionally with regards to ceremony, except for worshipping Matsu on February 14^th, there is a salvation ceremony held on Ghost Festival on July 15^th of lunar calendar. The Shilin District is divided into four corners with the twelve villages in Beishan District, Jiaziji corner, Yuanshan Corner and the twelve villages of Tongtianmu as well as Shipai. Each year the corners will take turn to host the salvation in every four year. Pingdeng Village belongs to Zhongshan District while worshipping of Ghost Festival salvation is locally known as “Luanjiaotou,” a local major and solemn ceremony.

10.How is the current farmland utilization? Which types mainly? What is the proportion of Pingdeng Villagers engaging in farming?

Commissioner Zhou said that Pingding Village utilizes farming fully without leaving most of the field idle and only about 1/20 of the land is partially leased as citizen farm for citizens to grow as holiday farmers. Everyone grows vegetables here and like I said before, farmers grow green bamboo shoot, Makino bamboo shoot, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, celery, green onion, and turnip. This is a place of 100% farming while some elderly grew rice. Young people on the other hand go to work in the cities.

11.Why did Chi-Sing Irrigation Association agreed to undertake the maintenance and management of Pingding Ancient Channel.

Commissioner Zhou said that the Ancient Channel faced with construction and then administration issues. About 180 years ago, in 1891, people brought sweet potato and paddy rice from China for growing. There were 7~10 people digging channel trails with manual power and completed the 3 kilometer channel. On top of the Ancient Channel, the area of irrigation was 20 hectares and it took about 550 dragon silver coins to develop the first channel. Five year later in 1896, about 175 years from now, the New Channel was developed, with about 1,500 dragon silver coins invested. The New Channel could irrigate an area of about 50~60 hectares. The third Channel is the Dengfong Channel, which took 64 people to jointly develop and complete the 7 kilometer Dengfong Channel. The Dengfong Channel has been built for 105 years now and after the completion of the three channels, the residents administered thee channels. Later due to the expense channel maintenance fees and the residents could not bear the burden, so during the Japanese Ruling Period, the residents turned the channels to the starting Chi-Sing Irrigation Association for collective administration and maintenance. At the time, the water charge was rice crop and a piece of land costed 1000 Jin (600 kilograms) of rice crops. The residents had to pay Chi-Sing Irrigation Association according to the size of the area. However some residents did not pay even if they used the water because they did not have any more left for living if they paid for the water fees. However if they did not pay for the water fees, they could not become the member of Irrigation Association.

12.Pingding Ancient Channel is listed in cultural landscape zone. Is there any impact on the Ancient Channel and local residents when many people visit the Pingding Ancient Trail for hiking on the weekends? Is there any regulation imposed?

Commissioner Zhou told us that it is a good thing that Pingding Ancient Channel is classified a cultural landscape zone. The Ancient Channel Trail is the trail of ancient channel while local residents also expect more people to know about this place or hike there, who will buy little things such as vegetables, mineral water to bring some income to the residents there. However the residents also hope that the tourists can cooperate accordingly. For example, hikers should take home their food, drink or miscellaneous articles home without leaving them behind in the mountain. The Irrigation Association dreads for someone throwing garbage to the Ancient Channel because garbage will oxidize the channel and block it, resulting in damage to the nature while affecting the cleanness and hygiene. For this reason the residents here welcome tourists but also call for common maintenance in keeping this environment clean.

Commissioner Zhou gave us a special example. In 1992 when he was still the village head, there were many tourists but a few patrols for the channel administration, so there was a lot of garbage. He then locked the gate of Ancient Channel so tourists could not enter.

13.Why is the channel trail so narrow?

Leader Zhou also told us that there was no such thing as channel trail. The channel trails were used by patrols such as Uncle A-Jiang to patrol before and after the typhoon in order to assist with clearing the channel. Nonetheless due to evolution in history, people today also value leisure and some people consider this place nice after taking a walk on the trail. Those visitors then then put up the information online. More people have been drawn to this place and it is often known as the “secret place” for people today. Commissioner Zhou further added that the trail could be improved eventually in the future because the trail used to be only 10cm but now it is 20cm. After 2016, the trail could become 30cm. Moreover due to the continuous visitors, the Irrigation Association has specifically expanded the trail with more solidity, to protect both the safety of patrols and the tourists.

14.Is the Ancient Channel administered by any government unit for assistance and repair related matters?

Big Brother Zhou told us that the administering unit of channel trails is determined by the nature of the road. For example, the average hiking trails are maintained by Land Engineering Office while the Channel trails are maintained by the Irrigation Association under own budgeting. Hence there is no government unit that would provide repair and assistance. The Chi-Sing Irrigation Association repairs and maintains under self-sufficient funding.

15.What is your future plan for the development of Pingding Ancient Channel?

Commissioner Zhou told us that currently the Irrigation Association administers the Ancient Channel well and it is highly recognized by the public, claiming that the Irrigation Association has taken responsivity to increase the water amount of the channel while the use of water also becomes more convenient. All conditions have improved. On the other hand, the agricultural and livelihood water use now have more water pipes and water so that not much water would be lost.

The public is all confident about the Irrigation Association. In spite of the remote distance from Pingding Ancient Channel, and not as close as the channels in other areas, the Irrigation Association would release the water through the control gate in the coming of typhoons with excellent monitoring. It is 7 kilometers away from Dengfong Channel and takes one whole morning to walk there, 4 kilometers away from the New Channel, and 3 kilometers away from Old Channel. The New Channel tunnel is 265 meters plus 25 meters in the back. It is inaccessible to Dengfong Channel tunnel but it is also more than 400 meter long.

Commissioner Zhou mentioned about the future administration development and currently, the community residents all think the three channels have been administered well and they expect to continue maintaining the channels for the next generation so that everyone will have sufficient water for livelihood and irrigation. It is very important for the people. All people and farmers expect the Irrigation Association to continue maintaining the livelihood water for local residents. There are nearly 2,000 people and 400 some households in Pingdeng Village, who cannot live without the channel, and so the water is very important for the residents. There is also a simple filtering bucket on top of the water origin, while the water drunk by people has been filtered. For this reason, the Pingdeng residents do not rely on tap water for livelihood.