Its Hakka residents take great pride in learning, and they labor long and hard to provide for their family's schooling.
Reminders appear in subtle ways amid the quiet fields.
Ritual furnaces, common in Taiwan for burning paper prayer money, are unique in Meinung. They are ornately constructed and are reserved only for the burning of papers inscribed with Mandarin characters. Belief is, the written word implies elevated accomplishments and learning. Moreover, these ashes are sparred from scattering since they are carefully swept and saved. From this educationally charged environment, comes Chu Pan-Hsiung, an unconventional yet impressive teacher.