Vignette
16
Taipei (I)
While
my father’s career promotion path had stalled after his
In 1956,
The air though was sweet and clean.
The surrounding hills were fresh and verdant. Green fields carpeted vast tracts
of land near our house. At night, one could hear the chirping of crickets, and
you could see the sparkling panoply of stars above most the city, while
downtown the electric lights and rows of shopfront signage brought that small
part of Taipei to life. Street vendors pushing wooden carts fitted with
charcoal burners lit by swaying oil lamps would clack their rounds in quiet
neighborhoods with the most delicious late night (宵夜) treats,
never to be equaled in restaurant fare, no matter where my classmates and I
would later roam in the world.
Another set of encounters I will
always remember from this period was meeting many Tien family members for the
first time. Father’s recall to the home office in
For the first week, we stayed with
Father's 2nd sister Tien Pao-tien (田寶田) who was 2 years younger than Father
and was Father's closest childhood playmate. Auntie Pao-tien and her 2 little
children lived in a very small 2-bedroom house. To accommodate us, Auntie
Pao-tien gave up her own small tatami bedroom for the 5 of us to sleep bundled
up like spring rolls in quilts, wall to wall.
Auntie Pao-tien was a beautiful, young
widow who had lost her husband to pneumonia one bitter winter in Beiping. In 1949, Auntie Pao-tien escaped to
My other 2 aunts (Father's third
sister Tien Pao-tsung and fourth sister Tien Pao-hui) were the ones married to
ROC Air Force pilots and lived closer to their air bases. Both uncles (三姑爹and 四姑爹) later rose in their military careers to the ranks of
brigadier and major generals. Father's second brother (Tien Pao-lu二伯田寶魯), a judge, lived in southern
During our short stay with Auntie
Pao-tien and her two little children, we noticed an express letter was
delivered every morning and another in late afternoon. Auntie Pao-tien admitted
she had a very persistent suitor who would not take “no” for an answer. But
Uncle Pao-lu, the senior Tien brother in
Notwithstanding the family’s
approbation, 76 year old Li Shi-tseng finally won the hand of my 39 year
old Auntie Pao-tien, but in obedience to the oldest brother's disapproval, no
one in the Tien family attended their wedding in 1957. My parents referred to
their new brother-in-law politely as 李先生 (Mr.
Li) or 李老 (Old Li) and he would come and visit
us. I was guided not to call him “姑爹” (“Uncle”) like my other two姑爹. Though Mr. Li was a contemporary and
friend of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, to me he looked as old as Chinese Methuselah (彭祖) next to my fresh and curvaceous aunt.
From time to time, we visited Auntie
Pao-tien in her spacious, newly constructed 2 story western style house.
Eventually, Auntie Pao-tien was able to send her children to
My parents had difficulty finding
affordable and suitable housing in
During Father’s tenure at the Manila
ROC Embassy, Father had declined every gift from the Overseas Chinese community
from refrigerators to air conditioners to cars to offers of help in the form of
interest free so-called “loans” which were actually cash gifts. When Father was
recalled from
That red packet contained US$1000 and
was presented as but a small farewell token of the gratitude of the Chinese in
the Philippines for Father’s efforts on behalf of the Chinese in the
Philippines. It was a great deal of money to us at that time of national
wartime hardship. Even with Mother teaching high school my parents were barely
scraping by, but Mother proudly refused so Father returned the gift even though
he considered this one particular gift as coming from his extended clan family.
We moved around Taipei from house to
house until we finally settled into a small but comfortable western style house
on 新生南路二段七十七巷, within walking distance to National
Taiwan University.
Mother, Philip, Austin and at home in Taipei 1959.
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Student Performance in Nagoya, Japan, August 1959. Delegates from HK, Israel, the USA and me. | Taipei, August 1959, after my return from the International Student Conference in Japan. I brought kimonos for the family; Mother, Philip and me at home on Hsing Sheng South Rd. |
Father started work soon after we
arrived in Taipei and my brother and I enrolled in school in early October; my
brother at Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University(師大附中) and I at National Taiwan University.
We were both several weeks late to class.
My first class in NTU was taught by
Professor Ignatius Ying (英千里教授)
“History of Western Literature.” I
remember how strange it felt
to walk into the theater style class room of approximately 100 students looking
back down upon me. The assembly of Chinese faces contrasted greatly with all my
earlier experiences of mixed nationalities at my former schools in the Chicago,
Nagasaki, Yokohama and Manila, where I ‘stood out’ as a minority. I hesitantly
wended my way up the stairs to squeeze into a seat at the top. Soon my
trepidation of launching into a new environment was forgotten when Professor
Ying began his enthralling lecture.
Professor Ying was not only an
exceptional scholar, he was a dynamic lecturer! His frail frame and fragile
health belied a powerful energy that was irresistibly transfixing in the
classroom and invariably, his 50-minute lectures always felt too short.
Professor Ying was one of the 2 most influential mentors in my life in Taiwan and
someone who continued to affect my life in everlasting, important and
significant ways.
As I could neither read nor write
Chinese, except my name, my family's names and our address, I struggled
mightily through all the required courses in Chinese. In class, I
simultaneously translated all the Chinese lectures into English notes. Some
classes like Philosophy and Logic, even though they were taught in Chinese,
were among my favorites and I’m eternally grateful to my professors who allowed
me to write my tests in English. However, there were other professors who
required written answers in Chinese, and were it not for the kindness of my
freshman classmate Lucy Rao (饒士榮)
and senior Clair Wang (王克難),
I would not have passed my first year of university. These strict while
indulgent professors allowed me to take my exams orally in Chinese but allowed
me my own transcribers. For these exams, I would study my transcribed English
classroom notes, then I would ask Lucy or Clair to go with me to the
professor's office. The professor would ask me the test question in Chinese and
I would dictate my answers in Chinese which Lucy or Clair would write out for
me with the professor personally listening and watching. At the end of the
exam, the professor would gather Lucy or Clair's transcription to grade. I was
very gratified that the professors were generous and that my grades were
sufficient to grant me a full scholarship each semester. I did not have to pay
college tuition after the first semester.
During the second semester of my
freshman year, I entered myself in the annual nationwide Rotary Club Elocution
Contest. Each university selected one representative through a preliminary
competition within the university. I came in 2nd, losing to a law school senior
at NTU and I felt disgruntlement as the audience and classmates who attended,
demonstrably and audibly appeared to favor me. The law school winner did
continue on to win the National Finals but this did not ease my discontent with
my perception of the lack of fairness of the judges.
The following Spring, I did not sign
up for the annual competition. I received a note from Professor Ying to see him
in his office. I knew where Professor Ying's office was, to the right of our
college lobby, a narrow sliver between the lobby and our small library at the
end. Professor Ying asked me to sit down. He had been reading something in his
hand and looked at me over the rim of his glasses, “We notice you have not
signed up for the Elocution contest.” I replied, “I felt the judges were not
fair to me last year.” Professor Ying asked “Why do you think that?” I answered
impertinently, “Maybe because I am an overseas student (僑生)?” Professor Ying didn't smile. He
looked at the paper in his hand again and said “Ahh. Then do you think you
obtained your grades or tuition supplement because you are an overseas
student?” I couldn't reply.
Professor Ying put down the paper,
took off his glasses and said “Last year's winner was a fine student and had
tried hard several times. You were only a freshman.” Then he turned to his pile
of work, dismissing me gently, “Now, go try again.”
I did and won the National
Intercollegiate competition. The following week, I knocked on Professor Ying 's
open door with my trophy, stood at the doorway and shared, “Professor Ying, I
won.” I looked for his approval, and for a smile. Professor Ying looked up at
me and merely nodded.
Rotary Club Elocution Contest
In the spring of 1959, Professor Ying
summoned me again. He told me to go see the Director (主任) of the China Youth Corps (青年救國團) in the Administration Building. The
Director asked me what I knew about Japan? I told him we had lived there for 4
years, when my Father was a diplomat for the ROC 1948-52 and shared some of my observations. He
listened thoughtfully and then gave me a slip of paper that directed me to go
downtown to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in a few days.
I went home, still not understanding
what any of this was about. In any case, I asked Father to give me a crash
course on the economics of Japan and ROC.
The interview in Chinese at the
Ministry was informal and at the desk of some official in an open room of many
desks. Then, I was directed to a senior official with a private office for more
questioning. I was relieved I didn't have to take a written test in Chinese!
A few weeks later, I received a note to see NTU President Chien Shih-liang (錢思亮校長) whose office was on the upper floor of the handsome brick Administrative Building. President Chien's office was very large and impressive though the furniture was rather bulky and ordinary. President Chien was gracious and smiling. He rose from his desk and asked me to sit in an armchair and sat down in an armchair across from me. He told me, I had been selected to be one of the 3 ROC delegates to an International Student Conference in Japan that coming summer of 1959. As he dismissed me, President Chien said he was pleased that I had adjusted well at the university and to pay his regards to my Father.
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Taipei Songshan Airport, August, 1958 | Tien Ling-ling (田玲玲) and me en route to the Sapporo branch of the International Student Association. |
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| Pictures from various activities during the
Conference, July 15-August 15, 1959 |
In Tokyo, Japan, my fellow ROC
representatives and I joined 147 other international delegates at the
conference. I spent a wonderful summer
attending meetings and traveling throughout Japan. Julie Ling Ling Tien (田玲玲) from National Chengchi
University and another young man, Lee Tsu-tse (李祖慈) of Chengkung University, were
the other 2 delegates under the supervision of Mr. George Liu (劉家治) of the
Chinese Youth Corps. Julie was a wonderful, graceful companion and very easy to
share a room with. People often thought we were sisters because of our last
names, and I was delighted about that.
After my daunting freshman year, the
subsequent years in college were pleasurable. I enjoyed friendships with many
students in various departments as well as from other universities. I had good
interactions with several professors who were dedicated and engaged in
mentoring students. I tutored English to make some extra money.
In November 1959, I was again summoned
to go through the same gauntlet as my previous Spring interviews in advance of
qualifying for the International Student Conference in Japan. This round among
several government ministries also included interviews at the US Embassy and
United States Information Service. Even Professor Ying shared that he was
surprised I had made the interview cuts. He said no student had been allowed by
our government to be sent abroad twice, but the US Embassy ultimately decided I
should be included. As the U.S. State Department was sponsoring this 6-week
student leadership conference, beginning at the University of Hawaii East-West
Center, Americans overrode the restriction of one delegate per country as well
as the ROC restriction of non-repeating delegates. We never learned why, but
speculated that perhaps it may have been because the designated ROC delegate,
Jane Hu (胡健華),
would have been the only woman participant chosen by the 60+ nations if my
exclusion stood on technicalities.
In January 1960, Professor Ying
summoned me once again to his very cold little office where he sat bundled up
next to a small heater. He asked that I visit Professors Yu Ta-tsai and Lillian
Chao, 2 professors whose classes I had very much enjoyed. I paid my respects to
each of them, separately, and was served Western style tea and refreshments.
Probably, they were scrutinizing whether my table manners were sufficiently adequate for the western society. Father and
his Emily Post Blue Book of Etiquette were part of my upbringing and I was
comfortable in the presence of these 2 sophisticated professors. By the time I
was ready to depart for the U.S., I felt quite grown up - for a 20-year-old.
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Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan 1960, Student Leadership Conference, USA State Dept. Sponsored. | Jane Hu and me at the
University of Hawaii |
Father had been awaiting a new overseas posting for over a year and was anxious that he receive new orders before I became too old to be able to be included as his dependent child and still eligible for his family travel allowances. I had passed my 20th birthday in 1959 and Father was becoming increasingly worried about money for my passage.
1956年的台北和我之前住過的地方比起來，像是尚未開發的鄉下。馬路顛簸不平，雨一來，路面水窪處處。擋住污水流到路上的排水溝沒有蓋住，裸露在地面。到了晚上，還有糞車來收取各家的糞便。每天洗澡的熱水是一桶一桶慢慢燒出來的。最普遍的私人交通工具就是三輪車。
雖然有這些不方便的地方，但是當時台北四周的群山蒼勁翠綠，家裡附近的碧草如茵。到了夜晚時分，抬頭就清楚望見滿天閃爍的星星，空氣清新甜美，耳邊不時傳來蟋蟀的叫聲。還有賣宵夜的小販在安靜的夜裡叫賣，各式餐點讓人垂涎三尺，念念不忘。
我們到台北之後，先住在二姑田寶田家，她小父親兩歲，從小跟父親最親。二姑和兩個孩子住一間小公寓，二姑爹在北平因肺炎過世後，守寡的二姑帶著兩個孩子到台灣。母親說二姑是大美人，在北平輔仁大學就讀時，男同學喜歡在她走過時，齊聲大喊：「甜不甜？」，然後齊聲回：「甜！」
父親的兄弟姐妹中，三姑和四姑都嫁給空軍到了台灣，三姑爹董啟桓和四姑爹李良才後來都成了將軍。二伯田寶魯在台灣擔任法官，二伯母的父親是中華民國高等法院的法官。
我們住在二姑家時，每天早晚二姑都收到限時信，後來二姑告訴我們說有個追求者，但她並沒有接受。二伯是田家在台灣最年長的，他極力反對，認為十分不妥，因為追求者76歲，而二姑當時才39歲。但是這位李石曾最後還是贏得二姑的芳心，然而他們這段老少配在1957年舉行婚禮時，田家人為了尊重二伯的意見，沒有任何人參加婚禮。父母親提到這位新妹婿總是以「李先生」或是「老李」稱之。李先生有時會來拜訪我們，但我從沒叫過他姑爹。他和國父孫中山先生是同時代的人，但每回他在二姑旁邊時，我總覺得他像彭祖一樣老。
我們在台北一段時間後，才在新生南路二段找到一棟小洋房，很小但很舒適，而且走路就可以到台灣大學。安頓下來之後，父親立即投入工作，而我和弟弟也註冊開始上學，我讀台灣大學外文系，弟弟在師大附中。
我在台大第一堂課上的是英千里教授的「西洋文學史」，當時走進教室時的感覺我還記憶猶新。大約可容納100人的階梯教室好像劇院一樣，我一步一步往上走，小心翼翼地擠到最上面的空位，更新奇的是站在前面講課的不是洋人，而是中國人。不過，我忐忑的心情在英教授開始上課之後就煙消雲散了。英教授不但是傑出的學者，講起課來生動活潑。他纖瘦嬴弱的外表下有一股充沛的精力，不知不覺感染整個教室。那時候根本沒想到，英教授對我後來的生涯有關鍵性的影響，是我在台灣時的兩大恩師之一。
當時我除了自己的名字和地址之外，既不會寫中文，也讀不懂中文。有些必修的中文課程上起來格外辛苦，我把老師講的中文全部譯成英文，迅速做成筆記。還好考試時，有些像「理則學」，老師准許我用英文回答問題，但也有老師仍然要求要中文。當年如果不是同班的饒士榮以及學姐王克難，我大一的考試不可能通過。那時候教授們很體諒我的情況，特別讓我以口說中文回答問題。考試前我努力讀自己的翻成英文的筆記，考試時我請饒士榮和王克難陪我到老師的研究室，老師問問題，我用中文回答，然後她們兩人替我用中文寫下答案，最後老師把她們替我寫的考卷收走評分。我很感激當時老師對我很寬容，給我的分數都很高。第一個學期之後，我在台大每一學期都拿到全額獎學金，而且不必繳學費。
大一下學期，我報名參加扶輪社英語演講比賽的初賽，由各大學先在校內舉辦初賽，每校遴選一名代表參加校際競賽。校內比賽時，我輸給一位法學院的學長，得了第二名。到了第二年，我沒有報名參賽。英教授把我叫到他辦公室，問我為何沒有報名。我說：「我覺得去年的裁判對我不公平。」英教授問我為什麼會這麼想。我很莽撞地回說：「可能因為我是僑生吧？」英教授臉上沒有笑容，問我：「那你認為你拿的分數，你拿的獎學金，都是因為你是僑生？」我一時為之語塞。英教授告訴我:「去年的冠軍得主是一個品學兼優的好學生，而且已經參賽好幾次了。你只是大一而已。」他說完繼續低頭做他的事，溫和地說：「再試一次吧！」於是我報名參賽，拿到全國冠軍後，我拿了獎盃去英教授的研究室，他的門是開的，我站在門口說：「英教授，我得獎了。」他抬頭看我，微微點一點頭。
幾個月之後，英教授叫我去見青年救國團主任，主任拿給我一張條子，叮囑我過幾天去經濟部面試。我到經濟部後，先在一間很大的會議室裡接受不算很正式的面試，然後被帶到一間私人的辦公室問了一些問題——幸好沒有筆試！幾個星期之後，錢思亮校長把我找去，告訴我說，我和其他兩位學生將代表國家去日本，參加青年學生會議。
那年夏天非常愉快，我們三人——政大的田玲玲和另一位男同學——到日本許多地方開會，順便旅遊。田玲玲和我特別投緣，許多人還以為我們是姐妹，因為我們都姓田，她的英文名字是Julie，而我的英文名字是Judith。
度過惶惑不安的大一之後，接下來的大學生活非常愉快，課餘時間我還當起家教賺零用錢。1959年大四時，我又再度經歷去日本參加會議前的一連串面試，這回還多了美國大使館的面談。原本依照規定，同一名學生不能被派出國兩次，而且救國團已選出一名女性代表胡健華。但那次的主辦單位是美國，由於英教授大力推薦，美方打破每個國家一名代表的限制，甚至中華民國政府也破例讓我再度參與。
那年放寒假之前，英教授把我叫去，我走進那間又小又冷的研究室，看到他捲縮在一個小小暖爐旁邊。他要我去見見兩位我很喜歡的教授——俞大綵教授和趙麗蓮教授。我找了時間分別去拜訪，兩位都以西式茶點招待我。或許他們是要檢驗我的西式餐桌禮儀，由於父親平日的教導加上波斯特那本禮儀書的指引，我在兩位非常有經驗的教授面前表現得很自在、自然。