huangyujing

[huangyujing]

Farewell to 2021 Part 2

- A close look at the costume that was passed down as a family inheritance in a Chinese American family.

An old Peking opera costume is placed on a desk awaiting to be checked by the staff of Chinese American Museum in D.C. for an upcoming exhibition, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, in Washington. The costume is owned by Maryland Pao, a Chinese American woman who inherited trunks of opera costumes and accessories from her aunt. Before immigrating to the United States, Pao’s aunt had played on stage professionally in Taipei, Taiwan. Her costumes were mostly obtained in Shanghai, China, where she was from originally.

- The Schuylkill River flooding as a result of Hurricane Ida

Left: The mural of mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team, Phillie Phanatic, faces the flooded railway next to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. Hurricane Ida swept through the area with heavy rain the previous night, causing traffic interruptions on several streets.

Right: A group of onlookers pose for a selfie on the Walnut Street Bridge with the flooding Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. The aftermath caused by Hurricane Ida has attracted many onlookers to stop by the bridges that cross Schuylkill River.

- A Mid-Autumn festival celebrated in Philadelphia Chinatown after a year of virtual communication due to Covid-19.

The 26th annual celebration of Mid-Autumn festival held by Asian American United has returned to the streets after the rollout of vaccination. The activities included lantern-making and dancing performances at the 10th and Vine Street Plaza. Throughout the day, several hundreds of participants came to the event to honor a festival that symbolizes reunion with family. AAU also organized a parade traveling through Chinatown to the ICE office to advocate for family reunification.

Left: Dancers perform for Mid-Autumn festival at the 10th and Vine Street Plaza, in Philadelphia, PA., Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. The dancers are enthusiasts from the local Chinese American dancing group that formed by mostly immigrants.

Right: Dancers wearing qipao, performing for Mid-Autumn festival at the 10th and Vine Street Plaza, in Philadelphia, PA., Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. For Covid-19 precaution, AAU has asked all of the participants to wear masks.

- The 15-day quarantine.

Countries have different measures for Covid-19 prevention. In Taiwan, the quarantine policies have been changing since the beginning of the pandemic. When I returned in November, all of the travelers entering the border are required to go on a 14-day quarantine at a hotel. First day didn’t count.

Each day of my quarantine, I documented my life in a small hotel room.

Day 13. I am eager to explore the world outside of the window.

Day 14. The last day of my quarantine show.

And finally, something personal:

- Landing in a place I called home, after a prolonged trip in an isolated hotel room.

End of 2021.

© 2021 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved.

[huangyujing]

Farewell to 2021 Part 1

Ripped open by the U.S. Capitol rioters, 2021 began its agonizing first one-third without covid-19 vaccines. My gaze on a pandemic-ridden world as a photojournalist, for a period of time, was brushed with fear as a human being.

In suppressing the anxiety of betraying the role of a neutral observer, I gradually came to recognize the value of my own experience as a part of collective memory; one that was shared globally during this unusual era.

Whether it’s first person or third person point of view, I tried to frame the world with honesty, recreating a moment that was seen, or felt.

Below, my firsthand experiences in 2021 in chronological order:

- A surreal Washington, D.C. that resembled a dystopian film with fences all around Capitol Hill.

Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument at dawn from Mount Vernon Trail across the Potomac River, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. The National Mall, which included the two mentioned landmarks, were surrounded by barriers and fencing, a security measure to prevent extremist activities after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection.

A Secret Service agent closes the gate with the National Guard behind him on 17th street near the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. The heavy security was a precaution against possible violent attack similar to Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Some fences and checkpoints remained throughout the city until July, 2021.

- A rally in which Asian Americans stood in solidarity across the United States to denounce anti-Asian hate crimes.

Lan Luu, 76, an immigrant from Vietnam who has resided in the United States for 22 years, steps down the stage as others reaching out their arms to assist her at Unity Against Hate rally at Freedom Plaza, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Washington. Sponsored by 86 Asian organizations nationwide, the event was held across the United States during Asian American Pacific Islander Month. The Speakers, including Rep. Kai Kahele, D-Hawaii, Former Rep. Mike Honda, D-Ca., State Senator Clarence Lam, D-Md., and Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, the president of a local Sikh organization in D.C., Council of Khalistan, stood in solidarity, calling for an end to hate crimes against AAPI and all the other communities.

- A demonstration on Palestinians’ Nakba day that brought hundreds of diverse protesters to Washington, D.C.

“Free, free, Palestine,” chanted hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who marched from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol in the afternoon on May 15, 2021. Hours before the protest, Israel bombed a Gaza media tower that housed Al Jazeera and the Associated Press offices, along with some residential apartments.

It was the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba Day. As the Zionists established the state of Israel in 1948, more than 700,000 Palestinian people were expelled as a result of Israel’s war of independence. Conflict between the two nations has been going on since.

Left: The woman in keffiyeh waves a Palestinian flag while marching toward the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Washington. The head scarf, known as keffiyeh, as well as the flag, symbolize the Palestinian nationalism. Both are widely seen in the protest.

Right: A group of Muslim men pray next to a prop tank in front of the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Washington.

- The first celebration of Juneteenth as a U.S.A. national holiday.

On a largely bipartisan basis of 415-14, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on Wednesday, June, 16, 2021. The bill was signed by President Biden on the following day, officially making Juneteenth a national holiday.

D.C. welcomed the newly recognized federal holiday with a series of activities; one of which being musical events. At Black Lives Matter Plaza on Juneteenth, a group of joyful revelers danced with Go-Go music performed by D.C. local bands. Later that afternoon, they would march down 16th Street to their destination at the intersection of 14th and U Street – a historic site critical to African American culture - where black Washingtonians gathered after learning of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination in April of 1968.

Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day, which originated in Texas in 1866. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation had a late arrival of two years in the geographically isolated Galveston, Texas.

As time goes by, the commemoration continues to speak to a changing society in which racial inequality persists. As cheerful as the atmosphere was at Black Lives Matter Plaza, slogans that reiterate the advocacy of racial justice still could be easily spotted on signs or shirts.

“Stop over policing our communities,” read the poster printed in bright colors with cartoonish font on the Go-Go music truck.

Left: Cole Nic, one of the vocalists of the N2L Band, gestures during the performance at Black Lives Matter Plaza on Juneteenth, Saturday, Jun. 19, 2021, in Washington. The performance was a part of The Million Moe March, which is led by the organization Long Live Go-Go. Using Go-Go music as a force, their mission is to protest against gentrification and police brutality.

Right: A group of revelers dance to Go-Go music at Black Lives Matter Plaza on Juneteenth, Jun. 19, 2021, in Washington. The red, black, and green flag draped around the shoulder of the person in the center, is the Pan-African flag that represents people of the African Diaspora to symbolize black freedom.

To be continued...

© 2021 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved.

[huangyujing]

華府聲援香港自由集會/The Human-Chain Rally in D.C.

As the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China is approaching, advocacy groups gathered in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. on Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019, to protest against the perceived oppressive regime. There were approximate 50 people showed up at the Human-Chain Rally held by Citizen Power Initiatives. The primary purpose of the gathering was to support Hong Kong, where the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement began three month ago and still proceeds at different scales of protests in the area. Several organizations that represented oppressed groups were also at the event, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, South Mongolians, Chinese Christians, and Taiwanese. The “CHINAZI” hashtag, a combination of China and Nazi, was created by HK protesters.

 2019年，九月二十九日，於美國華府地區。當中華人民共和國建國七十週年國慶日近在咫尺，數個倡權團體聚集在華府中國大使館前抗議壓迫人民的政權。「聲援自由香港集會」由民運組織公民力量主辦，大約有五十人現身支持。此次集會主要是聲援香港已持續三個月的反送中運動，居間大大小小抗議活動不斷。前來參與的組織為數不少，包含圖博、維吾爾、南蒙古、中國基督徒，與台灣。「赤納粹」標籤首見於香港抗議活動，其英文用法巧妙地結合了中國與納粹的英文拼寫。

中國大使館外飄揚的五星旗，於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。

The flag of People’s Republic of China flies outside of Chinese embassy in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019.

冤民大同盟成員之一的傅玉霞女士對著中國大使館大喊「崔天凱！你給我出來！」， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。要求中國大使崔天凱出來面對，傅女士說她的一隻手臂在一場訴求居住正義的抗議活動中，被紐約中國大使館外的美國保安打斷。其所屬組織冤民大同盟是由一群房產被政府強迫拆遷的上海居民成立。

Yuxia Fu, a member of the League of Chinese Victims, shouts “Cui Tiankai, come out!” at Chinese embassy, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019. Calling out Chinese Ambassador Cui, Fu said that her arm was broken by an American security guard outside of Chinese embassy in New York, during a protest demanding living justice. The organization she belongs to is established by a group of people from Shanghi whose homes are torn down by the government despite their unwillingness.

仔細看圍籬之內的中國大使館，一名男子正觀察著集會活動 ， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。

Looking closely, a man can be seen observing the rally outside of the fence of Chinese embassy, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019.

維吾爾人權項目的中國聯絡員祖拜拉･夏木希丁女士於演說中呼籲中國政府停止壓迫維吾爾人 ， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。

Zubayra Shamseden, Chinese outreach coordinator for Uyghur Human Rights Project calls for a stop of the oppression against Uyghur people by the government of China, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019.

三名越裔男士手持美國與南越國旗擺拍 ， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。黃底三紅條旗幟是一九四八年至一九七五年間代表南越政府的國旗，即使政權覆亡，此面旗仍廣泛地見於美國各地南越移民社區，基本上反共的人口組成。

Three Vietnamese men who carry both U.S. flags and flags of South Vietnam pose for a picture, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019. The yellow flag with three red stripes represents the South Vietnamese regime from 1948 to 1975, although the nation is no longer existent, it is widely seen in Southern Vietnamese immigrant communities throughout the United States. A population that’s basically anti-communism. 

中國基督徒團體踩過代表中國霸權的「赤納粹旗」， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。

Chinese Christians step over the flag of “CHINAZI”, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019.

中國國家主席習近平肖像被放置在仿製的喪禮花圈中央 ， 於美國華府地區，二○一九年，九月二十九日，星期日。

A portrait of Xi Jinping, the president of People’s Republic of China is placed in the center of a funeral wreath, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 29, 2019.

[huangyujing]

A look back on the bottom half of 2018 II

2018下半年度回顧 (下)

Moving to metropolitan D.C. in the United States in August, 2018, I continue to observe various events that happen around the area where I stay.

自2018年八月移居至美國華府地區，我持續在所居之處觀察社會大小事。

10/31/2018

Halloween

萬聖節

Top: A little boy dresses in Spiderman costume walks in the community recreational center for the Halloween event, in Arlington, VA, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018.

上圖：打扮成蜘蛛人的小男孩走進社區娛樂中心參加萬聖節活動，於阿靈頓，維吉尼亞洲，2018年10月31日。

Bottom: A woman puts a costumed little girl on her shoulder in a crowd, in Georgetown, Washington D.C., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. Parts of the street in Georgetown was closed for a Halloween parade. Swarms of revelers could be seen walking around with their exquisite make-ups, colorful wigs, and an amazing variety of costumes.

下圖：在人潮中，一名女士將萬聖節打扮的小女孩扛到肩上，於喬治城，華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年10月31日星期三。喬治城為了萬聖節遊行封了部份道路，狂歡者之中可見精緻妝容、五彩繽紛的假髮，還有多樣性驚人的奇裝異服。

11/06/2015

Mid-term election

期中選舉

Top: A lady with helmet awaits for a vacancy at the voting booth, at Key Elementary School voting center, in Arlington, VA, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The election reached the highest level in voter’s participation since 1914.

上圖：在Key小學投票中心，一名戴安全帽的女士正等待圈票口空缺。於阿靈頓，維吉尼亞州。2018年11月6日星期二。此次選舉的投票率是自1914年以來最高的。

Bottom: A voter catches up the last minute voting at Key Elementary School voting center, in Arlington, VA, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The election reached the highest level in voter’s participation since 1914.

下圖：在Key小學投票中心，一名投票者趕上即將截止的投票時間。於阿靈頓，維吉尼亞州。2018年11月6日星期二。此次選舉的投票率是自1914年以來最高的。

11/11/2018

Veteran’s Day

退伍軍人節

Top: An unidentified woman hold two memorial pots at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, VA, on Veteran's Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. It is the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the beginning of Veteran's Day.

上圖：在阿靈頓國家公墓，一名女子手持兩紀念盆栽。在阿靈頓，維吉尼亞州，軍人節當日，2018年11月11日。此年度的退伍軍人節也是第一次世界大戰的一百週年停戰紀念日，退伍軍人節的由來便是第一次世界大戰的終結宣告。

Bottom: The couple Frank and Burma Wall look for Frank's neighbor's name on Vietnam Veteran Memorial, in Washington D.C., Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. When the neighbor who had the same first name with Frank Wall was killed during Vietnam War, everyone in the neighborhood thought it was him, according to Frank Wall.

下圖：夫婦法蘭克.渥和柏瑪.渥在越戰紀念碑上尋找渥先生鄰居的名字。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年11月12日。當天是退伍軍人節的補假。根據渥先生的說法，他的鄰居在越戰中戰死，當消息傳回社區大家都誤以為死者是他，因為他們同名。

12/23

Home visit before Christmas

聖誕節前夕家訪

Top: Hong Nguyen, 79, sits in front of the dresser requesting a portrait of her to be taken for future use, after the home visit made by Vietnamese American Service, an organization that helps Vietnamese immigrants in various ways in relate to living in U.S. society, in Silver Spring, MD, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. Coming to the United States with her four children as refugees in 1982, Nguyen spoke English well. She worked as an au pair in Maryland before her retirement. She was a police officer in Vietnam. Asked what she liked about the United States, she answered without any hesitation, “freedom.”

上圖：阮紅，79歲，在越籍美國人服務組織家訪後坐在她的梳妝台前要求拍攝一張她的肖像以作來日使用。該組織於涉及在美生活的多層面協助有需要的越南移民。於銀泉，馬里蘭州，2018年12月23日星期日。1982年和她的四個孩子以難民身份移居美國，阮女士現在英語說得很好。在她退休以前一直在馬里蘭州當保姆，而來美國之前她是一名公安。問及喜愛美國哪一點，自由，她回答，不帶絲毫猶豫。

Bottom: Kham Vuong, 95, happily talks in Teochew dialect to his guest with family pictures display on the wall of his home, in Silver Spring, MD, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. As a Viet Hoa(Chinese Vietnamese), his first language is Teochew dialect, which is spoken in south eastern China. After moving to the United States in 1992, he seldom has chance to speak Teochew other than with his family. Although speaking Vietnamese fluently, his granddaughter said that he has an accent that’s difficult for her to understand.

下圖：王堪(音譯)，95歲，高興地與他的訪客說著潮洲話，後方的牆上展示了許多他的家庭照，王堪家中，於銀泉，馬里蘭州，2018年12月23日。身為越南華人，他的第一語言是潮洲話，在中國東南方的一支閩南系方言。1992年移民美國後他鮮少有機會和家人以外的人講潮洲話。即使越語流利，他的孫女表示祖父的華裔口音越語使她解讀困難。

© 2018 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

A look back on the bottom half of 2018 I 2018下半年度回顧 (上)

Moving to the metropolitan of Washington D.C. in the United States, August, 2018, I continue to observe various events of my surroundings.

自2018年八月移居至美國華府地區，我持續在所居之處觀察社會大小事。

08/13/2018

Unite the right rally

極右派遊行

At the “Unite the Right” rally, opposition protesters gather and march near Lafayette Square, in Washington D.C., Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. The political far-right group was outnumbered by police, media, and protesters.

反極右派人馬沿著H街西北向，拉法葉廣場旁遊行。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區， 2018年8月13日星期一。本是極右派遊行，該對伍人數比之警方、��體、反極右派抗議人士卻巨幅落後。

09/11/2018

The 17th anniversary of 911 terror attack

911事件十七週年悼念

A United States national flag is hung on a commercial building, upper right, in memory of the 911 terror attacks, in Arlington, VA, Thursday, Sep. 13, 2018. Each year after the tragedy, there are about 25 buildings in the Rosslyn neighborhood that drape the flags on the exteriors within a week’s time to memorialize the terror attacks that occurred in 2001.

一面美國國旗垂掛在一棟商業大樓上以悼念911恐攻事件。於阿靈頓，維吉尼亞州，2018年9月13日星期四。在羅斯林地區大約有二十五棟大樓會在每年近9月11日披掛美國國旗，為期一週左右。

9/16/2018

An ordinary Sunday afternoon in D.C. tourist area

華府觀光區週日的日常

Top: Two boys play near Capitol Reflection Pool, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 16, 2018. During the weekends, it’s common to see hundreds of tourists relaxing within the National Mall.

上圖：兩個男孩在國會山莊倒影池周邊遊戲。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年9月16日星期日。在週末可輕易看到上百名遊客出沒在國家廣場一帶是很平常的事。(國家廣場範圍在國會山莊到白宮之間)

Bottom: Pushing aside public’s attention, the two enjoy their time on the grass at the National Mall, in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 16, 2018. Family with kids, dog walkers, and picnicking groups also can be seen on the lawn.

下圖：白宮前的草皮上，許多踏青者並不在意大庭廣眾的眼光。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年9月16日星期日。草皮上休憩的人包含帶小孩的家庭、蹓狗的人、野餐遊樂者等等。

10/06/2018

Rally in front of US Supreme Court protesting against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to become one of the Supreme Court justices

美國最高法院前抗議布雷特.卡瓦諾成為最高法院大法官之一

Top: A police officer videos protesters who are not allowed to stand at the plaza in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, in Washington D.C., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The rally was a protest against Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to become a Supreme Court justice, in spite of the controversy of sexual assault accusations during his high school years. Among the protesters, exponents spoke of women’s rights as survivors of sexual assaults. In the United States, Supreme Court justice is a lifetime service.

上圖：一名員警錄下抗議者們的舉動與樣貌，站上最高法院前廣場在抗議行動中不被允許。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年10月6日星期六。遊行隊伍在此抗議布雷特.卡瓦諾確認成為美國最高法院的大法官之一，特別因其被指控的高中時期性侵疑雲備受爭議，在場抗議民眾包含許多曾遭受性侵、倡導女權的受害者。(在美國，最高法院大法官是終身職)

Bottom: Demonstrators are upset with the green light for Brett Kavanaugh to become a Supreme Court Justice, in Washington D.C., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The rally was a protest against Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to become a Supreme Court justice, in spite of the controversy of sexual assault accusations during his high school years. Among the protesters, exponents spoke of women’s rights as survivors of sexual assaults. In the United States, Supreme Court justice is a lifetime service.

下圖：示威者得知最高法院通過卡瓦諾的大法官職務而表現沮喪。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年10月6日星期六。遊行隊伍在此抗議布雷特.卡瓦諾確認成為美國最高法院的大法官之一，特別因其被指控的高中時期性侵疑雲備受爭議，在場抗議民眾包含許多曾遭受性侵、倡導女權的受害者。

10/14/2018

H Street Festival

H 街節

Aminata Phillips dances with boxes of canned sodas steadied on her head, at the H Street Festival, in Washington D.C., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. The festival started as a 500 participant bloc party more than 12 years ago, it has now grown into a 150,000 participant event. The principle of the festival is to use art activities to boost the economic growth of the area. During the one day event, there are stages for diverse musical and dancing performances, as well as art work displays.

H街節一街景，阿米尼塔.菲利浦頂著數個裝有汽水的紙箱跳舞。於華盛頓哥倫比亞特區，2018年10月13日。該節慶源頭早於十二年前，起始於僅有五百名參與者的特定街區派對，現在已經有十五萬參與人數的規模。節慶的中心理念是藉由藝術相關活動帶動地區經濟成長，維持一日的慶祝活動包含各舞台多樣性廣的音樂、舞蹈，以及藝術品展示。

10/28/2018

Marine Corps Marathon

海軍馬拉松

A man wearing military boots and a canine wearing a wonder woman’s costume await their friend to reach the finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon, Rosslyn area, Arlington, VA, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. The marathon is an annual long distance run held in the metropolitan of Washington, D.C. The mission is to promote physical fitness, generate community goodwill, and showcase the organizational skills of the United States Marine Corps.

一名穿軍靴的男子與神力女超犬在馬拉松終點羅斯林區等他們的友人，於阿靈頓，維吉尼亞州，2018年10月28日。海軍馬拉松是一個在維吉尼亞州阿靈頓地區的年度盛事，主旨於強身健體，促進社區聲譽，以及海軍組織能力的展示。

© 2018 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2018年，四月十五日，新北市潑水節，位於中和區又稱緬甸街的華新街。

捷運黃線上稀落的人潮和突然轉冷且微雨的春日似乎暗示著一個令人提不起勁的節慶影像報導。然越往活動街區走，越是推翻先前的猜測—或包覆在雨衣裡，或裝備彩色水槍的人們開始摻雜在行人中，關於潑水節的討論與嘻鬧聲越發頻繁地飛入耳裡，然後是響亮的哨聲，發自一批介於人車匯流處的警員，宣示嘉年華的到來。

大部份落腳於華新街的居民是緬甸華僑，約在六○年代時因緬甸排華而陸續被敦促來台。平日，中年以上的男子在騎樓下一桌一桌地啜飲奶茶吃小麥糕，不過今日大量湧進的外來客為文化延續注入了生氣蓬勃的能量：街道被大型水桶和橫天飛舞的泡沫佔滿，擬成一陣陣雨雪風暴，襲捲過水戰場中激鬥的男女老幼，刮進路邊食客帶著興味觀看的眼底。

溼漉漉地跳進捷運車廂，我不住回想慶典畫面、排隊澆灌佛像的群眾，目光剛好接上了同天舉行的心中山生活節廣告海報。

這是一個屬於派對動物的城市！

  April 15, 2018,Taipei, Taiwan:  New Taipei Water Festival, Huaxin street, which is also know as Myanmar street in Zhonghe district.  Riding the yellow line of the MRT (Metropolitan Rail Transit), the small crowd and sudden drop in temperature with light rain during a spring day indicated a possible tedious photo coverage of the festival celebration.  But, that assumption is soon denied as I walked closer to the center of the happening.  Pedestrians are well-covered in raincoats and armed with colorful water guns, gradual increase of street dialogue with laughter fly through the air, screaming whistles from police traffic officers stationed at the intersections declared carnival is around the corner.

On Huaxin street, a large portion of the residents are Chinese-Burmese, which began to increase in population beginning in the 1960's, due to a series of anti- Chinese movements in Myanmar.  It's usual to see people gathered seated at tables in-front of small restaurants drinking milk tea, eating semolina cake.  On this day outsiders has brought a dynamic energy of cultural continuation. Large water buckets occupy the street, with floating foam forming a deceptive winter storm.  Flowing into the eyes of onlookers seated around the eateries watching the entertainment with interest, the wet wonder section of play as elders and youth fight fiercely at the water war.

Hopping on the MRT with feet soaking wet, the images of the event running through my mind, a line of people waiting to pour blessed water on a statue of the Buddha. Then I noticed on the wall of the rail station, the poster of Zhongshan Spring festival which happens on the same.

This city belongs to party animals!

© 2018 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

早上九點到十點間，鷹流拉麵本店。戴著Ben Davis的黑色毛帽，身穿印有喜劇演員周星馳圖像的黑色帽T、ALT黑色棉褲、踩著一雙黑色NIKE運動鞋，再套上一件迷彩軍裝外套，熊仔泰然自若地應攝影師的指示動作，店門前吃麵吃很飽的樣子、窄巷內讓逆光勾勒背影的擺拍、故作稀鬆平常的步伐，從頭到腳的裝束與流暢自然的肢體語言，外加日上三竿的黑眼圈，無一不緊扣常人對嘻哈歌手的刻板印象。

當天早上由攝影組開工、採訪組接續，各有二、三十分鐘，紀錄片組則有一個多小時，在準備營業中的店內，鏡頭透過煙騰霧漫的廚房，聚焦於吧檯前顏社老闆迪拉主導的嘻哈話題。

關於標籤之一，嘻哈

「我小時候想變周杰倫。」被問及饒舌起點，熊仔的答案並非美國嘻哈歌手，而是影響千禧世代華語主流音樂至深的流行天王。

「華語音樂本身就很多饒舌元素，不是嘻哈，是饒舌。」從他談及小時候如何對周杰倫在流行歌上突破的嚮往，到跨界涉入電影等各領域的嘻哈歌手Donald Glover的敬佩，透露他對音樂的野心，不是侷限在某一框架下，而是不斷創新與嘗試。

打扮方面，熊仔回憶起第一次戴上New Era的帽子是在嘻研社去東海成果發表時學長BR借他的，因為BR認為饒舌歌手一定要戴帽子才能上台。

「戴一個帽子，瀏海這樣，鬢角還很長。」他談起那次經驗，調侃道：「覺得這個帽子沿怎麼這麼厚啊！」雖然熊仔的行頭已有十足嘻哈味，但他不認為饒舌歌手就是要符合很兇、很殺的刻板印象。BR也曾跟他說過上台前不能說「我是」熊仔，要說「這是」熊仔，因為這樣才嘻哈。

「可是我到現在還是『大家好』、『大家安安』，了解了這些東西有幫助我反其道而行。」

 完食後，轉景到他家以前，熊仔到處找尋他的包包，「我的包包有在那嗎？黑色的。」他指著先前訪談座位上的包包塚，工作人員翻了幾個，都不見目標物。他走進走出幾次後，假設是被另一組團隊帶走。

一進熊仔家，映入眼簾的是一整櫃莎士比亞的原文書籍，他一派輕鬆地表示那是他媽媽的，然後走進房間一一把抽屜裡粉絲畫的熊仔肖像拿出擺在窗邊，與金音獎座並列，柱上掛有一幅風格甜美異常的鹿角大眼女孩畫作，與靠床牆面上散佈的專輯遙望，有周杰倫的第一張同名專輯、Eminem的Curtain Call、御宅Mobb…等專輯，還有一些藍色小點標示著被取下的不知名唱片。他躍上床，貼上一張人人有功練全員海報，呈直角的另一面牆則有各種設計的「熊仔」標籤，一些分不清是粉絲或朋友寫的信，多半是對他的肯定。

 關於標籤之二，學院派

「不是特別喜歡學院派這個名字，我一開始更文人相輕，更hater，我覺得尤其是嘻研社或有在研究技巧的人就會落入這個盲點，比如說我以前聽BARRY的歌，尤其是那時候大學的時候，怎麼感覺沒什麼技巧，我技巧比他多，所以他這個歌不好，可是有一次我看到他現場，那時候我真的被嚇到，覺得怎麼那麼炸，穿透力好強，那次也讓我反思，當我在鑽研一個東西的時候，我就只會以那個東西為評斷標準，後來想法是看什麼東西紅以後，去解悉他為什麼會紅，比如PPAP，或是誰的歌沒有技巧可是他紅了，為什麼？後來就是以這個心態。」

後來的熊仔和Barry Chen和解了。金音獎得獎的時候，Barry Chen發了個微嗆但真誠的祝賀動態，而熊仔也受邀參加一場他的演唱會，並懾於他的現場爆發力與持久力，而後兩人較為發自內心地尊重彼此。

熊仔把嘻哈風格比喻為爽片和劇情片，偏向將自己的作品喻為劇情片，並認為每個人口味不同，市場也各有所需。

「我自己有時候也想看爽片啊，有時候也想聽很爽的音樂，但不代表擅長做這個，也不代表我要一直做這個。」

 對於嘻哈的態度

「我很喜歡嘻哈，有一個點是說，我很喜歡這個文化，可是不代表說我要變成跟它一樣，比如說我很喜歡Kendrick Lamar，可是那是因為他從那個環境出身，那我幹嘛要裝得我跟那個環境出身一樣？對我來說我喜歡他們是因為他反映他們的真實，那我也要想反映我的真實。」

於是我們看到諸如〈112〉、〈凶宅〉等汲取自校園經驗，也許較難引發共鳴、並招致高材生標籤的創作，但也有涉及對人生困惑省思的〈信〉、觸及父子關係的〈再聯絡〉等，相對容易打動大眾參透其作之真，但不論迴響度如何，這都是他截至目前的生活映像。

「如果我的歌詞內容是只有我可以唱，那就很酷，我今天已經塑造了一個形象，我為這個形象寫一個……」在搜索精確用詞時，迪拉適恰地插上「主題曲」形容，而熊仔也同意這個說法。比起嘻哈歌手，他更偏向將自己定位成音樂人，只是他現今所表現出的音樂特質剛好落入了嘻哈這個分類。

至於對嘻哈混雜商業利益成份部份的看法，被他劃分成累積和消耗，比如說速食店麥當勞、kfc也曾來叩門，但是品牌公關歌已寫好，違反他自己創作的條件，因而歸在消耗類，開了很高的價碼後不了了之。但2017年nike廣告就是累積的一例，與其他六位饒舌音樂家互相切磋，揉合各歌手特色的品質完全超出大眾對廣告歌的期待，「那個滿酷的。」

 為了戶外鏡頭，整組人馬移出熊仔家，結束後，熊仔才表示他沒帶鑰匙，開著可能要找鎖匠的玩笑，一邊坐電梯上樓查看。若是捕捉到他被鎖在家門外的一景就有趣了，我等在電梯前，良久，才有人上樓確認他找到藏匿的鑰匙，已經進門了。

最後請他決定七件重要的物件參展，其中奧斯卡小金人被從名單踢除了，大伙嘻笑道那好萊塢大道滿街都是。「小金人是我朋友在我出專輯之前送的耶！」被否決掉以後他將之擺在電腦旁邊：「我要證明它的價值！」

臨走前，看見那把被遺下的、繫了個模仿部份男性生殖器吊飾的鑰匙招搖地躺在桌上。「噢！如此嘻哈。」經歷一整天除標籤的對談，此思仍是禁不住地跳進我腦海。

[huangyujing]

2018年，一月十四日，台灣台中。下午五點左右，水湳經貿園區南緣，它就像都會區的邊界一樣總是在河南路過彎處展示著突兀的荒涼，好似你可以看到一條生硬的地圖線清楚劃開都市與郊區，每每在我行車經過時揪住我的目光，好奇著這塊出奇素樸的地是什麼作用，於是乘著今日的閒散步行至此。

雙向道筆直地指向看不見的盡頭，地上的交通指示白漆還出落得清新，石製水溝蓋上以新潮的字體寫著「雨水」兩字，對比刺網圍籬後枯黃的蔓草。遠方可見高高低低的樓房剪影，分辨不出是住宅或廠區，浮著連綿的灰雲，又或者可能是廢氣。

路過的車流大約與健走的、跑步的、���自行車的加總流量相去不遠.

再深入數十公尺，鐵皮板後擋著一棟嶄新的純白建物，以階梯和高柱構成，看不出實際作用，板上只寫著「水湳大宅門特區全面啟動，10X(剛好不清楚)年起陸續完工」，鐵皮板圈出的範圍外站著好幾棵顯然是新移植的瘦樹。

夕陽西下時往回走，詫見一群盯著智慧型手機的人在河南路與經貿路的轉角小廟前，由一名蹲在地上同樣盯著智慧型手機的藍衣男子與他穿著藍衣的臘腸狗引領奇觀。逗留在人群中一陣子後，我釐清了這群人是在玩曾經大為風行的手機遊戲「精靈寶可夢」。他們身後的小廟毫不相干，卻又理直氣壯地成為奇景的一部份，有塊小黃板上寫著「榕神」並附上一個箭頭，不過指標方向並沒有任何一棵樹大得足以稱神。

「或許是砍了？」我存疑。

 January 14, 2018, Taichung, Taiwan: Around 5 o’clock in the afternoon, the southern edge of Shuinan Economic and Trade Park. This area always displayed an odd bleakness at the edge of the megacity, you could imagine a vivid line on the map clearly laying on the scene dividing the urban from the suburban, which caught my eyes every time I drove passed, wondering about the purpose of this monotonous land that strangely stands out, hence walking here to explore during an idle moment of the day.

The two way road pointed straight to an invisible end, traffic signs that had been drawn on the ground appeared to be fresh, the words “rain water” were set on the rocky drain cover with a trendy typeface, making a strong contrast of the withering yellow grass spreading over behind the thorny fence. The silhouette of the buildings with different heights seen at a distance further away, it is not clear whether the sprawl is a living area or an industrial town. What appeared beyond were grey rolling clouds that also had the possibility of being polluted air. The traffic flow of vehicles in this area was not that far from pedestrians that walk, run, or ride bicycles.

Tens of meters further down the road appeared a new building painted with pure white color, barricade by a sheet metal wall. The construction of steps and tall poles, not obvious of the buildings purpose. Written on the wall, “Shuinan Gateway District fully launched...(not clear)”, Outside of the metal wall stood several trees apparently newly transplanted.

Returning as the sun was setting, surprisingly discovered a crowd at the corner of Henan road and Jingmao road in front of a small temple staring at their smartphones. The unusual spectacle led by a man wearing a blue jacket squatting on the ground also staring at his smartphone with his dog dressed blue. Lingering around, I determine that the gathering were playing a game that was a trend called Pokemongo. A small temple stood behind them looked unrelated but somehow confidently fit the scene, there was a small yellow board which noted “banyan tree god”, with an arrow on it pointing to a direction where there was no trees that were big enough to be worshipped.

 “Maybe the tree was cut down.”

© 2018 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2017年，十二月二十二日，冬至當日早上十點半，台灣台中，我提著一小桶桂冠芝麻和花生湯圓到曾經居住的大伯家，由同住的三伯母來領我上神明廳，此棟建築最高的五樓，這樣的樓層安排想來是祈使人們的喃喃禱唸易於上達天聽。

我拿出母親備好的六個碗，一一放入五顆市場買的包餡大湯圓，又放入母親手揉的蕃薯小湯圓，數量對了以後才調換幾顆紫皮、白皮的大湯圓以作配色。

流程再熟悉不過，道教神明大桌三碗，左側祖先牌位攤了一張比神桌小上許多的長型折疊桌，也放三碗，鮮花、素果、紙錢，都由兩位伯母張羅好了，一家派一代表以事鬼神之事，只不敢怠慢老一輩大家長的虔敬。

大伯母、三伯母和我一人燒三支香，一祭神，二祭天，三祭祖，大伯母插歪了一支香又仔細地對著直的那支扶正，然後坐到隔壁廳精雕細琢的鑲石木椅上話瑣碎的家務事讓神明慢慢享用。

紙錢焚畢後，收起了這鍋湯圓，大伯母拿出新的一鍋，祭祀活動轉移至一樓的地基主參拜，正逢午時，一樣的流程，不過三碗湯圓下壓的是一張矮桌。

時至今日，就像中秋節的烤肉，我們的冬至也被桂冠湯圓佔據，部份人家雖保有祭祀習慣，不過也僅是年節的例行公事，徒留形式的外衣，再沒《周禮》奏黃鐘，歌大呂，舞雲門的盛大儀典，昔時農業社會對自然之力的敬畏轉移到日日打卡上班的操煩。

後記：最能說明什麼的，大概就是當我試圖在網上搜尋湯圓和冬至的連結時，關鍵字「冬至、湯圓」下的熱搜排行第一名不是「由來」而是「外送」吧！

 December 22, 2017, winter solstice, Taichung, Taiwan:  Holding a small bucket of Guiguan sesame and peanut tangyuan, the most popular brand of the Chinese dessert sticky rice ball, I came to my first uncle’s house, which was my former residence.  Led by my third aunt, I went to the top of the building where the praying room had been situated which was arranged in order for the pray to be easily sent to the deities.

Pulling out six bowls my mom prepared, placing in each one by one five big tangyuan with fillings bought from a market, then small sweet potato tangyuan made by my mother, arranging the purple and white tangyuan to offer harmonious color as a presentation to the deities. It’s a process that I was all familiar with, three bowls for the Taoist deities put on the big table, three bowls for our ancestors placed on a much smaller rectangular foldable table. Flowers, fruits, paper money were prepared by my two aunts, we were assigned to be the representatives to hold the religious event just not to neglect the head of our older generation’s piety.

Each of us burnt three incenses to pray first to the deities, then the sky, followed by the ancestors. My first aunt unintentionally inserted an incense at a tilt, she adjusted carefully to make it straight, then waiting with my third aunt on the exquisite wooden chairs inlaid with ore located at the next room, talking about some domestic trivialities while imagining the deities sipping on the sweet soup.

After the paper money was burned to ashes, we took the tangyuan off the table, and my first aunt brought another pot for the local spirits, which took place at noon on the first floor of the building, with the same process placing the items on a smaller table.

Nowadays, just like BBQ for moon festival, the winter solstice is inundated with commercials of Guiguan tangyuan, although there are some families that continue to have religious activities, it became only a superficial routine, no more performance of solemn music, singing, and dancing described in the ancient book “The Rites of Zhou”.  

A note: Today it becomes obvious of the transformation from an agrarian society which people were in awe of nature and the bounty of its resources to being more concerned with punching the factory and office work clock earning money for their basic needs.  Using a popular internet search engine with the key terms of 'tangyuan' and 'winter solstice' what came from the results wasn't any history of definitions but rather a list of delivery services.

  © 2017 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2017年，四月三十日，越南茶榮，上午十點半左右，離開了當天尋訪的第一個據點，Kien Thi Nhan街，我騎著機車四處搜尋拾荒者的身影。兩家我已經拜訪過的資源回收場之中一家休息，另一家雖然跟平常一樣，但多數的拾荒者不在這個時段來，所以我決定不逗留，前往另一個街區看看。大概五分鐘的路程，在53號公路往Ba Om湖的方向先看到了一名中年男子探出巷口，拖著載滿回收物品的拖車，待他轉向後才看到後面還有一名女子幫忙推著拖車。我緩慢地騎過他們，在前面的市場停了車，然後往回走，果然在中途有個資源回收場。

過去的幾個星期，我斷斷續續地拍攝了茶榮做資源回收的人們。他們的身影很好辨認，推車上總是滿載著各種物品—塑膠、金屬物、玻璃、家庭和商業廢棄物的集合體，有些甚至只騎一台綁滿大包小包的超載腳踏車，男性簡單地戴個帽子遮陽，女性則大多又戴斗笠、口罩，又穿長袖，包得密不透風，日出日落，穿梭街頭巷尾。

起初，我鎖定了朋友家附近一個緊鄰足球場的資源回收場。第一次拜訪的時候，先是徘徊一陣，然後佯裝在拍足球場的少年，卻不太敢打擾正擺著一副認真面孔工作的回收場男主人，特別是他正揮刀分解某樣回收物件，最後只拍了他們養了一群狗的鄰居便離去。

第二次去時，回收場的女主人正逗弄著她兩歲大的小男孩，男主人在住屋一旁成堆的廢棄物中工作，我和女主人有一個簡單的越語會話，男主人始終沉默不語，直在我轉身以後才聽到他問了女主人些什麼，聽上去她在回答我是台灣人云云。

第三次到訪，一轉進巷口就被一群吠叫的看門狗包圍，養狗的鄰居男子指示他的狗安靜，並動作誇張地比了比他蹲在地上殺魚的伙伴：「拍照！拍照！」。回收場的女主人正在幫忙將建材抬進興建中的房子，對我點頭笑了一下就繼續埋首工作，男主人的眼神好像也不再那麼戒備。我們—拍攝者與被攝者，正建立起一段舒適的距離。

不過，我從沒來過53號公路這個回收中心。鏽蝕的鐵柵欄將滿坑滿谷的支離破碎和街道隔開來，和我朋友家附近的開放空間回收場不一樣，我站在門邊猶豫闖進去的時機。先前在路上看到的那一男一女正慢慢抵達，使勁將拖車拉過小上坡進到場內。回收中心內有位女士正指揮回收者們把物件卸在各區，注意到我以後，笑著問我一句話，我只簡單報以微笑：「我是臺灣人。」她出乎意料地招手示意我往裡頭走，鐵皮屋的陰影罩著左手邊山一般的待回收物、右手邊一輛大貨車，中間的通道卻是通往一片明亮，後院又是幾座灑著光的小丘，以形形色色雜物構成。之後又各別來了一男一女，男的戴一頂寫有「北海道」英文拼音的白色棒球帽，女的圍著面罩、戴了一頂越式傳統斗笠，準備將整理好的物品放上秤計量。

圍面罩的女士看到有人在照相，整個人往上一躍故作歡樂的樣子，可是真把鏡頭對準她又害羞極了，俯身在機車上雙手捂著臉，指了指一旁偎著母狗吸吮奶水的小狗試圖引開我的目光。

約莫半小時後我步出回收物山丘，騎車往前走了一小段路後再拐回來，對向車道那位靦腆女士騎著她的腳踏車，連接的拖車已清空，展現了面罩拉下後的開懷笑顏，她對我揮了揮伸長的手似乎在道別。

30th, April 2017, Tra Vinh, Vietnam. It's about 10:30 in the morning after leaving Kien Thi Nhan street which is where I began my journey of the day, riding around searching to photograph recycling people. One of two recycling centers near-by which I have visited several times in the past was closed, the other operated as normal, but most recycling people don't go there during that part of the day, so I decided not to stay, heading to another location. About five minutes ride on road 53 which is in the direction to Ba Om pond. I saw a middle-aged man emerge from the alley, pulling a cart full of various recyclable items, with a lady pushing behind. I slowly passed by, parking at a market further down the road and walked back to wait for them. There it is another recycling center.

During the past few weeks I've photographed recycling people intermittently. It's relatively easy to identify them on streets with their carts loaded with plastics, metals, glass and an assortment of discarded residential and commercial stuff. Some even just ride on bicycles with oversize bundles of carefully tied packages. Men usually have their ball caps on to prevent the burning sun, while women wrapped themselves up with the Vietnamese traditional conical hats, face masks, long sleeves shirts. Beginning with the sun rise and ending with the sun set they roll through the streets and alleys of the city.

I began my project at the recycling center next to a football/soccer pitch near a friend’s residence. The first time I visited, I hesitantly walked back and forth pretending that I was photographing the teenage soccer players not wanting to interfere with the owner of the recycling center, especially while he was hard at work chopping off sections of one of his items. So I ended up only shooting pictures of their neighbors with a bunch of dogs.

The second time of my visit I discovered the owner's wife cooing over her 2-year-old son while her husband was working through a pile of debris that was beside their living space. A basic conversation in Vietnamese with the wife as her spouse remained silent up until I moved to leave, he asked her something and what I believed her response was that I came from Taiwan.

Upon arrival of my third visit I was surrounded by a pack of barking dogs, junk-yard dogs. The neighbor of the recycling business commanded the dogs to be quiet and made an exaggerated gesture pointing to his partner squatting on the ground gutting fish, "Take a picture! Take a picture!" The owner's wife of the recycling place was moving building material to their half built house, she nodded at me with a smile then continued to concentrate on work, the owner seemed to somewhat let his guard down a little. Me the photographer and her subject began to share a comfort with each other.

I had never gone to the recycling center on highway 53. Rusty iron fences separated the street from what appeared to be tons of piled up wreckage and rubbish much different from the open space of the center near my friend’s place. I stayed beside the gate wondering the proper moment to venture in, as the man and woman that I saw moments earlier slowly approached pulling their cart to the slope at the entrance. There was a woman standing inside directing recyclers where to put their stuff noticed me, with a smile she asked a question, I returned the pleasant gesture giving a simple reply, "I'm from Taiwan." Unexpectedly, she waved her hand inviting me to come inside. The shadow of an iron sheet roof covered a mountain shaped piled-up recyclables at left and on the right a large truck. The alley at the middle pointed to a bright space and within that, hills of piled up shapes, sizes, colors with the sun light spread across the spectacle. Subsequently there came a man and a woman separately, the man wore a white ball cap with the name of a Japanese island “Hokkaido” on it, and the woman wore a mask and the traditional conical hat both ready to place their recycling items on the weighing scale.

The masked woman saw me taking pictures, she jumped and made a joyful pose in a playful manner but acting extremely shy when I put my focus toward her. She leaned on a motorbike, hiding face behind her hands, simultaneously trying to distract me by pointing to a four legged bitch feeding her puppies.

After about 30 minutes later I stepped out from the place of mountains of recyclables, riding on my motor driven wheels down the road and made a U-turn back. The opposite direction, riding on her bicycle, the shy lady had emptied her cart, having pulled her mask down, displaying a big smile with outstretched arm seemingly extending a good-bye wave.

© 2017 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved 

[huangyujing]

2016年平安夜，在越南茶榮的教堂聚集了平時禮拜日也不會有的人潮—包含賣小吃的攤販、徘徊的當地家庭照攝影師。五彩光點閃耀人身，迷幻的氛圍妝點了這個不凡的夜。除了基督徒外，部份民眾信仰不詳，只是乘著一股西化的風潮前來。我去了一個浸信會教堂和一個天主堂，兩方除了天主堂那幅巨大的聖母聖嬰圖外，周圍的動靜基本上差不多，非基督徒們和漂亮的聖誕裝飾拍照後便離去。

這股西方資本主義的息氣不只在教堂，新式的咖啡店佈置了眩目的小掛飾，雜貨店擺出一衣架的聖誕老人裝，玩偶店除了戴上聖誕帽的各式玩偶們，還有幾顆舞獅的頭靜靜地躺在一旁等待下一波節慶。

 2016, Christmas Eve, Tra Vinh, Vietnam.  There was a crowd that you won’t see during regular Sundays church services. Vendors selling snack food, local photographers wandering the grounds to see if anyone needs a family picture, with colorful lights sparkling on people in a psychedelic atmosphere dressing up this very night not only for Christians, but also those who were not Christians simply being brought there by the trend of westernization. I went to a Baptist Church and a Catholic Church, other than the big painting of baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary the happenings were basically the same, non-christians took pictures with beautiful Christmas decorations and left afterwards.  

The taste of westernize capitalization didn’t only exist around churches, newer cafes were decorated with shining Christmas ornaments. Grocery stores displayed a lot of Santa Claus customs. In the toy shop, there were some toys put on Christmas hats, with some lion heads for traditional lion dance laying aside quietly waiting for the next festival.

© 2016 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2016年，十一月十五日，在越南茶榮的方形湖，祭月節一如往年的擁擠，素日幽暗的樹林一片燈火通明，各式各樣的人都聚到了湖邊：僧侶、闔家出遊的當地居民、搶商機的攤販，甚至是試圖盜取財物的無賴。

 15th, November 2016, Tra Vinh, Vietnam. Ok-Om-Bok festival illuminated brightly during the night held at the Square Pond, it is as crowded as in the past few years,.  There were all kinds of people gathered around the pond, monks, local families, vendors who took the opportunity to make money, even rogues who tried to steal peoples’ property.

© 2016 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2016年，十一月五日，漫無目的地左轉、右轉，左轉、右轉，直行或繞行，過眼的芭蕉葉和來不及看清的臉孔都在快速行進中模糊。

有一群人正佇足圍觀些什麼。

一陣急剎以後我跳下了機車，熟悉的高棉慶典裝束映入眼簾，戴面具的表演者有的站有的坐，往裡看，棚子下是一桌一桌的客人，棚外的草地則是湊熱鬧的路人，地面上插的五色旗與對岸路島上印有共產黨徽的紅色旗幟相望。

表演看起來已經進行過一陣子了，數名表演者抽著菸，有說有笑，走進棚內，大門走道上一名身著嫩粉傳統服飾的少女正分送茶水給武將扮演者，旁邊一陰一陽的兩尊大人偶與客人親密地調笑著，沿著走道進藩籬，有的餐桌上還置有估計是午餐的殘羹，樂隊面向客桌演奏，音樂一下，作樂的人們便隨之搖擺了起來。孩童們興味十足地聚在走道邊，棚外鼓聲一起，騎假馬的吹著哨子衝了進來，武將拾起棍棒擺弄，婦女們捧著祭品走向屋內。

時間在下午三點間，沒有人顯露出疲態，戲班仍賣力演出，觀眾仍入迷觀賞。

看來會是一場馬拉松式的慶祝，與會者都已為迎接祭月節作好了準備。

我離開會場，拂過的涼風予人一種秋的錯覺。

 5th, November 2016, traveling aimlessly moving straight or around riding on motorbike turning left, right, left right. Banana tree leaves blur with faces that I am unable to actually see the individual features as my bike moves quickly.  Rolling pass spotting a crowd of people standing looking at something, I jumped off the bike after a sudden brake, recognizing Khmer costumes, performers wearing masks some stood as others sat.

There were people sitting around tables beneath a shelter in attendance of an event with some onlookers viewing the happening standing on the grass outside of the shelter.  Buddhist flags facing red banners with communist symbols were positioned on the traffic island across the street.  

Several performers were smoking, chatting and laughing, relax, the display seem to have begun awhile ago.  Entering the shelter there was a young woman dressed in a pink traditional costume giving cups of tea to the entertainers that portrayed Khmer warriors from the pass.  A female human puppet and a male human puppet were personally interacting with the guest. Alongside of a gateway to fencing, some tables had leftovers from lunch.  Facing the tables a band played music as guest danced.

A bunch of kids gathered aside of the gate full of interest, with the sound of drums a man riding a fake horse rushed in blowing a whistle.   Performers began to act.  Women came with sacrificial offerings in hand.  It was late afternoon, Looked like the celebration would go on in a marathon, attendants were all prepared to welcome Ok-Om-Bok festival.

I left the event. The cool breeze blowing through gave me an illusion of autumn.

© 2016 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved

[huangyujing]

2016年，七月二十四日，位於茶榮的湖Ao Bà Om的翻土工程大約從一個月前開始。

無論是平日、假日，總是很容易看到人們在湖邊的樹蔭下小憩。或情人間的嚶嚶低語、或三五好友的高聲大笑，有酒食、有遮蔭，即是一方天地。即便前不久持續數月的旱災使湖底乾涸焦烈，抑或當前挖土機來來去去、工人們挑水、灑土、植草、整蓮，人們似乎總在享受觀賞湖的千變萬化。

沿著湖散步，我看到賣項鍊的、賣冷飲的、賣冰淇淋的、賣風車的；看到一個男人背著湖面向廟牆小解，兩、三台機車若無其事地經過；看到一名婦女坐在機車上，一個孩子站踏板、兩個孩子坐後座，吃著零食。遊賞者眾，包含樹林裡一名「越式蹲」在短柱上的男孩，彷彿正擬態高踞枝頭的貓頭鷹。

又一天，Ao Bà Om的日常。

 24th, July 2016, turning soil of Ao Bà Om (the pond) near Tra Vinh city, Vietnam, that began about a month ago.

Weekdays and weekends, you can see people resting beneath the shadow of the trees.  Whispering between couples or the laughing among friends, as long as there is food and drinks, it becomes a different world.  Although the bottom of the pond was dried and cracked due to the recent drought that had continued for a few months, now earth diggers come and go, workers walk around carrying filled water buckets, spreading soil, planting grass, rearranging water lotus, people seemed to enjoy the sight of the changing pond.

Walking around the square shaped pond, I saw vendors selling necklaces, soft drinks, ice cream and pin wheels.  A man pees against the wall of the neighboring pagoda with his back toward the pond, two or three motorbikes drove by like nothing was happening .  A woman sits on her standing motorbike with one child in front, two sit on the back seat eating snack food.  Spectators were many including a boy doing the Vietnamese squat on a short pole as if he was an owl sitting on the branches of one of the tall trees .

Another day of the daily life around Ao Bà Om.

 © 2016 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved.

[huangyujing]

2015年，十一月二十六日，越南茶榮地區的高棉人在負有觀光盛名的湖Ao Bà Om盛大慶祝高棉三大節之一的祭月節，當晚光源紛亂，有湖畔燈火高結樹枝，睥睨人流擾攘於下，有三兩青年、孩童蹲踞於岸，推置水燈往流湖心，更多成群結隊者席地而坐，或談笑、或自拍、甚或低頭專注於智慧型手機，人工光閃耀不斷。

約莫九點，滿月上升之際，扮演傳奇神怪的隊伍率先出場，奔跑、跳躍，作打鬥態嚇唬孩童，人群分二，僧侶由湖濱寺廟出行、扛著等身高的高棉廟宇風格四柱亭模型與祭品，一列身著傳統服飾、手捧蓮燈的年輕男女隨後，然後是無數平凡信眾一樣手執燭燈虔敬地跟隨隊伍環湖繞行三周。

三周繞行完畢，僧侶小心翼翼地沿階步下，將四柱亭模型放上水面，一個男人涉入水中牽引漂浮地模體至適當位置，水深及膝上。

我踩在和著青草的軟泥裡，一面爭取拍攝入水儀式的最佳角度，一面提防跌進水中，幾度轉首間，瞥見一名男子雙腳嵌在軟泥裡，肩上坐著他的小女孩。

這就是那幅讓我開始認真看待自己拍攝事物的影像。

26th, November 2015, khmer people in Tra Vinh, Vietnam, were celebrating Ok-Om-Bok fesitival at the famous tourist spot Ao Bà Om. The festival is one of the most important events in khmer culture, which is about moon worshipping. That night lights were scattered all around the lake, some lanterns were tied on the branches of the tall surrounding trees, people coming and going walking beneath the glow from the enchanting light above.  At first glance my eyes focused on the young adults and children squatting at the edge of the lakes embankment, they were pushing the candle lit lanterns onto water directed to the center of the lake.  More people were sitting on the ground further back in groups, talking, laughing, selfies or simply looking closely down to their smart phones.  Artificial lights twinkling throughout the crowd.

Around 9:00 p.m. when the full moon rose to it’s high position, people dressed in customs of khmer legendary characters seemed to suddenly appear, they ran, jumped, performed as if they were fighting to playfully scare children.  The spectators automatically moved aside as a number of buddhist monks came out from the nearby pagoda carrying a water float on their shoulders, a replica of khmer cultural architecture that held food as offerings to the moon god.  A line of young people wearing traditional customs, holding lotus shaped lanterns in their hands followed, behind them were numerous ordinary worshippers also holding lotus shaped lanterns in hands. They reverently paraded around the lake 3 times.

At the end of the walk, monks stepped down to the stairs, placing the float onto the water surface.  A man went into the water knee deep, pulling the floating model to the ideal location.

Stepping into the mud and grass at the edge of the water line, watching my steps carefully not to fall into the lake, positioning myself to capture the best angle to photograph. Looking around several times, I saw a man’s feet sinking into the mud, he had a little girl on his shoulders. This is the image which helped me begin to look at what I photograph seriously.

© 2016 Photography by Yu-jing Huang. All rights reserved.