Taiwan's Lotus City Refreshes City Dwellers

Lotus City in Taiwan is highly valued as a place where tourists can experience a lifestyle that is refreshing¹ down to the subtlest details.

Su Yi has more.

 Lotus City in Taiwan is a place known for its slow rippling² of everyday life. Many find the city's charm lies in its proximity³ to the vast Pacific Ocean and lively night life. Others find it in the small, cozy⁴ cafes and elegant bookstores frequented by artists and writers.

Wang Yuping moved to Lotus City from Taipei nine years ago.

Wang's story is captivating to many who are both physically⁵ and mentally exhausted⁶ and wanting to chart their new life with a vision that adapts not only to nature but also to the natural state of being.

Wang quit her job at the famous magazines "Chinese Voice" and "Quality" to come to Lotus City.

"Lotus City is the place where I feel fully⁷ alive again, and that's something I never had in Taipei. The last days I was with 'Quality' magazine, I remember I was working overtime⁸ many days in a row. Sometimes I stayed up until 3 a.m. I remember one night when I was walking down Renai Lane, I felt the whole world was against me and I just couldn't hold myself together anymore."

In this small city which often strikes guests with its European taste for literature and literary gatherings⁹, Wang found her vision realized and her spiritual wandering settled in a small coffee shop called The Stone and a low budget travel magazine called 'Orip' which provides handy tips and guide maps for tourists.

"Since I moved to Lotus City, everything seems to exist in a different world. Here a year has four seasons, and each day sees different weather. And there are typhoons, which I often have not seen because I was condemned¹⁰ to a basement room year in and year out. Many people don't feel the way I feel about Lotus City. They say it takes much time to do everything here. But I respond by saying that that's what life is, taking your time to do what you want to do. It's something we all did when we were very young."

Yuping says the best part about living in Lotus City is associating with the locals.

Lotus City has many different ethnic¹¹ groups, and they each offer a new and completely refreshing lifestyle. It is great to visit the Bunongs and Bulugoes in winter, when they can take you along for a hunting trip. It is just as wonderful to go with the Armis for a fishing tour in summer.

On those summer evenings, it is such a treat to eat the freshest handpicked seafood¹² by the seaside. In the warmer seasons, one can always ride a bicycle along local community lanes to discover the smallest wonders, like a hand-painted scarf to buy for a good friend or family.

"People are a completely new experience in Lotus City. Here traffic is not very convenient and that has done great good for the preservation¹³ of the local communities. The villages here still retain their original flavor. The Kejia mums are very traditional housewives, and they still make handicrafts, not for selling, but for their own daily use. This has helped greatly to maintain the city's cultural heritage. So, it's fair to say that it was only after I moved to Lotus City that I started seeing and feeling that a culture's richness could be so tangible¹⁴ and easy to experience."

In addition to the many wonderful experiences associated with people, the natural endowment of Lotus City was just as unforgettable with its many delights and breathtaking views.

The seawater here is so pure and clean that in good times one can project a sea view miles into the Pacific Ocean standing¹⁵ on the mountain top overlooking Lotus City.

Because of this, the Yuanxiongyuelai Hotel has attracted many film directors to film the sea view here as it offers a good romantic set in nature's wonderful beauty. Many young people also come here to see their idols¹⁶ close-up.
 
But more dazzling than the film idols is the night view when the city sleeps under almost translucent¹⁷ artificial starlight. It is perfect for young couples who roam down the roads and stand by the bridges to take in a romantic night's deliciously graceful¹⁸ offers.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi.

1 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

2 rippling   

起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的

参考例句：

• I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
• The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

3 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

4 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

9 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

12 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

13 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

14 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

15 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

16 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

17 translucent   

adj.半透明的；透明的

参考例句：

• The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。
• A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。

18 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。