Day Two: Journeys over mountains and rivers

This morning we went to the National Museum. I couldn’t wait another day. On the subway, I felt like a little kid who wanted to clap: “Faster, faster, we’re going to see Chinese paintings. Whooeee.” I suppose American kids feel this way about Disneyland. All my life I’ve loved Chinese paintings. In Hong Kong and at the National Museum in Beijing, I was told that the best paintings were in Taiwan. I never considered going to Taiwan just to see the paintings, but when I suggested to Sat that we go to Mainland China to do research on Monkey King, and he suggested that we go instead to Taiwan , I said, “Then, we can see the paintings!!”  And now the dream was to come true.

The paintings were wonderful. Not quite as wonderful as I had imagined but still wonderful. What added to the delight was the Kwan Yin tea we drank for lunch at the Museum. It was the best tea I ever drank--strong, rich, full, gentle, dreamy.  At lunch I asked Sat about his daughters. He asked me if  as a child I had always asked so many questions. “I’m Jewish,”  I answered, “Jewish children are encouraged to ask questions. The nature of studying the Torah is to ask questions. The core of Judaism is questions: If not now, when? . “That’s good,” Sat said. “But it’s not  the way with Chinese culture. Chinese children are not encouraged to ask questions.” “Am I asking you too many questions?” “No, you are fine.” But  what could he answer? Sat is a Buddhist and a Taoist.

We took the subway at 5 PM to meet Ju-Huang but she wasn’t at the subway station. Ten minutes passed. Twenty. Sat was certain that something was wrong. I figured people can be late. He said, “No, she would be on time.” My neck was beginning to hurt. Sat went to the phone booth and called Ju Huang. Sure enough, she had told him a station that phonetically sounded like another station on the same line. We went back in the opposite direction and met with Ju-Huang and Song. She was blushing with embarrassment.

We went to Mr. Sun’s theatre and arranged to interview him on Monday afternoon at his house. I took Ju Huang, Song (at right), and Sat out to a restaurant overlooking Taipei. It was leisurely, relaxed, very happy. I asked Song why he liked Monkey King. He said Monkey King was an inspiration to him. “Monkey King is strong and can overcome great obstacles. Many monsters oppress the people and Monkey King defeats these ogres. He has the power to defeat the monsters outside and inside himself.”