Living in silk and satin–Opulent mansions of the Old Town
文、攝影／龔書永
大多數遊客於蓮池潭漫步環湖後,都能留下許多難忘的回憶和照片。除了寺廟和神殿之外,最常見的主題元素是精巧別緻且帶有古典氣質的中式寶塔、栩栩如生的龍虎雙雄,甚至是巨大的佛像和將士。
Most visitors harvest a ton of unforgettable memories and photos after walking around the Lotus Pond. Save for the temples and shrines, the most recurrent motifs are the quaint and classical Chinese pagodas, life-like dragons and tigers, and even Gulliver-sized buddhas and warriors.
當地居民深知,寶物隱藏於蜿蜒的巷弄之間。畢竟,伴隨在他們成長的歲月裡,是一棟棟古老的宅邸, 而非遊客們通常會前來參觀的旅遊景點。華人定居在這座古城已經擁有三百多年的歷史。早期的道路和街道數量不多,但隨著時間的推移,它們開始像樹枝一樣不斷延伸,以迎合人們的需求。也許這就是為什麼像在迷宮中試圖找到出口一樣。如果沒有當地導遊,你可能十次裡有七次會迷路。
Local residents know too well that the hidden treasures are inside the winding streets and alleys. After all, they all grew up surrounded by old mansions instead of the tourist attractions most out of towner come here for. The Old Town has a history of more than three hundred years of Chinese settlement. Early roads and streets were scarce, but as time went by, they started to grow like branches of a tree to cater to the needs of people. And maybe this is why walking around here is like trying to find your way out of a labyrinth. Without a local guide you'd probably get lost seven times out of ten.
我曾多次造訪左營,卻從未意識到古城竟然還留有一手。在每次颱風季過後,普通人只能在簡陋且亟需整修的茅屋內「蜷縮」,但這些奢華宅邸足以讓我們了解當時富人們的生活。奢侈、獨特、富麗、浮誇、豪華,以及其他任何相似的詞語,都可以用來描述這些先前朝代的遺跡。就好像一扇扇窗戶,讓我們一瞥歷史,看件他們的審美觀、標準、目標、哲學等等。每一座宅邸都有一個故事等待著人們發掘。有別於其他風景名勝,這些古老的宅邸是不斷減少、趨於消失的「不可再生資源」。十年後,春秋御閣仍會屹立不搖,但沒人曉得這些老屋中還會有多少能夠得以留存。
Despite being a frequent visitor, I never knew that the Old Town held yet another card up its sleeves. Around two hundred years ago, while ordinary people could only “curl up” inside humble and flimsy huts that most certainly needed a repair after every typhoon season, these opulent mansions give us an idea of how the well to do enjoyed their lives in those days. Extravagance, uniqueness, opulence, ostentation, lavishness, and any other synonym would most likely fit to describe these relics of a bygone dynasty. These are like windows for us to take a glimpse into the past and see their values and philosophy of life. Each and everyone of the mansions has a story to tell, waiting for someone to come and listen. Unlike the scenic spots, these old mansions are “non-renewable resources” getting closer to extinction year by year. A decade from now, the Spring and Autumn Pavilions will still be there, but who knows how many of these old houses will.
在上完古厝的速成班之後,我學到在參觀時該從哪裡著手,以及如何產出言而有物的猜測。建築工法和材料使用能夠透露很多有關建造當下時代的訊息。其中一些宅邸可以追溯到清朝時期,而另一些則可以溯源至日治時期,但所有宅邸都富有中國傳統建築的特色。由於當時沒有燒磚製瓦的窯,這些磚瓦都必須從中國進口。木材也是如此,因為木材廠當時並不存在。即使在日治時期,仍須進口木材至此,原因是台灣最優質的檜木和其他樹木都只能特別保留給日本市場。少數能在當地取得的材料是黏土磚、珊瑚石灰岩和石灰。至於建造並賦予這些宅邸傳統華南風格的師傅和工匠,皆是來自中國。
After a crash course on old mansions, I came to realize where to look and how to make educated guesses when visiting. Building techniques and materials reveal a lot about the time in which they were constructed. Some of them date back to the Ching dynasty while others to the Japanese era, but all of them feature Chinese traditional architecture. Since there were no kilns to fire bricks and roof tiles, all of
those would have to be imported from China. The same happened with timber since sawmills were unavailable. Even well into the Japanese era, timber was still imported since the best Taiwanese cypress and other trees were exclusively reserved for the Japanese market. The only locally procured materials were clay bricks, coral limestone, and lime. As for the people who built them, masters and craftsmen were also from China, and that’s why these houses display a traditional southern Chinese style.
廖家古厝(位於五甲, pic. 1)以四國淡路島的日式繪瓦為特色 (pic. 2~3)。這清楚顯示了它的建造時期。
然而,由於這些瓦片價格不菲,因此作為裝飾的成分不多。謝家古宅(位於埤仔頭, pic. 1)採用切工精湛的石灰岩,並呈古錢形狀排列 (pic. 2~3),凸顯出奢華和財富。它估計至少有近兩百年的歷史,還有一位法國工程師於1870年代所拍攝的照片作為佐證。余家古宅(位於一甲, pic. 7)的牆壁正下方使用精細切割的六角形石灰岩 (pic. 8~9),類似於北門的設計(1825年),有著大約兩百年的歷史。
The old mansion of the Liaos (located in Wu-jia, pic. 1) features Japanese painted tiles from Awaji, Shikoku (pic. 2~3). This is a clear indication of the era in which it was built. However, these tiles were used sparingly as a decoration due to their high cost. The Hsiehs’ mansion (located in Pei-tzai tou, pic. 1) features finely cut limestones arranged in the shape of ancient coin (pic. 2~3), obviously suggesting
extravagance and wealth. It is calculated to be at least nearly two hundred years old, and there’s also photographic evidence from the 1870’s by a French engineer.
The mansion of the Yu family (located in Yee-chia, pic. 7) features finely cut scale-shaped and hexagonal limestones as the lower wall of the façade (pic. 8~9), suggesting approximately two hundred years since they resemble the design of the North Gate (1825).
廖家古厝的兩側1以四國淡路島的日式繪瓦為特色
Entrance of the Liao family residence, notice the painted tiles on either side of the facade.
日式繪瓦的特寫
Close up view of the tiles
廖家歷史宅邸（淡路彩繪瓷磚）
Liao family historical mansion (Awaji painted tiles)
謝家古厝的庭院和磚牆
Patio and façade of Hsieh family historical residence.
牆壁正下方使用精細切割的六角形石灰岩
Finely cut limestones for the lower part of the facade.
謝家古厝的石灰岩壁磚
Hsieh family historical mansion symbolizing ancient coins with a hole in the center.
余家古厝
Yu family historical mansion located in Yee-chia
魚鱗狀石灰岩
Fish scale-shaped limestone
與北門相似的六角形石灰石
Hexagonal limestones similar to the North Gate
從某些角度來看,每座古厝都能展示那個時代在美學、智慧、創造力、價值觀,甚至是人生哲學等方面的社會標杆。引用麥克阿瑟將軍曾說「老兵不死,只是逐漸凋零」的這番話,再適合不過了。這些遺跡只有在它們和屬於它們的故事尚存於許多人的心中和記憶時,才具有意義。那何不在它們永遠消失之前實際走訪呢?
In some ways, each mansion can be interpreted as the social benchmark of the time when it comes to things like aesthetics, ingenuity, creativity, value, and even community ethos. General McArthur couldn’t be more right to say “old soldiers never die, they fade away.” These relics have a meaning only when they and their stories exist in the minds and memories of many. Why not pay them a visit before they’re gone for good?
