一甲余家-永豐花生糖

One Jia Yu Family - Yongfeng Peanut Sugar

文、攝影／易冠霈

「從生花生一直加工到變成花生糖齁，沒有幾家這麼做」

「從生的花生到花生糖，這樣一貫作業，都是我親手把它完成的，我對於這樣的品質，會比較有信心」

余大哥熱情地向我們闡述花生加工的過程，以及花生與左營舊城的脈絡和連結。

“From raw peanuts to the creation of peanut sugar, not many places follow through the entire process like we do," Mr.Yu passionately explained. "From raw peanuts to peanut sugar, maintaining a consistent operation, I personally see it through. I have more confidence in the quality of our products due to this approach."

在民國50年代，左營地區是整片的農耕地，主要的作物為「菱角」。同時也是「花生」的集散地，當時許多左營舊城周遭的店家，會到高雄、屏東一帶收購花生，接著進行花生加工的生意。隨著產業變遷和都市更新，農地變成了建地，花生加工的店家數量縮減，現今僅剩少數幾間仍在營運。永豐花生糖便是在那個時空背景下，點亮招牌的店家，由余大哥的阿公在余家古厝創店，至今，余大哥已是第三代的傳人。

Mr. Yu enthusiastically shared with us the process of peanut processing, as well as the context and connection between peanuts and Zuoying old town. In the 1950s, the Zuoying area was predominantly farmland, with the main crop being water chestnuts. It was also a distribution center for peanuts. At that time, many businesses around Zuoying old town would purchase peanuts from the Kaohsiung and Pingtung areas and engage in peanut processing. With changes in industries and urban development, farmland turned into construction sites, leading to a reduction in the number of peanut processing businesses. Today, only a few remain in operation. Yongfeng Peanut Sugar is one of the businesses that illuminated its sign in that historical context. Established by Mr. Yu's grandfather in Yu's ancient house, the shop has been passed down through three generations, with Mr. Yu being the current successor.

「是什麼原因讓余大哥想要接手呢?」我好奇地問道。

「那時候當完兵，看到爸爸媽媽辛苦工作，有點捨不得，就跟他們一起，幫忙分擔勞力活」於是，余大哥回到老家學習花生加工的手藝。完全接手後，跟隨「食代」的改變，將自家的花生加工，開發新產品—花生糖。

"Why did Mr.Yu decide to take over?" I curiously asked.

"At that time, after completing my military service, seeing my parents working hard, I felt reluctant to let them bear the burden alone. So, I returned home to help share the physical labor and learned the art of peanut processing," Mr.Yu explained. Taking full control, he adapted to the changing food trends and developed a new product – peanut sugar.

當問起余大哥對於阿公在古厝加工花生是否有印象時，他笑著答道「太小了，不記得了。」，但提到居住在古厝的經驗，余大哥眼睛亮了起來，分享了許多兒時趣事。當時，將近十口人住在同個屋簷下，古厝前有紅磚砌起的豬圈，甚至有兩口很深的井呢！在思想保守的年代，用水也須遵守性別規範，左前方名為『龍井』，僅有生理男性可以取用；右前方名為『虎井』，僅有生理女性可取用。在端午時分，附近的鄰居便會在『午時』來這兩口井『tshiǔnn-tsu』(汲水)，余大哥笑著說「我們小時候很厲害呢，那個很累餒」。雖然兩口井已經被拆除好一陣子了，但余大哥仍能憑藉印象指出井的位置。而在電視尚未普及的年代，家中擁有一台電視，是人人稱羨的事情。

When asked about Mr. Yu's impression of his grandfather processing peanuts in the ancestral home, he chuckled and replied, "I was too young, I don't remember." However, when the topic shifted to his experience living in the ancient house, Mr.Yu's eyes lit up, and he shared many childhood anecdotes. At that time, nearly ten people lived under the same roof, with a pigsty built of red bricks in front of the house, and even two deep wells! In the conservative era, even the use of water had to adhere to gender norms. The one on the left was called 'Dragon Well,' accessible only to biological males, and the one on the right was 'Tiger Well,' accessible only to biological females. During the Dragon Boat Festival, neighbors nearby would come to draw water from these two wells during 'noon,' and Mr. Yu chuckled, saying, "We were quite skilled at that when we were young, though it was tiring." Although the two wells have been dismantled for quite some time, he can still point out their locations based on memory. In an era before television became widespread, owning a TV was a coveted luxury.

國小放學後，左右鄰居便會聚集在余大哥家，一起觀賞節目，余大哥說：「那時的電視還是拉門那種的呢!」逢年過節，因為家裡有大灶，阿嬤和母親就會烹煮各種米食(麻糬、碗粿)，從碾米開始，每一個步驟皆是手工製成的。一旁嬉戲的孩子們，最期待的則是拜拜後的「khì-tsuí」(汽水)，黑松汽水在當時是非常昂貴的商品。

語句間，能感受到古厝的風華時光，和滿滿的幸福。

After elementary school, neighbors would gather at Mr. Yu's house to watch programs together. He said, "The TVs back then still had sliding doors!" During festive occasions, due to the presence of a large stove at home, Grandma and Mother would cook various rice-based foods (mochi, Wa Gui), starting from milling the rice, with each step handmade. The playful children on the side looked forward most to the "khì-tsuí" (soda) after paying respects, and HeySong Soda was a highly valued commodity at that time. In these expressions, one can feel the glorious moments of the ancient house and a profound sense of happiness.

近些年，余大哥的父親獨自住在古厝內，但今年摔倒受傷後，古厝便無人居住，但仍會固定時間前去上香。關於古厝的整理及維修，余大哥表示，古厝的整修維護所費不貲，且維修後的保存更是需要花費心力。言談間，能感受到余大哥對於維護老家的盡力和無力。

In recent years, Mr.Yu's father has been living alone in the ancestral home. However, after a fall and injury this year, the ancestral home remains unoccupied, though Mr.Yu still visits regularly to offer incense. Regarding the organization and maintenance of the ancestral home, He mentioned that the renovation and upkeep are both costly, and preserving it afterward requires considerable effort. In his words, one can sense his dedication and the challenges he faces in maintaining his family's house.

訪談的最後，我向余大哥問道「對於古厝和舊城的未來有什麼想法嗎?」

余大哥感嘆地說道：「政府想維持古厝還有文化，但也不能侵犯人民的所有權，希望政府能有完整的配套措施。」這段話是訪談中，最讓我印象深刻的。過去的我，總會覺得要盡可能地保存這些歷史文物，但在聽見古厝所有人的觀點後，我了解到對於古厝擁有者而言，那不僅是一棟房子或是文化資產，而是意味著『傳承』，是長輩留給後代的家產。透過這次的訪談，也讓我對於文化保存有了新的想法，古蹟維護是為了得以一窺過去的生活樣貌，那麼將這些故事紀錄下來，亦是相當珍貴的文化保存呢!

Towards the end of the interview, I asked Mr.Yu about his thoughts on the future of the ancestral home and the old town.

Mr.Yu sighed and said, "The government wants to preserve the ancestral homes and culture, but they also can't infringe on people's property rights. I hope the government can have comprehensive measures in place." This statement left a profound impression on me during the interview. In the past, I always felt that historical artifacts should be preserved as much as possible. However, hearing the perspective of the ancestral home's owner made me realize that, for them, it is not just a house or cultural asset; it signifies 'heritage.' It is the property passed down from ancestors to descendants. Through this interview, I gained a new perspective on cultural preservation. Preserving historical sites is a way to glimpse into the past, so documenting these stories is also a valuable aspect of cultural preservation !