Thursday, October 31, 2013

Taipei’s Halloween Earthquake

Tonight, October 31, 2013 at about 8:00 p.m., there was a sizable earthquake in Taipei. I was working at my desk when I felt the first tremors. It quickly got worse; the bookshelves were swaying hard, and I thought they might fall over, but a minute later it was over. 


Taiwan is in the earthquake zone, and small temblors occur often, but this one was pretty strong—6.7 magnitude. Still, as far as I've heard, there was little real damage. The last really tragic earthquake in Taiwan hit central Taiwan in 1999, before I arrived here.

Broken netsukes—the brown ironwood one was holding a double gourd, and the lighter boxwood one was bent down and holding his tibia. 
 
Nevertheless, when I looked over my living room, I discovered a few casualties. I had put out some skeleton netsukes for Halloween, but the spirits-at-large must not have liked the irreverence of this display, for several of them had fallen and smashed. 



The strangest part is that although I looked and even swept carefully, I was not able to recover all the fragments. I can only assume that the malevolent spirit that swept through Taipei and through my apartment had come to retrieve them, like Madame Zena in A Drop of Water (from the movie Black Sabbath) reclaiming her stolen ring.

Netsukes, small Japanese carvings of wood or ivory, are found in an infinite number of designs, often depicting people, children, gods and animals, but scary themes such as skeletons, rats or insects, are also common.


I was amused to notice that this toy balancing bat, resting on its pinpoint on a narrow strip of wood, managed to maintain its perch through all the shaking. The god on which he has alighted, called the Fighting Money God, may have lent his protection, as bats often symbolize money or wealth in Chinese art.



All of you who can place delicate objects on high shelves, count yourself lucky, because here such freedom is not a given. I was fortunate that nothing happened to these lacquered wooden boxes, which I had riskily lined up on top of bookcases:

I just realized that all the books on this shelf are by P.G. Wodehouse--there goes my reputation for serious scholarship.



Often around Halloween there is a weird glow at night which adds to the spooky atmosphere. The view tonight from my balcony is a perfect example, reminiscent of the nighttime postcards I wrote about last year.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!



Who knows what strange spirits roam Taiwan on Halloween?

(All photos by the author.)

39 comments:

  1. Yikes! 6.7 is pretty nasty. That was the size of the biggest one I've been through, the Northridge earthquake of 1994. I am glad you are okay, but I am so sorry that you've lost some of your netsuke. Hope you don't have to suffer through too many after-shocks.

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    1. Hello Merry Wife, Yes, 6.7 is definitely noticeable. Considering what has happened to others in earthquakes, I consider this loss as less than nothing. It is just a coincidence that the skeletons were lost on Halloween.

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  2. Dearest Jim,
    That was indeed a strong tremor at 6.7. When we returned from our work and life in Indonesia we made a stop at my Parents' in the south of The Netherlands. During the night we had a 5.5 earth quake and I never will forget all the items in my room that shook and moved.
    Lucky you had no more damage; we never can predict what will be next.
    Your last photo looks very mystical...
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Hello Mariette, I understand that this summer when I was in Ohio there were several strong earthquakes here, but of course in Taiwan that is to be expected. Earthquakes in places like the Netherlands or Ohio are extra-scary because people are not used to them, and also there is a possibility of environmental changes as from drilling or hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for gas.

      I'm glad you liked the final photo--I'm usually not a great photographer, but that one came out well.

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  3. Glad you weren't hurt! Hope not too serious damage occured. Well I hope All Saints day soothes everything??

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    1. Hello Coulda, Thanks for your good wishes. I'll keep an eye on the news tomorrow. I think that we just got a shaking, but you never know.

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  4. Dear Jim - so sorry to learn that you have actually been in an earthquake, but I am pleased that you are alright and nothing too serious happened. However, it is sad that those two delightful little netsukes got damaged.
    Have you read the book The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal? He inherited a collection of 264 Japanese wood and ivory netsukes and wanted to know who had touched and held them, and how the collection had managed to survive. It is an extraordinarily moving memoir and detective story.
    Be safe for the rest of Halloween - those skies do look rather spooky.

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    1. Hello Rosemary, I think the phrase "in an earthquake" implies something a lot more serious. In Taiwan there are small earthquakes very often, usually every few weeks and with no damage, although this one was a lot stronger than most.

      The book The Hare with Amber Eyes sounds wonderful, just the type that I enjoy, and I am ordering it for my next trip home. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  5. Earth tremors are scary, even when you're used to them. We've had a couple here that were noticeable - most notably the Boxing Day one that caused the tsunami. We evacuated the building, (by running down more that 30 stories). The subsequent aftershock on the Easter Monday was less violent, and although we evacuated, I think we used the lift. I think it's best to stay put, in retrospect. The damage to and loss of parts of your skeleton netsukes is indeed spooky, but probably more apt that all the manufactured scariness for Halloween, so I would feel honoured by that!

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    1. Hello Columnist, Taipei is lucky in that is seems to miss the worst of the natural disasters that befall Taiwan--earthquakes, typhoons, etc. Those evacuations from your building must have been annoying, but better safe than sorry.

      You are right about those netsukes begin artwork independent of Halloween, but to tell the truth, I like many of the manufactured decorations when they fall within certain limits. By the way, I still haven't found the missing pieces of the skeletons!

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  6. Dear Jim ,this earthquake was strong ..I am so sorry that your skeleton netsukes have broken but I am glad that was only this damage and you are well .Greece is also in a earthquake zone and we had strong tremors ... I am scare of this but we must learn to live with them .Take care yourself and Happy Halloween !

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    1. Hello Olympia, You are right about learning to live with earthquakes. Most of them are small and you only notice them for a moment, but you always freeze up a little, because you never how how bad it might get, and that this time might be the big one.

      Well, I hope that Greece stays earthquake-free for a long time now.

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  7. Hello, Jim,

    I'm so sorry to read that you experienced a shock, but am glad you are unscathed and that there was little damage. I join Merry Wife in hoping you have not experienced aftershocks.

    The netsukes that broke were particularly lovely. I hope this event will be an excuse to add to your distinctive collection, but in any event it's a reminder that we are but caretakers of so many cherished objects. By the way, I think your Fighting Money God is wonderful — I'm guessing that he might have originally brandished a sword.

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    1. Hello Mark, So far, not noticeable aftershocks. Although I did like the netsukes that broke, I was lucky in that they were not antique or terribly expensive--it was just the oddity of their breaking on Halloween. You are right about the caretaker status--that is why I am debating moving those black boxes, but the question always becomes "where to put them?"

      You are right that the Money God once held a sword (the other hand holds a gold ingot). I love his scowling expression! Many god statues held weapons or other detachable attributes, and these rarely survive.

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  8. Your netsuke are marvelous--I'm so sorry that some of them broke. I love the bat on the fighting money god. Hurray for P.G. Wodehouse--if ever there was a humorist for serious scholars, he is the one. 1999 wasn't long ago--I'm sure the recent one was scary.

    I went through a couple of those earthquakes when I live in California--it felt like the floor was rolling (like a wave).

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello Jen, You saved my reputation with your astute comment about Wodehouse. (Although don't forget S.J. Perelman, visible on the shelf just beneath!)

      I wasn't aware that you had lived in California--then you know that strange earthquake sensation which is unlike anything else. I saw a book of pictures of the 1999 quake, in which over 2000 people died, and I could not believe the extent of the damage.

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    2. I lived in the SanFrancisco area for 14 years.

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    3. Lucky you! The Bay area is one of the coolest places on earth.

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  9. p.s. Did you read The Hare With Amber Eyes?

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    1. Hi again, Rosemary just mentioned this book in the above comment, and I now have it on order and can't wait to read it.

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  10. My knowledge of netsukes is limited to the antiques programmes that I watch on tv or visit in our largest antique companies. In other words, I am familiar with small Japanese carvings of wood or ivory, of children or animals. So the scary themes, such as skeletons or rats, come as a bit of a shock. Why would the makers create scary subjects and why would buyers buy scary objects?

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    1. Hello Hels, You hit upon an interesting question, why some cultures enjoy spooky art. Perhaps part of the answer is similar to the memento mori in Western art, a reminder of the evanescence of life. Also, the Japanese might find some things cute or merely interesting that we find scary, such as a nest of rats infesting a bag of grain, or a wasp eating a rotten fruit, both themes easily found in netsukes.

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  11. Hi, Jim -
    I've been out of the country, and just returned home. I was excited to see a new post from you on my sidebar. So sorry for the casualties - spooky, indeed! Do keep us posted on the missing fragments. On the topic of bats, I almost stepped on a dead bat in my bathtub a few weeks ago. Have no idea how the bat came in. My guess is via the bedroom chimney, although it was very clean and not covered in soot. Anyhow, I guess Halloween came early for me this year.
    Welcome back :)
    Loi

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    1. Hello Loi, That was a strange experience with the bat, and also odd coming so close to Halloween. Colin McEnroe wrote a funny (but apparently true) story about a man who had a problem with bats getting into his house.

      The missing fragments still have not turned up--I have even started moving some furniture to look.

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  12. PS - That collection of netsukes is insane - love it!!!!

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    1. Hi again, The variety of netsuke subjects is infinite. I put these out for Halloween, but we have lots of others--some of the frog ones are particularly attractive and amusing.

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  13. So sorry about the netsuke. Leave them as is and you will have something to talk about all your life. Here in Georgia we have tornados. To me they are just as scary as tremors for you never know when they are going to strike and cannot prepare. I'll take hurricanes any day. Glad you are well. That is indeed an eerie photo of Halloween night.

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    1. Hello Lindaraxa, Ohio is part of the Tornado Zone, so I know how frightening they can be. Many places have been decimated by them.

      You have cut the Gordian knot with your brilliant idea about not repairing the netsukes. If I re-glued them, they would still be damaged goods, but now I don't even have to worry about finding all the pieces!

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  14. Hello Jim-- So glad to see a new post, but sorry that you had the shock of an earthquake! I think you're right, given the timing of the event, that mischievous spirits were surely responsible. I share your fascination with netsuke and collect them as well. I'm sorry for the damage to your skeleton netsuke and hope that they can be restored... And I see we have another collection in common: I collect those same Everyman's editions of P.G. Wodehouse as well! Collecting Wodehouse is a true sign of scholarly genius, wouldn't you agree??? I'm happy that all is well and look forward to more news from Taipei!
    Warm regards,
    Erika

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    1. Hello Erika, Netsukes are indeed fascinating, but I only have a few older ones. (You can see that I am clinging to the old-fashioned and probably non-pc "-s" plural.) I have decided to follow Lindaraxa's advice and not restore them, especially since to this date all the pieces have not shown up.

      I really do enjoy those hardcover editions of Wodehouse. They are well-bound and comfortable to hold and to read. For a while I was favoring small paperbacks as they are cheaper to ship to Taiwan, but now I am reverting to my old habits of acquiring hardcovers whenever possible.

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  15. Oh no Jim, such a shame, your wonderful netsukes. They are so well carved but seems their end was foretold. What a clever bat :-) I'm just glad you are ok, unlike so many others. Glad you're safe and well.
    All the very best.
    Di
    xoxo

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    1. Hello Dianne, I'm glad you had such a nice trip to the U.S. I enjoyed reading your series of adventures. I've seen toys made on the principle of that bat, but using that shape was a stroke of genius, and it is uncanny the way it balances on anything.

      Yes, considering other storms, such as the recent typhoon Haiyan, I realize how much I have been spared.

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  16. I would not underestimate the importance and scholarship of P.G. Wodehouse!!!

    One of my favorite humans; and the most intelligent person I have EVER met is Charlie Munger! (google him)! His favorite author is P.G.Wodehouse!

    He has a few! But that is definitely in the top 3!!!

    Are you sure about the 2000 people in

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    1. Hello Penelope, P.G. Wodehouse is tops, and I always love encountering another Wodehouse fan. Of course, my comment above was simply a joking acknowledgment that only humor books were visible in the photograph. Sophisticated humor writers are among the most intelligent people,
      and while I read a variety of books, I always admire a light touch.

      I just read about Charlie Munger, and above all I am impressed by his generous philanthropy towards education.

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  17. Being a third-generation Californian......and having lived through many earthquakes; I do have to correct your misinformation!

    NO!! No 2,000 people died in 1999! (there wasn't even an earthquake in San Francisco that year!)

    1989; yes, there was a big one! 52 people died.
    As I said; I have lived in California my entire life; not one earthquake in my lifetime has even been 1,000. Not even close!

    I will take earthquakes any day! In fact; we built our house on a piece of property that has a fault running across it! We had to do "caissons"! If we get the "BIG ONE" in Santa Barbara...our house will look like a giant "grasshopper" up on its "caissons" and unscathed!

    Other people may pick hurricanes and tornadoes......oh no... I will take earthquakes any day!

    I love your blog! do keep your facts right!

    Lovingly,

    Penelope
    www.mccormickinteriors.com

    ps for 40 plus years I have belonged to "Bat Conservation Internationa"!

    Bats are the most beneficial of creatures! They devour millions of mosquitoes each night!

    We all want to encourage them to nest around us!

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    1. Hello Penelope, You are very lucky to live in Santa Barbara. When I visited there, I was endlessly amazed at its beauty and history.

      I am glad you are helping to protect bats. They are beautiful in flight, and are as you point out an important link in ecology. A while ago I wrote a post on their appearance in Chinese art and life:
      http://roadtoparnassus.blogspot.tw/2011/10/bats-terror-of-night-or-omen-of-good.html

      About the earthquake, there seems to be some sort of disconnect. I was referring to the terrible 921 earthquake in Taiwan. According to Wikipedia, 2,415 people were killed and 11,305 injured. Here is the link:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/921_earthquake

      Certainly, earthquakes are frightening events; let's hope that there are no more serious ones anytime soon!
      --Jim

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    2. I understand! I thought because of the comments, you were talking about a California earthquake!
      Now I recall that devastating one in Taiwan!

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  18. Hi Jim,
    Thanks so much for stopping by. The experience I mentioned in the post was not a nice one. It cost me £1k plus solicitors fees etc. have you contacted your infringer?

    Are you taking a break from blogging. I know, it can become quite tiresome at times :-)
    Great to see you and. Happy New Year!
    Di
    xoxoxo

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    1. Hello Di, I didn't really care about that photo, but it is a good lesson that I should be careful if I post a photo that I don't want bandied about!

      I have been rather distracted from blogging, but I hope to get back to a semi-regular schedule fairly soon.
      Thanks,
      Jim

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