台灣海礦館

#2026-0429

~~ 以海洋深層水為主題製水的觀光休閒園區 ~~

🐬 Taiwan Deep Ocean Water Park 🐋

(Where the Ocean Breathes Beneath the Land)

At the edge of Hualien, where the sea seems always near, stands a place both modern and quietly rooted in history. The Taiwan Deep Ocean Water Park—said to be the largest of its kind in Asia—is more than a destination. It is a meeting point: of science and memory, of industry and nature.

Low, Japanese-era buildings rest among trees and open sky. Their wooden frames, aged but dignified, seem to hold echoes of another time. Nearby, an old air-raid shelter lies half-hidden, while a small shrine stands in stillness, as if listening to the wind from the Pacific.

Visitors come and go, some with curiosity, others with children in hand. Inside, they learn about the deep ocean—about the Kuroshio Current that flows silently past Taiwan, and about the careful, almost invisible work of drawing water from the depths. There are simple pleasures too: making tofu pudding, shaping colored salt, sharing quiet moments of discovery.

Here, knowledge does not feel distant. It moves gently, like the sea itself—steady, patient, and deep.

Address: No. 15, Huadong Road, Hualien City

✽ 海礦館址：花蓮縣花蓮市華東路 15 號

Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, daily

✽ 開放參觀：週一至週日 9:00~17:00

~~~ 海 角 防 空 洞 ~~~

🐳 The Coastal Air-Raid Shelter 🐟

(A Silent Witness)

Not far from the open paths, there is a place that does not speak loudly.

The old air-raid shelter stands with its weathered skin, its concrete marked by time and memory. It once faced the violence of war, when the sky above Hualien was no longer calm. In those days, it offered protection—quiet, solid, unwavering.

Now, it remains as a witness.

Its worn surface, cracked and faded, tells no single story, yet it carries many. In its stillness, one senses both the fragility and resilience of human life. What was once a place of urgency has become a place of reflection.

And perhaps, in this transformation, there is a kind of peace.

~~~ 台 肥 構 內 社 ~~~

🐟 The Shrine Within the Compound 🐬

(Where Waves Become Form)

Tucked within the grounds stands a small shrine, its roof rising and curving like a gentle wave. Built around 1940, during a different era, it carries the architectural grace of Japan and the quiet faith of those who once lived and worked here.

It is said that during the war, bombs fell not far from this place. And yet, the shrine and its surroundings were left untouched—as if, by chance or by unseen hands, they were spared.

Today, the shrine remains, neither grand nor imposing. It simply endures.

In its presence, one does not need to believe in anything in particular. It is enough to stand there for a moment, to feel the air, and to notice how time has passed—yet something, gentle and steady, has chosen to stay.

Perhaps that is its blessing: not protection from all things, but a quiet reminder that even through change, some spaces continue to hold us.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  蓮城蓮花園     (2026)

2)  Coffee and Grace at the Ideal Store     (2026)

3)  七星潭 ~ A Short Stay, But Much Fun!     (2026)

4)  Peace Square: Where the Sea Remembers     (2026)

A Gift from Psalm 116

#2026-0425

After participating in the weekend “Bible Reading, Prayer, and Music Practice,” Jean returned home and shared something special with me.

She said that Ms. Jiang, who plays the music and hymns at St. Luke’s Church on Sundays, had highlighted a verse from Psalm 116, saying it could be a special gift from the Lord for her.

Psalm 116, which contains nineteen verses, was the focus of the group this afternoon.

After they finished reading Psalm 116, Ms. Jiang said to her, “Jean, I have a strong feeling that verse 7 could be a special gift for you today!”

What a wonderful gift from the Lord! It feels especially meaningful for both Jean and me at this moment—although I have never attended the weekend Bible Reading, Prayer, and Music Practice myself. Now I feel like repeating Psalm 116, verse 7 again and again:

• Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. (New Living Translation)
• Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. (New International Version)
• Be confident, my heart, because the Lord has been good to me. (Good News Translation)
• Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has dealt generously with you. (New American Standard Version)
• I said to myself, "Relax, because the Lord takes care of you." (New Century Version)
• Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. (New Revised Standard Version)
• Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. (New King James Version)
• 我的心哪，你要仍歸安樂，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。 (Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation)
• 我的心哪！你要復歸安寧，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。 (Revised Chinese Union Version)

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相關文章：

1)  Psalm 126, Verses 4-7, and a Personal Note     (2018)

2)  詩篇 139 -- God's Complete Knowledge and Care     (2019)

3)  Lights on the New Trail (新路之燈)     (2020)

4)  Signing a Contract     (2024)

5)  St. James' Garden     (2025)

Peace Square: Where the Sea Remembers

#2026-0420

和平廣場 ● 海之記憶

（地點：花蓮市海濱街曙光橋頭旁）

💙 Peace Square: Where the Sea Remembers 💜

In Hualien City, if one wishes to see the sea, many would think first of Qixingtan Beach, or the familiar stretches of Nanbin and Beibin Parks. Yet not far from the city center, beside a quiet bridge, there is another place—less spoken of, but gently waiting: Peace Square.

Set beside Shuguang Bridge (曙光橋), Peace Square (和平廣場) was completed in 2013. Its opening ceremony was held on February 28 Incident Memorial Day, a date chosen with care. The name “Peace” was not given lightly. It carries with it a memory—quiet, but enduring.

In 1947, the February 28 Incident swept across Taiwan, leaving sorrow in its wake. Hualien, distant as it may seem, was not untouched. More than two hundred people here in Hualien County became victims. Among them, the story of Dr. Chang Chi-lang (張七郎醫師) and his two sons remains one of the most remembered.

For many years, a simple memorial stood in Beibin, but to some families, it felt insufficient—as if memory itself had been reduced to a formality. In time, this space beside the bridge was reshaped into Peace Square. Here, a monument in the form of an open page was placed, as though history itself had paused—waiting to be read, and perhaps understood.

Near it hangs a bell.

When the wind stirs and the bell is struck, its sound travels outward, dissolving into the sea air. Each note feels less like a signal, and more like a quiet offering—a remembrance carried gently forward by those who came after.

And yet, life continues around it.

Benches line the square. The bridge and surrounding walls have been repainted, adding colors that soften the edge of the ocean’s blue. Visitors come, sit, and look out toward the horizon. Children may pass through without knowing the weight beneath their feet. The place feels, at first glance, like a simple seaside park.

But Peace Square is not only a place to rest.

Beneath its calm surface lies a story that asks not to be forgotten. It does not speak loudly. Instead, it lingers—like the fading light at dusk, or the quiet flow of a creek—inviting those who pause long enough to listen.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  Waves, Reunion, and Love     (2025)

2)  Where to Go for the Celebration?     (2023)

3)  Easter Celebration at Nanbin Park     (2025)

4)  七星潭 ~ A Short Stay, But Much Fun!     (2026)

5)  走到 "北濱公園" ~ Look! The Pacific Ocean...     (2024)

Riding the Rising Tide

#2026-0416

Look! It’s a great time for surfing today.

Jean and I walked to the estuary of Meilun Creek, where we could see the well-known red lighthouse at Hualien Harbor. To our surprise, far more people were surfing on the roaring waves this afternoon than usual.

“According to the lunar calendar, tomorrow will be the first day of the third month,” said Jean.

“No wonder the tide is so high right now,” I replied.

I took out my cellphone and started recording the surfing scenes—something we rarely get to witness with our own eyes. Click the video below if you’d like to take a look.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  走到了 "美崙溪出海口"     (2024)

2)  走到 "北濱公園" ~ Look! The Pacific Ocean...     (2024)

3)  Waves, Reunion, and Love     (2025)