text | Pan Yuxin
November 6, 2016 was the 69th birthday of director Yang Dechang.
I took the SLR and Polaroid, and brought in a friend, and began to visit the places where Director Yang, whom I know and "can do my best" in Taipei, have filmed, created and lived.
The weather in Taipei these days is very good. It is a unique transparency in Taipei. It is hot and it is a long time to be exposed to the sun. I walked a lot of places in one day, Ximending , Da'an, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, passed "Guling Street", "Mahjong" and "Yiyi", but I still have a lot of homework that I have done but I don't have time to go.
"Guling Street Youth Murder Incident"
Taipei is very big. You seem subtly familiar to every street but difficult to confirm. Taipei is also very small. When you take the MRT back and forth, you feel compact and quick. There are many scenery or souvenirs in a place, and the footprints of Director Yang are spread from Songshan to Ximen.
This is Director Yang’s Taipei, which is clear, orderly, persistent, profound, elusive, and entangled in mist. After six hours of roaming, you can see what four or five movies used to look like. In 2016, many still existed and remained completely unchanged, and of course many of them are no longer visible.
I divided this article into two parts. The first article mainly focused on "The murder incident of a boy in Guling Street" and "Mahjong", and the next article is "Yiyi" and Yang Dechang's former residence. I will also introduce my route. If you are a movie fan, you also want to visit, or if you are an ordinary tourist, you can use it as a reference guide. In addition, we will also attach some information I have known that I have not yet visited for your reference.
"Yiyi"
Let me say a few other words first. On November 5, I attended a lecture on "Reading Yang Dechang" in a series of lectures on director Yang Dechang at the Husi Bookstore Mansion Store. The speakers were Director Yang's "Soldiers" Director Honghong and Director Chen Yiwen. I shared a lot of interesting stories about Director Yang. If you have the opportunity, I would like to organize and share them with you. There is one paragraph that I want to write down here.
Director Chen Yiwen said that when he was shooting Guling Street, there was a picture of shaking wearing a black top hat facing the camera. At that time, Zhang Zhen was growing taller when he was shooting Guling Street. During the shooting, he grew taller than ten centimeters. Everyone looked at Zhang Zhen's increasingly taller back and sighed that this back was exactly the same as Director Yang.
Later, director Chen Yiwen went to Los Angeles and saw Director Yang's son. The junior high school was 179 or 180 cm long. The back was really exactly the same as Director Yang. So perhaps in addition to the movies that will not change and the streets of Taipei that will always change, there are many others that will always remain in everyone's hearts, which is the appearance of Director Yang's creation. I can remember the wonderful scenes at this moment, which can be considered a sorting out within my ability.
In the morning, we set off from the MRT Ximen Station and headed to the Ximending Pedestrian Zone that is about to become lively. After passing Baoqing Road to Chongqing South Road, we passed by the spacious but heavily guarded Presidential Palace, and then went forward to Taipei City No. 1 Girls' Middle School.
Beiyi Girl's main entrance facing the Presidential Palace, it is the school where Tingting is studying in "Yiyi". Neighbor Lily's mother met Tingting who was in school at the elevator door and said, "You are studying for Beiyi Girl? It's so difficult to take the exam." Beiyi Girl is still Zhang Aijia's school in "Handle 5 Beach Day ".
Beiyi Girl's school uniform really has a temperament. A dark green top, a black pleated skirt, a girl with uniform short hair wears Beiyi Girl's school uniform, and has a delicate and resolute temperament. Seeing that there are always many tailor shops with customized school uniforms on the street, I really want to buy a Beiyi Girl's school uniform to wear, and in the end I just bought a canvas backpack from Beiyi Girl and Jianguo Middle School. Although
is not related to "Guling Street", it is also closely linked to Director Yang's movie. Maybe next time I come to see it on weekdays, I can meet the girls with black skirts walking out of the school gate. A father and daughter who were riding a bicycle stopped at the door, and the little girl replied to her father, "Then you have to be able to get under the exam!"
walked along Beiyi Nu straight to Nanhai Road and turned westward, which was Taipei City Jianguo High School . Xiao Si’s school in "Guling Street" is also the school where Director Yang graduated.
On the weekend, some people also visited the school, and most of the classrooms were left unattended. The introduction of the tour guide could be heard. There were many people exercising on the playground, and there were also some young students who were playing games in the China Construction Association. Jianzhong is still a majestic appearance.
The outermost red wall building is still like that, with arches and cement steps, Yangguan walking through the arches and the ground, and the light and shadow have also hit the entire team of "Guling Street". Xiao Ming walked from a distance to the aisle where Xiao Si often appears in
. There is a gate leading to the school between the aisles. The little Elvis's mischievous appearance here makes me particularly remember this pattern. Now tourists who visit will sit on both sides and listen to the explanation.
After a walk around, I took a postcard of Director Yang's portrait of the commercial press that was given by a prize by readers at a time, and took a souvenir photo.
In fact, the campus scenes of Guling Street are not only Jianzhong, but also Tamkang Middle School (the opening ceremony was at Tamkang Middle School). Jianguo Middle School is a middle school that is too important in Taiwanese culture. For example, on the night of Bai Xianyong , he ran into another running boy, who was his lifelong best friend Wang Guoxiang. The opposite of
is the Taipei Botanical Garden. The lotus pond in the Taipei Botanical Garden is also one of the scenic spots. This lotus pond reminds me of the lotus pond that is found in many Taiwanese art works. For example, the lotus pond in "The Son of the Wife". Now the lotus pond is withering, and my friend says that you can imagine the intricacies at the bottom of the water.
This is the lotus pond, and the water is below it, really.
walked forward and saw some well-equipped photography enthusiasts with long guns and short cannons, but they didn't know what they were aiming at.
Almost every plant has a famous brand. I have seen many plants with strange names here, including people who practice yoga, children who practice ballet in the interest class next door, and the elderly and children, just like there are real daily small parks near home.
walked back to Nanhai Road after coming out of the Botanical Garden, and walked straight through Chongqing South Road in the direction when it came. The first small street across is Guling Street. This is not the location of the film. The scene in the film was played in Pingtung, but it was just the scene of the Maowu case at that time, but everyone would take photos and check in here, so I can't help but be vulgar.
This card is a pre-ordered Guling Street 4k restoration version of the Guling Street 4k restoration version of the theater. You can add a poster for the package ticket. You can choose the number of sessions at your own choice. After reading it, you can keep it for your own remembrance.
Guling Street is a used book stall street. There are not many bookstores left now. Take a short walk and continue to walk along Nanhai Road to the MRT Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, take the MRT red line, and go to Dongmen Station.
This is our Xinyi store in Ding Tai Fung. As soon as you exit the MRT station Yongkang Street , you can see Taipei 101 in the distance standing closely linked. You can see the red sign of Ding Tai Fung in the distance.
Yongkang Street, at the end of "Mahjong", Lunlun ran out to look around and kiss Matra, right at the door of this Din Tai Fung. It was also an impressive kiss, and the passers-by behind were watching very seriously.
for lunch here. This is a popular restaurant full of Korean, Japanese and Cantonese among tourists, but it is also a chain that Director Yang likes to eat very much. However, this restaurant appeared in "Mahjong", so he still insists on eating here.
According to Chen Junlin in "Goodbye Yang Dechang", Director Yang likes to eat Din Tai Fung very much, especially Xiaolongbao. I personally recommend shrimp meat red oil hand-paste and taro paste Xiaolongbao. Generally, we have to queue up for a long time. Even if the arrival time is less than 12 o'clock, we still have to queue up for two hours. During this waiting time, we plan to continue to walk to the next place, Yang Dechang's former residence near Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station, No. 69, Section 2, Jinan Road.
Get the Ding Tai Fung's number list, then go back to the MRT East Gate Station and take the Zhonghe Xinlu Line to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station. Exit 5 and walk south on the first section of Xinsheng South Road. When you see Jinan Road, turn west and take two steps. On the right is No. 69, Section 2 of Jinan Road.
As we talked for a while, we approached a distance from Section 2 of Jinan Road. After coming to our senses, we had already passed. I kept forgetting to the other side of the road. The photos taken by people always made me look at this road from a perspective across the road, and went backwards along the numbers. I saw the legendary pizza restaurant.
This is a stylish and fashionable pizza restaurant, the kind I might often visit if it is open near my house. During lunch time, people were bustling in and out, and there were no waiters standing at the door. The billboards at the door were also very glamorous, and I felt a little hungry with a long list of pizza and drinks with names.
Many diners come in and out, and there are really middle-aged people wearing home clothes to buy a cup of coffee to carry it away. Do you want to go in? Thinking about it, I still couldn't get in, so I turned to 50 Lan across the street.
I have imagined how I would go when I walked here many times. I had to go in and feel the air in that place or was so shocked that I couldn't speak, but in fact I really thought too much.
A photo of Director Yang is also a postcard sent by Commercial Press. It looks a bit sad.
This is an important base for Taiwan’s new movies. Yang Dechang, Hou Hsiao-hsien , Cai Qin, Zhu Tianwen , Wu Nianzhen... Too many people from new movies are coming in and out here, talking and laughing upstairs and downstairs. This is also the filming place of a part of "Children's Splendor".
Most of the people coming in and out here are happy now. There are too many stories about this house, some are life-oriented, and some are created. In addition to director Yang's films, they often appear in Zhu Tianwen's texts and Wu Nianzhen's texts.
The distance from Renai Road here is about the same as the distance from Ding Tai Fung to Renai Road. Renai Road is the place where Director Yang’s previous studio.
It can be said that the new movie starts here, so let’s take a photo with the " Story of Time " CD I bought on Eslite NT$99.
has been looking for the No. 69 brand. The two of them searched for it for a long time but couldn't see it in the corner. I was so sharp-eyed that I saw a small No. 69 here.
stood and watched for a while, then walked back, unable to let go of Ding Tai Fung who was thinking about. Return to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station and take the MRT back to the East Gate. When I left the MRT station, I ran to see how many numbers there were, just the first number in my hand. It’s really lucky. I can’t stop my luck from eating Din Tai Fung. I share this little luck. After eating Din Tai Fung, it will be the filming location of "Yiyi".
Take the red line from MRT East Gate Station to Da'an Forest Park station. From the exit of Da'an Forest Park at the MRT Station, we will go to Section 2 of Xinsheng South Road. This is the six-minute crying scene of Yang Guimei in "Long Live Love" director Cai Mingliang. I once looked for the uphill with benches in it at 10 o'clock in the evening. Now it has been repaired and the vegetation in the park is also lush, not the one in the movie waiting to plant and grow. This is another director of Taipei. Have a chance to say it.
walks along the second section of Xinsheng South Road, passes through Da'an Forest Park, and passes through the huge pedestrian overpass on Heping East Road. In "Yiyi", Yangyang sneaked to the photo studio to buy film and take out the washed photos during lunch break, and passed through this overpass. From Long'an Junior High School to Normal University, you can really walk here.
There is a bar on Heping East Road called the playground, which was once called the "Postmodern Cemetery". Yang Dechang and some literary and artistic elements often went in and out. Later, one day, my friend and I went there after watching the restoration of "The Guling Street Boy Murder Incident" re-released on the big screen. Friends who like bars can also go and have a drink at night.
and then move forward is Section 3 of Xinsheng South Road. Walking straight to No. 33, on the left hand side is Longan Guomin Primary School, which she studied in "Yiyi".
Yangyang's small figure was carrying a big schoolbag and nimble in school. She could still see the marked swimming pool on Google maps. I didn't go in, but I recalled the firm look of Yangyang diving into the swimming pool.
I like the scene where the teacher in the science classroom was explaining the rain when Yangyang turned around and saw his little wife walking into the classroom and her skirt was lifted. Behind Yangyang was the flash, lightning, and the birth of all life within reach of nature. It feels like it is a scattering face. The front of
is the Xinhai Road Elevated Road in front of it.Go to the elevated road of Xinhai Road and turn right, walk straight through Xinmin Primary School, Taishun Street, and under the elevated road in front of you is the scene of several scenes of Tingting and Lily, Lily and Fatty, Tingting and Fatty who appeared several times in "Yiyi".
Tingting saw Lily and Fatty here for the first time, Lily and Fatty quarrel here, and Fatty said to Tingting, "This is for you." After the date, the fat man kissed Tingting, all of them were below.
The scenery looking to the other side.
Turning around I found that from here, I could really be seen in the room of the Roman Rolland Art Plaza building where the nj home is located.
The white and blue glass in the distance is NJ's home in "Yiyi", Roman Rolland Art Plaza Building.
The bridge hole, this picture, Tingting said to the fat man, can you please not do this? Outsiders really envy you. Later they dated together.
Here, as in the movie, the white spray painting on the left column, the red brick on the right, the stone in the distance, the ramp that converges in the distance, and the grooves in the column are really exactly the same as more than ten years ago. I won’t let go of the comparison picture. If you don’t believe it, you can see it yourself.
walks to No. 89, Xinhai Road, which is downstairs of NJ's house. Everything has not changed.
This is the place where the fat man sent a letter to Tingting, and it is also the scene of the murder of a young man surnamed Pang. It turns out that everyone doesn’t know why the fat man was called Fat Man even though he was not fat, because his surname was Pang.
This is still a fully secure building filled with surveillance cameras. I didn't dare to stay for too long, for fear of being driven away by the security personnel. Ceramic tiles, iron doors, and benches were all at that time. It’s about sixteen years, but in some places, 16 years is enough to demolish and rebuild the place three times.
There is a family with many flowers and plants on the balcony, like NJ's home.
This is Xinhai Road. There are often people who take pictures from home. It is dangerous to stand on the road to take pictures.
I think what is very good is that Director Yang’s films are really real in the environment and shooting real scenes seriously, so these places are so accurate that you won’t dance or question them, because this is how real life is. The more realistic you are, the more shocked you are by that reality and the director's choice.
Then follow Xinhai Road and go west, and when you reach the Taiwan Power Building Station, you can take the green line to return to Ximen Station. By the way, it is said that the movie street in Ximending is the outdoor scene where Fatty and Tingting dated and watched the movie. Before leaving, I wanted to hug the big silver pillar at the door. What's the use of hugging it? But we still hugged it hard. When we walked forward, we saw a security guard coming out to observe the pillar. We might not know why this weird guy was doing something dangerous. We hurriedly looked ahead and pretended that nothing had happened.
"If you run at this time, you will definitely be chased by the security guard?" "Well, definitely."
is over. But in fact, there are still many places that are not covered during this trip.
Taipei, in "Yiyi", the cinema where Lily and Tingting watch movies is Xinyi Weixiu Cinema. Tingting and Fatty drink drinks after watching the movies is N.Y. Bagels Cafe at No. 147, Section 4, Renai Road, which Director Yang also likes to go. "Independence Age" is also a work by Director Yang that I like very much. The scenes include the TGI Fridays Dunhua Store at No. 150 Dunhua North Road, which is a restaurant where Qiqi and Molly have a dinner together.
and Zhongshantang, an important location in "Guling Street", will have the opportunity to see something inside. Yuanshan Hotel, "Yiyi" and Ang Lee movies have appeared.
Jiufen's Prince Hotel is the filming place of Xiaoma's home in "Guling Street". The Jingua Shi Si Liandong is Xiaosi's home. In the lecture, Chen Yiwen and Honghong said that it was a Japanese-style building with few red brick walls that had never been able to find. Later, when filming in Pingtung, he suddenly found it. Therefore, the 4 Jingua Shi 4 Liandong was not or was not the filming place of Xiaosi's home at that time. I've been there twice, maybe because of a few complete revisions, I can't see any of the looks in the video, and the layout is also different.
The ice shop next to Pingtung Sugar Factory is the ice shop in the "Little Park".There are some filming locations for grassland and outdoor scenes in Donghai University. The Japanese part of "Yiyi" was filmed in Atami, Japan. There are many more and many filming places, and perhaps more will be known in the future.
For movie fans, visiting the filming location is quite special. Standing on the scene to see the same scene as the picture is a kind of almost pilgrimage connection. It is a way for directors and audiences outside the movie to connect visually, and they also do not accept interaction. Again, that's all.
Life in Taipei is wonderful, inclusive and rich. As a movie fan, I am Taipei from "Yiyi", Taipei from "Blue Gate", and Taipei from "Long Live Love"... After watching this time, I think I may no longer be particularly addicted to Director Yang's affairs in the real world. I can focus on movies or other directors.
Whenever I hear some people in the past talking about Director Yang’s temper, strange personality, and unique habits, I will laugh with it. After reading books, listening to lectures, and watching many scenes, Director Yang becomes really three-dimensional. This is the first time that a director has reached such a level, and maybe there will be any more in the future, or maybe not. It doesn't matter. Facing every moment that should be taken out, I think it is even more important.
Director Chen Yiwen said at the lecture that Director Yang told him that doing the best you can is the coolest one. In director Yang Dechang himself and his works, I always gain a lot of beauty, a lot of comfort, inspiration, constant positive thinking, and of course professional learning. This is what film practitioners hope for.
I hope you will feel that you have some new feelings and experiences after reading this record. I also use this to commemorate Director Yang Dechang, and I wish you a good paradise.
