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1. Description of Our Community
The local specialty of Hsin-Pu: Trace the origin of the persimmon cake—its manufacturing process, history, and local cultural characteristics. Due to the rich, hilly terrain and the arid river valley found in the Hsin-Pu area, strong winds called Jiu-Chiang Feng blow through between July and December. In earlier times before Hsin-Pu was first settled, persimmon trees covered the land. Every July after a brief maturation period, the persimmon is harvested. And with the aid of sunlight and strong seasonal winds, the result is a chewy and sweet cake, which was made out of previously strong-tasting persimmon. Its production is the largest in Taiwan and, in addition, the persimmon cake has become synonymous with the city of Hsin-Pu.
2. Summary of Our Project
Because of the continued plowing and planting of persimmon trees, compiled with the relatively brief maturation process and harvest time (approximately 2 to 3 months), it is advantageous to preserve and raise the added-value, as well as stockpile surplus. According to Mr. Chang Fa-lai, one of the operators of Hsin Pu쳌fs Han-Keng Li persimmon cake business (his grandfather was born in Hsi-Chow Chuang, Liu-Feng county, Kuandong province, Mainland China) the conception of the product originated with his great, great grandfather. Back then, people found the persimmon to be rather economical and to have an accelerated maturation period. It could also be eaten immediately after being peeled, too. But because of the strong astringent taste, it was not well received and would be discarded somewhere outside the house. After a few days, the skin would begin to turn an orange color, yet it had not began to rot. Following that, it was pressed flat with the hands and then placed out in the sun. Lastly, it was baked dry with ashes and transformed into a radiant black persimmon cake. Over the years, due to advances in technology, the product has evolved into today쳌fs delicious persimmon cake. Persimmon farming came from Mainland China; however, it flourished in Hsin-Pu because of Han-Keng Li쳌fs unique hilly terrain, the arid climate, and a relatively low amount of rain. Furthermore, the northeastern seasonal winds (traditionally called Jiu-chiang feng by the local people) that blow through Hsin Chu area between September and December create the perfect natural environment and weather conditions, which are absolutely necessary for the manufacturing of persimmon cakes. And that is how they are able to make the highly delectable and very sweet Hsin Pu persimmon cake.
3. Our Computer and Internet Access
A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%
B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6
C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection
D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1
E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):
Our school computer room consists of more than 40 sets of personal computers, which are interconnected by Local Area Network. We can access the Internet world through the Internet Service Provider 쳌iISP쳌jby Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 쳌iADSL쳌j. Most of our members use their computer equipments at home or at school. Sometime the speed was very slow. Luckily, the new area of wide-band Internet service is coming soon and it will become the main system of Internet.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
1)Collection of related information regarding the "Persimmons" is very little in books, magazines, libraries, even from the website. But never mind, we spend most of our little free time during winter vacation, after school and holidays watching the process of persimmon cookies making from one factory to another factory. Luckily, we get more assistance from the town headman of Hsin-pu-Mr.Fan Yue-fu and visit many original habitants and they tell us the history of this cultural old town. 2)Tutorship in preparation of web pages was a little difficult for us at first. And we met some problems that couldn쳌ft be solved easily. Thus, we thank our teacher쳌fs supplement, our parents, support and others쳌f. Besides, although computer is very convenient, it쳌fs very troublesome when it쳌fs short. But we still tried our best to do everything.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
During the processes we learned about our local specialty of Hsin Pu very well and create an entire website for our community through the Internet as a platform to share the 쳌glocal life쳌h of Hsin Pu to everyone in the world.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
As Hsin-Chu people— Hsin –Pu is a small town near our city— we need to know our culture. Taking the bus ride and visiting various people, culture and farming plants had given us a deeper understanding of the geography, history, and farming. Recently our government has been promoting local education to let us understand our hometown. Being kids, we want to present the 쳌gkindness쳌h and 쳌ggoodness쳌h of Hsin-Pu, especially the persimmon cake— like 쳌gGolden Jingle Bells쳌h— to the world by Internet.
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1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?
[Telephone] To keep contact with persons for interview and to arrange schedule and place for interview, meeting, as well as for some activities. [TV and radio] Good references in VTR and VCR. [TV camera and digital camera system] To pickup images and graphic information. [Scanner] Computer input of text or graphic information. [Computer] S/W(Word, Flash, PowerPoint, PhotoImpact, Frontpage)Editing the document and graphic information of our web site. [Library] INER쳌fs Library, Hsin-chu District Library etc. [Books, newspapers] Herbal Plant in Taiwan, History of Hsin-Pu, and all kinds of newspapers. [Oral interview] The Town Headman of Hsin-Pu, the factories of persimmon cookies making, the oraigrinal habitants.
2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
It is our pleasure to share the 쳌h local life 쳌g of Hsin-Pu and the 쳌g beauty and delicious taste 쳌g of persimmons, which are just like golden jingle bells to everyone in the world by this website. There are five schoolmates joining in the research work, including interview, record, information collection and the creating of web pages. Every member of us not only becomes the spokesperson of our community but also preserves the beauty of our hometown. Anytime and anywhere, people can access to the Internet to have contact and discussion. Let everyone in the world know this good place that worth to remain for ever and ever..
3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
1)We not only visited habitants and learned ecology of persimmon cookies, but also created better into interaction with country fellows in our community. When we marched from school and joined some of the activities such as the Festival Culture Days about Persimmon Cookies, we feed that every efforts paid are worthy enough when many people from around Taiwan gather here to buy and taste the cookies and even make a trip here for one or two days. 2)In addition to the propaganda of more love and concern with this beautiful rare species, and showing the importance of ecological protection and nature, we also introduce people in acquaintance with Hsin-pu, a place of nice mountain and good water, history excavation, famous tourist point, special products of the place. More understanding and concerns of Hsin-pu town through our web pages will attract more international guests traveling and visiting here.
4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
We have much support and encouragements from Mr. Jung Kuang Tes, the principal of our school, and much guidance and instruction from our teachers Ms. Chang Show-cheng and Mr. Guo Liang-wei. We also respect Mr. Chang Fa-lai, one of the operators of persimmon cake business, gives of Town Headman, Fan Yue-fu, are highly appreciated. We also thank our family who arrange numbers of interview and activities for us. Additionally, Ms.Fu Show-yun and Ms.Chang Ray-yu, the earnest persons, taught us the techniques in creating web pages. So we would enter into field in such a short time. We would like to say sincere thanks to all of all of the above.
5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)
1)The first hand information our team got to from knowing nothing about the Persimmon Cake up to understanding it and intensive to it was a difficult but wonderful experience during the step by step process studies. The knowledge can be acquired neither from classroom nor the textbooks. Through the interviews and visit of the old town, we learned a lot of interesting and treasure things about the local areas. 2)We have learned the lesson and practiced more of our ability to accept or reject those information from collection, interview, and records and how to carryout the subject structure as contents of our web pages, saying, close cooperation and good communications should be an essence of the teamwork. In spite of numbers of problems and difficulties, such as lose of files, virus of computers, and no good correspondence, short of information and pressure of school lessons, we had to meet and to overcome. We have steeled ourselves on how to find the best solution, how carry in the project smoothly, and hoe to transform into the presence of product. Anyway, it쳌fs a wonderful and useful experience for us and gives us many beautiful memories.
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View our CyberFair Project
(Project ID: 2702)
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