Chapter 18 old woman selling tea

In the Danshui golf course, it was drizzling and there was no wind. The grass that was deliberately trimmed and flat had a hazy beauty in the rain. I sat in the restaurant on the third floor of the stadium and looked around. I was surrounded by a feeling of loneliness. Looking at the gray sky, I deeply felt that a string of the most precious memories of my youth had been wet and blurred in the rain. . That's because just now, in order to avoid the rain, I thought of going to Longshan Temple in Tamsui to drink a pot of old man's tea. I wandered around in the dark market and walked to the gate of Longshan Temple. I was completely shocked by what I saw, because originally In the empty courtyard of the temple, a golden giant Buddha sat in the center, and the roof was covered.The old Longshan Temple was replaced by a piece of gold and red, not like the past.

I asked the peddler in front of the temple: "Isn't Longshan Temple selling tea for the elderly?" The peddler smiled and said, "It's long gone." "Where's the old lady selling tea?" "Because Longshan Temple was going to be rebuilt and there was no place to sell tea, she was driven away." Sitting on the stone steps in front of the temple, I could hardly believe my eyes and ears.Longshan Temple no longer sells old man's tea, which is a big blow to me, because in my memory, Longshan Temple and old man's tea are one, and there is the one-eyed old woman who sells tea.

More than ten years ago, when I first visited Tamsui Longshan Temple, I was fascinated by this temple, not because of its old buildings, nor because of its strong incense, but because there were a few simple tables and chairs scattered inside. , selling cheap oolong tea with a slightly bitter taste, and some small snacks that go with the tea. The old lady has only one eye. She made the tea silently, walked slowly inside, and sat silently. with. The best thing about Longshan Temple is that it has a bit of leisure time. It is a great enjoyment in life to find three or five friends to drink tea in the temple.Sitting for an afternoon can really make people fade away from the mundane worries and no longer remember the pain in the world.

The best thing is the rainy evening, alone in Longshan Temple, ask for a pot of oolong tea, a plate of melon seeds, a small plate of mung bean cake, one foot on the bench, watching the rain fall from the sky, gently falling on the courtyard bluestone floors.Weeds grow scatteredly on the surrounding roofs, which are extraordinarily green under the washing of the rain, forming an interesting correspondence with the dark roof tiles.What's even better is that at the last moment of dusk, the rain suddenly stopped, and a sunset slanted in, golden, transparent and luminous. I have encountered such situations many times, and my mind is completely clear.

I like Tamsui, and I have been there countless times over the past ten years, not just because Tamsui has a complicated history, there are Hongmao Town and Oxford Academy, and there are beautiful sunsets. Although those are beautiful, they are not life.What I love is the ferry boat from Pupu to Bali on the other side, the stalls selling delicious fish balls on the street, the occasional crab sellers at the ferry, and the nice little pottery that can be bought in the store. Bowls; the most important thing is that there is Longshan Temple in Danshui, where there is a one-eyed old woman who sells the famous and unparalleled old man's tea.

Every time I go to Tamsui, I spend most of my time at the old man's tea table in Longshan Temple.Choose a quiet afternoon, bring a small book, take the small train on the Beidan Line, slowly shake to Danshui, read the book for an afternoon, and then take the evening train back to Taipei. This is my favorite thing in my student days. It was a golden youth, the color and taste were like the second oolong tea, it was clear, and it tasted sweet in the mouth. I haven’t talked to the old woman who sells tea, but she is like my old friend for many years, and I often think of her in silence. It’s a pity that I can’t meet her again in the future. Her life experience will always be a mystery to me.

Seeing the reconstruction of Longshan Temple and the expulsion of the old woman and her tea stall, my heart aches beyond the comprehension of the giant golden Buddha.In the drizzle, I walked aimlessly on the street alone, recalling the karma between Longshan Temple and me when I was young, and some old friends who drank tea and discussed art with me at the tea table, and I was in the same mood as the rain confused.Without knowing it, I walked to the fresh water golf course, ordered a cup of coffee in the restaurant, but couldn't drink it.This is a place for the rich. Middle-aged men in high-end and expensive sportswear are resting after playing golf in the rain. They are talking about the probability of a person scoring a hole in his life.

A fat man said: "I have played golf for more than ten years, but I have never made a hole in one." I thought, how likely is it that a person can find a place to cleanse his soul in his life, like the teahouse for the elderly in Longshan Temple?Even if I can find the same place, I'm getting older and my mood is different.With a book of poetry in my trouser pocket, I am afraid that I will not be in the mood to buy a ticket and jump on the train. The reconstruction of Longshan Temple is unfortunate for me. It is a symbol of a golden sun falling into the sea. The beauty of the image is still as clear as yesterday, but the sun has set and the sky has darkened.

—February 9, 1983