The pace of the Taiwanese
When Taiming returns to his homeland of Taiwan, he is “surprised that everyone moved so slowly” because in Japan he noticed that people move much faster. The difference in walking speed symbolizes the different paces at which the two nations are developing.
Shinto altars
During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, many people put Shinto altars in their houses, which represent Japanese culture, which indicates that they have not just accepted the Japanese rule; they are embracing it.
The Irrigation Association
Taiming observes that the “Irrigation Association occupied a majestic two-story building, more splendid than the local district headquarters.” Therefore, it symbolizes the supremacy of the Japanese and the exploitation of the Taiwanese because the “entire facility had undoubtedly been funded with the unjust taxes exacted.”
Taiwanese lotus
When Taiming observes a pruned hedge of Taiwanese lotus, he finds that a “large branch traversed the inside of the hedge, its limbs stretching out in all directions” while the branches that grew upward or toward the sides have been cut off. He realizes that this single branch symbolizes his own growth within the oppressive rule because he exclaims, “Even the Taiwanese lotus has found a way to survive without compromising its own individuality!”
Metals
In a desperate attempt to collect more metals, the Taiwanese people are forced to donate even pieces of art. Taiming considers this transformation from art to ammunition a symbol of war and peace because “the same pieces of metal, shaped by different hands for different purposes, could be incarnated as either works of great beauty or deadly weapons. The painstaking work of the craftsmen would be completely transformed into tools for slaughter.”
