Ting-yu Liu

As part of this research project, we interviewed the owner of Bagua Salon, Mr. Yu-zheng Su, who introduced us to the culture, charisma, and cuisines of Xiaoxi Street. With regard to the cuisines of Xiaoxi, what intrigued me the most is how Niaochia Noodles (literally meaning “cat and mouse” noodles) derived its name from the Chinese zodiac sign of original owner of the shop, the rat, which not only invokes the image of the small and delicate physique of the owner but also shares its Taiwanese pronunciation with that of the cat, hence the name Niaochia, “cat and mouse.” Something else that I particularly enjoyed is the red dot jellies, which looked like slices of half-transparent banana and was tastily chewy; these are no longer often found nowadays.
Throughout this research project we had to regularly report our progress and feedback on Google Docs, and thus were required to type quickly and precisely. Though the research was hard work, but I believe that our efforts paid off, and that the work was worth the result. Diligence is the only path to success. We encountered various difficulties, but were able overcome them with the help of each other’s support and the teacher’s timely guidance.