Taipei - 2015 march weibo

From Laos to Taipei

Mar 10 22:12  Rainy Taipei, super cold. Hide away in gym; smart move!






Eta: Coincidentally or not, Stephen Chan (陳志雲) was also in Taipei at the same time (FB) as Steven himself. These two have become really tight friends. Incidentally, Stephen was also involved in Steven's 2 Cherish albums. Wonder if they met up in Taipei to enjoy the food scene together.

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ETA: 3/22/2015 Chance meeting of Steven at Taipei Tao Yuan Airport. Pls do not repost the edited pix below online. credit original pix to SM fans forum fb

Steven's love for Taipei

Steven sure loves Taiwan, specifically Taipei.  He was spotted today in Taipei by a HK tourist.  Usually when he disappears from weibo, the odds is that he may be vacationing in Taipei. lol! Like for the past few days. Enjoy your trip, Steven!

So happy! Vacationing with friend and unexpectedly met Steven Ma  Only I got to snap some photos [with him].   One of my favorite photos   (TN: view pix on weibo) [..] He was all by himself... We were very lowkey taking the photos   [He] told me to keep it quiet.  

 Steven's Taiwan trips tag

weibo - farewell to Taiwan friends

 [四哥感言] 之「緣」

緣去情相連

恩在義長存

始滅總有因

默予天打算

合久未必分

要分也隨緣

今朝惜一别

情義心中誌

天南地北遠

誰道不復見

願親多保重

靜待再聚時

3/28 14:38  
4th Brother's  Reflection on Fate (yuan)

Fate departs, feelings still interlinked

Goodwill remains, brotherhood long lasting

The beginning of the end always has a reason

Submit silently to heaven's plan

Together for long does not always ends in parting

If have to part so be it if so fated.

Today, reluctantly have to part

 Loyal comradeship imprinted in the heart

The four cardinal corners are far apart

But who can say we'll not meet again

Wishing kin and kith all the best

Serenely waiting for the next reunion

One pen ma - Taiwan trip

weibo - Taiwan trip

weibo - walking the streets of Taiwan

opm - Taiwan trip

Clear Newspaper
3/29/2012
One Pen Ma
Steven Ma

Taiwan Trip

Just went to Taiwan for 5 days, the primary reason was to visit an elder whom I have known for almost twenty years, and who has always looked upon me as her real nephew. She still looks as sprightly as ever, her face, radiant, so totally unlike a 70-year old chronic patient who has been through several surgeries.

This elder whom I love and respect, and who has surmounted one hurdle after another - when we met I had this urge to cry right there and then.  Of course, I controlled myself but seeing her continue to stay healthy and happy, I am truly very moved, even more so, very gratified.

Another motive for for my trip is for a get- together with two actors, Huang Jian Qun (黃建群), and Wu Yue, whom I got to know when shooting LOTYEF.  Huang Jian Qun is a Taiwan actor. Wu Yue wen to Taiwan for the first time because of his participation in a stage play over there. (tn:Monkey King play)  I recall at Hengdian we had already agreed that when I go to Taiwan, Jian Qun and I would visit the Monkey King stage rehearsal, after which we would go out for dinner and drinks.

Brother, that was my promise to you and I kept it! But still need to pay some compliments: Your ability at stage play is truly not bad at all! Just the rehearsal itself was already quite exciting, I believe your play 孫飛虎搶親 will sell out. Add oil!

related weibo

weibo2012 3/25 - taipei trip - get -together

3/25 20:34  On this Taipei visit, happy to get together with my two brothers from the "Legend of the Yuan Dynasty Founder" , but happier still was seeing an old friend of two decades, an elder who has always treated me like her real nephew, though in her 70s she is still in good health -  this, not only moved me, even more so, made me feel blessed.  

是次到台北 除了開心能與兩位建元風雲的兄弟重聚 更是 一位與我認識快二十年 一直視我如親子侄 也年過七十的長輩 她的身體終見無恙 這 教我感動之餘 更覺感恩

related one pen ma

Weibo: 3/24 Walking the streets of Taipei, once again

3/24 22:55  Today in Taipei, step by step I walked and walked, looking  for that feeling I once had many years ago.  The  180 days or more of that period, the people of that period, the happenings of that period, you all are now scattered. The places I once went I revisited them all today, because of this sentiment. Maybe I'm not as passionate in love as I thought, but my sentimentality  over friendship was greater than I thought, friends ya, companions ya, all, self-evident with spoken.

今天 在台北 一步一步 走著走著 在找 一份多年前的感覺 曾經 曾經的一百八十多天 曾經的那些人 曾經的那些事 你們 今天都各散東西 我 曾經到過的 今天都去了 為的 是一份懷念 也許 我沒想像中多情 但 我比想像中重情 友啊 伴啊 一切 不言而諭

TN: I hope this entry does not mean Steven was not able to reconcile with Vivian. 

news 2011/6/14 Steven Ma as Spiderman in Scaling Rocks.

2011/6/14 on.cc  Steven Ma visits Taiwan, imitates Spiderman scales rock.

click to enlarge pix.

REVISED article with added info from other news reports.

TVB's Book of Words and Apprentice Chef, tv programs both hosted by Steven Ma, have been very well received by the tv viewers.  Book of Words let the viewers see Steven Ma's extraordinary literacy ability, while Apprentice Chef incurred a group of sina's (housewives) excessive admiration for his cooking skill.  Apprentice Chef's last Saturday's broadcast garnered an average rating of 22 points, up by 5 points from the week before, making Steven very happy. 

Toward the end of July after wrapping up Apprentice Chef, Steven will return to tvb city to shoot Producer Miu Siu Ching's new series with Linda Chung, his co-star for the fifth time.  He will portray a masterful badminton player enthusiast. Though he is very busy Steven still managed to take time off to visit his friends in Taiwan.  Steven says: "This is my 5th time collaborating with Linda.  Siu Ching jie will tailor made the role  for me, a persona with lots of character who is also an avid badminton player. Wah! very happy!  And thank you to Siu Ching jie. " 

Steven also says:  Even though very busy, but I understand the importance of taking a break from the frenzy, so in early June I went over to Taiwan for a few days, resting at the same time visiting friends." 

Steven says:  "I love Taiwan, whenever I had free time I would go there. Besides Taipei, this time also visited Keelung and Hoping. They are beautiful tourist resorts.  Big pieces of of granite boulders encompassed by blue sky and white clouds.  That's where I did the rock climbing and snapped lots of photos.  So unbelievably happy!" 

He even imitated spiderman scaling the rocks every which way, enjoying himself to the fullest.

Steven says: "Lately I fell in love with sports, playing badminton as well as biking and becoming quite agile in the process.  Rock climbing was only for fun, not arduous at all. " 

Steven says candidly that over the years his attitude has slowly changed so he now chooses to see the positive side of things, consequently his mood has become more relaxed.

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TN: Glad Steven set aside some quality time for himself away from work and from weibo.  His absence from weibo was definitely felt by his regulars.  For those who don't know, Steven's girlfriend, Vivien, is from Taiwan so he most probably spent time with her and her family in Taiwan.

weibo 6/13 counting blessings, giving thanks.

6/13 17:43  Lately truly has been very happy!  Incredibly relaxed! Incredibly comfortable!  As previously stated, learn how to let go only then can receive more!  Thank you to all friends for giving me the opportunity, thank you to those of you who quietly support me.  Thank you, and even more, grateful!

related picture  
 Turn out this photo was taken when Steven went rock climbing in Taiwan when he was on a break from work. 


最近真的很愉快！無比的輕鬆、無比的舒暢！如之前所言，學會放下，才能得到更多！感激所有給予我機會的朋友、感謝所有默默支持我的你們。感謝、更感恩！

weibo 2011 June7 Taipei streets

2011-6-7 20:05

一個人走在傍晚，八點的台北city......
Walking alone at 8 pm at night in Taipei city.. 

Mixed Seafood Noodle Soup

什錦海鮮麵

2009-07-25 17:03

Just came back from Taiwan.
Stayed there for 3 days 2 nights – not on business, just visiting family and relatives. I’ve been to Taiwan many times so I've a fondness for her. I am also very familiar with Taipei since I actually lived here before.

If looking for a place to eat in Taiwan, friends will sure to think of the night market first. Yes, it’s irrefutable that Taiwan’s night markets are bustling; they have all kinds of food: fried clams, pig’s blood cakes, buns, fried chicken etc; all kinds of varieties.  Honestly, friends who suffer from a 'choice' disorder should avoid the night markets in Taiwan.

In Taipei itself, the most popular night market is 士林夜市 followed by 通化街夜市. I recall when I lived in Taiwan for half year, almost every night I would eat in these two night markets. When time permit, friends would drive me to 陽明山 for chicken soup and to soak in the hot springs. Or else, we would go to 貓空山to drink tea or to eat  苦瓜鳳梨雞.  If the weather was cold it gave off a different kind of atmosphere.  Maybe the extraordinary becomes ordinary, but lately during my recent trips to Taiwan, I have lost much desire to visit the night markets. Conversely, I preferred to wander the maze of big and small streets for unknown eateries.

This time, on 忠孝東路四段, the street behind that huge 復興 supermarket building, I found an unremarkable little diner. This diner looked dingy from outside! The lights were dim, the cooking utensils looked old and worn-out.  The menu was casually written with markers on the walls. Also the diner was without customers. As I was debating whether to enter or look for another diner for food, out came a woman of fiftyish beckoning to me: “Come, what do you want to eat?”

She had a warm smile, and a very “mama” kind of tone – that was the first impression this woman gave me. “Well, may I please have a bowl of assorted seafood noodle soup and a pig’s liver soup?” I said. When that woman heard, she laughed and said: “Both are soup, too much. How about either a pig’s liver noodle or a seafood noodle?  It’s better lah!”

One bowl is a soup, another bowl is noodle, should be different.  Just as I was pondering on it, the woman told me: “Our soup base is the same, but per your order, will put in different ingredients, and do not use pig’s liver or seafood to make the soup.”

Good, very honest.  I like! And so I ordered the Assorted Seafood Noodle. Only cost 75NT which is equivalent to HK$18. But the ingredients were not simple!  There were shrimps, cuttlefish, fishballs,  clams, crab meat and Japanese style fish slices and veggie etc.  Also, the soup base was very clear, not salty or greasy.  The noodle strands were made of white rice; it was very delicious and was plentiful; at its price, absolutely worth it!

Before I left, I thanked the woman.  Smiling broadly, she asked me if it was good? I said it was very good.  She said in a pleased tone: “Then come again when you can.”  I also smiled and said: “Sure!”

When dining, beside the good taste of the food, one also ‘eats’ its atmosphere and feel.  In this unremarkable shop, both were good.


source: steven ma yahoo blog 
Translator: tamaya 

--- original entry---

Photos taken in Taiwan last year

去年(2008)到台灣拍的一些照片

Date: 2009-02-03 00:46

My thanks to my married couple friends for their care and arrangement (during his stay in Taiwan)  Thank you!  Playing badminton in a university in Taiwan. Very happy!  *在此特別感謝一對台灣夫妻朋友的安排和照顧，謝謝呵！

↓在台灣陽明山文化大學打羽毛球，超開心！

 ↑↓台灣的九份，很有懷舊和古樸味，讚呀！

Book - Loh Fung

Loh Fung (老馮)
Because of music album promotional work, I once lived in Taiwan. Taiwan’s land is big and its population, huge; and it has a plethora of TV stations, radio stations and print media to boot. From Taipei to Kaoshiung, I worked nonstop in all big and small promotional activities. Thus, the trip turned into a half year stay in Taiwan. During this half year period I made many friends, learned the Taiwanese way of life, and experienced Taiwan’s local customs and practices. And of course, I learned to speak Mandarin.

What is the difference between Taiwan Mandarin and China Mandarin? Not going to go into it. But during that period I learned one particular phrase, a phrase that was often heard within the entertainment circle.

“Give you convenience (方便fang bian), you treat it casually.” (隨便sui bian) (給你方便﹐你當隨便) This phrase is very interesting. Be it uttered in Cantonese or in Mandarin, it is very flavorful. Its flavor stems from its plain and simple words and also, its analogy is regularly seen in everyday living. If requiring me to further elaborate on this phrase, then it is the Cantonese counterpart expression, “Loh Fung” (老馮) ba!

In my everyday life, “Loh Fung” did indeed appear frequently. As an example: I live in a resident complex that has tight security. As such, unregistered vehicles are not permitted entry. Because of my work, I often got picked by different vehicles at the building. The building supervisor knew of this transport arrangement hence grudgingly permitted the vehicles to enter the parking lot. By and by, this admission became a practice.

I recalled once, a new colleague drove his car to pick me up, and it just happened that the building supervisor at duty was a new employee. Both were strangers to each other, and neither had had previous ‘experiences’. The supervisor duly followed the proper procedures, and had my new colleague wait for me outside the building.

When I got downstairs, the supervisor politely reminded me that unregistered vehicles were not allowed entry, only then did I realize yeah that’s right! The previous practice was actually against the building rules. It was actually a convenience given me by other people but I had unduly taken it for granted! Feeling bad, I apologized to the supervisor. When I got into the car I told my colleague to wait for me outside at the building entrance from now on.

Truly, many of those little conveniences (方便) in everyday life are granted us by other people. If these conveniences (方便) are used casually as we please, (隨便) they may cause inconveniences (不方便) to other people. Henceforth, I learn not to casually (隨便) take other people’s conveniences 方便, even more so, not to casually (隨便) turn these favors/conveniences 方便into entitlements. (隨便).

source: 圖文並謬 pp 40-41

真的﹐原來生活上很多小方便﹐都是別人給予的。尚若將這種方便當成隨便﹐就會為人家帶來不方便。之後﹑我學會了不要隨便拿人家的方便﹐更不要把人家給予的方便﹐隨便當作隨便。