The Paper Dome | 充满希望与再生的纸教堂

by Timothy Laird

How did a church made out of paper in Japan end up in the middle of Taiwan?

一座在日本建造的纸教堂为何会飘洋过海来到中台湾？

Paper is useful for many things, but can you imagine building a church with it? _(1)_ example can be found in Nantou County's Puli township. The Paper Dome, a church made out of paper, has been the center of attention _(2)_ since its arrival from Japan. Its main structure is _(3)_ 58 cardboard columns, with each measuring 325 millimeters wide and five meters high. At first, the Paper Dome was built as a replacement for a church that was destroyed in a fire in Kobe's 1995 earthquake. It served as a _(4)_ house of worship and community center for residents in Nagata, Japan. Its construction was intended to unite the _(5)_ of the earthquake and bring them hope in the darkest hours of their lives.

So how did this Paper Dome end up in Nantou? In 2005, the Paper Dome was scheduled to be torn down to _(6)_ a new concrete church. The New Homeland Foundation, a Puli-based non-profit organization, heard the news and thought it would be a shame to let the unique building that was a symbol of hope and rejuvenation be reduced to rubble. They _(7)_ that the church be relocated to Puli, the epicenter of the 921 earthquake in 1999. Now, the Paper Dome helps people in Taiwan find the strength to rebuild their lives, just as it did for the Japanese.

1.    (A) For   (B) What if (C) Such    (D) One such

2.    (A) far   (B) ever    (C) only    (D) after

3.    (A) comprised of  (B) composed with   (C) consisted of    (D) concerned with

4.    (A) tolerant  (B) potential   (C) temporary   (D) superficial

5.    (A) volunteers    (B) survivors   (C) competitors (D) participants

6.    (A) take over (B) lay off (C) give rise to    (D) make room for

7.    (A) described (B) threatened  (C) proposed    (D) expected

   纸是做成许多东西的有用材料，但你能想象用纸建造一座教堂吗？南投县埔里镇里就有这样的例子。自从纸教堂（顾名思义就是用纸做的教堂）从日本抵达后，它便一直是众人注目的焦点。纸教堂的主要结构是由 58 根纸管组合而成，每根纸管宽 325 公厘，长 5公尺。一开始，纸教堂的建立是作为某座教堂的替代处，那座教堂在 1995 年神户大地震中毁于一场火灾。纸教堂当时是作为日本长田区居民的临时礼拜堂及聚会场所。其建造的目的是要让那场地震的生还者团结起来，为他们生命中最黑暗的时刻带来希望。

　　那么这座纸教堂为什么最后会在南投呢？在 2005 年，纸教堂原本预计要被拆除以腾出空间盖新的水泥教堂。然而埔里的非营利事业组织新故乡文教基金会听到这个消息后，觉得让这样一座象征希望及再生的独特建筑沦为瓦砾实在很可惜。因此他们提议把教堂迁到埔里，也就是 1999 年 921 地震的震央所在地。现在，纸教堂帮助台湾人民找到重建生活的力量，就如同它当初带给日本人民的力量一般。

答案：1. (D)2. (B)3. (A)4. (C)5. (B)
6. (D)7. (C)

For Your Information

纸教堂原是由东京的一位建筑师为烧毁的神户鹰取教会所设计。当时开始着手研究纸建筑的他，以成本较低的玻璃纤维浪板构筑成长方形的外墙，内部则用 58 根纸管建构出一个可容纳 80 个座位的椭圆形空间。纸管构成的椭圆形与外墙之间的空间形成一个回廊，屋顶则覆盖以透光的天幕，当光线由屋顶射下，形成一种庄严与神圣的氛围。纸教堂便于拆卸、移动与重建，符合新世纪的环保概念与游牧精神。