Has been in Taiwan as “legislator” celebrity Cao Yuan-zhang has a little-known interest, is to seek the fog arts and crafts with his wife, many vendors don’t know who is the “committee member Cao”, but known his hobby is “frog grandpa” collector, in this regard, Taiwan star “frog prince” Gao Ling-feng also admit he is not as good as Cao Yuan-zhang.
When entered the door, the frog sound sensor made a sound of “Gua Gua Gua” which standing at the door, welcomed the guests with most kindly and natural form. Here is the living place of former legislator Cao Yuan-zhang settled in Xiamen. Here is a collection of thousands of frog arts and crafts from place to place of mainland.
After 2004, has been committed to “three links” on both coasts Cao Yuan-zhang came to the west coast to seek development. He pointed the picture hanging on the wall that above is writing “forget both favour and disgrace, hold the wind cup towards the wind” , said, he wants to find a place to live in seclusion, “I feel that I can’t stay in Taiwan anymore. I’m here, I still want to do something for both shores.”
Mazu people come to mainland to develop, cause the relationship of language habits, the most people will go to Fuzhou, but Cao Yuan-zhang chose in Xiamen, cause Xiamen is clean and elegance, “even though Fuzhou is the provincial capital, but I feel Xiamen is better, Song Chu-yu was astonished when he came to Xiamen with the team at the first time, ‘How does Xiamen so beautiful? better than Taibei city, just rise to choose the mayor of Taibei, for Xiamen, I also really like.” Now, his life in Xiamen is simple and comfortable.
Cao Yuan-zhang graduated from the department of socialist education movement of Taiwan normal university, not only his handwriting is very good, but also his studies of Chinese ancient civilization is profound, he settled in Xiamen, often exchange with calligraphers and painters of mainland, and hold various activities of charity bazaar not at fixed period. At the same time, he “love frog to idol”, become a story on everybody’s lips.
Cause belief in Goddess Matsu, fall in love with frog.
In Cao Yuan-zhang’s living place, look around the living room、balcony、bedroom、schoolroom……whole room, as far as the eye can reach, all various frog sharp collections: roly-poly、vase、saving pot、cloth dolls、teapot、inkpad、seal、chopsticks holder、paperweight、ink box、clock、mirror、ivory、crystal、fishbone、wood、pottery、metal、cloth and so on, various material made hundreds of frog crafts, or charmingly naïve, or smart and lovely, really overwhelmed.
When he took reporter visiting, Cao Yuan-zhang began talk about own collection reason when he showed these complacent collections, cause religion belief transfer to zoolatry, therefore love frog and collect frog.
Matsu islands, is known for Goddess Matsu, 36 reef islands, scattered all over like stars outside of Minjiang river, like a string of beads, in Matsu, the greatest social strength is the custom belief that go deep into the folk thousands of years——the native gods come from the mainland. Matsu custom belief belongs to polytheism, the main sacrifices and accompany sacrifices gods in every temple, plus at the beside of ministry officers、official business、maid of honour、mafoo and so on, in total dozens of gods.
As the native born Matsu people, Cao Yuan-zhang certainly has dense religion belief——Marshal breastplates.
Marshal breastplates’s yidam is a frog——the pronunciation of “frog” is “Marshal breastplates” in north Min localism, according to Cao Yuan-zhang introduce, this god frog called “Marshal breastplates”, by four tongji carried its sedan, used sedan pole writing on table, whatever explain affairs or small talk, all recite poems to answered, even wrote ancient characters those need to look up the dictionary, it’s quite a learning, plus plenty of hard to explain scientific things come to pass, he begin to revere this god frog, then develop to collected frog crafts, also addicted.
Collected thousands of species, and spent money more than 100 thousand.
Cao Yuan-zhang believe in “Marshal breastplates”, and since 2001 begin to collected various frog crafts, when he came to mainland, each place he has arrived, he will go around, each antique city in Xiamen has his figure, especially Wanshou flea market, he regularly go to market on every Friday morning, it is his happy time to look for various frog crafts, in his influence, his wife also become “Love frog funs”, relatives and friends known he love frog to addiction, lay eyes on frog sharp toothbrush and suckers and other gadgets, all brought it and sent to him. After several years, Cao Yuan-zhang collected frog crafts reached thousands of species. The money of he spend on frog collections, it has more than 100 thousand Yuan.
In 2007, “Green frog museum” is the subject of the frog collections was opening in Qibi village Matsu, Cao Yuan-zhang was provided more than 100 frog collections, this is the unique frog crafts museum.
“Temple of the Queen of Heaven in Qinbi village, worship “Marshal breastplates” mainly, so set up frog museum in Qinbi village is very important and meaningful, “ Cao Yuan-zhang introduced, their “Green frog museum” except display various frog crafts and also introduce the literary quotation of god frog,
Now the frog collections in Xiamen, account a “transfer station”, later will move them to “Green frog museum” in Matsu, the frog is a feature of Qinbi village, Cao Yuan-zhang decided enrich the museum slowly, let the visitors worth seeing even more.” Merely, Cao Yuan-zhang recently plan to rent about 500 square meters villa in Gulangyu island with endless visitors, to set up “Green frog museum”, maybe called branch museum, Cao Yuan-zhang expect to achieved self goal.
Cao Yuan-zhang’s frog arts and crafts collections, neither have some crafts just cost several Yuan, also have valuable jade article, ivory and so on, neither have friends known his hoppy sent to him, also have he asked artist made it, but regardless of high price of low price, other sent to you or bought it by himself, each one is his treasure.
Please appreciate Cao Yuan-zhang’s frog reason, jade frog hang over his neck, depends on him weal and woe; two cloth frogs lean close to each other, sitting on the master bedroom in the front of photo frame, the photo group of he and his wife looks like so sweet in the photo frame; ten little frog formed roly-poly, standing on cabinet beside the television set, wag its head, so lovely; potted plants placed around the balcony also have various formal frog, make people feel come to the field. In addition, can sticking tongue out and cry frog toys, touch eyes and rotating wooden frog, dip in basin but wants climb up pottery frog, who doesn’t smile when they see it?
In the process of the collection, Cao Yuan-zhang heard that Taiwan song circles “Prince frog” Gao Ling-feng collected lots of frog collections, he wants to visit very much. Afterward, Gao Ling-feng just have opportunity to his office, found that Cao Yuan-zhang collected frog crafts much better than himself, bluntly rain praises on Cao Yuan-zhang, made Cao Yuan-zhang rather contented.