Yet Taipei only became an important city because of an important river, the Tanshui. "Now dikes have sealed the river off. Add to this occlusion heavy water pollution, and one no longer has a sense that the river is nourishing the city's body by circulating its blood," says Chiang Hsun with a sigh.
但台北成為一個重要城市，是因為有一條重要的河流﹘﹘淡水河，「現在堤防將河流封死，加上汙染，已經感覺不到它曾經以其血液不斷撫育這個城市… …」蔣勳感嘆。