"At that time, I felt very calm, as if I were very close to the river. The elementary school I attended was located next to the Touqian River, and we were usually not allowed to go close to the riverbank. However, when I stepped into the stream, the water was gentle and clear, and it wasn't as frightening as I had imagined," said Chen Yi-an, a freshman at Tsinghua University, sharing his thoughts after participating in the university's general education course that involved crossing the Touqian River.
On September 20, a sunny weekend, over 20 faculty and students from Tsinghua University gathered near the old harbor island at the river mouth of the Touqian River. This was part of the carefully designed course "Sustainable Environmental Governance Design Thinking."
Under the leadership of three professors—Zhou Xiu-zhuan, Chen Jun-ming, and Guo Meng-lun—the group sacrificed their weekend leisure time and arrived early at the "water end" of the Touqian River, including the Nanliao Fishing Port and the old harbor island, to experience the impact of the river on local industries and its significance to the people of Hsinchu.
Tsinghua University's Dean of Student Affairs, Zhan Hong-lin, also attended the unveiling ceremony of the "Tsinghua Sustainable Platform: Touqian River Basin Living Circle," held at the island harbor's Fongchao Work Station. This marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Tsinghua University's "Clear Water, Beautiful Wood" initiative and the local team "Island Harbor Fongchao," aimed at promoting watershed sustainability.
Starting in October, Professor Zhan will take on the role of Secretary-General at Tsinghua University, overseeing environmental sustainability courses and related research projects, highlighting Tsinghua's emphasis on watershed sustainability.
While crossing the Touqian River might seem romantic, it actually hides risks. Near the river's mouth, the riverbed is covered with wild stone oysters that have sharp edges, and the muddy high ground often causes crossers to lose their balance. If a crossers falls and tries to brace themselves with their bare hands, they may end up with long cuts from the sharp oysters, so comprehensive safety measures are essential.
Under the guidance of Wang Zhi-ren, the project manager of the Island Harbor Fongchao initiative from the Zhuqian Community University, and soundscape artist Lin Yan-ling, participants were required to wear thick canvas gloves, above-ankle non-slip wading shoes, and bright orange life jackets before entering the water. During the crossing, the lead team also had first aid kits on hand for any potential injuries.
The group set off from the old harbor island to the high ground on the right bank of the Touqian River's river mouth. As the students stepped onto the wet, soft high ground, thousands of fiddler crabs immediately shyly retreated into their sand burrows. Although these crabs were only the size of an adult's finger, their burrows could extend 50 cm to 2 meters deep, making the small fiddler crabs seem like expert miners.
Mudskippers and sandworms stayed hidden in their burrows, constantly spraying water from them as a defense mechanism when scared. Some students were surprised as they got splashed by the water spouts.
Stepping into the Touqian River, the original wetland turned into muddy ground, making each step a struggle as if their legs were filled with lead. Wang Zhi-ren advised everyone not to struggle in the same spot; as long as they kept moving forward, they could escape their plight and avoid sinking deeper. His words resonated with profound life philosophy.
During the crossing, occasionally one or two mudskippers would unexpectedly leap out of the water, showcasing their amphibious abilities, causing the witnessing students to be surprised and exclaim.
When the group reached the center of the river, Wang Zhi-ren asked the students to pause, close their eyes, and silently reflect for three minutes, tapping into senses beyond sight—hearing, smelling, touching, tasting—to deeply appreciate the feelings that the Touqian River evoked in them. At this time, the water only reached their thighs, flowing gently and having a comfortable temperature, creating a sensation akin to returning to the womb.
As the group moved forward again, they arrived at a sandbank in the river's center where the Island Harbor Fongchao team compared satellite photos of the Touqian River's mouth from 2002 and 2024. The 2002 photo showed a small island not far from the old harbor island, which was later removed by the government to fill the left bank of the Touqian River, allowing the Route 68 expressway to extend to the Zhu-Kang Bridge. Nowadays, only during low tide do the remnants of that small island reappear as a sandbank.
Wang Zhi-ren noted that the landscape at the river mouth is constantly changing; each moment is unique and may change at any time. He hopes everyone will remember everything in front of them.
As the group progressed, students chatted with an elderly woman collecting oysters in the wading area. The woman skillfully picked up the wild stone oysters nearby, pried open their strong shells, and deftly placed the fresh oysters into her basket to take home for cooking or selling at the market.
They also passed by several "small streams" flowing into the Touqian River, which were household wastewater being discharged indiscriminately from nearby residences. This indicated that the Touqian River nourished all things while also bearing the waste and pollution created by humans. Beneath the river's beautiful surface, there remained a darker side.
"I picked up an oyster while crossing the river; after examining it, I put it back in the water. Maybe a month later, no one will be harvesting oysters here. The river makes one contemplate the changes over time; we are all just passersby," said Lin Yu-sheng, a freshman from the chemistry department, sharing his thoughts that emerged during the silent reflection in the center of the Touqian River.
First-year student Jiang Fang-xuan from the Department of Education and Learning Technology expressed that, unlike merely attending lectures on rivers, crossing the river allowed for physical contact and to experience the river's power. If given the chance, she would like to cross again.
"When I tried to lift one foot, I could feel it being carried forward by the river; it felt wonderful," said Lai Shu-qing, a classmate of Jiang who also participated in the crossing. An enthusiast for water activities, this was her first time crossing a river. Her home in Changhua was very close to the Zhuoshui River, but she had been advised since childhood to stay away from the riverbank, and crossing the wide Zhuoshui River was unlikely. When she closed her eyes and fell silent in the center of the Touqian River, she sensed the river's seemingly calm yet subtly strong power.
Professor Zhou Xiu-zhuan, who is also the director of the Environmental Analysis and Science Research Institute at Tsinghua University, along with Assistant Researcher Chen Jun-ming from Tsinghua's Office of Sustainable and Resilient Development, are the key figures behind the design of this "Sustainable Environmental Governance Design Thinking" course. It is a semester-long, three-credit general education course that not only arranges for students to cross the Touqian River to personally experience the river's ecology but also includes visits to the wastewater treatment plant in the Hsinchu Science Park, inviting scholars and experts to discuss local needs, pose questions, and encourage students to brainstorm solutions.
Another highlight of the course is inviting Professor Guo Meng-lun, who specializes in big data analysis, to conduct an environmental awareness survey for the participating students. Through pre-and post-course surveys, trends in their responses are analyzed, showcasing the students' learning outcomes and helping them see their connection with the environment.
Professor Guo mentioned that some students, after completing a semester of classes, realize their growing unity with the environment, moving away from thinking solely about personal convenience and interests, achieving what is called the state of "unity of heaven and man."
"We take everyone into the center of the river to experience the various pressures the stream bears. Besides ecological tours, we spend ample time allowing participants to interact with and feel the environment, including tidal flats, sediment accumulation, and urban wastewater discharge," Wang Zhi-ren stated. "This isn't just a casual outing; it's a genuine immersion into the stream, providing a spiritual cleansing that lets one experience the atmosphere and pressures of the river."