Ma’s good-luck message is ‘rather ironic’: farmer

By Chiu Ming-yu and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

An eco-globe signed by former president Lee Teng-hui, left, sits next to an eco-globe signed by President Ma Ying-jeou four years ago in this photo taken on Friday.

Photo: Chiang Chih-hsiung, Taipei Times

What was supposed to be a well-wishing note by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) signed on an eco-globe has been labeled by some as rather ironic considering his recent low public support ratings.

During a visit to Yilan County’s recreational farm by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) on Friday, attending media noticed that one of the farm’s specialty products, the eco-globe, had been signed by Ma in January 2009, with the words zi qiu duo fu (自求多福), which means “take care of yourself, good luck.”

According to the farm’s owner, Hsu Chih-hsiung (徐志雄), the eco-globe was invented and developed by his farm.

Hsu said the globe’s best feature is that it provides a self-sustaining environment in which shrimp or other aquatic life forms can survive.

“I’m sure the president [Ma] meant well in what he wrote [to echo the characteristics of the eco-globe],” Hsu said.

However, he added that some of his staff had told him not to exhibit the eco-globe that bore the “odd phrasing” Ma had written for fear of inhibiting sales at the farm.

Hsu said he insisted on displaying it in the farm, adding that what tourists make of the words written on the globes is their business.

However, he added that the message written by Ma was “quite ironic” considering his low public support ratings, which recently hit a new low of 9.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Lee was also asked to sign and write blessing on an eco-globe during his visit to the farm on Friday.

The former president wrote guo tai min an (國泰民安), an expression often used to wish for the continued wellbeing of the nation and its people.

Hsu said it was an honor to have his products signed by both the current president and a former president, adding that he would place both on exhibition at his farm.

2013-10-26╱自由時報╱第A14P版╱宜花焦點╱江志雄
	四年前參觀農場 馬贈詞：自求多福

　李登輝寫國泰平安

　　〔記者江志雄／宜蘭報導〕前總統李登輝昨天在宜蘭縣勝洋休閒農場「生態球」寫下「國泰平安」，相較於四年前總統馬英九的「自求多福」題詞，兩者意涵大相逕庭；農場主人徐志雄說，經濟不景氣，各行各業苦哈哈，大家真的要自求多福。

　　徐志雄得過十大神農獎，他研發的「生態球」，用透明玻璃做成密閉式生態系統，內有水、水草、活蝦，食源自給自足；李登輝在勝洋休閒農場與農民座談會後，應邀在球上簽名題詞，祈求國運昌隆、人民平安。

　　其實早在民國九十八年元月，馬英九便在「生態球」題過詞，卻寫「自求多福」，有些人質疑哪有送這樣的題詞，徐志雄說，馬見到密閉式玻璃球內的蝦子沒有外援，必須自求生存，因此有感而發。

　　馬英九「自求多福」題詞，對照社會現況，徐志雄坦言有些諷刺，他說，國內百業蕭條，政府被批無作為，不論是小老百姓或民間企業，自我努力「卡可靠」，他也以馬的題詞作警惕，與其寄望人家幫忙，不如自己拚。

　　兩生態球各自解讀

　　出席座談會的休閒農業業者黃玉明說，從題詞即可看出不同的行事風格，李登輝雖是卸任總統，仍全國走透透心繫人民，希望「國泰民安」，馬英九題詞當下已坐上總統大位，掌握國家大權，寫下「自求多福」似有弦外之音，依照他的解讀，似乎傳達「隨人顧性命」意思，由此看出，兩人想法差很大，民間評價高下立判。

　　徐志雄說，能獲前任及現任總統簽名題詞相當難得，兩個簽名「生態球」都會置於農場展示，至於題詞內容，則交給遊客各自解讀。