Three veteran stonemasons, with an average age of 87, on Saturday won this year’s Best Trail Builder/Repairer Award from the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association for their contribution to the nation’s trails using culturally and historically unique skills.
The award was presented to 95-year-old Hsieh Chien-hsiang (謝見祥) from Hsinchu; 87-year-old Kelele, a Rukai resident of Pingtung County’s Labuwan Village; and 78-year-old Hsu Jen-hsiung (許仁雄) from Penghu County.
Hsieh said he learned stonemasonry as a child.
The most difficult part of the job is fixing stone irrigation canals damaged by typhoons so that the water will not leak out, he said.
In the 90 years
Taipei, April 23 (CNA) Three elderly stone masons, with an average age of 87, were jointly honored at the third edition of the Best Trail Builder/Repairer Award on Saturday by the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association for their contributions to building and repairing trails using culturally and historically unique skills.