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 921 Earthquake Museum Gives Glimpse into Past
徐祥年/ Hsiang-Nien
Hsu（美）
四月十七號中午ICLP的旅遊團隊來到了台灣九二一地震博物館，參觀了1997年南投縣大地震的現場，也透過博物館解說員的講解，更加了解當時的災情以及目前官方所努力推行的地震預測措施。
以下的短文是筆者參觀博物館後的心得：
[April 17] During ICLP’s annual trip to
Central Taiwan, students spent their last afternoon at the 921 Earthquake
Museum of Taiwan. The museum commemorates the victims of
the September 21, 1999 earthquake which killed over 2400 people. The epicenter of the earthquake was
located at JiJi township in Nantou
County. This one-of-a-kind museum not only honors
the deceased, but also performs the all-important task of educating people
about earthquakes.
The museum featured multiple displays and
vivid photographs of the 921 Earthquake as well as the propped-up remains
of the damaged school buildings which were at the center of the earthquake.
ICLP students got a firsthand look at how devastating an earthquake could
be, and how scientists can use seismic technology to monitor the earth.
What I personally found most interesting were
the interactive displays which demonstrated how various support structures
could augment and help buildings resist earthquakes. In viewing these
support structures, one element became very clear: it is through movement
that these structures are upheld. Whether it was a large pendulum swinging
at the top of the structure or spherical sliding isolation systems at the
bottom, it was apparent that building’s own movement helped to dissipate
the energy of the earthquake. This was very interesting to me because it
reflects the principles of constant movement as stated in the I-Ching.
 I would highly recommend the
Museum to any student in Taiwan, especially engineering students. Much
time, money and effort was obviously placed into the construction and
layout of the museum, and the detailed explanations given by the tour guide
certainly made my trip there an enjoyable one.
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