In 2006, Chen Wenling, a professor at National Chengchi University and the author of Father and Red Rose, wrote an interesting book called Looking for Ah Bao in Hualien. She writes of teaching a group of unique students to find themselves through free writing and drama. She discovered that Hualien is full of characters, including the naturally playful, ever-changing Ah Bao.

Ah Bao has been in Hualien for almost 20 years, and no matter how many times she's changed jobs or moved house, outsiders always thought, "She always looks like she's either having fun or on her way to have fun."

Ah Bao's latest job is as a private masseuse, but she takes summer and winter vacations off along with everyone else. After summer vacation, she realized that spending the whole vacation in Hualien is dull, so she decided to go to Matsu to watch the ocean for a month.

When she first arrived in Hualien, Ah Bao lived in Yanliao by the beach. But when she was there, she didn't work to improve herself. She simply enjoyed a carefree lifestyle. She once opened a second-hand shop by the beach, but five-day workweeks turned into five-day weekends. No matter whether the store was open or closed, she always threw a party to let everyone know.

Eight years ago, Ah Bao moved to a 600-square-meter house and garden at the foot of a mountain (her family bought it for NT$800,000 as a family vacation home). During the week she worked as a community organizer. She was also involved in the environmental protest movement.

At 40, Ah Bao reconsidered her life. She believes that life in Hualien is best when it is simple. (Even a second-hand shop, she says, "leads to a surplus" of material possessions.) Also, in actuality everyone can create a lifestyle of their own-community empowerment shouldn't be overly "organized" from the outside.

By chance, Ah Bao learned of Esalen massage through a friend. This method attaches importance to emotions and gives nourishment to the body through massage. Ah Bao believes that this is the most "environmental" way of living.

She found her direction and went to Taipei for a three-month course. Then she created a workshop. "By making furniture by hand, I discovered that I can do woodworking," she says. The piece she is most proud of is a sofa that can seat five adults. She put it together on her own through intuition. Also, to create a naturally warm atmosphere, she covered the walls and ceiling with large wooden panels. She made sure to put them up in such a way that she could take them down again if she moved out.

After opening the workshop, Ah Bao only sees one client a day. A visit includes a consultation, a bath, a back steam massage, Tibetan singing bowl ringing, a hand massage, and a seasonal tea and snack (two hours and 45 minutes for NT$1,600). She says it has to be this way so she can fully concentrate on the client. The rest of the day, she reads and cultivates herself. Some clients like to relax in the massage room after their massage, and Ah Bao will go work in the garden so as to give them space.

Ah Bao's life philosophy is, "Be mindful and keep good thoughts. At the right moments, life happens naturally." Through a life of contemplation, Ah Bao not only takes care of herself, but lends her healing power to others as well.

Ah Bao only accepts one client per day. Everything inside and outside her workspace is her own handiwork. The garden and the cats also lend to the soothing atmosphere. At right is a customer receiving a relaxing massage-it's Su Liting, wife of Big Wang.

Ah Bao only accepts one client per day. Everything inside and outside her workspace is her own handiwork. The garden and the cats also lend to the soothing atmosphere. At right is a customer receiving a relaxing massage-it's Su Liting, wife of Big Wang.

Ah Bao only accepts one client per day. Everything inside and outside her workspace is her own handiwork. The garden and the cats also lend to the soothing atmosphere. At right is a customer receiving a relaxing massage-it's Su Liting, wife of Big Wang.

Ah Bao only accepts one client per day. Everything inside and outside her workspace is her own handiwork. The garden and the cats also lend to the soothing atmosphere. At right is a customer receiving a relaxing massage-it's Su Liting, wife of Big Wang.