Hints of Autumn have come to Taiwan, and as the weather slowly starts to cool over the coming months, people’s minds will gradually turn to a reliable Taiwanese way of keeping warm. Taiwan’s tectonically active place in the world near the meeting of plates gives the island an abundance of hot springs. Some are milky white, some rusty red, and some come straight out of the sea, but all offer a nice soothing way to get out of the cold, and- some suggest- even health benefits. Though the custom of bathing in them only became widespread a bit over a century ago, Taiwan’s springs are today a tourist asset, a source of comfort in chilly weather, and, some research suggests, a source of healing too. My guest today, Chang Jung-nan, is a man who wears many hats. He is director of the Hot Spring Tourism Association, Taiwan, and, among other things, the author of books on Taiwan’s hot springs, too. He joins us today to give us an overview of Taiwan’s hot springs and Taiwan’s hot spring culture.