Kuma Academy, which prepares Taiwanese civilians for war, launches its first training camp

2022-09-04

Would you know what to do in the event of a Chinese invasion? Kuma Academy wants to make sure that you do. The private organization, which is sponsored by semiconductor magnate Robert Tsao to the tune of NT$600 million, held its first basic training camp Sunday. The day-long course covered information warfare and modern warfare, along with basic rescue and evacuation procedures. One of the academy’s co-founders, Puma Shen, said the training would, at the very least, prepare folks to not panic if war broke out.

Kuma Academy, which is sponsored by former UMC chairman Robert Tsao to the tune of NT$600 million, debuted its first course on Sunday morning. The basic training course is divided into four modules: information warfare, a general introduction to modern warfare, wartime first aid, and evacuation drills. Around 30 to 40 people took part, most of them were in their twenties and thirties. Even though it was a basic course, the students said they really benefited from it.

Student
Kuma Academy
When COVID broke out, everyone was verifying whether something was fake news or part of information warfare. Teacher Puma had talked about these fundamental ideas on many occasions. After I heard about them, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of them, so I took this course.

Student
Kuma Academy
Particularly, I felt the reports about fake news in Ukraine were quite important, because the flow of fake news can go everywhere. I actually don’t have too much understanding of this myself. I think I need to take more of their advanced courses.

Puma Shen
Kuma Academy co-founder
The basic training camp is mainly focused on not panicking and knowing how things might be if war breaks out or if a missile comes, so you won’t be afraid. You need to know how to respond to information warfare and how to see through pre-war rumors. Once you’ve acquired the basic skills, you definitely won’t be inclined to surrender because you’re ready to give up, even when the army is still fighting on the frontlines. Last but not least, I want to teach everyone what items and materials you need to have.

Co-founder Puma Shen says that he hopes to teach people to at least not panic when war breaks out and to prepare for survival. In addition to this basic course, Kuma Academy is already drawing up more advanced ones.

Puma Shen
Kuma Academy co-founder
For example, there are open intelligence collection courses, as well as courses related to information warfare campaigns, as well as more advanced first aid. There’s also basic information about our two nations. For example, who is the most important current leading political figure in China, and then who are the spokespeople, what they might say, and who are the ones that actually make decisions, and what decisions they might make. This is all related to fake news.

As tensions cross the strait continue to grow, national defense is no longer considered just the job of the army. Civilians in their own ways are strengthening civil defense and making psychological preparations, so Taiwan won’t let its guard down should China ever try something.

獲曹興誠贊助6億黑熊學院基礎營開課

2022-09-04

獲得聯電前董事長曹興誠贊助6億的黑熊學院，首堂基礎營週日登場，一整天課程教導包括認知作戰、現代軍事、基礎救護與避難實作，吸引不少年輕人報名參加，每堂人數約三、四十人，共同創辦人之一的沈伯洋強調，希望讓民眾在面對戰爭時至少不要慌亂，同時也開始規劃更進階的課程。

獲得聯電前董事長曹興誠贊助6億的黑熊學院，首堂課程週日上午登場。基礎營共分為四種科目，包括資訊戰與認知作戰、現代軍事科普、基礎救護止血與避難實作，來參加的約有30至40人，大多是2、30歲的年輕人，儘管只是基礎課程，但學員們還是獲益良多。

[[黑熊學院學員]]
“武漢肺炎的時候，大家就會查假新聞、資訊戰，這些基礎論述其實Puma老師(沈伯洋)在很多地方都講過，聽了之後，就會想要精進瞭解這些東西，所以就來上這個課。”

[[黑熊學院學員]]
“特別是烏克蘭那邊，他所說的假消息的情報，這個對我來說我覺得還蠻重要的。因為假消息的流竄這點，我其實…..我自己是沒有什麼太多的理解。會想再多上它的這種進階課程。”

[[黑熊學院共同創辦人沈伯洋]]
“(基礎營)它是以不慌亂為主，就知道戰爭爆發的時候可能是這個樣子、飛彈打來是什麼樣子，就不會緊張。平常要知道怎麼去應對認知作戰，戰前的時候要怎麼去闢謠。基本的技能都具備之後，一定就不會在戰爭的時候覺得說，國軍在前面作戰，但是我已經想投降了，因為我覺得我已經不行了。那最後一個還滿重要的就是，我們會告訴大家，要怎麼去準備相關物資。”

共同創辦人之一的沈伯洋強調，他們希望做到讓民眾在戰爭發生時，至少不要慌亂，並做好生存準備，除了基礎課程之外，黑熊學院也已經著手規劃進階課程。

[[黑熊學院共同創辦人沈伯洋]]
“譬如說我們的公開情報蒐集課程，還有認知作戰相關的課程，就是進階的這些調查課程，還有更進階的救護課程。兩國基礎知識，譬如說這個中國最主要現在領導人物是誰，然後哪些人會發什麼言，哪些人可能會做什麼決定，因為這都會跟假消息有關係。”

台海局勢持續升溫，國防不再只是國軍的事，民間也透過自己的方式，強化民防與心防，不讓北京當局有機可乘。

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Diplomats teach how to make Polish dumplings

"Taste of Europe" is a video series in which diplomats stationed in Taiwan cook dishes from their home countries. In a recent episode, the director of the Polish Office Taipei teaches viewers how to make Polish dumplings. Let’s take a look.

Polish Office Taipei Director Cyryl Kozaczewsk and Slawomir Giletycz, an assistant professor at National Central University, introduce the ingredients needed to make Polish dumplings. The ingredients include sauerkraut, dried mushrooms, onions, oil, spices and herbs, sugar, bay leaves, allspice, pepper, flour, and hot water.

Sławomir Giletycz
National Central University
In Poland, we make the dough for dumplings. You actually make it. So, we would like to show you how you make it.

The first step is to make the dough by mixing flour and warm water.

Cyryl Kozaczewsk
Polish Office Taipei director
In some homes, they prepare the dough with eggs, but my mother told me we’re preparing with flour and water, and it’s fine.

After that, spread the dough. Then use a glass to create a mold for the dumplings, and prepare the fillings by cutting the onions, mushrooms, and sauerkraut.

Sławomir Giletycz
National Central University
We try to keep them as fine as possible because it’s better for the filling. The finer the material of the filling, the better it is to stick it later. Also, I chopped a bit of sauerkraut because sometimes it can be long.

Then, fry the fillings till they’re brown. After that, add a bit of salt and pepper.

Sławomir Giletycz
National Central University
Add a little bit of salt and pepper because later all the flavor will go to the dough out to the water when it’s fried.

Cyryl Kozaczewsk
Polish Office Taipei director
In most of the Polish houses during the Christmas Eve supper, dumplings with sauerkraut and mushrooms, one of the principal dishes.

Add the fillings into the dough. After that, add sour cream and pork onto the dumplings, and the dish is ready to be served. Representatives from 15 EU member states teach viewers how to make authentic European dishes from their home countries.

2022-09-04

Taoyuan temple celebration blends tradition and innovation to attract youth

The Daxi Daxi festival is held annually in Taoyuan to celebrate the birthday of a prominent folk religion deity. It’s always been a major event, but in recent years organizers have noticed that most of the participants are not exactly young. Amid concerns that the festival is losing its appeal, organizers began looking for ways to modernize the event. By cooperating with young designers, the festival now features electronic music, colorful imagery and futuristic robotic costumes, which seem to have kicked off a revival. But how does the festival balance tradition with innovation? Join us as we hear from the festival’s performers, designers and organizers on how creativity is bringing new life to Daxi Daxi.

It’s the start of the lunar calendar’s sixth month, and as usual for this time of year, crowds are gathering at Puji Temple in Taoyuan’s Daxi District. Temple officials are also here, paying their respects to folk deity Lord Guan.

The 24th day of the lunar calendar’s sixth month is Daxi Daxi – a folk festival celebrating Lord Guan’s birthday. The festival is the temple’s biggest event of the year.

For the people of Daxi District, the lively festival is like a second Lunar New Year. Lord Guan’s birthday and the eve of that day – which this year fall on July 21 and 22 – are the grand finale of the festival, when Lord Guan goes on tour. However, Daxi Daxi is a 21-day affair, and revelers celebrate throughout the full three weeks.

Under the skillful command of temple performers, auspicious dragons and lions dance about. Throughout the day, 31 local temple performance troupes fill Daxi Old Street commanding a captivating sight. At night, the festival continues back at the temple, with a vibrant light show and electronic music party.

Traditional folk music is adapted to modern styles, inviting revelers both young and old to throw up their hands and give in to the atmosphere.

Two dancers clad in robotic deity costumes step out from the shadows and the crowd goes wild. Representing the deity generals Zhou Cang and Guan Ping, the dancers’ costumes emit light from their breastplates and upper backs, as they dance in unison before the crowd.

This modernized festival – which has proved popular with younger crowds – is the result of nearly five years of development. Puji Temple began working with costume and exhibit designers in 2019 to come up with new performances for the festival. This year the organizers introduced a festival theme song, and are holding concurrent exhibitions near the temple. Daxi Daxi has a history spanning over 100 years, and this year may be Lord Guan’s most fashionable birthday to date – but will the district’s elderly be able to accept the changes?

Designers struggle with how to strike a balance between tradition and innovation.

Nestled in the industrial area of Taipei’s Shilin District, is the studio of designer Lee Yu-sheng – one of the architects of the modern Daxi Daxi festival. Stepping into the studio, one’s attention is immediately drawn to the two robotic deity costumes from the festival.

Lee Yu-sheng
Costume designer
These two divine generals greet people as they come in. They are the all-seeing god and the all-hearing god. They are like two glowing giants in the night. For people who don these costumes, they also light the way. I think it’s a way of using modern technology, to manifest divine power – I guess by relying on light and sound.

From the robotic divine generals, to the depictions of Taiwanese animal deities that debuted at this year’s Daxi Daxi, and even the festival banner – all of these creations are the works of Lee.

Lee Yu-sheng
Costume designer
Lord Guan is Puji Temple’s main deity, and at the very top everyone can see the Five Tiger Generals. These traditional folk beliefs, and traditional temple festivals – people are most worried that these things will be lost to time, just like what we saw with the ban on incense at temples. So, there are young people bringing new takes and innovations to these traditions, like what we are seeing at Daxi Daxi, and this has been well received.

Reform is not without struggle. Innovation must contend with strong traditions, and change can only take place through compromise.

This year, organizers invited Hsinchu City’s protecting deity, Cheng Huang Ye, as a special guest at Daxi Daxi. In traditional fashion, the Hsinchu City God Temple’s administrators wanted to have auspicious notices pasted up along Daxi’s streets to announce Cheng Huang Ye’s procession route. To their surprise, the request was met with reservations from some festival organizers.

Liu Chen-jung
Daxi Daxi organizer
When it comes to the elderly, you are dealing with a background of a hundred years. In that hundred years are many hundreds of years of stories. With religious matters they may feel that you don’t understand them. You have to do lots of homework, and you have to tell them, “I may not fully understand you, but I will try my best. You can teach me.”

Puji Temple administrators and performers agreed to the Hsinchu temple’s request, deciding it could inject a new element into the celebration. But how much could Daxi Daxi be reformed, and what should the bottom line be? Only trial and error would tell.

Hsieh Chang-ming
Puji Temple chairman
Some committee members were concerned that, on the folding card used to hold the festival’s commemorative talisman, only the words “Daxi Daxi” were written – the words “Puji Temple” were absent. The committee members argued that the talismans are meant to be taken to the temple to be blessed, and then taken home to provide protection. So, the committee members took issue with only including the words “Daxi Daxi” on the card.

Liu Chen-jung
Daxi Daxi organizer
In the beginning he even said he didn’t want to use the card. He said, “This is no good, I’m not paying for this.” So, I made a very elegant sticker to put on the cards, which had “Puji Temple” written in both Chinese and English. It reminded him of a stamp, and it fit the card perfectly.

Disputes are inevitable in the process of reforming Daxi Daxi, but communication and reconciliation are part of that process too – and the hard work of these innovative youth has not gone unnoticed by Puji Temple.

Chiang Chih-cheng
Daxi Folk Arts Association
Even when people complain to them, they don’t snap – they’re very dedicated. When the performers come to them with requirements, they accommodate everyone. They rarely say “No.”

Hsieh Chang-ming
Puji Temple chairman
They are really quite hard-working. For example, when we are filming advertisements, or hosting activities where our deity shows up, they will be there working very hard – I’ve seen it. So, whenever some small problem comes up, we just take our time and resolve it.

Through respect for tradition and trust in innovation, the Daxi Daxi festival evolves and improves.

Watching the troupe perform one can learn about the divine generals. If that’s not enough, visitors can also watch the monitors and follow the movements of troupe captain Chang Shu-wu.

Chang Shu-wu
Jia Tian Temple director
About 10 years ago I realized something. Those carrying around the sedan chair on pilgrimages are all in their 40s, 50s or older. There’s nobody younger than that. It made me think, what can we do to ensure the preservation of this culture?

Hoping to pass on the temple’s traditions to future generations, Chang took on the task of training performers for Daxi Daxi, and established a course to train performers outside of the festival period. Chang also wrote his own book to outline the steps of the performance.

Chang Shu-wu
Jia Tian Temple director
In the past, all this was passed on orally. What I worry about now is, when I’m teaching this stuff, what if the student forgets some small detail. Then when they teach someone, that person forgets a detail, and so on. So, our thinking is, we need to take the visual aspects of this performance and transform them into words for preservation – turning the performance into a script. I hope that what I teach is fellow teachers, and not just performers.

Through those who pass on the temple’s traditions, festivals like Daxi Daxi can live on in new ways.

Cheng Yao-lin
Puji Temple
Since we started holding this festival, my son would come home from school, and he would go and participate in temple challenges with his classmates. When he passed the challenges he would get talismans as gifts. He would be so happy, and he’d show them off to me. As fathers, when we see our children so happy, of course that also makes us so happy.

Cheng Wen-tsan
Taoyuan mayor
This kind of festival is not just about going on pilgrimages and setting off a bunch of firecrackers, it’s about creativity and cultural meaning. I think this transformation is something that was needed, and it’s been a success – and it’s what the people of Daxi wanted to see.

Daxi Daxi brings the people of the district together, and unites them through the fervor and excitement of a shared tradition. Through innovation, it will continue to unite future generations.

2022-09-04

Kuma Academy, which prepares Taiwanese civilians for war, launches its first training camp