Sculptor tells story of how he broke away from a life of crime

Sculptor tells story of how he broke away from a life of crime

2023-02-17

Today we meet a sculptor with an unusual life story. Yu Jung-ching of Kaoshiung’s Liugui District lived a life of crime in his younger days. But after two prison spells, he was ready to go on a new path. He wanted to take care of his aging father. And luckily, he discovered an artistic talent that had been hidden since his childhood. Let’s take a trip to his workshop.

Yu concentrates on his knife as he carefully carves an openwork design with many intricate layers.

He looks totally calm and unflustered as he completes the work. Nobody would guess that before becoming a sculptor, Yu held a knife for very different reasons. As a young man, he was sent to prison twice for violent firearms offences.

Brother of Yu Jung-ching
At school, he was a headache for the teachers and the principal. But I knew that he’d liked drawing pictures since he was little. No one taught him really; you could say he was self-taught. He’s been to prison, twice, I think. I just knew that the more he was in prison the more of a big deal he was, and when he got out he was high up in the hierarchy.

Once out of prison, Yu led a drifting life around Taipei, and had a big reputation in the world of crime. But then, a decade ago, everything changed. He realised that nobody was looking after his aging father, and decided to go back to his hometown to care for him. That’s when he turned to carving.

Yu Jung-ching
Sculptor
I grabbed a piece of wood and started to carve it. When it was done, my friend saw and asked who had done it. I said “Me, I used a utility knife.” He said, “That’s not bad. You could be a wood carver.”

As soon as he turned his hand to it, Yu discovered he had real talent. Getting encouragement from his friend, he started learning all the techniques he could, even creating these complex openwork sculptures. Before long, collectors were interested.

Yu Jung-ching
Sculptor
I don’t want those paths that you wouldn’t consider, dishonourable paths. Because if you rely on your own hard work, so long as you’re willing to tough it out, everyone can walk a different path, like I did.

Now Yu’s days are intimately connected with the knife, but it’s a knife that brings beauty and creation, not a weapon. His story shows it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf.

浪子回頭為盡孝大哥棄槍改拿刀

2023-02-17

高雄六龜，一名素人雕刻家尤榮慶，自創多層縷空藝術作品，吸引不少收藏家，但外表看起來沉穩樸實的他，任誰也想不到，以前曾因兩度涉及槍砲、傷害案件入獄服刑，還越關越"大尾"，但後來孝順的他回到六龜老家陪伴老父，一時興起雕刻木頭，打開他的創作之路。

木雕師傅尤榮慶，用雕刀把木頭刻出縷空形狀，這是他苦心鑽研的多層鏤空木雕技法。

外表看起來沉穩樸實，任誰也想不到，以前他拿在手上的不是雕刻刀，而是槍跟刀，還曾兩度涉及槍砲、傷害案件入獄服刑。

[[尤榮慶哥哥]]
“(他)在學校是老師跟校長頭痛的人物，但是我知道他小時候很喜歡畫圖，可以說沒老師教無師自通。他坐牢過，好像有兩次，只知道出獄後，他越關越大尾，出獄後就變成大哥級了”

尤榮慶當時在台北浪跡天涯，在江湖頗負盛名，但10多年前，尤榮慶突然想起家鄉年邁的老父無人照顧，孝順的他決定返鄉盡孝，一開始先從木材生意作起。

[[木雕師尤榮慶]]
“我就拿一塊木頭在刻，雕刻好之後，我朋友看到，他就問誰雕刻的，我說我自己用美工刀雕的，他說雕得不錯，你可以去作木雕”

不料信手拈來，展現木雕天份，被朋友鼓勵的他，開始鑽研木雕創作，還自創縷空藝術作品，作品高雅，總是能讓收藏家愛不釋手。

[[木雕師尤榮慶]]
“那種不會想的路，不光彩的那些路，我是覺得不要啦。因為靠著自己的努力，只要自己肯吃苦，大家都可以像我這樣走出另外一條道路”

透過木雕藝術的薰陶，尤榮慶不再眷戀打打殺殺的生活，以自己特別的技藝，在木雕界闖出一片天，也讓家人十分欣慰。

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Wreckage of a suspected Chinese spy balloon is found in the island of Dongyin in Matsu

Amid Sino-U.S. contention over a suspected Chinese spy balloon that drifted into U.S. airspace, Taiwan now has a balloon incident of its own. The military’s Dongyin Area Command in the outlying Matsu archipelago says it discovered the wreckage of what is suspected to be a small Chinese balloon in one of its shooting ranges yesterday. It was labeled a "meteorological instrument" in simplified characters which are used in China. The military is conducting a probe of the wreckage. Amid speculation that Taiwan might copy the U.S. and start shooting down intruding Chinese balloons, Taiwan’s defense minister says Taiwan will take a lenient approach and determine the risk, before it makes a decision to fire at a balloon.

In this video on the internet, several people are handling an unidentified airborne object. In simplified Chinese characters, it has “GTS 13 Radiosonde” and non-toxic, harmless “meteorological instrument” printed on it. This is a suspected Chinese weather balloon. And it was found in the outlying Taiwanese archipelago of Matsu.

Voice of Chen Yu-lin
Ministry of National Defense
Following a search by officers and soldiers, wreckage of a balloon was picked up in a shooting range with a diameter of 1 meter. The instrument box had writing in simplified Chinese characters, “Taiyuan No. 1 Radio Factory” and “GST13 Radiosonde.” A preliminary assessment has found that the wreckage was from a meteorological detection instrument.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Minister of national defense
It was discovered at around noon yesterday. After we found it, we made an assessment and a preliminary inspection of its appearance. It said what factory in Taiyuan it came from and also said it was a weather balloon, but I think we will take a lenient approach in judging our opponent’s intentions. We won’t jump to conclusions. I have dispatched a team to do some research, and once we understand the fine details, we will make a conclusion.

The military stressed that it will carefully study the balloon wreckage. As the U.S. military recently shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon with a missile, many are wondering that if a balloon intrudes into Taiwan’s airspace, will its military do the same thing?

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Minister of national defense
I just said we would take a lenient approach. There is something going on, but whether something somehow was attached to the weather balloon, or it had things that were harmful to people, we’ll just have to wait for our assessment. If an entity relating to aviation or sea navigation traverses inside our national borders, then of course we must deal with this. This does not amount to a first strike, but rather is called a responsive countermeasure.

Whether it’s UAVs or airborne balloons, the military says it will be proactive in dealing with China’s gray zone operations.

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Hsinchu’s longest-running second-hand bookstore to close down after 45 years

A second-hand bookstore in Hsinchu is about to shut down after 45 years in business. Book lovers in Hsinchu have been taking refuge in Seaside Books since 1978. It was founded by a post-war Chinese immigrant, who then passed it on to his dear friend. Now owner Huang Shou-yu is finally ready to call it quits. The locals are now rushing to spend a few more precious moments in their beloved store, and pick up a bargain at the same time.

With the rise of online retail, bricks-and-mortar bookstores like this one are a vanishing breed. This eye-catching blue sign, reading “Seaside Books,” has hung here for 45 years. But now, the owner is preparing to close the shutters for the last time.

Resident of Hsinchu
There aren’t many stores like this. These days, people don’t love books that much, nor do they value them. So I think it’s really a pity for a store with as much warmth as this to close down.

Resident of Hsinchu
Back in the days when we weren’t so affluent, sometimes students actually couldn’t afford books. Seaside Books offered relatively low prices. I bought lots of novels from here. Then I married and had children, and when my daughter was small, we often came here to buy children’s books.

Located near Hsinchu Train Station, Seaside Books is the oldest second-hand bookstore in Hsinchu. It has been a stable fixture and a comforting sanctuary over the decades for countless local book lovers.

Huang Shou-yu
Seaside Bookshop owner
It’s a really tough decision for me. I took the store on 18 years ago. I’ve been wanting to close down for about a year now.

Store owner Huang Shou-yu has kept the business going for many years, in memory of a beloved friend. Forty-five years ago, Chinese nationalist army veteran Chen Yao rented the store and opened "Seaside Books," naming the store to reflect his love for his homeland across the Taiwan Strait. Over 27 years, he and his landlady, Huang Shou-yu, became as close as family. Before his death, he handed the store over to her.

Huang Shou-yu
Seaside Bookshop owner
Some of the books are still in great condition. At the very end, I will sell them off more cheaply.

Huang has reluctantly placed all her stocks out for sale with discounts, for a final clearance. She plans to close for the last time within a month or two. In the meantime, she hopes to give the store a send-off fit for a local treasure.

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Restaurant with vintage cars serves up gourmet meals for dogs

Taiwan has its fair share of themed cafes. There’s an Alice in Wonderland-themed cafe and a llama cafe and many more. Today, FTV reporter Stephany Yang takes us to a restaurant with two quirky themes that you don’t often see paired together: vintage cars and gourmet cuisine for dogs. The restaurant has been around for a while; it was once featured in a popular TV show "Meteor Garden" about 20 years ago.

Stephany Yang
FTV reporter
Are you a fan of the TV series “Meteor Garden”? This themed restaurant was where the two actors from the show went out on a date. Now, 20 years later, this restaurant has transformed into a pet-friendly restaurant, serving up meals for dogs.

This first dish is sirloin beef bowl. Aside from meat, there are also veggies on the side like broccoli, carrots, and cabbage.

There is also penne gratin with pumpkin and beef. These mouthwatering meals are not for me. It’s for this husky, Poly, and this dachshund, Aloha. Over the years, the store has won many loyal patrons who bring their pets here.

Kristina Chang
Poly’s Owner
The fresh dog food here is good, and you can also play with the dogs in the store. My dog likes beef rice, but actually, he likes all of the food here. I tried the salad and seafood noodles myself. They are also delicious.

The founder of the restaurant, Gasper Lee, hired a pet nutritionist to design meals for pets. The restaurant was designated a so-called “Michelin-starred restaurant” for pets by the Taipei Animal Protection Office.

Gasper Lee
Founder
It can’t be seasoned. It’s cooked in a salt-free and oil-free way. It can be boiled, steamed, or fried a little. A pet nutritionist taught us. In addition, we have more than 10 years of experience in dog care. So we know the ratios and formulas that will suit them best.

This restaurant in Taipei was established in 1999 by Lee, an avid collector of antique cars. The restaurant is filled with classic cars, parking meters, fuel stations, and American car license plates. It even became one of the filming locations of the TV show “Meteor Garden.” Many fans of the program still come here to relive the show.

Maricris Agustin
Patron
I am from the Philippines. I am a fan of “Meteor Garden.” It was one of the places where the show has taken place so I went here because of that. I feel like I watched the drama again while eating here. I think I was just in high school or elementary and now I am working when I watched the drama

Bruno Singier
Patron
I think it is pet-friendly here, you see a lot of people bringing their pets. Sometimes it is dogs, and cats as well. I know that there has been people bringing some other pets as well like snakes and maybe iguanas.

In 2016, Lee decided to start serving healthy and delicious pet meals.

Gasper Lee
Founder
In the very beginning, I liked to collect antique cars, parking meters, antique fuel stations, and mini cars, and then re-create them. We started the pet business because of our shop dog, this dachshund. After seeing the dachshund, many customers asked if they can bring their dog over. I said: “yes.” Then they also asked if dogs can have their own meals. So we learned several recipes from pet nutritionists and sold fresh pet food in the store. We didn’t expect that it would be so well received when it launched.

Over the years, more and more Taiwanese are becoming proud pet owners. The Taipei City Animal Protection Office has created a “Michelin” guide for pets, selecting 10 pet-friendly restaurants across Taipei that provide high-quality meals. Seeing this demand, stores across Taiwan are also providing and developing more pet-friendly products and services, along with cooking meals to cater to pets and their owners.

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Keelung ‘green care station’ offers new skills for the older adults of fishing villages

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Student
It’s so hard. I forget everything. I’m knitting this for the children.

Tutor
It changes their way of talking, their demeanor, their energy! Secondly, the hand-knitting stimulates their braincells.

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Chen Wen-chin
Keelung Fishermen’s Association
When these fishing people were young, they worked hard on the sea, and battled with the ocean. Now that they’re older, they’re sitting at home in the fishing villages and there’s nothing going on. So we invite them to come outside and get some movement.

The classes here provide all kinds of opportunities. From physical exercise to new skills to learn, older fishing communities can enjoy their strength and build fresh connections in this new phase of life.

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