Stunning lantern made from upcycled temple garments

Stunning lantern made from upcycled temple garments

2025-02-05

It’s almost the Lantern Festival. This year, a very special lantern hails all the way from Yunlin’s Beigang Township. Measuring 6m tall, the impressive lantern is made of recycled clothing worn by temple procession troupes, and stylized true-to-scale into a pennon carried during the parade. Let’s hear more.

Wu Teng-hsing
Lantern designer
It’s sustainable because the clothes we wear during processions don’t have any place to be stored, but it’s also weird to throw them away. There’s the name of the temple or troupes on the items, so in the name of sustainability, we turned the clothes worn during processions into a decoration.

The lantern was made with over 20 pieces of clothing over two weeks. It’s a fresh twist of the large dragon banner carried by leaders of the procession about a century ago, and an eye-catching piece that incorporates culture and sustainability.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

復刻陣頭文物! 北港6公尺高"大龍旗花燈"環保亮相

2025-02-05

各地準備慶元宵，雲林北港10大燈區，今年有座受矚目的作品，是高達6公尺的「大龍旗」巨型花燈。是以北港百年藝術陣頭文化為靈感，依照1:1比例，最特別，燈布以環保回收舊衣物，裝置呈現。

[[花燈大師吳登興]]
“環保就是我們陣頭出陣的衣服，都沒地方放，丟掉好像又很奇怪，上面又有廟名或是陣頭名稱，以環保為題，我們就用陣頭出陣的衣服，做它的裝飾品來修飾”

20幾件舊衣物，在2兩個星期內打造的巨型花燈，復刻版的是早年媽祖遶境，重要陣頭隊伍飛龍團出巡時，前導的兩支「大龍旗」，花燈大師以大龍旗為設計發想，富涵文化底蘊。

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Activists take streets of Taipei on bikes for a free Tibet

The Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan held an event on Wednesday called "Cycling for a Free Tibet." Activists rode bicycles in the capital, chanting slogans in support of Tibetans. The event comes one month ahead of the Tibetan Uprising Day on March 10, which commemorates the 1959 Tibetan revolt against the People’s Republic of China. Outside the Legislative Yuan, activists were joined by lawmakers, who called for unity among defenders of human rights.

Zooming by on their bicycles and chanting slogans are the participants of the bike march, organized by the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan. They rode from the 228 Peace Park in Taipei to the Legislative Yuan, where they sang the national anthem of Tibet.

March 10 will be the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising Day. Civic groups hope to raise awareness about the plea of Tibetans in exile, and about China’s oppressive tactics.

Tashi Tsering
Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan
The Chinese Communist Party treats Tibetans and Han Chinese people differently. They haven’t changed at all, and they still use all sorts of means to oppress Tibetans. But all the Tibetans in Tibet haven’t given up even after more than 70 years.

Gonpo Dhondup
Tibetan Youth Congress
The Tibetan people will continue to resist. They’ll continue to fight until our rightful independence is restored.

A civic group for Hong Kongers exiled in Taiwan also joined the event.

Sky Fung
Hong Kong Outlanders
We are walking on the same road together, seeking democracy and freedom. We must support each other at this time.

Puma Shen
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What the Chinese Communist Party fears the most is different human rights groups and different groups fighting for freedom banding together.

Chen Pei-yu
Lawmaker (DPP)
As a long-term defender of children’s rights, I urge everyone to support the children of Tibet so that they can grow up and thrive.

DPP lawmakers also attended the event, rallying support for the civic groups, calling for unity in face of Chinese hegemony.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-05

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Ambassador promotes Taiwan’s global participation with nail art

There’s a nail salon in Kaohsiung that recently drew attention for sharing nail art promoting Taiwan’s participation in the WHO. The manicurist’s daughter, Huang En-ching, is a youth ambassador for the Taiwan-UN Alliance. Last May she went to Switzerland to show her support, followed by a trip to New York in September. Before leaving, she and her mother came up with a nail design portraying elements of Taiwan. It’s not only an expression of her mother’s love, but it has also come to define her after their appearance in an interview on YouTube.

More than 500 people march on the streets of New York, chanting to support Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN. Huang En-ching is a youth ambassador with the Taiwan-UN Alliance. Last September, she went to New York to show her support, and brought a special prop with her.

Huang En-ching
Taiwan-UN Alliance youth ambassador
Look, it represents Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN. It’s a symbolic logo. Taiwan is inside the UN.

Also delicately painted on her nails are the logo for the Taiwan-UN Alliance, Taiwanese products, local landmarks, and more. They were highlighted in a YouTube video, and have become her specialty.

Huang En-ching
Taiwan-UN Alliance youth ambassador
Originally, I wanted to bring a piece of my mom’s love with me. To take our determination for Taiwan to join these organizations and bring it abroad to show people around the world.

Last May, Huang went with the WHO outreach team to Geneva, Switzerland. She also painted her nails especially for the occasion.

Huang En-ching
Taiwan-UN Alliance youth ambassador
I use my nails to promote Taiwan. I introduce some of the things we have here, like Taipei 101 for example. Then I also did Taiwanese food, and painted bubble tea and dumplings.

Huang’s mother is a manicurist who’s also skilled in oil painting and drawing. Before her daughter travels abroad, they get together to brainstorm how to portray Taiwan on Huang’s nails. She’s gotten a lot of attention for her eye-catching manicures.

Hsiao Tzu-han
Manicurist
I encourage my daughter to participate in things that help Taiwan and help the world to understand Taiwan. People abroad who see her nails may stop and say, “Wow, what is this?” And through that you can start a discussion. It’s a way to more naturally and directly introduce Taiwan.

The mother uses her skill as a manicurist to help her daughter find a unique way to support Taiwan. Huang’s belief in backing Taiwan and her mother’s love shine brightly under the foreign sun.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-05

School resumes in Tainan after damaging January earthquake

Children in Tainan headed back to school on Wednesday for the first time after the Lunar New Year break. But for many students, the return to class was quite different this year. An earthquake on Jan. 21 dealt heavy damage to many schools in the southern city, meaning special arrangements have had to be made to keep classes running.

Class is back on at Nansi Elementary School, where students are greeted by not one, but two principals at the gate.

The nearby Nansi Junior High School suffered great damage during a strong earthquake on Jan. 21. The tremor left cracks on the walls, deformed doors and windows, and exposed the steel rods inside reinforced concrete beams. In the assembly hall, the panels of the drop ceiling came crashing down too. The damage was so severe that several areas of the school were cordoned off, leaving students with nowhere to attend class.

Cheng Chun-chieh
Nansi Junior High School principal
Taking into account our future projects, the quality of education and the safety of our faculty and students, we relocated 105 students and 22 teachers here from our campus.

Many of the students at Nansi Junior High graduated from Nansi Elementary, so it wasn’t too troublesome for parents dropping their kids at school. But they still hope that the students will soon return to having their own schools.

Student
Nanxi Junior High School
It feels pretty much the same. It’s just a different place.

Parent
It’s not too troublesome, but I feel that the kids might need some time to adjust.

Lee Yao-chuan
Nansi Elementary School principal
We have provided a separate area for the Nansi Junior High School students. After all, the pace of things at middle schools and elementary schools is quite different. So this way the students won’t disturb each other.

On the first day back, students were given a refresher course on earthquake preparedness and response.

After last month’s earthquake, 181 schools in Tainan requested a combined total of NT$390 million in subsidies to repair damages. The city launched an emergency repair operation and sought funding from other sources to help schools resume normal operations as soon as possible.

Yang Chih-hsiung
Tainan Bureau of Education
We will provide special assistance to students in terms of material needs such as school supplies or uniforms and also psychological needs. We will provide counseling so they can learn ways to manage their emotions. That’s very important.

Another school that suffered heavy damage was Dongshan Junior High School. The city government has launched a different kind of response plan here, with students still coming in to school at the original campus, but taking classes only in areas deemed safe.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Cyclists on Taipei Metro endanger other passengers

Some netizens are saying that a few MRT passengers in Taipei are making themselves a little too comfortable. A short video that went viral recently shows a group of cyclists sitting on the floor of the train. That may not sound like a big deal, were it not for the fact that they had also hung their bikes from the horizontal bars meant for passengers to grab onto. Although the cyclists didn’t seem too bothered, passengers said they were not impressed.

Is this an MRT-themed bike shop? No, it’s the real deal. Three bicycles dangle from the grab handles, looking like they’ll fall off any second. The owners sit on the floor nearby, chilling as if they were in their own living room.

MRT passenger
This affects others. The bikes swing around. If there had been a lot of people, I would’ve confronted them.

MRT passenger
What the hell? It’s so dangerous. What if they fall on someone?

And it’s not just the hanging bikes. Though two people in the group put the bikes on the floor, they were still doing it all wrong. One of them was leaning the bike against the train seats, while the other was blocking the door to the driver’s cabin.

Lee Yu-han
FTV reporter
If you want to bring your bicycle onto the metro, you must comply with regulations. For example, bikes are only allowed on the first and last carriages, and only two bikes are allowed in each carriage at a time.

If you’re unsure, just check the signs. Only two bicycles are allowed at a time, and they must be parked right next to the looped stanchions, or the pole in the center of the car. Additionally, they’re only allowed during certain hours. On weekends and holidays, bikes are allowed any time of the day, but on working days, they’re only allowed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and after 10 p.m. Also pay attention to where you’re entering the MRT. It’s prohibited to bring a bike in from all stations on the Brown Line and the Circular Line; and from Tamsui, Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Nanjing Fuxing and Da’an, which get a lot of traffic. Violators can be denied service and even fined up to NT$7,500.

It may be public transport, but not everything goes. If a passenger’s action risks damaging equipment or endanger others, they can be denied service or even get slapped with a fine.

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Former health minister Chen shares workout routine

Chen Shih-chung was the intrepid leader of Taiwan’s COVID go-team and now serves as a minister without portfolio. But he’s also responding personally to President Lai Ching-te’s vision of a "healthy Taiwan" by revealing that he’s been hitting the gym for eight months now. Squats, bench presses, and more are part of his regimen. Whereas before he couldn’t do a single push-up, now he can do over 10 in a row.

With guidance from his trainer, Minister Without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung perfectly executes a barbell squat.

Even at 72 years old, he can do a dozen push-ups at a time no problem. But eight months ago, it was a different story.

Chen Shih-chung
Minister without portfolio
At first, my trainer said let’s do some push-ups. I figured it would be no problem, but I couldn’t do a single one. I have a busy schedule for my job. Sometimes I couldn’t schedule a time, so I just gradually let it slide. Now I’m of a certain age. If I don’t take care of my fitness, I’m afraid it’ll be hard to achieve a “healthy Taiwan.”

Chen sets an example by working hard on his fitness, reducing the burden on the National Health Insurance, and quitting smoking for many years now. He hopes to reduce the chances that chronic disease will come knocking.

Chen Shih-chung
Minister without portfolio
It’s been two-and-a-half years since I’ve quit smoking. The biggest effect is that I don’t get out of breath. My lung capacity is especially good. So whenever I sing, I can hold the high notes better.

Singer extraordinaire Chen couldn’t hide his excitement at the physical changes he was seeing. But his trainer says he can still do better.

Huang Li-chi
Personal trainer
If you want your appearance to be fitter again, you need to watch what you eat and drink, like your protein intake and distribution of carbohydrates. If you do, it’ll change your appearance a lot. The minister looks like he’s 30 or 40 years younger.

The trainer reminded Chen to train his flexibility more and eat healthy. It looks like it’s fitness over fun for Chen this year.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-05

Conscripts spend alternative service accompanying lonely seniors

Last year, the Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs launched a public welfare program for alternative military service. A year later, it has shown astounding results! This cohort of conscripts regularly visit seniors who live alone to chat with them and help with chores. More than just keeping them company, they show their love through the military service.

Although she lives alone, Grandma Chen chats and laughs on her sofa with her visitors. Apart from just talking, they also have some other heartwarming interactions.

These alternative service members were brought here by the Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs. Last year, the department started a social welfare ambassador program for conscripts. Through long-term and regular visits, they provide seniors living alone with practical and emotional support.

Liu Che-lun
Alternative service member
This is a life experience I’ve rarely had from my childhood up until now. So I think that this year for me has been nurturing. Maybe later I’ll find the time to come back to visit these old folks.

Hsieh Chang-chi
Alternative service member
I found that even in the city where I live, there are lots of people who need our care and more of our attention. Whether they’re seniors who live alone or children with special needs, they all need our company.

Grandma Chen who they’re visiting today is 69 years old. She’s lived alone since the death of her adoptive father and has stage 4 lung cancer. This group of young conscripts come to chat with her every month. Their visits make her feel cared for and less lonely.

Grandma Chen
Senior
I’m so happy every time they come. Otherwise, I’d be all alone. We talk about our lives. They can’t bring their girlfriends, right? We can’t see them even if we wanted to.

Lan Pin-chun
Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs
We hope this can serve as a model. This year, we might expand to 11 or 12 other districts. We hope that conscripts from more areas can join in caring for our community and seniors in need.

More than material needs, it’s company that seniors who live alone require the most. By joining the city’s public welfare program, conscripts can spread the love to those who most need it.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-05

Kaohsiung grandma takes aim at marauding macaques

The small mountain of Shoushan in Kaohsiung City is famous for its large population of Formosan rock macaques. The nimble, intelligent monkeys live all over the mountain, and frequently come into conflict with local residents. One eatery owner has become famous among locals, for her speed in pulling out a BB gun to scare the animals away from her business. Although she’s never hit a monkey, her shots do scare them away temporarily. Her sharp-shooting stance is certainly enough to make any intruder think twice. But it’s clear that in the long-term, more creative solutions are needed to enable humans and monkeys to coexist in harmony.

The target appears, and the shooter strides forward to pull the trigger.

Oden vendor
Kaohsiung
I took a shot but didn’t hit it. When I stepped forward, it hid down below. It didn’t used to be like this. They just started hassling people recently.

So who’s the sharp-shooter striking fear in the hearts of local macaques? It’s this 71-year-old oden vendor, who has been running her eatery for more than 30 years. She gets out her BB gun to scare monkeys off and protect her products, as well as the oden on customers’ tables. She’s never hit a macaque, although her stance is impressive.

Oden vendor
Kaohsiung
As soon as I walk over and shout at them, they run off. Customers say, “They scarper as soon as they see you, grandma.” It’s hard, running a business. I’m in my 70s now. I have to watch out for the monkeys while I’m working; it’s impossible.

Member of public
It’s perfect. It’s more real than what I see in the movies. If she was my grandma, I might not be here. She’d have shot me by now!

Member of public
It’s a good stance for shooting monkeys. It’s a basic skill. She’s lived here ages, been running the eatery a long time.

She works hard to protect her patrons’ plates, but this nimble monkey still swoops in to grab a bite. That’s not coming back. To protect their property, numerous Shoushan residents have applied to the city’s Agriculture Bureau for tools to keep monkeys away.

Huang Chun-chung
Kaohsiung City Agriculture Bureau
If it’s not a prank or a joke, but to prevent monkeys from invading property so they can run their business, then it doesn’t infringe the Act on Wildlife Conservation.

But while brandishing a gun can scare the monkeys off for a moment, it doesn’t have any lasting effect. The bigger question is how local residents and government find a way for people and monkeys to live in harmony in the long term.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2025-02-05