Hsinchu City God gets clear views of opera shows thanks to new tech

Hsinchu City God gets clear views of opera shows thanks to new tech

2026-01-30

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. A temple in Hsinchu faced a dilemma in recent years due to the Taiwanese opera shows it regularly hosted. The stage was right in the temple, in an area packed with food stands. And though it’s great to watch a show with a snack in your hand, the signs on the stands barely let anyone get a good view of the stage, including the statue of the Hsinchu City God. After complaints from the public and negotiations between the temple and the food vendors, they found a solution: raise the signs to the ceiling when a show is on. At the beginning the mechanism to hoist the signboards was hand-cranked, but now, a technological solution clears the view without anyone breaking a sweat.

A Taiwanese opera show is on at the Hsinchu City God Temple, which is packed with food stalls. It’s crowded every day, and worshippers have found there is more than meets the eye.

The food stall signs get hoisted in the air, revealing the opera performance behind them to oohs and aahs from the crowd.

Member of public
Surprised by the setup
It was so special. All the food stalls at the temple create a very traditional environment. But they have modern equipment to raise the signboards up! It’s the first time I see anything like it, it’s so unique.

Member of public
Surprised by the setup
It’s really innovative. It feels like a blend of tradition and modernity. The stalls have been doing business for a long time. If the stands are set in place, having the automatic system to lift up the signboards lets the deities watch the show. This unique tech application is a key draw at the Hsinchu City God Temple.

Views of the stage are now unobstructed. The temple and the vendors worked together on this tech-forward solution after locals complained about the signs blocking the show.

Wu Cheng-lung
Hsinchu City God Temple
People complained that the City God wasn’t able to enjoy the show, as the views were blocked by the signs. We asked the vendors to make some changes, like perhaps raising their signboards or something so that the City God would have a clearer view.

Chung Ming-ta
Shopkeeper
At first we had to pull them up by hand whenever there was a performance. But during the City God’s birthday celebrations, there were so many performances, so we had to pull them up almost every day.

This clever solution allowed vendors to stay in their spots, deities to enjoy the show, and visitors to look up in awe.

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

#temple #innovation #clever #technology #opera #taiwan #hsinchu

貼心服務! 新竹城隍廟酬神活動店家招牌"自動升空"

2026-01-30

新竹城隍廟前小吃攤平時就有不少人光顧，近期廟方準備仙酬神活動，請來歌仔戲演出，邊吃邊看戲就已經夠讓民眾驚喜，還有人意外發現，戲台前店家為了不影響表演，將自家招牌自動升空的新奇場面。

歌仔戲在廟前演出，但往周邊一看，有各式各樣的小吃攤，這裡是新竹城隍廟，平假日都有不少人到訪，近期廟方請來戲團演出，被民眾捕捉新奇的一幕。

招牌緩緩升上空，後方就是歌仔戲在表演，讓民眾相當驚訝。

[[民眾]]
“我覺得一開始看到覺得很特別，因為城隍廟旁邊的那個小攤販，本身是一個很傳統的一個環境，可是卻有一個很現代的設施，就是招牌居然會移動，這我也是第一次看到，覺得非常特別”

[[民眾]]
“其實蠻新奇的，那其實感覺到就是，傳統結合了現代的感受，那畢竟攤販長期在這邊做使用，它攤位如果固定的，那如果有一個自動升降的話，也可以讓神明看得到歌仔戲，那也結合科技，那在新竹都城隍爺，還算是蠻有特別特色的一個招牌”

無論從那個角度看，視角都不會被擋住，原來是先前曾被民眾反應過，看戲時有視線遮蔽問題，因此廟方與攤商協調找方法解決。

[[新竹都城隍廟職員吳承龍]]
“當初有人反映說，因為剛好城隍爺看的視線，看戲的那個視野，被攤商的招牌給擋住了，所以我們就有要求說，攤商要改善，看是不是可以把招牌升上去，還是說用其他的方法，去讓城隍爺的視野更加的清楚”

[[店家負責人鐘明達]]
“一開始用手拉，就是往後拉這樣，就是有演戲的時候，但大部分在使用應該就是，在那個城隍爺做大生日的時候，因為那時候演戲的很多啊，幾乎每天都有演戲啊，所以那幾乎每天都要拉起來”

店家發揮創意，不但不影響生意，也能讓廟宇活動順利進行，意外掀起話題。

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Tourists visiting popular Ximending on the Taipei Metro would once typically head to Exit 6 to get out of its underground mall and deserted shops. Not anymore. Now a developer has transformed Ximen Metro Mall into a hub for anime and K-pop. There are also trendy cosmetic and accessory stores. Since it’s opening at the end of last year, foot traffic to this underground mall has increased by nearly 60%. Let’s find out more

The shop windows are replete with dolls and miniature models, while in another area there is the first-ever cosmetics vending machine in this underground mall, paired with a retro photo sticker booth, making the small shop packed with people.

Member of the public
Previously I had to go to many different places to find these kinds of shops, but now there’s a wide variety here, so it’s easier to find them all at once.

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I imagined underground shopping malls probably wouldn’t be so clean or attractive, but I think it’s quite beautifully done up now, with a consistent theme. The kind of walkway that’s very Instagrammable and really draws people in.

Ximen Metro Mall has had a makeover. It opened at the end of last year, and now attracts at least 10,000 visitors daily. Compare this with earlier footage. In 2002, the Taipei City Government invested over NT$1.67 billion to renovate this underground mall, but subsequent attempts to attract investment all did not amount to much. In 2017, then-Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je spent over NT$50 million in renovations, with a grand plan for transforming it into an anime and cultural and creative hub, but ultimately a row of 16 shops remained unused and abandoned. That is, until a savior arrived.

Chou Shang-min
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We’ve combined pop culture, trend-driven concepts, and fandom-related businesses. About 90% of the shops have now been leased.

Taiwan’s underground shopping malls often give an impression of being dimly lit and chaotic. The Ximen Metro Mall has moved beyond the traditional model of simply leasing space. Instead, all businesses are organized around a unique theme. By featuring the most popular anime and K-Pop themes, it targets Ximending’s young and diverse visitors.

Wang Li-mei
Guangfu Borough chief, Taipei
Now the foot traffic has increased by 40% to 50%, almost 60%, because before there were very few people, and I was quite worried. Hardly anyone was going into the shops. If there are more young people, it will naturally energize the entire commercial area, turning this place into a popular destination.

Visitors can experience all the latest trends in one place, a place that truly turns people flows into cash flows.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Graduation challenge encourages middle schoolers to conquer 15m climbing wall

American climber Alex Honnold’s ascent of Taipei 101 has sparked interest in climbing in Taiwan. But Ershui Junior High in Changhua is ahead of the curve. The school boasts the county’s largest climbing facility, where students are required to take six classes every semester. Students who climb 15 meters to the top even get a special certificate at graduation.

Wearing full protective equipment under the careful observation of their teachers and parents, students take on this extreme adventure park. There’s also this...

A 15-meter climbing wall. Ershui Junior High School in Changhua has the county’s largest climbing wall, as well as other facilities like a giant ladder and zipline.

Member of public
It’s pretty good. They get a chance to experience different kinds of activities than students at other schools.

Wu Chien-chung
Ershui Junior High principal
We’re making good use of these facilities. At the moment, every student has about six classes here every semester where they climb or do other adventuring activities. If they can conquer the climbing wall, then they’ll get a signed certificate as a keepsake. It’s unique for a graduation.

American climber Alex Honnold’s successful free solo of Taipei 101 has sparked interest in climbing across Taiwan, and brought attention to the school. Since students take six climbing classes every semester, if they’re able to reach the top of the 15-meter-high wall, they’ll get a special diploma declaring them as the most accomplished climbers in Changhua.

Wu Chien-chung
Ershui Junior High principal
We do our best to encourage the students to try it out. Like rock climbing, not everyone will make it to the top, but the point is to try. To challenge yourself.

Exposure to extreme sports from a young age challenges these students’ physical strength, mental agility, and endurance, teaching them how to grow from adversity.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Using big pots on portable stoves may cause gas explosion

With the recent cold weather, many people have been enjoying hot pot in the comfort of their own homes using portable gas stoves. But first responders said they have recently seen patients with injuries from these stoves exploding. Wanting to cook more food faster, they used a pot too big for the stove, heating up the gas canister on the side and causing it to explode.

Taiwanese actor Ming Dao warns of the dangers of using portable gas stoves. Many people use small stoves like this to cook hot pot at home, but it’s important not to heat up the gas canister on the side.

Firefighters described these portable stoves as “grenades on the table.” They said people had recently been injured with metal shrapnel from one of them. Wanting to cook more food at once, a group of young people used a pot too big for the small stove, causing the gas canister on the side to heat up and explode.

Kao Shih-feng
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If the temperature exceeds 100°C, it will trigger a valve that shuts off the gas supply. But if the temperature rises too quickly and the pressure exceeds 15 kilograms per square centimeter, the safety valve will activate and start releasing gas. But if the heated surface is too large and quickly surpasses 100°C with high pressure, it doesn’t have time to relieve the pressure or shut off, and will explode.

If the pot covers the lid of the gas canister, it’s like putting the canister in the fire. When the canister’s internal pressure exceeds its limit, the gas will vaporize and expand.

Voice of Huang Chien-hua
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When cooking, try not to use any pots that extend beyond the stove’s grate, as this can overheat the gas canister. Second, ensure proper ventilation. The canister has a ring-shaped notch that must be secured with an audible click to prevent gas from leaking.

It’s important to not use pots larger than the stove grate, not use portable stoves side by side, and stop using them immediately if the gas canister starts to warm up. Don’t let the simple joy of cooking a warm meal on a cold day turn into a disaster.

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Lai Ching-te
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During the Han Kuang exercises, readiness drills, base missions, and disaster relief during the Guangfu operation, our troops demonstrated outstanding performance, which I want to fully recognize. Last year, when China conducted military exercises around Taiwan, the Second Operational Command responded quickly, showing deterrent strength and demonstrating to our people the solid combat capabilities of our officers and soldiers. The government will continue to make every effort to give our military troops maximum support. I hope that all political parties can put aside differences on matters of national defense and security, and work to secure more budget and resources for our own troops so that we can protect our sovereignty.

President Lai personally visited the tactical center to hear reports from the troops, and inspected the mobile vertical launchers of the Tien Kung III missiles and the radar vehicles. He also watched a retrospective video with the soldiers showing last year’s Guangfu flood and the Coastal Defense Unit’s involvement in the disaster relief efforts. He thanked the troops for holding their posts and safeguarding the safety of the Taiwanese people.

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Taiwan’s defense submarine completes first submerged tests

Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine prototype, the Narwhal, successfully completed its first deep-water dive on Thursday, marking a major milestone in the Navy’s shipbuilding history. Building on that momentum, the Navy wasted no time in pressing ahead with further trials. On Friday, the submarine put to sea once again, departing the harbor an hour earlier than during the previous two sea trials earlier this week. Military experts interpret the accelerated schedule as a strong indication that Thursday’s deep-water submerged test was highly successful. As a result, the Narwhal is expected to proceed to even deeper waters in the next phase of testing, where more advanced submerged operations will be conducted. These ongoing trials are seen as a crucial step toward its planned delivery to the Navy in June.

Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine prototype, the Narwhal, is at Kaohsiung Harbor, escorted by Marine Corps assault boats and CSBC workboats. It’s heading out again after successfully completing its first submerged tests.

Military enthusiasts raised red banners and waved flags to celebrate the milestone and cheer the testing team on. The Narwhal is to complete a third round of tests this week. One military enthusiast from Tainan has followed the Narwhal’s activities in person every day.

Military enthusiast
I’m so happy. It looks like everything’s going well. It’s especially apparent when it’s navigating, its turns are so slick, so smooth.

The Narwhal completed the first submerged tests at 10 nautical miles off the coast of Zuoying, diving to a depth of 50m for tests on sonar, propulsion and other systems. To follow up on this success, the Navy is conducting more tests at 100m below sea level, including the submarine’s quietness and water pressure resistance.

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As things currently stand, it seems that yesterday’s tests were all very successful, so today more, relevant tests will be done at a greater depth, to see how the submarine’s soldering works will fare under all the stress and pressure under water, whether it will produce sounds and how the submarine will react.

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After the Narwhal completes deep-water submerged tests, it will get even closer to the target of delivery by June. The CSBC says it will run the tests progressively until then.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says second Taiwan HQ ‘a possibility’

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang headed to Nangang on the second day of his trip to Taiwan. He paid a visit to his company’s new office in the Taipei district in the morning, where he also took questions from employees. Reports have emerged that the tech giant is planning to build a second headquarters in Taiwan. Reporters asked Huang about the prospect. Though he didn’t provide any concrete details, he said a second HQ could be possible. He said that, as the number of Taiwanese employees continues to grow, the company will inevitably need more office space in the country. Let’s hear more from the tech tycoon.

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There is a possibility?

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Possibility and maybe even probability. You know? Who knows?

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“At the moment, there is no related information, but if Nvidia submits a request, the city government will provide assistance.”

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