Graduation challenge encourages middle schoolers to conquer 15m climbing wall

Graduation challenge encourages middle schoolers to conquer 15m climbing wall

2026-01-30

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.

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#extremesports #climbing #AlexHonnold #freesolo #Taipei101 #Changhua #rockclimbing #students #challenge #adventurepark

台版Alex搖籃! 彰化二水國中畢業門檻"攀岩15公尺登頂"

2026-01-30

美國攀岩好手Alex，成功徒手攀登台北101，大大引起國人對攀岩運動的興趣，在彰化二水國中，就有1座全縣最大的攀岩場，學生每學期要上6堂攀岩課程，而且畢業時若攀爬15公尺登頂，還能領到不同的畢業證書!

孩子全副武裝，在家長及教練陪同下，挑戰高空極限探索設施，在一旁，還有這些。

高達15公尺的攀岩牆，就在彰化二水國中裡，校園除了有全縣最高攀岩牆，周邊還有巨人梯、大溜索等極限運動設施。

[[民眾]]
“我覺得很不錯，會比其他學校來說，比較有機會去接觸不一樣的運動”

[[二水國中校長吳建中]]
“學校這邊的話，也是善用這個設施，所以目前，每學期，每個同學，大概會有6節課的時間來進行攀岩，或是其他高空探索活動，假如攀岩成功了，就可以有一張畢業證書上簽名，可以做個留念，算是有一個不一樣的畢業典禮”

美國攀岩好手Alex ，成功攀登"台北101"，引起攀岩熱潮，同時也讓彰化二水國中受到關注，因為這裡的學生，每學期要上六堂攀岩課，畢業時，登頂15公尺，還有特殊的畢業證書，也被稱為"全縣最會爬"。

[[二水國中校長吳建中]]
“就是鼓勵他們能夠盡量去參與，去體驗，就像攀岩，不一定要成功攀到頂，重點是過程，他要能夠克服自己”

從小接觸極限運動，考驗體力、智力、耐力，讓學生面對挑戰，在過程中，逐步成長。

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 visits Hualien troops ahead of Lunar New Year

With just a few weeks to go until the Lunar New Year, President Lai Ching-te on Friday visited the Hualien Navy Base, the Hualien Army Coastal Defense Unit, and the Hualien Air Force Base. Besides inspecting the troops, Lai offered words of encouragement to personnel, and presented them with additional bonuses. He also delivered a speech in which he expressed his gratitude to the soldiers who participated in last year’s disaster relief efforts during the Guangfu flood. He emphasized the high-quality performance of the Coastal Defense Unit during Taiwan’s own Han Kuang exercises, as well as its responsiveness during China’s military drills near the area. The president also took the opportunity to call on opposition parties to put aside political differences to secure more funding for the troops. Let’s hear from him.

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.

In the five years since construction began on the Narwhal, the project has received technical support from many countries, including the US, the UK and South Korea. The military expert says that submerged tests at deep waters will determine whether the prototype has a successfully integrated system.

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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.

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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.

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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
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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.

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

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Reporter
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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