Locals shocked after looters raid 600-year-old tomb in Kinmen

Locals shocked after looters raid 600-year-old tomb in Kinmen

2026-04-07

A rare case of tomb raiding at a historic site has come to light in the outlying island of Kinmen. The incident was reported at the Tomb of Chen Hsien, a traditional burial site with a history stretching back 600 years. The grave robbers stole several items, which are still being inventoried. Police have collected evidence at the site, and the Cultural Affairs Bureau has increased patrols at historic sites in the county. Violators could face up to 5 years behind bars.

The raiders left a large hole at the top of the tomb, after digging through several layers of soil. The deceased, Chen Hsien, was the first person from Kinmen to ever pass the imperial examination during the Ming Dynasty, making him an important historical figure locally. His tomb is considered one of four famous graves in the archipelago. The tomb is set in front of a huge monolith and is designed following the principles of fengshui. The robbing has alarmed heritage conservationists, but also Chen’s descendents, who say that they’d never imagined someone would do something so outrageous.

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#kinmen #heritage #tombraider #tomb #graverobber

623年金門縣定古蹟遭破壞 "盜挖陳顯墓"警方.文化局追查

2026-04-07

金門竟然傳出盜墓事件，而且還是有600多年歷史的縣定古蹟"陳顯墓"。警方獲報到場採證，具體失竊物品清查中。文化局則表示會加強巡邏古蹟，並警告已經觸法，可處6個月以上、5年以下徒刑。

"陳顯墓"的石頭層和泥土層，遭人破壞，留下一個大洞。陳顯是金門明代中舉的第一人，為地方重要歷史人物，他的墓被視為金門「四大名穴」之一，背倚巨石、有螃蟹穴風水格局，此次受損不僅涉及文化資產，祖墳遭挖掘更是讓後代直呼，”根本想都想不到，有人會幹這種鳥事”。

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Drought impact on spring tea reaches natural disaster level

Tea across multiple farmsteads in Nantou is growing poorly due to the lack of rainfall early this year. The damage is most severe in Zhushan and Lugu townships, where spring tea production could decrease by 40 to 60%. The Ministry of Agriculture announced that all tea-producing townships in Nantou, except Ren’ai Township, qualify for natural disaster subsidies.

Braving the rain, agricultural authorities check the spring tea crop. If it had rained like this a few months ago, this year’s spring tea would not have been so heavily impacted.

Yu Hao
Legislator (KMT)
It barely rained at all in January, and only for one day in early February, with scattered showers at the end of the month. It’s very serious. The crop has been seriously damaged.

Zhushan is Nantou’s second-biggest tea-producing township. It barely rained here at all in January, reaching standards for “disastrous weather” due to drought, the Ministry of Agriculture said. The drought has been the worst in Zhushan and Lugu townships, impacting the growth of new shoots and the size of leaves. This has led to a serious decrease in spring tea production.

Huang Cheng-tsung
Tea and Beverage Research Station official
The tea buds are shorter than the typical length of spring tea, with an overall sprouting rate of only 30 to 40%, which is very low.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Nantou’s Agriculture Bureau inspected the tea fields, confirming that the losses reach the standard for natural disaster relief.

Chiu Shao-wei
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For Lugu, Zhushan, and other production areas in Nantou, including all the areas impacted by the disaster, we hope that the Ministry of Agriculture can provide subsidies.

The ministry said all tea-producing areas in Nantou except for Ren’ai Township would receive subsidies to help them through the disaster.

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#farming #Nantou #agriculture #MinistryofAgriculture #tea #springtea #teaproduction #drought #naturaldisaster

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Over 250,000 seniors still paying off mortgages as Taiwan ages

Buying a home is no longer just a challenge for the younger generation. Even seniors are still paying off their mortgages. Of all people aged over 60 in Taiwan, over 250,000 still have mortgages. That means that one out of every 8.9 mortgage holders is over 60. At an age when they should be retiring and enjoying life, more and more people are struggling to pay off their homes. And on top of that, strict thresholds set by banks for senior applicants are creating more challenges for this demographic.

In 2020, real-estate agent Chen Tai-yuan bought a studio apartment in Taipei’s Zhongshan District. He’s been making payments now for over five years, and still owes NT$7.21 million. Even with monthly payments of NT$32,000 for both the principal and interest, he will be 67 years old by the time he pays it off.

Chen Tai-yuan
Real-estate agent
There’s a sense of urgency. We have to earn money early in order to save up enough for the remaining 25 years of mortgage payments.

According to the latest data from the Joint Credit Information Center, as of December, about 11.22% of the 2.24 million mortgage holders in Taiwan—or one in every 8.91 mortgage holders—is a senior. But would you be willing to spend your golden years paying off a mortgage?

Senior
I don’t want to. It’s impossible. There’s no work. No one wants to hire someone my age. How’re we supposed to pay?

Mr. Hsu
Senior
I’m 72 now. I paid off my mortgage at 68. I felt like I could relax after that, but it was really hard at the time. I was unhappy for 20, 30 years. It was horrible, thinking about the mortgage day in and day out. Some people even work three jobs.

As Taiwan becomes super-aged with a declining birthrate, there will only be more seniors like Mr. Hsu who are still paying off mortgages.

Chen Tai-yuan
Real-estate agent
If you’re already 60, your loan term might not even reach 20 years. They might even force you to inform your children about the loan. Banks worry that the risk of a senior developing dementia could lead to legal disputes.

Many banks have set a rule stipulating that borrower’s age plus the loan term cannot exceed 80 years. Senior loans come with a low loan-to-value ratio and the highest interest rates. Income and the purpose of the loan are also highly scrutinized. Finding a balance between declining health and a steep mortgage has become a grim reality that many must face.

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#seniors #seniorcitizen #mortgage #homeownership #superagedsociety #birthrate #loan #seniorloan #realestate #retirement #financialhardship

2026-04-07

Bird taken into nearby factory’s after tripping power outage

Not long ago, the employees at a screw factory in Tainan’s Rende District heard a loud bag from outside, followed by a factory-wide blackout. From the door, they saw that two turtle doves had accidentally touched a high-voltage wire, triggering a local power failure. Remarkably, while one bird died instantly, the other survived, albeit a little worse for the wear. Its feathers scorched, they found it looked around dazed. The employees brought it into the factory, adopting it as a collective pet in a heartwarming turn of events.

The factory’s power suddenly went out, sending the surprised employees outside to see what was wrong. There they discovered a bird standing on the ground, looking around.

The outage was caused by two turtle doves flying into a high-voltage power line. While one died on the spot, the other survived, its feathers scorched and emitting a burning scent. But it seemed to be doing just fine, and full of energy.

Chen Yung-ho
Screw factory owner
A red light suddenly flashed and there was a huge bang that scared everyone, then the power shut off. All its feathers were scorched, so we decided to bring it inside and look after it.

The incident occurred outside a screw factory in Rende, Tainan. When the power suddenly went out, employees went to the entrance to find that two turtle doves had hit the high-voltage lines. They immediately contacted Taipower for emergency repairs. But for the scorched bird, it was a blessing in disguise. Now it’s been adopted by the employees, who have made it an adorable temporary home.

Chen Yung-ho
Screw factory owner
The bird seems to have fully recovered now. We were always skeptical when we heard that squirrels or birds caused power outages. But this time we saw it with our own eyes. We’ve been misunderstanding Taipower all along.

Animal-related outages are a recurring issue. In 2022, incidents in Kaohsiung’s Yanchao and Dashe districts left over 2,000 households in the dark after birds interfered with utility poles. Taipower workers in Tainan regularly use insulated poles to clear nests to keep the conductive copper or iron wires in their nests from causing short circuits. Given the risks, this little turtle dove is truly one of the lucky ones!

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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President Lai Ching-te pays tribute to democracy activist

On April 7, 1989, democracy activist Cheng Nan-jung died by self-immolation while the police tried to arrest him for sedition. That was before Taiwan became fully democratic in 1996, but after martial law was lifted in 1987. In 2016, April 7 was designated as Freedom of Expression Day. While President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday paid tribute to Cheng Nan-jung, on the opposite end of the political spectrum, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun happened to depart for China. President Lai took the occasion to emphasize that true peace cannot be achieved at the mercy of a dictatorship; that peace is not solely an absence of war, but moreover, peace must uphold national sovereignty.

President Lai Ching-te pays tribute to democracy activist Cheng Nan-jung at Chin Pao San Cemetary, on the 37th year since he died by self-immolation.

The solemn occasion is accompanied by sweet violin music. On this day 37 years ago, democracy activist Cheng Nan-jung’s death shocked society. President Lai Ching-te says he still thinks about the incident, with reverence for Cheng, so many years on.

Lai Ching-te
President
Every time I think of Mr. Cheng Nan-jung’s tragic martyrdom, I feel a deep sense of loss and boundless respect for him. His heroic sacrifice awakened society, and wave after wave of social forces have devoted themselves to successive democratic reforms.

The president said Cheng’s self-immolation was a catalyst that awakened many to join social movements, hearkening Taiwan’s democracy.

Lai Ching-te
President
Taiwan’s greatest challenge is China’s suppression. Under these circumstances, we’re very aware that although peace is important, our vision for peace must include idealism, and cannot contain delusions.

The KMT recently launched a video campaign for party chair Cheng Li-wun’s visit to China, with the message “only peace will allow us to chill,” which was met with disdain by the ruling DPP.

Lai Ching-te
President
Peace must be upheld through strength. It’s the same as fighting for democracy. It’s impossible to achieve peace at a dictator’s mercy. Instead, it takes determination. Peace can only be achieved through strength. Only then will we gain real peace. What’s more, peace isn’t only an absence of war. That cannot be called peace so simply. In addition to an absence of war, peace must also uphold national sovereignty. Taiwan is not a part of the People’s Republic of China.

Lai said that cross-strait peace must uphold national sovereignty. Though he did not directly address the KMT chair, it’s clear that his message was intended for her.

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KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun sets off on 6-day China trip

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun has set off on a six-day visit to China, which is expected to include a sit-down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday. Cheng was originally scheduled to speak about her trip at the airport before her departure, but the presser was abruptly rescheduled to a conference at the party’s headquarters late at night on Monday. Nearly 20 lawmakers attended the event to see her off. Let’s hear more.

Cheng Li-wun
KMT Chair
Many people find it hard to believe that I would be formally invited by the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping himself. President Lai Ching-te will surely be closely watching the whole process sitting in the Presidential Office. I know our friends in the DPP are full of doubts about the other side of the strait, but as long as you have the will, cross-strait peace is not that difficult.

Wang Chen-ting
Taipei Councilor candidate (Green Party Taiwan)
The KMT is trying to sell this trip as a journey for peace, but we must ask ourselves. Would this “peace” be achieved at the cost of Taiwan’s sovereignty and by downgrading Taiwan to an internal issue for the Chinese Communist Party? I think such a peace would be but a poison.

Wang Hsing-huan
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Chair
If KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun becomes so enamored with China that she doesn’t want to come back, she can just stay. She can save herself the return ticket. In fact, she can ask everyone else in the KMT to just go back to their motherland. Even those friends seeing her off should just board the plane with her and go.

Several pro-independence groups gathered at the airport voicing opposition to Cheng’s plans. But there were also several members of the Chinese nationalist New Party, who showed up to demonstrate their support for Cheng. The two sides shouted at each other, and to prevent any potential clashes, 136 police officers were deployed to the scene. But the demonstrations were in vain, as Cheng ended up taking another path into Songshan Airport via the business center, without having to hear diametrically opposed voices.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Farglory Ocean Park to transition dolphinarium into conservation base

Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien held its last dolphin show on Monday. Nearly ten years after the current program was introduced, the park has decided not to renew its dolphin show permit. Additionally, the current show venue will also be repurposed into a Dolphin Conservation Base, incorporating educational contents on marine ecology and conservation in future exhibits.

Farglory Ocean Park’s dolphin show is loved by many members of the public. But now, the park has decided not to renew its permit. As a result, the park’s dolphins took their final bow on April 6.

Ms. Hu
Ocean park visitor
It’s a pity, because my kids always look forward to the seeing the dolphins whenever we come. I hope that their future plans will continue to allow kids an opportunity to get to know dolphins.

As attitudes shift in support of marine life conservation and animal welfare, Farglory has decided to repurpose its dolphinarium into a conservation base.

Ms. Wang
Ocean park visitor
I support this decision. I think it’s great that there’s another way to conserve these dolphins.

Teng Chun-jen
Farglory Group head of management
The park will invest NT $30 million toward upgrading the facilities into the largest dolphin conservation base in all of Asia. Additionally, around the end of June, there will also be a brand-new exhibit that introduces dolphins in a friendlier way, so that everyone can learn about dolphins, and at the same time, experience activities in marine education.

Lee Hsin-chuan
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Even though the shows are no more, you can still see that we continue to care for the dolphins routinely, and will continue to do so.

Farglory Ocean Park says that they’ll repurpose the venue, and build a Dolphin Conservation Base that centers on animal care, education and science. It adds that future exhibits will incorporate educational content on marine ecology and conservation, raising visitors’ awareness on related topics.

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Inconsiderate locals dump trash at collection site during closing hours

A trash collection site in Tainan is facing a trash dumping problem after allowing locals to drop off their trash during the facility’s opening times. The problem lies with a handful of inconsiderate residents, who are hauling their rubbish to the site after hours and dumping it straight on the ground. Some even have the gall to climb the fence of the facility to move their garbage in. That results in a pile of garbage that’s left to fester at the gate for two days over weekends. Authorities warn that violators will be investigated and fined up to NT$6,000.

Surveillance footage shows people arriving by car and on scooters with bags of trash and tossing them inside. One man in black even climbs the gate to drop off his waste. This is the situation at a trash collection site in Tainan’s Xigang District.

Local
Disposes of trash responsibly
When I saw people dumping their trash in like that, the first thing I thought is that workers wouldn’t be able to open the gate later, because all the trash is blocking it. If I see the gate is closed, I don’t throw my rubbish over.

Local
Disposes of trash responsibly
I wouldn’t do that no. I follow the rules. What used to be a convenient option has now turned into chaos.

People are allowed to drop off their waste at the collection site from 8:00 to 12:00 in the morning, and 1:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon Monday to Friday. Dumping trash is not allowed outside of those hours, and there are signs saying “no climbing” and warning that photos of violators may be put up in public. But that hasn’t stopped some inconsiderate locals.

Chu Hung-che
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Dumping waste outside operating hours is prohibited. Some residents have abused this convenience by dumping trash during closed hours, violating the Waste Disposal Act. The bureau will track down offenders via license plates and issue fines of up to NT$6,000.

The Environmental Protection Bureau warns that illegal dumping is against the law. If surveillance cameras capture a license plate, fines will be issued accordingly. Officials urge locals not to seek short-term convenience at the expense of their own wallets.

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