A statue of a beggar with a pleading expression and begging bowl has become the star of the newly-opened Lanyang Museum, prompting compassionate visitors to hand out coins to him. The constant stream of donations has made the statue the museum’s “wealthiest” item.
The museum entered its second stage of operation last Friday, letting visitors in for free. The museum’s records showed almost 20,000 visitors passed through its doors over a weekend and many of them left favorable comments about its design and the content of the exhibitions.
The second floor exhibition shows life during the early days of the Republic of China in Taiwan. On a corner depicting life at the Ximen Ferry Point in Yilan, a few wax statues stand in front of pictures of streets and shops. One of the statues is of a bare-footed old beggar with white hair, holding a walking stick in his right hand and a broken bowl in his left hand, pleading for handouts.
His expression is so realistic it has caused compassionate visitors to put coins into his broken bowl. Museum staff are keen to prevent such donations but when the museum is busy visitors secretly put coins in the bowl when the staff are not paying attention. When business is good, the beggar’s income can reach NT$5,000 to NT$6,000 per day.
The donations have become a headache for the museum’s management. By putting money in the bowl, visitors often damage the statue. Sung Lung-chuan, acting director of Yilan County Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, said that when the accumulated donations reach a certain amount, the museum will give it all to charity or disadvantaged groups.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY TAIJING WU)
剛開放的蘭陽博物館內有一尊乞丐蠟像，由於托碗乞討的神態楚楚可憐、太過逼真，遊客當場掏錢施捨，讓乞丐「收入頗豐」，也成為館內最夯的展示品。
蘭博從上星期五進入第二階段試營運，開放給民眾免費進場參觀，根據館方統計，周末就湧進近兩萬名遊客，民眾對於館內陳設的文物、設計反應都相當不錯。
在二樓的「平原層」展區中，營造早期宜蘭市西門渡口的民眾生活場景，除了有圖繪的街景、店鋪，並擺放幾尊人物蠟像，其中一尊造型是白髮蒼蒼的赤腳老乞丐，他右手拄著柺杖、左手托著破碗開口行乞。
或許世蠟像太過逼真，激發遊客的惻隱之心，掏出零錢往破碗內放，雖然現場解說人員看到時會制止，但因為遊客太多，還是有許多民眾趁著解說人員沒注意時偷偷將零錢丟進碗內，讓這名乞丐每天都有五、六千元的「收入」，「生意」可說相當好。
但民眾的善舉愛心，卻也造成館方人員管理上的困擾，更怕會造成蠟像毀損，宜蘭縣政府文化局代理局長宋隆全表示，縣府並不鼓勵民眾如此做，但對於已經收到的善款，將會在累計到一定的金額後，全數轉贈給縣內的慈善、公益或弱勢團體。
(自由時報記者胡健森)
A: Taiwanese-language pop singer Jody Chiang is finally staging a comeback after having “turned off the microphone” for nine years. B: Yeah, she’s set to perform for the National Day celebration at the Taipei Dome this Saturday. A: As the best Taiwanese-language singer, it would be a big loss if she continued her hiatus. B: Recently, Chiang revealed that she quit singing in 2015 due to cancer. A: That’s shocking. But it’s great to see her healthy and able to turn the mic back on again. A: 台語歌后江蕙「封麥」9年後，終於即將復開唱了。 B: 對啊她本週六將參加國慶晚會，在大巨蛋開唱。 A: 江蕙可是最棒的台語歌手，如果不唱歌太可惜了。 B: 她最近才透露，其實2015年是因為罹癌才會「封麥」。 A: 真是令人震驚！能再看到她健康地「開麥」太好啦。 （By Eddy Chang,
A: Apart from Taiwanese-language pop diva Jody Chiang’s comeback, South Korean girl group (G)I-dle is also performing in Taiwan this weekend. B: I know. They have concerts at the Taipei Arena on Saturday and Sunday. A: Actually, to meet their fans’ high demand, they’ve added one more show on Friday. B: They’re even adding a show? That shows how popular they are. A: My favorite group member is Taiwan’s Susan Yeh, known by her stage name “Shuhua.” Let’s go cheer her on. A: 本週末除了江蕙復出，南韓熱門女團(G)I-dle也將開唱唷。 B: 我知道，他們本週六、日將在小巨蛋開唱。 A: 應粉絲的要求，他們本週五還會加場。 B: 還加場？不愧是韓流人氣女團。 A: 我最喜歡台灣團員葉舒華！我們快去幫她加油吧。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park is a great example of how art can be combined with environmental conservation. __1__ on the ocean floor of the Caribbean Sea, this aquatic gallery was the brainchild of British sculptor and ecologist Jason deCaires Taylor in 2006. The park features sculptures that function as man-made coral reefs, with holes and shelters to attract marine life, thus forming a strikingly beautiful __2__. The sculptures are placed in a way that diverts visitors from nearby natural reefs. This creative approach to ecological preservation demonstrates how art can inspire, educate, and contribute to the sustainability of our environment. The
City life moves fast, and escalators are a lifesaver for busy commuters. __1__ It is widely believed that this practice keeps traffic flowing smoothly and avoids congestion. While on the road, drivers of slower vehicles are required to remain within the outside lane so that those traveling at faster speeds may pass in the inside lane. Similar to traffic lanes that separate vehicles driving at different speeds, this convention on escalators allows for both efficiency and courtesy. __2__ This system reflects an unspoken understanding that facilitates shared use of the space. However, the city of Nagoya, Japan, has
RSS