Taitung vegetable vendor and philanthropist Chen Shu-chu, who was named one of 2010’s most influential people by Time magazine, has been invited to sing the national anthem in a music video to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the Republic of China. The recording, which is being organized by the Republic of China (Taiwan) Centenary Foundation, has proved a challenge for Chen who hasn’t sung the national anthem for over 50 years and who speaks Chinese with a heavy Taiwanese accent.
Chen is one of 22 people who the foundation chose from different walks of life to represent Taiwan by singing the national anthem. A few days before the shoot started on Dec. 13, Chen was given a songbook so she could practice on her own and a retired music teacher visited her vegetable stand to give her singing lessons.
Chen practiced diligently with her teacher, but when it came to filming, the production crew found she had problems with her speed and tonality. They therefore gave her some headphones so she could listen to the correct version of the anthem and made up a poster with the lyrics printed in large characters.
Photo: Huang Ming-tang
照片：自由時報記者黃明堂
When it came to recording, it proved difficult for Chen to sing the entire anthem in one take because she mumbled her words and was unable to correct her Taiwanese accent. There were many outtakes and it wasn’t until nightfall that they finally wrapped up recording. Chen said she hadn’t sung the national anthem since leaving elementary school and has no interest in singing, preferring to sell vegetables.
The Time magazine article about Chen was written by world famous Taiwanese film director Ang Lee. He said that Chen’s achievement is not its extraordinariness but that it is so simple and matter of fact in its generosity. When being interviewed, she always said, “Money serves its purpose only when it is used for those who need it.”
The magazine said rather than basking in her celebrity, Chen doesn’t seem to care much about her nomination, and with a wave of her hand and perhaps with a hint of irritation, she says, “There isn’t much to talk about, because I did not enter any competition. I haven’t really made any huge donations.”
(LIBERTY TIMES, COMPILED AND TRANSLATED BY TAIJING WU)
獲美國《時代》雜誌選為二○一○年最具影響力人物的台東愛心菜販陳樹菊，近日獲建國百年基金會之邀，拍攝建國百年音樂錄影帶，但是將近半世紀沒唱過國歌的她，加上改不掉的台灣國語，使她老是唱不好。
建百基金會的影片中有二十二位來自各行各業，具有代表性的台灣人演唱國歌，陳樹菊就是其中一位。這個影片於十二月十三日開拍，有關單位於開拍前幾天不但借了一本國歌歌本給她自行練唱，又請退休音樂老師到菜攤教唱。
陳樹菊很認真跟老師逐句練唱，但開始拍攝時，工作人員發現速度、音調都有問題，所以請她戴上耳機聽標準版本重練，還為她準備了一張大字報。
在錄製過程中，要她一口氣唱完國歌並不容易，嘴形一張張不開，台灣國語的問題頗嚴重，一直改不掉，經頻頻NG，天黑才大功告成。陳樹菊說，國小畢業後就沒再唱國歌，對唱歌一點兒興趣也沒有，還是賣菜比較自在。
《時代》雜誌上關於陳樹菊的文章，就是揚名國際的台灣導演李安執筆。文中指出陳樹菊令人讚嘆是因她簡單平凡的慷慨善行，而非她非凡的善舉。在接受媒體採訪時，陳樹菊總是說，「錢，要給需要的人才有用。」
雜誌上也表示陳樹菊不願意出名，似乎不太在意入選這件事情，甚至可能帶點不耐煩的口氣說，「這沒什麼好說的，因為我又不是參加什麼比賽，我沒有真的捐很多啦。」
（自由時報記者黃明堂，台北時報編譯吳岱璟彙整翻譯）
The US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28, has killed thousands of people, destabilized the Middle East and rocked global energy markets by effectively closing the strait. WHAT IS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ? Lying between Oman and Iran and linking the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond, the strait is 33km wide at its narrowest point, with a shipping lane just 3km wide in either direction. Perhaps the world’s most important energy shipping channel, the waterway is about 167km long. Following through on an old threat, Tehran effectively closed the strait
Have you ever found yourself desperately feeding coins into a claw machine just because you’ve already spent so much trying to win that stuffed animal? Or maybe you’ve continued watching a boring movie simply because you already paid for the ticket? If so, you’ve experienced the “sunk cost fallacy.” A sunk cost refers to time, money or effort that has already been spent and cannot be recovered. This psychological trap is surprisingly common. You might keep playing a video game you no longer enjoy because you’ve invested countless hours in building your character, or maintain a toxic friendship because you’ve known
A: Which TV drama series have been global hits so far this year? B: The US drama “Stranger Things 5,” South Korean drama “Can This Love Be Translated?” and Chinese megahit “Pursuit of Jade” are all popular lately. A: Isn’t “Pursuit of Jade” the costume idol drama about the romance between a charming marquis and a pig-slaughterer? Actor Zhang Linghe and actress Tian Xiwei are both so attractive. B: Plus, Netflix’s Korean-Japanese gay romance drama “Soul Mate” — starring Korea’s Ok Taec-yeon and Japan’s Hayato Isomura — is set to premiere in May. A: These hit international dramas
When you twist open a bottle of carbonated water, bubbles rush out with a hissing sound. This drink is simply water infused with carbon dioxide (CO2) under pressure, giving it that fizz on your tongue. But this basic description barely scratches the surface of the carbonated water family. Although all carbonated waters are bubbly, slight differences set them apart. Seltzer is just plain water with artificial CO2—no minerals, no extras. Club soda includes added minerals such as sodium bicarbonate, which creates a slightly salty flavor. This makes club soda suitable for mixing with fruit juices. Sparkling water, on the
RSS