He Lianhua

A: If I’m just staying in Taipei as usual, I’ll definitely sleep until I wake up naturally. So my day starts at 11 a.m. Then I’ll prepare a light brunch, because I’ll have intensive classes or rehearsals afterward, and I want to take it easy and have a good, leisurely bathroom break (laughs).

A: The Elfin Dance Troupe is in Tamsui—come by and visit sometime! If you’re lucky, you might even spot a wild Taiwan blue magpie.

A: Guandu,Dawenshi RestaurantAt NTUA, when you order a main course, there's a small all-you-can-eat buffet. The food tastes good, the price is affordable for me, and you can enjoy the night view of the Guandu Plain.

A: Drinking red wine, watching documentaries, staring blankly at Facebook (hahahaha), and writing Facebook posts. If I had a little more money, I’d go to a good restaurant or a nice place to eat—not somewhere that has to be especially luxurious or beautiful, but I feel that food can heal just about anything. I’d also get together at friends’ homes. If the kids are around, I’ll cook something myself and share it with everyone. That’s my idea of entertainment.

A: I started dancing when I was three. At twenty, I discovered flamenco, and it truly changed me. It gave me the courage to be unapologetically and exuberantly myself. As someone who was cynical and resentful toward the world, I could find release through the sound of my footsteps and the emotions expressed by my body. Flamenco can stay with me for a lifetime. It changed me—above all, by teaching me the importance of sincerity and bringing me closer to the depths of my soul.

This is really hard~~ Flamenco is something that even a thousand words could hardly describe in a single sentence. I guess I’d put it this way: “Dancing is my breath, and flamenco is my way of expressing myself.”

 

“Don’t be afraid of the heat when you step into the kitchen.” We’re not traveling along pre-existing railroad tracks; we’re laying the tracks ourselves, and we don’t know where they’ll lead. In this day and age, entrepreneurship comes with more obstacles. It takes more effort, and the results may not meet expectations. So, focus on what you can do now: do your best to find a way to keep going and get a little closer to your goal. Sometimes taking a step backward isn’t a bad thing.

A: The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps by Keigo Higashino. The ending of this book moved me so much, but I won’t spoil it (hahaha). A little girl in the story accidentally drowns and is declared brain-dead after being resuscitated. Her mother does everything she can to keep her daughter alive, relying on machines to sustain her life. To others, it’s hard to understand what purpose there is in living with the help of machines. The book captures the struggles and heartache of a mother who cannot bear to let go so vividly. This brings us to the question: How do we know whether someone who is brain-dead is alive or dead?! In real life, this ties into the debate over whether euthanasia should be legalized. The issues explored in the book are well worth reflecting on, and I highly recommend it. Love those close to you while you can~~~~~~~

A: Every year, I go up to the mountains to teach Indigenous children to dance. This back-and-forth has been going on for eight years now. I hope to establish an arts and humanities center in the tribe, so that through art and dance therapy, wherever God’s love is nurtured, we can sow the seeds of art and love and gradually cultivate them (referring to Indigenous children). I hope to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, and that there will be no barriers between people. I believe everything can be changed through love.

A: I usually feel more at home when couchsurfing or staying at a B&B (haha). I’d like the place I stay to offer a semi-open space where artists like us, who need to connect with nature, can create. I’ve stayed at four- and five-star hotels before. Although they were beautiful, I felt they wasted a lot of space. I prefer somewhere small, fully equipped, and with a homey feel.

A: The Silks Place Hotel looks very minimalist and upscale from the outside. Its first impression might make you hesitant to go in, but once inside, you’ll find it welcoming and relaxing. The art installations inside are rooted in a philosophy of working with charitable organizations, making me feel that this is a place filled with love and warmth!!