Innovation

A harmonized global society has a huge potential to become a highly innovative system in which all sorts of components and ingredients are dynamically integrated into the global capacity to generate value constantly.

We live in a more ambiguous and globally distributed world, with exponential growth of information and frequent disruptions. Being global and shaping a world-class organization is all about crossing not only geographical borders but also cultural divides between business, industrial, government, and social sectors to make a leap in growth and improve organizational maturity.

Address global challenges effectively through common understanding: Global perspective is important in a more hyper-connected and globally distributed world as it deepens a holistic understanding of circumstances. Developing world-class insight and global foresight requires holistic thinking, strategic reasoning, systems understanding, and forecasting capability.

Appreciating and Protecting Cultural Diversity: While acknowledging the interconnectedness of humanity, a global perspective of wisdom also values and inspires cultural diversity. It recognizes the richness and unique contributions of different traditions and worldviews. This fosters tolerance, respect for differences, and the understanding that diverse perspectives can coexist and enrich each other.

Embracing Interdependence and Collaboration: Recognizing our interdependence on different parts of the world and its resources is a crucial aspect of global wisdom. It encourages collaboration and collective action to address global challenges and promote the well-being of all. This requires effective communication, shared responsibility, and the ability to find common ground despite existing differences.

Cultivating a global perspective of wisdom can empower individuals and communities to solve tough problems creatively: The global leadership effectiveness is not only based on the rising and expandable horizon but also based on forethoughtful leaders’ very intention or effort to dig into the root causes of varying issues in the global scope, connect the wider dots and advocate innovative solutions. It’s important to understand a variety of global dialects, demonstrate cultural empathy and emotional excellence, and communicate the possibility of generative behavior changes in organizational structure, patterns, and processes.

Navigate the complexities of an interconnected world: Global leaders and professionals should sense, feel, read, and imagine, set tones to enhance cross-boundary communication and collaboration. Contextual navigation helps businesses generate fresh ideas, enabling them to scale up innovation efforts across geographical boundaries. Global teams with innovation navigation ability usually demonstrate conceptual diversity based on independent thinking, diversity of opinion, imagination and knowledge, decentralization, aggregation, etc, to identify or generate fresh ideas and implement selected ones for benefiting global society.

It’s always important to promote a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world for future generations. Global perspectives are important in a globally distributed world with complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity. A harmonized global society has a huge potential to become a highly innovative system in which all sorts of components and ingredients are dynamically integrated into the global capacity to generate value constantly.

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InfluenceofGuanyin

Guanyin continues to inspire and uplift people around the world with her message of purity and benevolence to advance humanity.

Guanyin is typically portrayed as a graceful and benevolent figure, often depicted as a female goodness with powerful influence, symbolizing her ability to perceive the suffering of sentient beings and to extend compassion to all. 

Guanyin is sometimes invoked as a symbol of unity, tolerance, and inner peace. She is often referred to as the "Goddess of Mercy" or the "Queen of Compassion,"


Symbol of purity: Guanyin is frequently depicted holding a vase of pure water, symbolizing purity and the ability to purify suffering. This fluidity reflects her ability to transcend worldly distinctions and connect with beings on a deeply compassionate level. Guanyin is renowned for her vow to remain in the world until all sentient beings attain enlightenment. This vow reflects her boundless compassion and commitment to alleviating suffering and guiding beings toward liberation and harmony. Statues of Guanyin have been built in many towns, and cities in different nations.

Guanyin's influence extends far beyond East Asia and has touched various parts of the world, particularly through the spread of cultural exchange. During my global tour recently, I saw many statues of Guanyin in museums located in England, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Taiwan, China, US, etc. Temples dedicated to Guanyin can be found in countries worldwide.

Cultural Influence: Guanyin is one of the most beloved and widely worshipped female goodness in East Asia. Guanyin's influence extends beyond religious contexts and permeates various aspects of East Asian culture, including art, literature, music, and folklore. Guanyin's universal message of compassion and mercy has resonated with people of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding. Her image and teachings are often used as sources of inspiration for meditation, self-reflection, and personal growth.

Guanyin’s universal appeal transcends cultural and religious boundaries, embodying the timeless virtues of compassion, kindness, and love. She is often depicted in paintings, sculptures, and poetry as a symbol of compassion and spiritual guidance. Guanyin is associated with numerous miracles and acts of compassion, such as rescuing beings from danger, healing the sick, and guiding souls to enlightenment.

Artistic Representations and Literature Appreciations: Guanyin's iconic image has inspired artisans around the world, leading to the creation of diverse artistic representations in various mediums, including paintings, sculptures, and all different artifacts. These artistic depictions often reflect local cultural influences and interpretations of Guanyin's compassionate nature.

Guanyin's presence can be found in literature and poetry from different cultures and languages as well. Writers and poets have drawn inspiration from Guanyin's compassion and wisdom, incorporating her imagery and symbolism into their works to convey themes of love, empathy, and spiritual enlightenment.

Cultural Exchange and Tourism: Guanyin's popularity has led to increased cultural tourism, with pilgrims and travelers from around the world visiting temples and participating cultural events. This exchange of ideas and experiences contributes to the global dissemination of Guanyin's teachings and values.

Guanyin's emphasis on compassion and service to others has inspired philanthropic initiatives and humanitarian efforts worldwide. Individuals and organizations committed to social justice, environmental conservation, and humanitarian aid often draw inspiration from Guanyin's compassionate example in their work.

Overall, Guanyin's influence transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, touching the hearts and minds of people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs. Whether as a symbol of religious devotion, artistic inspiration, or moral guidance. Guanyin continues to inspire and uplift people around the world with her message of purity and benevolence to advance humanity.

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A twist of journey

We are so far away, also close; in this co-shared world, I take my path, to meet global strangers, all over the place…

Strangers before,

Suddenly we met,

In deep alleys,

narrow streets;

Lost in the city,

I found you, 

in surprise;

Your friendly road guidance,,

point me in-

right path..


Global strangers,

I met all over places,

we had a few words,

a laugh, a joke,

to share your local,

my strange place,

felt like a familiar thing,

an old pal’s sweetness.


The world might be vast,

but connections are -

surprises;

Turns out,

we're closer than-

we thought we were..


Maybe it's chance,

or a coincidence,

threads that connect,

A twist of journey;

Leading me here-

this great place,

kindness of locals,

Refresh my spirit;


Small world,

big universe,

Global strangers,

a little surprise;

lost in the city,

I found my path,

the connections open -

my eyes,

bridge differences;

We are so far away,

also close;

In this co-shared world,

I take my own path,

to meet global strangers,

all over the place..

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InsightofRelearning

It’s always crucial to demonstrate resilience if ever making mistakes, think, rethink, learn, relearn, move forward courageously, and lead to transformative changes step-wisely.

With rapid changes and continuous disruptions, either individually or collectively, people need to keep learning from the past, from others, and from all sorts of trustful resources to keep knowledge updated, sustain a positive mentality, and take initiatives to drive progressive movement proactively, rather than just adapting to changes reactively. 

 The value of resilience is how you respond to failure, and how you respond to setbacks is dependent upon what you learn from it; and how to make it a critical step in leading to ultimate success.





"Learning is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere." - It emphasizes the enduring value of knowledge and self-improvement: In the world of people-centricity, there is always one clear issue: the issue of self-people Awareness is at the level of the energetic connection between heart and mind. Knowing who you are or being self-aware, allows you to discover your talent and strength, keep learning to sharpen your skills, build dynamic capabilities, and become a better human being.

In practice, it’s so hard to look inward and make an objective assessment. But being self-conscious is the first step in making self-improvement. You sense yourself and become self-conscious. That's all you need to let your thoughts and actions work coherently; keep you motivated for self-improvement. Improvement is more likely to be sustained if there is a platform that takes an entire system-based approach.

"Fall seven times, stand up eight." It highlights the importance of perseverance and learning from setbacks. Failure is often viewed as falling backward instead of leaning forward. When you reframe the word "failure" to be more positive, you open the door to learning. The reality of failure is that it is also a way to learn. It takes a lot of time and energy to experiment, learn and relearn, show resilience to learn from failures; and demonstrate perseverance to keep pursuing goals without giving up too soon.

It’s important to gain a balanced viewpoint about failures and risks. Be positive and cautious at the same time. You can make a transition from failing bitter to failing better only if you learn from the failures, and then failing is something that prompts you to move ahead. Otherwise, you will go too far one way and become risk-averse, or go too far the other and fail too frequently without learning from it. Resilience helps individuals or organizations bounce back from setbacks. It's about being able to keep working and focusing, even during stress and disturbances

"They who learn but do not think is lost. They who think but do not learn are in great danger." It emphasizes the importance of both acquiring knowledge and applying it scientifically. Knowledge does not stand still but needs to be kept realigned, and refined to generate values. Knowledge could be stale sooner than what you thought about. It’s always important to learn new knowledge, think it through, and capture fresh insight from it.

Data, information, knowledge, and wisdom are the different stages of the information life cycle that we all need to manage effectively. Filter the information that comes your way, so you can build your knowledge foundation on topics that interest you. Different people use knowledge to do their activities informatively. Knowledge is the first step to gaining expert power, Only through multidimensional thinking, you can capture fresh insight, and apply knowledge to deal with a variety of problems effectively.

At the dawn of the digital era, global professionals and organizations need to shed the tendency to bridge differences, shape a holistic mindset to perceive a more complex and complete picture, to handle critical issues smoothly. It’s always crucial to demonstrate resilience if ever making mistakes, think, rethink, learn, relearn, move forward courageously, and lead to transformative changes step-wisely.

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Ocean Strait Charming

We are wondering about -nature; nature nourishes us; our co-shared world has- long-lasting beauty, vibrant energy.

Waves pushed by waves

ripple spinning around-

 the ripples;

the Taiwan Straight demonstrates

strong character,

shows her charming

brilliantly;

the sea has -

different faces,

ebbs & flows

Swirl and swoop;

drive changes,

vibrantly..



Walked across -

the Ruifang Old Street,

watched the sea waves,

underneath the hill,

rolling over,

flowing forward,

cleansing environment

Indefatigably.


Passed through -

the Tarok Gorge,

sat at the ocean bay of-

Seven Star Pond,

built stone towers,

make our wishes come true, 

ultimately;

remote mountains embrace -

blue ocean,

shining through -

the sunlight,

inspiring us to-

pursue our ideals,

fearlessly.


Stood at -

the peak of -

the Alishan mountain. 

Drift on the Sunmoon Lake,

The Pacific Ocean makes an impact on -

the island,

Significantly.


Pondered at -

Kaohsiung piers, 

Watched the ocean,

flowing over, calmingly;

Captured the grandeur view of-

mother nature,

admirably.


Ran through the East coastline

with foggy mist,

drizzling rain,

the ocean water rolled-

up and down,

back and forth,

Influenced the surroundings,

momentarily.

 

Taitung blurred the line of-

Urban and rural

nature and worldly,

we can discover -

peach blossoms

culture villages,

hidden at the sea coast, continually.


Tainan took its own paces -

to develop, reinvent,

mix old and new,

carry on -

Its southern cultural heritage;

watched over the seashore, 

tide up and down,

made splashes all the time, 

Observed the sun,

rise and down at

Sunset platform, amazingly.


Circled around-

this island of -

the world;

took an adventure across-

ocean strait,

strolled at -

the bustling and hustling streets

took a glimpse of -

the Pacific Ocean at -

different moments, regions;

we were wondering about -

the nature;

nature nourished us;

our co-shared world has-

long-lasting beauty,

Vibrant energy.

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Visit to Chiayi

Chiayi connected to nature but also looked worldly. It had some global tourists but also demonstrated traditional Taiwanese cultural themes.

I took the train from Tainan to Chiayi on the warm Spring day. A while ago last month, I stopped over here for only a few moments and then took the bus going up to the Alishan mountains.

It’s a middle-sized city and an important transport hub connecting mountains and seas, urban and rural regions. People know Chiayi as the hometown of Alishan Mountain. How about its city heritage and culture quintessential?

On the first morning, I headed to the Chiayi Museum. But I just casually strolled through the nearby cultural village on the way. It had a garden-like scenic setting; a small pond, and interesting cartoon sculptures. There were quite a few gift shops that sold local-produced merchandise, food, or drinks inside. So tourists enjoyed this culture-enriched park and did some gift shopping.

Looking up, there were strong mango trees with many fruits hanging on the branches. With the staff's approval, tourists shook the tree to let the mature fruits fall on the ground, so they could pick up and taste them. I also tasted a small one; it was honey-sweet, but the core in the middle of the fruit was huge.

After this early morning refreshment, I found the Chiayi Library and museum buildings. Local people sat in the library reading quietly. The Liberians showed me the directions to the nearby museum, at which I could understand this southeastern city a bit deeper.

There were local art sessions that exhibited paintings, pictures, and video introductions to Chiayi’s geography and history. A few stone-made groups of monkey sculptures were cute and vivid, presenting the harmony and love of the animal world.

On the second floor, there were presentations on local cultures such as traditional costumes, local food, and cooking. In the night market of Chiayi, I did taste a few interesting snacks such as rice cakes, and flavoring soups, they tasted fine.

There was a short session to introduce a local female celebrity and former Chiayi Mayer, I checked the city website and figured out that the current Mayer of Chiayi is also a female. When I visited the Alishan mountains last time, a female driver drove the tourist bus a few hours long, ascending to the top of the mountain on a foggy day safely. We should be impressed by the city’s cultural enrichment and proud of those daughters of Alishan Mountain wholeheartedly.

On the third floor, there were comprehensive introductions of local art - Koji pottery. The artwork of the different legendary figures such as Guanyin, looks cool and bright.

Besides the famous mountain does Chiayi have a pond, river, or ocean view? The second day morning, I went to Lantan Dam. It’s a charming lake surrounded by mountains with a quiet, greenery environment. The campus of National Chiayi University was not so far away. A team of local residents came here to organize the cycling competition that morning. Besides hiking, I guess local people like all sorts of exercise. They are lucky to have great mountains and lucid lakes surrounding the cityscape.

Then I stopped by Chiayi Park, at which local retirees paired up and danced around as the weekend activity. They broadcasted the Waltz, a Western style of music and songs loudly. Perhaps in different parks or recreation areas, there were some social events going on on the weekend, attracting residents and tourists to participate, the booths were set up to sell green products or services for protecting the environment

In the late afternoon, I also visited the art museum with a limited collection of art. The unique experience I had there was to wear 3D glasses, fly inside the bodies of blue-green-white butterflies, and observe them closely. Also, the visitors could walk around the nearby cultural center and buy books, and gifts, or sip coffee or tea there.

Like all other cities, Chiayi had many food stalls and small restaurants. At night, the lights were lit up, and the tourists came out to experience the city and recharge their energy. Chiayi connected to nature but also looked worldly. It had some global tourists but also demonstrated traditional Taiwanese cultural themes. Can they keep reinventing the city, bringing us fresher feeling constantly?

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Patching

Are we able to -connect mind to mind; hold hand by hand, discover the truth; fight for justice without using brute force, to harmonize with nature, coherently?

Hatch ideas,

explore potential,

patch strength,

can we weave -

our skills into -

differential capabilities,

in pursuit of ideal, holistically


Broaden perspectives,

deepen understanding,

patch puzzle pieces of-

broken values,

discrepant beliefs, seamlessly;

can we dive into -

knowledge sea,

Look back to the past

Ponder of -

uncertain future,

full of the unknown

Cautiously?

Shall we

collaborate,

work on-

common interest, proactively?


Transcend positive energy,

close gaps,

break boundaries,

patch mutual trust to -

Create synergy,

are we able to -

connect mind to mind

hold hands by hands, to-

discover -

the truth;

Fight for justice,

Without using brute force,

harmonize with nature, coherently?

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Increasingriskintelligence

Forward-looking, risk-intelligent organizations can leverage information for predicting risks, grasping opportunities, develop the best and next practices to improve business effectiveness and organizational maturity.

With the increasing pace of changes and the exponential growth of information, assessing and managing risk effectively is an important step in improving organizational maturity and achieving high-performance business results. In many organizations today, business planning and risk management are run as parallel exercises. Very few organizations can incorporate enterprise risk management into their business plans and standard operating procedures.

Forewarned is Forearmed: This idiom highlights the importance of gathering information and anticipating potential risks to be better prepared to face them. There are two aspects to managing risk, assessing it and then evaluating it against acceptable levels. Information-based prediction helps to prevent risks at either strategic or operational levels across ecosystems. To quantify risk is one of the most challenging aspects of risk management. Information management capability directly impacts the level of risk intelligence and, ultimately, the business effectiveness, performance, and maturity of the organization.

Keep Your Ear to the Ground: This idiom emphasizes staying informed and gathering intelligence about potential threats. It's crucial for effective risk management. Information brings both opportunities and risks in business management. The art and science of information management are about how to clarify information and deepen contextual understanding, as well as how to optimize information usage to improve risk management effectiveness.

The pervasive digitization means “reduced time to information and knowledge” by determining the strategic objective, identifying and assessing risk criticality, and adjusting the business speed. To respond to the emergent business properties and make information more “visible” for shareholders, link information management to the multiple business domains within the enterprise and their business partners for improving decision-making coherence, and enhancing risk intelligence

Look Before You Leap: This idiom emphasizes careful risk assessment before taking action. It's about understanding the potential consequences before diving headfirst into varying situations. All sorts of information captures reality, the reality that systems have what is known as "emergent properties," properties of the whole that are not properties of the parts. So it’s important to integrate risk into resource prioritization and planning processes.

Look underneath the surface, see around the corner to gain an in-depth understanding of complex issues, and increase risk management effectiveness. The risk management process helps organizational management prioritize the activities they are committed to resourcing in addition to serving as a cross-check for anything that they may have missed or are doubling up on. Ideally, assuming that in any risk management program, all the known and potential risks would have been covered and managed, and over a period of time, you are also able to better manage uncertainty and increase risk intelligence on the way. 

We all know the old saying: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure. This classic idiom emphasizes proactively identifying and mitigating risks before they cause significant problems. Forward-looking, risk-intelligent organizations can leverage information for predicting risks, grasping opportunities, develop the best and next practices to improve business effectiveness and organizational maturity.

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Platforms and Parks in Tainan

 Tainan is a big enough city for me to constantly explore natural and historical artifacts.

On the third day, I went to the seaside named as “Sea Light Island” After taking the bus off at the ferry station, I walked through the newly developed city area with fewer people and shops. You can see the big fish statue in front of the seaside. The environment is very quiet,

Sea Light Island: I passed through the “Lin moniang” park, which memorized the local female legendary goodness- Matsu. Walking further, I walked across a modern bridge with a bright blue color- Sea Light Bridge. Surprisingly, most of the time, I am the only tourist and pedestrian on the way. Soon I arrived at the ocean beach. Very few people hang around there perhaps because the sun was burning at the noontime. One or two folks swam near the shore.

The seawater looked a bit azure gray with waves paddling the seashore gently. Later, I was prepared to leave, but the local road was on maintenance, so the bus changed its route. I had to walk quite a long way, trying to reach the right bus station. Fortunately, I saw the right bus coming in, the bus driver was very friendly, letting me jump on the bus in the middle of the way to return back to the downtown area.

Because of such delays, I canceled my plan to visit a Western-style museum in the same district because it was already late afternoon. Sometimes if you miss one bus, you have to wait for quite a long time to capture the other one. I guess that makes Tainan a bit of slow-paced compared to many other large metropolitan cities worldwide.

Sunset Platform: On the next morning, I also visited “Sunset Platform,” at which you can capture the beautiful view of the ocean coast. The water looks blue, the tide is up and down, and waves push over the waves, and make a splash. Still, there were very few people coming around to appreciate the natural phenomena in the early morning. I guess more people come here in the late afternoon to watch the sunset. I can imagine how beautiful it could be. I would absolutely come again to watch it in the future.

National History Museum: In the afternoon, I went to visit the Tainan National History Museum located further away, on the other side of the city. It introduced the history of Taiwan, which was the capital of the island from the 17th century to the 19th century in the Qing dynasty. It also introduced the Tainan’s agricultural industry, ocean trading industry, and Matsu culture, with some historical pictures, and digital paintings. There were many human-sized figures to exhibit the parades, event gatherings, or pop culture many decades ago. I saw many school kids coming here to study history lessons.

Tainan is a city big enough to keep you pondering around what’re the next things you should explore, and diverse enough to show different language characters in public locations. The old streets make you feel nostalgic, trying to find or taste something that you have liked since you were a child; and the vast cultural parks brought you some fresh sights. There are old towns and new developing zones; bustling streets and quiet seaside, long roads, and deep alleys; residents who speak local dialects, and tourists who speak different languages. In such a surrounding, I felt like I was both an insider and an outcomer; felt saturated but desired to see or learn more, appreciated quite a lot, but also wanted to criticize certain things. It’s the city that can make you feel emotional even though you only stay here for a couple of days as it seems you knew it for a long time.

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A few cultural things in Taiwan

The legendary figures such as Guanyin, Matsu, Shennong, and many others represent more than just goddesses; they are also symbols of compassion, resilience, protection, and perseverance for people.

Taiwan has a beautiful long ocean strait coast. So it has a few great sea harbors and a sustainable ocean-based dynamic ecosystem. I visited a few educational museums and sea galleries to understand deeper about local industry and culture.

Taiwan “Buluozu” - the minority tribe culture: From north to south and west to east, there are many minority villages hidden inside the coastal side, mountain top or valley deep. Each one of them has its heroines or goodness to worship. I took the long-distance bus and visited a few villages, listening to folk music, observing local cultures, and enjoying the fantastic natural environment.

Matsu culture:  When the train passed through the town “daJia”; I saw tens of thousands of people line up to worship the local female goodness Matsu on the weekend, as the global strangers told me she helped all kinds of people and deserved their respect. Matsu means Mother Ancestor, she was also called “Tianhou”-the Queen of Heaven or “Lin Monian” - Silent Lady. Some stories claim she didn't cry as a baby, earning her the nickname "Silent Girl." - Lin Mo Niang.

In Taiwan, there are thousands of temples and parks dedicated to Matsu in different cities. These temples range from grand historical structures to smaller neighborhood shrines. Some notable examples include the Tianhou Temple in Taipei and Lin Moniang Park in Tainan. Her worship is a way for people to connect with their history and heritage. 

Legends say Matsu possessed unique abilities, such as forecasting weather, curing illnesses, and even traversing the seas in spiritual journeys. She used these gifts to help her people and offer guidance during storms. Taiwan holds vibrant Matsu festivals throughout the year, often featuring parades with elaborately decorated palanquins carrying her statues. Her image represents Taiwan's maritime heritage and its enduring spirit. In fact, Matsu helps to bind communities together, create a shared sense of identity, and shape a unique Matsu culture.

Today, Matsu is a major deity in Chinese folk religion, Taoism, and Buddhism. She's especially revered in Taiwan, and her legacy continues to inspire, with festivals and pilgrimages held in her honor, celebrating her compassion and role as the protector of the sea.

Shennong - the “Great Emperor of Medicine”: There is a temple to memorize Shennong and his legend. To better understand Chinese medicine, he tasted hundreds of herbs by himself and taught people knowledge about them.

The legendary figures such as Guanyin, Matsu, Shennong, and many others represent more than just goddesses; they are also symbols of compassion, resilience, protection, and perseverance for people. Their influence extends beyond religious practice. They are cultural icons frequently appearing in art, literature, and even popular media.

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Tainan - a culture-enriched city

The city is big enough for us to explore, and global strangers here are warm-hearted enough to help out. My first day of the city tour provides a glimpse of local culture and art, it’s both educational and entertaining.

It’s very convenient to take local trains traveling around Taiwan, So I took the train from Taitung to Tainan, which is located on the southwestern coastal plains of the island, it’s the oldest city on the island with enriched heritage and temple cultural influences.

Tainan has started building the subway systems; I saw a few subway stations in some areas of the city center, but it hasn’t been operated yet. So if you don’t own or rent a car, most tourists and residents count on public transportation tools such as trains and buses to move across the city and suburban areas.

My hotel was near the train station in the city center area, at which you could take the district train or different buses going to places across the city or the suburbs. On the first afternoon here, I walked around the nearby hustling and bustling streets and had local snacks and meals.

On the second day, I went to the Tainan Park where local people gathered to entertain themselves all year round. There was a quiet lake, and a colorful pavilion called “Nianciting” meaning “remembrance and affection.” I guess that’s the most popular residential park in Tainan.

I also visited one of the tourist hot spots “ Shennong Street”; Shennong means the “Great Emperor of Medicine.” It was a deep alley, entering it, you could discover the little boutique stores, and gift shops with latterns, and other traditional ornaments, at the end of the alley, it was the temple to memorize Shennong and his legend. To better understand Chinese medicine, he tasted hundreds of herbs by himself and taught people knowledge about them. There are a few popular shopping markets nearby. The subway stations were under development in this district.

The bus also passed by “Chenggong University” named after one of the Ancient national heroes “Zheng Chengong,” who had deep family roots in Tainan and Fujian.

Then, I arrived at the Tainan Museum in the local culture center. The museum is composed of two buildings. The first building has a longer history and I guess, in recent years, the city built the second building with more modern design architecture to increase its capacity. I went to the second building first. It has a limited collection of oil paintings, photographs, and other art artifacts. On the second floor, there was a liberty of art session, I thought the organizers intended to convey the message about the freedom of artistic expression. But most of the artwork was not very sophisticated, in my opinion. So I walked them through quickly and went to the other halls.

There were a few video sessions that introduced local histories, and the self-expression of people or creatures. Then I went to the first building which was a few blocks away. There was an abstract art exhibition of local artists. I also found small pottery artifacts, plantation samples, and a variety of art pieces. Overall, it’s a mid-sized museum with local artistic taste.

Then, I visited the Quantaishouxue” garden, which has elegantly designed buildings and the small museum at which, the Confucius governing principle scripture has been printed on the wall. The entire garden was colorful with peach blossoms and exquisite landscape. manifesting the balance and harmony of our ancestors' philosophy.

After that, I went to the neighborhood -Tainan National Literature Museum, it was over 5:30 pm, I had less than thirty minutes to walk around the exhibitions. It introduced the history of Taiwanese literature development, how literature impacts local politics and administration, and how to encourage democratic voices and inspire societal progress.

I read essays, romance fiction, Kongfu novels, and poems written by Taiwanese or Hong Kong authors since I was a teenager. Those authors had strong educational backgrounds in Ancient literature and their writings often conveyed the ideal land of benevolence, the mastery of special talents, or the purity of romance. Some sessions introduced how Western literature and philosophy influence on local journalism politics or management disciplines.

After exiting the museums, I also walked through the nearby shopping center, at which you can buy brand-name electronics and other merchandise. There was a blue robot-like figure standing on the sidewalk, blinking its lightning eyes to greet people. There was a cultural park in which you could find some art studios and gift shops. Teachers brought young school kids here for art education.

After visiting a couple of museums and gardens, art parks, and shopping centers, I knew local culture to a certain degree. I thought Tainan had its deep anthropological roots and historical heritage. The city is big enough for us to explore, and global strangers here are warm-hearted enough to help out. My first day of the city tour provides a glimpse of local culture and art, it’s both educational and entertaining.

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Insight via Quotes

These idioms reveal to us how to develop ourselves by gaining diverse experiences, learning from different resources, and handling touch situations smoothly.

Due to the increasing speed of changes and abundance of information, if you have a static mind, experience has, most of the time, led towards complacency, and resistance, You miss many growth opportunities, as you just try to protect knowledge through endorsements, rather than getting challenged and exploring new ways to gain new experience. Here are a few idioms that deepen our understanding of life, and how to keep refreshing knowledge and experiences to deal with tough problems effectively.

Tasting a Hundred Herbs: This idiom refers to tasting hundreds of herbs, signifying the experience and knowledge gained from encountering many different ideas and perspectives, leading to a deeper understanding. Knowledge is power. The knowledge development cycle has been shortened due to the changing nature of information technology. Experience is not about doing the same things again and again; it is about always learning new things through it - either it’s success or failure.


Knowledge is more intangible, complex, and dynamic compared to physical assets. So people should take the adventure to learn and grow; and have the courage to try new things. So they become an expert in their domains and generate better ideas. But they are also not confined by their knowledge, but keep unlearning and relearning, gain diverse experience, and develop in-depth understanding of complex issues to overcome challenges.

Drinking from the Wellspring- This idiom refers to drinking from the "wellspring of virtue," signifying gaining knowledge and wisdom from the greatest sources, leading to profundity. We believe the wellspring of virtue is fresh and sweet, nourishing us spiritually; so we can keep the positive emotions flowing, and be value-driven, fair, and objective. To be fair and kind takes self-awareness, inclusiveness, insightful observation, discernment, and tolerance.

Each one of us has our way to gain information and develop expertise. It’s always important to gain true knowledge from the sea of information; and make a clear discernment. It is the responsibility of each individual to examine themselves and make sure they are open to true understanding. A profound mind is like a big ocean, deep and open. It can leverage multiple thinking processes in dealing with varying situations wisely; filter information smoothly and gain fresh insight constantly. So after drinking from wellsprings, people become more value-driven, making influence on building a benevolent society.

Having a tough nut to crack: This idiom describes a difficult problem or challenge. It compares the problem to a tough nut that requires effort and the right tools to crack open. There are so many things going on these days, blurred borders of all kinds, the exponential growth of information, inevitable changes with increasing pace, and disruptive technologies, etc. That means more problems will emerge and problems also become more complex.

Besides hammers, we can apply different methods, tools, or gadgets to crack the nuts and enjoy fruitful results. The logical problem-solving scenario does focus on the ultimate goal, a motivation to explore proposals, and a willingness to explore alternative solutions. When we reach adulthood, we become mature physically; but how about professionally, and spiritually? These idioms reveal to us how to develop ourselves by gaining diverse experiences, learning from different resources, and handling touch situations smoothly. So people can be fully developed to reach professional maturity.

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Integrating

By integrating global knowledge, and shaping global mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets, ultimately, people can become more responsible citizens of the world, contributing to a collective future grounded in mutual respect, understanding, and shared prosperity.

Reality will not be still. And it cannot be taken apart! In an interconnected and interdependent world, cultivating a global perspective of key issues becomes increasingly crucial to deal with them thoroughly, otherwise, frictions of gaps constantly generate more critical issues later on.

Recognizing the Interconnectedness of Humanity and shaping a holistic perspective: Every person has her/his own strengths and weaknesses; every region has its own culture and specialty; from there to here, them to us; past to future, it’s important to move around, open your eyes, observe deeper, learn from each other; learn from your own experience and others as well, to shape a holistic understanding, integrating diverse point of views into fresh insight.

If critical thinking requires high-skilled reasoning skills to challenge existing theories, common beliefs, or conventional wisdom; then holistic thinking requires interdisciplinary knowledge and structural methodologies to deal with today’s over-complex business dynamic. At its core, a global perspective of wisdom acknowledges the shared humanity across geographical borders, diversity of cultures, and a variety of backgrounds. It entails looking beyond individual or cultural viewpoints to encompass a broader understanding that transcends subjective perception into a more objective perspective and updated knowledge.

Valuing unique viewpoints, and integrating diverse knowledge systems: There is a long river of human history, and different regions and cultures accumulated enriched knowledge and experiences. To expedite the growth of human society, it’s crucial to eliminate the residue of negative cultural ingredients, but embrace more advanced concepts and carry on a great cultural heritage;

Forethoughtful global leaders encourage critical thinking, open-mindedness, and innovative idea-making. Wisdom from a global perspective acknowledges the value of diverse knowledge, It’s also important to establish a structural framework for integrating knowledge and abstracting wisdom. Such a knowledge framework and refinement approach broadens our understanding of the world and allows us to approach challenges from a more holistic perspective.

Fostering global empathy and responsibility: All global citizens need to understand their responsibility to sustain a beautiful natural environment and learn how to work collaboratively to deal with common challenges. A global perspective of wisdom fosters a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the entire planet and its inhabitants. It encourages considering the long-term consequences of actions beyond immediate needs & wants.

To develop a harmonized global world, it’s important to shape global mindsets, gain an empathetic understanding of people and the world; and brainstorm some critical global issues such as climate change, global health, and sustainable development. It encourages recognizing the commonalities that bind us, fostering empathy. We all should appreciate the diverse perspectives that contribute to the richness of the human experience; develop professional skillsets to co-shape a better world; and leverage efficient digital toolsets to increase productivity and creativity.

Global organizations give people the voices, tools, and experiences of how to communicate across the world effectively even if they perhaps speak diverse languages, and value different things. By integrating global knowledge, and shaping global mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets, ultimately, people can become more responsible citizens of the world, contributing to a collective future grounded in mutual respect, understanding, and shared prosperity.

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Beautiful Rice Land “Above the Pond”

What a day, I walked for many hours, and also took the local train and long-distance bus to capture beautiful natural farm views.

It took me about thirty minutes from Taichung to arrive in Chishang, which means “above pond” linguistically. The global strangers in Taitung recommended this township to me because of its beautiful farmland and amazing landscapes attracting global tourists to visit every year.

I walked through the quiet town center and headed towards the beautiful pond across the white bridge. A few people stood at the bridge to watch the fish jumping around. One person was on the waterfront to do fishing. I passed the bridge and sat at the lovely pavilion to take a break. The pond is charming; the clouds float around the remote mountains; the post-card-like view is truly amazing.

Then I followed the global strangers' roadside guide, heading towards the rice farmland, going to “Brown Road,” on which you could capture the great landscape of nature. Most people rent an electric cycle to pass through. I decided to walk for a couple of hours and enjoy the scenery step by step, every step counts, doesn’t it?

The sun was shining brilliantly but not so burning before noontime. I was the only tourist who walked on the curative wooden lane and walked through many small wooden bridges for quite a while. The green mountains extended into the remote horizon, the blue sky looked clear with sunshine, the rice plantation grew strongly and a clean stream flew forward smoothly.

To go further on the Brown Road, tourists passed through the paradise road to reach a few scenery vista points. People took photos at the “Frame” tourist spot; sipping a cup of tea and heading to other viewpoints. they usually rent two-person, four-person, or six-person electric cycles to run through the different sceneries.

It’s about noon time, I started walking back and felt a bit burning hot. I went to a nearby village to buy a drink. Unfortunately, there were not many shops around. One shop owner, who provided motorcycle rental services, was very nice, as he brought me a water bottle from his shop. I truly appreciated it as I had to go another one or two hours to return to downtown.

On the way back, I also passed through a beautiful zen garden with colorful flower blossoms, an elegant pavilion, and some stone-decorated scenes. It was so quiet inside. Besides me, birds were the only visitors there, they flew around; communicated with each other, searched for food, and sang charming songs.

It took me quite a while to go back to the town center. I also visited the museum, which introduced the local rice agricultural industry. Chishang has its brand name rice being distributed to the entire Taiwan and perhaps Asia. Therefore, they opened their farmland to create brand effects. If you have a meal at the restaurant inside the museum, the rice is free, the only requirement is that you shouldn't waste any of the food. 

Is this visitor-friendly rice farmland one of the most beautiful agricultural fields in Taiwan? I always imagine the blossom fruit gardens with all sorts of juicy fruits growing abundantly. In Chishang, rice is more expensive than watermelons and many other fruits. So these rice farm landscapes also rejuvenate our energy as we eat rice in Asia every day. Actually, I took the local train very frequently recently. Out of the window, I often saw beautiful farmland and clear mother lakes lots of times. Chishang was just a representative area for us to immerse into nature and appreciate great landscapes.

Then, I took the long-distance bus from Chishang township back to Taitung. So I could capture the beautiful mountain scenery and peer through quite a few villages or towns hidden in the mountain hills or valleys-deep. There were quite a few roads' names related to deer, but I didn’t see any deer coming along the road, I guess there were many wild deers a long time ago, the global strangers told me there were animal farms nearby that area, but the public transportation couldn’t reach there yet.

What a day, I walked for many hours, and also took the local train and long-distance bus to capture beautiful natural farm views. The train was much faster and more cost-effective. The bus ran up and down hills, and I safely returned to the Taitung city center, leaving enriched memories about the beautiful rice farmland and fantastic Mountain View.

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Peach Blossoms

Urban people immerse themselves in nature on the weekend, forgetting the busy city life, and become more original and enthusiastic to discover the truth and appreciate our wonderful world.

Taitung has a beautiful ocean coast view and an elegant mountain landscape. The bus ran through a few impressive vista points, at which tourists can appreciate the natural beauty.

After the bus stopped at the Jialulan, we listened to waves paddling the seashore and saw the clouds flowing up & down passing through the remote mountains; the sun was shining up and the wind blowing over heavily. Different sizes and shapes of stones stood on the shore solidly. The ocean has its temper but is also under control; watching us over and speaking to us powerfully. People admire nature and nature cherishes people. But where is the peach blossom wonderland? Is it hidden deeper inside the valley?

The bus continued to move along the sea coast, passing through numerous palm trees and farmlands, and then we arrived at a small village. The local folk music allures us to go downstairs, watching minority performers playing the instruments and singing the lovely songs. Across the road, moving up to the hill, I arrived at another peach blossom wonderland - Dulan, with green groves, colorful flowers, and lucid ponds hidden inside the mountains. I saw many smiling faces and heard cheerful voices.  People seemed very happy here, admired nature, and refreshed their energy.

At the next station, the bus stopped near the reddish Donghe Bridge. Surprisingly. a couple of monkeys walked back and forth across the bridge. They observed tourists closely. I heard one tourist screaming because the monkeys grabbed the food from her hand swiftly. No wonder the monkeys watched me around when I passed by. Fortunately, they were not interested in a bottle of tea I held in my hand. Tourists took photographs of those money folks; they were not so shy away, acted very friendly. The little money was very cute; when she saw young kids being hugged by their parents. She also went to her Mom, hugged her and they played with each other for family gathering fun.

The next scenery spot that the bus stopped over was “water flowing upwards” That was an interesting phenomenon. I did see the water in a little stream flowing upwards slowly. Why? Is it a visual effect or some magic power to suck the water up?

Here is the online explanation: The illusion of "Water Flowing Uphill" is created by the fact that the irrigation canals run roughly parallel to the downhill road and have a steeper slope than the ground where people stand. Due to the influence of the surrounding large-scale landmarks, people perceive the water in the canals as flowing slowly uphill, creating the visual effect of water flowing uphill. 

"The last but not the least" scenic spot the bus stopped was “Xiaoyeliu,” which means “little wild willow.” There are many different shapes and sizes of stones and rocks scattered around the seashore. People could take those stone steps going towards the oceanfront, listening to the waves and capturing the magnificent ocean views. The environment is really fantastic, surrounded by all sorts of strong plants, elegant pavilions, and great mountains. It’s the peach blossom land we all enjoy to visit.

It took about a couple of hours for the bus to move up the hill or run down into the valley along the ocean coast. Although I only visited a few places with great views of the ocean and mountains, I knew there were quite a lot of peach blossom villages hidden inside. Many urban people immerse themselves in nature on the weekend, forgetting the busy city life, and become more original and enthusiastic to discover the truth and appreciate our wonderful world.

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