Chen Lianqiao X Wei Rujun

PRESENTER

Golden Bell Sign Language Whiz Kid | Chen Lianqiao

At the age of three, he lost his hearing due to a fever and became deaf. During his time at the Taipei School for the Deaf, he showcased his performing talents. His humorous personality and vivid body language made him the sign language host of the public television program "Listening and Watching," and he has won the Golden Bell Award for Best Host twice. He is also a very popular sign language teaching figure. In his classroom, laughter is always present, allowing hearing and deaf individuals to bridge the language gap, connecting through gestures and emotions without distance.

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Slash sign language translator | Wei Rujun

After entering university and joining the sign language club, sign language transitioned from a club activity to a major. Not only did I become one of the first certified sign language interpreters in Taiwan, but I also became the producer of the public television sign language program. At the age of 50, I founded the Taiwan Sign Language Translation Association, organized various creative sign language training and promotion courses, published parent-child sign language books, and produced sign language teaching videos, happily serving as a versatile interpreter with a focus on sign language expertise.

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Q & A

Q: How do you start your day?

Lianqiao: After getting up, I first tidy up the house, then brew a cup of coffee to wake up my mind, and check if the teaching materials or program information I need to prepare for the day are complete.

Rujun: I wake up around 5 to 6 o'clock every day and start preparing "green smoothies" for the whole family. Three years ago, I had some health issues, so I made some adjustments to my diet, trying to keep breakfast simple and healthy. Green smoothies are very convenient, allowing me to quickly consume a large amount of fruits and vegetables without much effort in preparation, thus replenishing energy for the day.

Q: Where do you usually hang out the most?

Lianqiao: The places I go to most often are Ningxia Night Market and Dadaocheng, because of their geographical proximity to my home; sometimes when I'm too lazy to cook dinner, I'll go there to eat, it's very convenient with many choices. Anyway, now that everyone is wearing masks, they probably won't recognize me! (laughs)

Rujun: Due to work, I often travel around Taiwan, and on weekends, I participate in teaching courses with the sign language translation association, moving around various districts in Taipei. I think the place I frequent the most is probably the MRT stations.

What is your favorite restaurant?

Lianqiao: My hometown is in Zhongli. When I was young, I lived in a military dependents' village. Later, it was demolished and I moved nearby. When I go back to my hometown, I will specifically take the bus to Zhongzheng New Village to eat "Guoqiwu Rice Noodles" to reminisce about life in the dependents' village. The mixed rice noodles at Guoqiwu have a very high cost-performance ratio, and the whole bowl is filled with ingredients.

Rujun: Northern noodles and red beans are my irresistible delicacies, such as red bean cakes and red bean pancakes that I love to eat.

1. The red bean pancakes at Beiping Wanzhenlou are highly recommended for everyone to try. The pancake skin is chewy and filled with plenty of red beans, you can eat several pieces!https://www.facebook.com/%E8%90%AC%E7%8F%8D%E6%A8%93-938035889609430

2. At the corner, there is a dumpling shop called "Forget the Years," located near the Zhongshan Junior High School MRT Station, offering rice, noodles, and pasta. The most commonly ordered dish is tomato soup dumplings.https://www.facebook.com/handmadedumplingfun/posts/3068516803228741

Q: What is your entertainment after work?

Lianqiao: I like to take walks around Dadaocheng or exercise by the riverside, and occasionally go to the library to read the newspaper (laughs).

Rujun: For me, "walking" is a very stress-relieving activity. I set a goal of walking ten thousand steps every day, and I almost go for a walk in the park or school playground every night.

Q: What book have you recently read? What insights or thoughts did you have after finishing it?

Lianqiao: "The graffiti diary of Ba Naisunzi from 'The Worry-Free Laughing Shop'" has illustrations and is very funny. After work, I want to watch something light-hearted, and the jokes inside can also become material for performances. There is a passage that I think is great: 'Life should not be too serious, and living should not be too calculating. Let's laugh together, let's laugh heartily! The sweet and sour days are actually a free remedy!'

Rujun: Most of the books I read are related to sign language and hearing impairment, because of my work, sign language has become inseparable from my life. Inspired by the American sign language communication picture book "MY FIRST BABY SIGNS", our association recently created a movable handmade book. By interacting with the picture book, we increase children's interest in learning. The mechanisms, design, and illustrations of this book were all completed by friends with hearing impairments, combining everyone's expertise. I really enjoy the process of asking and listening, and I unknowingly grow during this process!

Q: Teacher Ru-Jun, what impressive experiences have you had while working as a sign language translator?

Ru-Jun: As a sign language translator, there is a sense of accomplishment when deaf friends can connect with the world through us. The sense of achievement and mission makes us immerse ourselves in this role.

The most impressive thing was when a deaf friend told me that she was very grateful to sign language interpreters. Because 30 years ago, her family, who were also hearing impaired, experienced an accident, and without a sign language interpreter, the whole family fell into a tragic situation. She told me that if there had been a sign language interpreter at that time, the situation would have been different. This made me deeply feel the importance of our profession.

Usually, translators only get to know the audience when they arrive on site. Sometimes, when I go to translate, I find that the audience consists of friends I know, and that feeling is shocking!! I think sign language interpreters often participate in the lives of deaf friends, but at the same time, we must maintain a high level of ethical awareness to ensure that our deaf friends do not feel that their privacy is being invaded.

Q: What made you choose the profession of sign language translator?

Ru-Jun: I love this language, I think sign language in the air is beautiful!

I remember when I was in middle school, the TV played sign language songs, and I was very fascinated. When I saw that there was a sign language club in college, I signed up to join. I have a natural love for sign language. Sign language is a visual language, and I found that my ability to learn visual languages is stronger than that of auditory languages. Especially after becoming more familiar with sign language, the joy and sense of accomplishment from being able to help my deaf friends made me realize my own value.

Q: This profession is considered rare in Taiwan, and the welfare system is not well-developed. Have you ever thought about giving up?

Rujun: Indeed, there is relatively less protection in Taiwan. In Taiwan, the fees for sign language translation rely on government subsidies, and everyone is sharing this pie, resulting in very few people working full-time as sign language translators; most are part-time because they still need to rely on the salary from their regular jobs. My interest in sign language is mostly a passion; this is a job I love very much, so I will definitely not give it up.

Q: Teacher Lianqiao, in addition to hosting, you are also a master of mime. How did you discover that you have this talent?

Lianqiao: When I was studying at the Hearing Impaired School, I saw a dance performance. The expressions of the dancers during the performance were very vivid, and I could feel their joy, which was shocking to me! Later, I saw the National Theater of the Deaf (NTD) in the United States, where the performers used their bodies to express different scenes, playing several characters at once and then becoming the narrator. This form is very suitable for deaf friends to perform. So I started practicing acting, physical performance, and so on...

Q: You are also involved in the performances of the "Mixed Ability Variety Troupe". What kind of feelings do you hope to bring to the viewers?

Lianqiao: I hope the public can understand the deaf community through my performances and value the deaf. We are not much different from others; we can do anything.

Q: Every time I see Teacher Lianqiao, he always has a smile on his face and seems happy. How does he maintain this?

Lianqiao: I have been quite optimistic since I was young. Happiness is contagious; as long as I maintain a happy heart, the atmosphere around me will change as well. Sometimes I also have negative emotions, but as long as I think about how I can bring joy to everyone, I feel very happy!

Q: What do you think is the most interesting or attractive place in Taiwan?

Lianqiao: The most attractive scenery in Taiwan for me is the "Zengwen Reservoir". The mountains and forests surrounding the reservoir are very tranquil and peaceful. However, the journey is a bit far. When the weather is good, you can take a boat to tour the lake and appreciate the beauty of the reservoir from another perspective.

Tsengwen Reservoir Recreation Co., Ltd.http://www.godapu.com/

Rujun: I really like the mountain views and rice fields in Taiwan. Every year, I arrange for my family to go cycling in Hualien and Taitung (from Hualien to Taitung). Throughout the journey, you can enjoy the magnificent and vast nature, with rice fields paving the way for you, and the distant mountain scenery overlapping in layers. The ups and downs of the road are like the experiences of life, sometimes adversity, sometimes prosperity. There are two routes I highly recommend: one is the Yufu Bicycle Path from Yuli to Fuli, which is the only path that crosses two tectonic plates; the other is the Hualien County Road 193, both of which are very characteristic local cycling routes!

Hualien-Taitung Valley National Scenic Area _ Nine Major Roadshttps://theme.erv-nsa.gov.tw/bicycle/Article.aspx?a=123&l=1

Q: What do you look forward to the most when staying at a hotel?

Lianqiao: The windows in the room should have external windows, which would be a big plus. Next, the environment should be clean, and the style should be simple and not complicated.

Ru Jun: Having a quiet accommodation space is very important to me! The most troubling thing about living outside is the noise, especially the quality of sound insulation, which cannot be seen from the photos on the website.

Q: What is your impression of the hotels under the Taipei Hotel Group?

Lianqiao: One time I passed by Tianjin Street and was attracted by the patterns painted outside the window. Later, I found out it was your family's inn! The all-white exterior and the animal stickers on the windows are particularly refreshing on the streets of old Taipei.

Rujun: My home happens to be near your Fuxing North Road store. I had a strong impression of the lobby when I passed by before; it has a very elegant, minimalist design style that does not create a sense of distance.