A former elementary-school teacher in Changhua who left a stable job in teaching to pursue her passion for writing about local artisans and engaging in ecological preservation has published a book on the subject.
Two years ago, Yang Yu-ju (楊玉如) left her teaching job of 20 years to begin compiling 10 years of notes and photographs about artisans in the county into the book, which she published using her own savings.
“If I do not do it today, I will regret it tomorrow,” Yang said on Sunday, describing her feelings at the moment she decided to quit her job.
Photo: Liu Hsiao-hsin, Taipei Times
Yang said being a teacher was something she dreamed about since she was young and was something she enjoyed doing, adding that she would often find ways to combine it with her other interests.
She said she is particularly interested in the preservation of frog species and would take her pictures into the classroom.
“But there was too much I wanted to do, I could not wait any longer,” she said.
Her colleagues attempted to convince her to stay, encouraging her to put a few more years into teaching so that she would be eligible for a pension, but she felt the urge to pursue her passions was too strong to put off, Yang said.
The stories she has collected over the past 10 years of various artisans are moving, Yang said, adding that regardless of whether each artisan is a master in their field, all are an inspiration for persisting with their craft.
Huang Yu-hsin (黃有信), for example, has made copper scoops for taro ice cream for the past 70 years, she said, adding that she was relieved to have recorded his story before he retired a couple of years ago.
“Every scoop he made was like a finely crafted piece of art,” she said.
Yang quoted Chen Chung-lu (陳忠露) of Changhua’s Putan Township (埔鹽), saying that persistence is crucial to success in his craft, citing the low profitability of the chicken feather dusters he makes.
Yang said her income has halved since she quit teaching and devoted herself to other pursuits.
“Many people are worried I will starve, but I am 100 percent happy devoting myself fully to my dreams. I am happy being a foolish person,” she said.
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