more often than not meaning in english的八卦，Yahoo名人娛樂都在討論

[時事英文] 死亡率（mortality rate）*、壓平曲線（flattening the curve）、活動限制 （lockdown）：如何理解這些術語？
　
Language goes beyond a sealed system governed by a rigid set of rules. To fully understand the meaning of a word, one must look further than connotation and denotation, and also take context into consideration. In this case, one needs to examine the social, political, economic, and even statistical contexts of the terms.
　
語言並非只是受嚴密規則所約束的封閉系統。為了充分理解一個單詞的意涵，我們不僅要瞭解其本義與引申義，同時還要考慮整個語境。在此一情況下，應要考察社會、政治、經濟甚至統計上的語境。
　
Does “confirmed cases,” for example, mean the same thing in every country before and during the coronavirus outbreak? What about “lockdowns”? Does it mean that the government is advising people to stay home or is someone nailing your door shut? Some food for thought when reading about the coronavirus outbreak.
　
例如，在冠狀病毒爆發前以及爆發期間，「確診病例」在各國是否具有相同的含義？那麼，封鎖呢？這是否意味著政府正建議人們留在家中，抑或有人正把你家大門釘上？以上是在閱讀疫情的相關資訊時所引人深思的一些事情。
　
*同學好心的補充說明：「mortality rate」通常指的是死亡率，而「fatality rate」則是（因罹患某疾病）致死率。兩者都是重要的死亡指標，但計算公式不相同。
　
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《紐約時報》報導：
　
Making sense of the coronavirus pandemic requires getting up to speed on semantics as much as epidemiology. Government officials and health care professionals toss off mentions of mortality rates, flattening the curve and lockdowns, assuming that we know what they mean. But the terms mean different things from country to country, state to state, even city to city and person to person. Officials use the same phrases about mass testing, caseloads and deaths to describe very different situations. That makes it hard to give clear answers to vital questions: How bad are things? Where are they headed?
　
1. make sense of… 理解……
2. get up to speed on 了解最新情況；跟上進度
3. toss off 輕而易舉地處理*
　
弄懂新型冠狀病毒大流行，既需要了解流行病學的最新情況，也需要在語義學上跟上形勢。「死亡率」、「壓平曲線」和「活動限制」等說法從政府官員和公共衛生專業人士的嘴裡脫口而出，他們假設大家都知道這些詞的意思。但對不同的國家、不同的州，甚至不同的城市和個人來說，這些術語有著不同的含義。 官員們使用「大規模檢測」、「病例數」和「死亡病例數」等相同的措辭，來描繪非常不同的情況。這令一些重要的問題難以得到明確的回答：情況有多糟糕？正在向什麼方向發展？
　
toss off: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toss%20off
　
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People search for insight by comparing their countries to those that are further along in the epidemic. But if the terms are misleading or used in differing ways, the comparisons are flawed. Also, the statistics and vocabulary offer a false sense of precision while in reality, the information we have shows only a fraction of what’s going on. “The new cases or deaths each day are given as exact numbers, and we’re trained to take that at face value,” said Mark N. Lurie, an epidemiologist at Brown University’s School of Public Health. “But those are far from exact, they’re deeply flawed, and their meaning varies from place to place and from time period to time period.”
　
4. be further along in 在……上走得更深遠
5. at face value 根據外表；從表面上看
　
人們將自己的國家與那些經歷了疫情更多階段的國家進行比較，以求了解情況。但是，如果這些詞語使人產生誤解，或在使用方式上存在差異的話，這種比較就是錯誤的。此外，這些統計數據和詞彙給人以精準的假象，而現實是，我們所掌握的信息僅代表冰山一角。「每天的新增病例數或死亡人數都是以精準數字的形式通報的，我們被訓練成只看這些表面數字。」布朗大學公共衛生學院流行病學家馬克・盧裡說。「但這些數字遠非精準，而且有嚴重缺陷，它們的含義因不同的時間和地點而不同。」
　
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I. Confirmed Cases 確診病例
　
Countries vary wildly in testing for the virus and how they report the numbers, and experts say most infections are going undetected. So the publicized national tallies are rough, incomplete pictures that may not be all that comparable. And that’s if countries are forthcoming about their data.
　
6. vary wildly in 在……上有極大的差異*
7. publicize 公布；宣傳
8. national tallies 國家的統計數據
9. incomplete pictures 不完整的狀況
10. forthcoming 樂於幫助的
　
各國在病毒檢測以及通報數字的方式上有很大差異，而且專家們說，大多數感染都沒有被發現。因此，各國公布的只是粗略的數據，這些並不完整的描繪也許沒有多少可比性。這還是在假設各國願意提供數據的情況下。

wildly: https://bit.ly/2wkgPjo
　
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Officials in the United States say that China, which has reported more than 82,000 infections, has understated its epidemic. Until this week, the Chinese government excluded those patients who tested positive for the virus but had no symptoms. China also doesn’t say how many tests it has conducted, and doubts have been raised about whether it has tested extensively in Xinjiang, the province where it holds hundreds of thousands of Muslims in indoctrination camps. The Covid Tracking Project, run by The Atlantic, has tried to compile all the numbers in the United States and reports more than 1.2 million tests so far, over 3,600 per million people.
　
11. understate 未如實陳述；避重就輕地說
12. exclude 把……排除在外
13. indoctrination camps 再教育營
14. run by 由……經營
　
中國通報的累計確診病例超過８萬２千例，美國官員說，中國淡化了國內的疫情。直到本週前，中國政府一直把病毒檢測呈陽性但沒有癥狀的感染者不納入確診病例。中國也未公開接受檢測的人數，而且外界已對中國是否在新疆進行了大規模檢測表示懷疑，中國在那裡把數十萬穆斯林關進了拘禁營。《大西洋月刊》的新冠肺炎追蹤計劃試圖匯總美國的所有數據，它統計到的數字是，美國迄今為止進行了逾１２０萬例檢測，平均每百萬人超過３６００例。
　
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II. Widespread Testing 大規模檢測

It matters not only how many people are tested, but also when, and who they are. Once again, countries differ, shaping what the numbers mean. A few countries, like South Korea, Australia and Singapore, got serious about mass testing early on. They used the information to do ambitious contact-tracing — finding and testing those who had recently been near infected people, even if they had no symptoms.
　
15. it matters 重要的是
16. not only……, but also…… 不僅……，而且……
17. get serious about 認真對待某事
18. early on 在早期
　
重要的不只是多少人做了檢測，檢測時間和檢測對象也很重要。各國在檢測時間和對象上也有不同，這讓數字的含義也有所不同。韓國、澳洲和新加坡等少數國家很早就開始認真地進行大規模檢測。他們利用這些信息嚴格追蹤接觸者，也就是找到並檢測那些親密接觸者，即使他們沒有癥狀。
　
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But most nations with large numbers of cases have done less testing, waited longer to do it in bulk, and made little attempt at contact tracing. They find themselves playing catch-up with the virus, ramping up testing after their outbreaks had already mushroomed. They detect more cases, but by then it’s hard to tell how much of that growth is the expanding epidemic and how much is expanding surveillance. Unable to meet the demand, they often limit testing to the sickest patients and health workers.
　
19. in bulk 大量
20. make little attempt 幾乎未做嘗試
21. ramp up 增加*
22. mushroom (v.) 迅速增長；迅速發展*
23. meet the demand 滿足需求
24. limit……to 將……限制在……
　
但大多數存在大量確診病例的國家進行的檢測數量都比較少，都是等了更長時間後才開始進行大規模檢測，而且對追蹤接觸者的工作幾乎未做嘗試。這些國家發現自己在拚命追趕病毒的傳播，在疫情迅速蔓延後才加大了檢測力度。這些國家都檢測到了更多的病例，但此時已很難判斷新增病例中有多少是疫情不斷擴大的結果，有多少是擴大疫情監測的結果。由於無法滿足檢測需求，這些國家通常只能對病情最嚴重的患者以及衛生工作者做檢測。
　
ramp up: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ramp-up
mushroom: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mushroom
　
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III. Fatality Rates 致死率
　
It has been stated time and again: Italy and Spain have high mortality rates among coronavirus patients, Germany’s is low, and China’s is somewhere between. It may not be that simple. Counting the dead is as flawed and inconsistent as counting the infected. Recent reports say that mortuaries in Wuhan, China, where the disease was first discovered, have ordered thousands more urns than usual, suggesting a much higher death toll than the city’s official count, 2,535. The outbreaks in Wuhan, and parts of Italy and Spain, overwhelmed hospitals, forcing many sick people to ride it out at home. No one knows how many people have recovered or died without ever being tested. And if only the sickest patients are tested, then the number of infections will appear smaller and the percentage who die will seem higher.
　
25. time and again 屢次；一再
26. as flawed and inconsistent as 像……一樣存在缺陷與不一致
27. mortuary 停屍間（太平間）
28. urn 骨灰罈
29. suggest 暗示*
30. death toll 死亡人數
31. to ride it out 安然渡過（難關）*
　
一個反覆提及的說法是：義大利和西班牙的新冠病毒肺炎患者死亡率高，德國的低，中國的居中。情況也許並不那麼簡單。統計死亡人數和統計感染人數一樣存在缺陷和不一致的地方。最近有報導稱，武漢的殯儀館訂購的骨灰盒數比該市官方統計的２５３５例死亡高出好幾千，表明死亡人數遠高於官方公布的數字。新冠病毒最早就是在這座城市發現的。武漢以及義大利和西班牙部分地區的疫情使醫院不堪重負，許多患者被迫在家中渡過難關。沒人知道究竟有多少人在從未做檢測的情況下康復或死亡。如果只對病情最嚴重的患者做檢測的話，感染人數看上去會更低，而死亡率看起來將更高。
　
suggest: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/suggest
ride sth out: https://bit.ly/2Rd6Tj6
　
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IV. The Peak 疫情高峰
　
Officials often talk about when the epidemic peaks or plateaus — when a country “flattens the curve.” But they rarely specify, the peak of what? And how can we be sure we’re past it? When an outbreak is growing unchecked, more people become infected and more die each day than the day before. On a graph, the curve showing the daily count of new cases has gone from rising sharply to moving sideways — the curve has flattened — and even begun to move downward. That is one corner being turned: The rate of the spread of the virus has slowed down. It takes longer to turn another: the rate of people dying.
　
32. from rising sharply to moving sideways 從急劇上升到橫向移動
33. turn the corner 好轉；度過難關*
　
官員們經常提疫情何時達到高峰或進入平台期，也就是一個國家「壓平曲線」的時候。但他們很少具體說明是什麼達到了高峰，以及我們怎麼能確定高峰已過？當疫情不受控制地發展時，每天的感染和死亡人數都比前一天多。曲線圖上顯示的每天新增病例數從急劇上升變得趨於平緩——曲線已被壓平——甚至開始下降。這是一個轉折點：病毒的傳播速度已經放緩。度過死亡人數的轉折點則需要更長的時間。
　
turn the corner: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20the%20corner
　
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But even when those curves flatten, the epidemic still has not “peaked” by another crucial measure: the number of active cases. That figure continues to rise until the number of patients who either die or recover each day is larger than the number of new infections. To ease the staggering load on health care systems, the active cases curve must also flatten and then fall.
　
34. peak (v.) 使……達到頂峰
35. either……or…… 不是……就是……
36. staggering 沉重的；巨大的
　
但是，即使這些曲線已趨於平緩，疫情的另一個重要衡量指標——現存確診病例數——仍未達到「峰值」。在每天的死亡或康復患者人數超過新增感染人數之前，這個數字還將繼續上升。為緩解衛生系統的沉重負擔，現存確診病例數的曲線也必須先趨平，然後下降。
　
peak: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/peak_2
　
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V. Lockdowns 封鎖（活動限制）
　
More than two billion people, including most Americans, are living under something usually called a lockdown. But there is no set definition of that word — or related terms like stay-at-home mandates and social distancing — so the details differ from place to place. The biggest differences may be in enforcement. Some places, like those in the United States with lockdowns, mostly rely on people to follow the rules without coercion. But Italy and others have deployed soldiers to ensure compliance, and French police have fined hundreds of thousands of people for violating restrictions. China, in addition to using security forces, mobilized an army of volunteers, ratcheting up social pressure to obey.
　
37. set definition 固定的定義
38. enforcement 實施；執行
39. rely on 仰賴；依靠
40. deploy 部署
41. compliance 服從
42. fine 處……以罰款（或罰金）
43. in addition to 除了……之外
44. mobilize 動員
45. ratchet sth up/down 逐步增加／減少
　
全球有２０多億人，包括大多數美國人正生活在一般被稱為「活動限制」的狀態下。但這個詞沒有固定的定義，其他的相關說法，比如政府的「待在家裡」和「保持社交距離」令也沒有明確的定義，所以各地的具體做法也不一樣。最大的不同可能在執行方面。有些地方，比如美國有限制令的地方，主要依靠人們自覺遵守，而非強制。但義大利等國為確保限制令的落實而動用了軍隊，法國警方還對數已十萬計的違反禁令者處以罰款。中國除了使用安全部隊外，還動員了一支志願者大軍來加大服從封鎖隔離措施的社會壓力。
　
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Italy’s experience shows the looseness of the term. It has gone through several phases of restrictions, applying them to more people, making them stricter and increasing enforcement. A few weeks ago, a person could travel around Italy for a valid work or family reason. Now, people are fined for nonessential walking too far from their homes. But each stage was widely called by the same name: lockdown.
　
46. looseness 鬆散
47. valid 確鑿的；合理的；有根據的；讓人信服的
　
義大利的經歷表明了這個詞語解釋上的自由。義大利的封鎖令經歷了幾個階段，適用範圍擴大到越來越多的人，封鎖及其執行也變得越來越嚴格。幾週前，人們還可以因為正當的工作或家庭原因在義大利旅行。現在，人們會因不必要的離家太遠的走動而被罰款。但禁令的每個階段用的都是同一個泛泛的名稱：活動限制。
　
《紐約時報》完整報導：https://nyti.ms/2XcCUeT

圖片出處：https://fxn.ws/34gwSeH
　
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時事英文大全：http://bit.ly/2WtAqop
　
如何使用「時事英文」：https://bit.ly/3a9rr38
　
＃疫情英文

我哥之前因為陪朋友去考街頭藝人證照看到一些評審對街頭藝人的態度發聲 而上了新聞。我覺得他很勇敢的去做了一件對的事。

希望政府不會時間過了就不關心這些事情。希望我們都可以更客觀的去看藝術，尊重不一樣藝術和藝術家。我覺得以下我哥說的非常好，想跟大家分享。

想知道之前的事可看新聞連結：
http://www.storm.mg/article/270611

親愛的大家：


我想感謝所有支持我、以及給予我鼓勵意見的每個人；同時也要感謝熱情關注此事、協助揭露街頭表演者們應試處境問題的許多媒體與記者們。我很抱歉這些日子我保持著沉默—僅有一個原因：我並不希望這件事情，在台北市文化局正式給予溝通管道之前就發展到無法控制的程度；我很抱歉遲至今日我才發表這篇文章，但我確實需要一些時間來沉澱彙整我心中的感受和想法，而我也需要時間及一些協助使這篇文章能夠以中文來呈現。

在我採取更進一步的行動之前，我其實未曾預料到這件事情在媒體與社交媒體上的感染力如此龐大；我受寵若驚的感動能夠聽見發自你們每個人內心的聲音，而我也著實感到抱歉，面對著如潮水般湧來的各種訊息，似乎超過我所能負荷。請原諒我未能夠逐ㄧ去回應每個人的訊息，但我真的想讓你們知道，你們每ㄧ個人都讓我感到不可思議、帶給我深深的感動及感謝。

我不認為自己是一個勇敢的人，我也自知自己並非街頭藝人的代表或者發言人。但我是一個藝術創作者，一個表演藝術家，一個教育者，而最重要的，我身為一個 "人"。我的家人、朋友及師長們，總是教導我應該為正確的事情挺身而出。

我明白事情有時候總是不像我們所期待的永遠是非分明。但發生在5月21日星期天的街頭藝人評審事件，是對藝術群體的一種「極不尊重」。不論反面評論者所提出的藉口、理由或是文化差異等緣由，這些應試的表演者們，很顯然是被視為次等公民，或者（經驗與技能不夠成熟？）的學生等級。而與此同時，同樣非常清晰的是，街頭藝人評審制度或許是立意良善，但其審查過程的執行層面，卻是嚴重缺失連連。

藝術並非一種特權的這件事情如今已完全被遺忘。台北市文化局本應提倡所有具有文化及藝術可能性的事情，但它並未做到這ㄧ點。很顯然的，一個「對表演者的基本尊重」並不存在 — 許多表演者都如此感覺，有些人則深感受傷。

就算是得到全世界所有理應被如此對待的原因及理由，他們仍然感受到自己的不被尊重；因為這就是事實。

再一次的我想強調我並不是認定台北市文化局與該評審是一個「壞人」，我想強調的只是這個評審街頭藝人表演的執行環節，究竟有多麼的不妥當與糟糕。

我試著回應一個反面評論者所提到的觀點：若街頭藝人證照是ㄧ場「考試」、考試就會有考試的規則。評審無需與應試者惺惺相惜，掉頭就走是因為模擬街頭現場環境以及時間到了。再一次的，在我描述現場狀況的前ㄧ篇文章中，大家或許還記憶猶新：許多表演者根本沒有完整的短至一分半鐘的時間可以好好表演，遑論是超過2-5分鐘的時間限制了。

而這樣的回應是否也指出了另一個值得我們去思考的問題： 為什麼我們會將它視為一種「考試」，而不是ㄧ個表演者的「試鏡」呢？

首先，這些表演者們並不是學生。事實上，許多人更可能是一個專業的音樂家、舞者、或者正從事著表演藝術的人。當然，我不否認也可能會有些正在學習中的族群。但，最重要的是，當他們「在屬於他們應得的演出時間與機會裡 (而且還是付費才有的），他們就是ㄧ個真正的表演者。」

他們不應該被看待成一個不成熟的學生或者次等的公民。而就算一個人擁有著學生的身分，這個身分也不應該影響或侷限他或她，作為一個藝術創作者的身分及所有可能性。「藝術家」並非是透過一個人的職業身分或者社會地位來定義的。

所謂「考試」的這個字眼指涉著ㄧ個學術教育機構，而我們都知道台北市文化局所應該扮演的角色與作用，並非一個學術性的教育機構，也並非是用來教育藝術創作者們該知道些什麼？該怎麼表現？藝術教育及審美的養成也從來不是在追求填鴨式教育裡的ㄧ個標準答案。將街頭藝人的徵選視為「考試」的視角，或許本身就有待商榷。

評審的場所是在一個公共場合，許多居民與遊客都會圍觀欣賞著表演，其中有些人或許不了解藝術；因而這些人也許會將在場的評審們，視做為某種藝術的衡量標準；試問，當這些人看到評審對待表演藝術家的行為與態度，當他們看到評審總是任意打斷演出，並且掉頭就走不帶ㄧ句回應時，人們日後還能懂得尊重街頭表演藝術家嗎？

沒錯，我們都知道這是一場「考試」，我們也很清楚這些手上拿著計分表的人們就是評審；因此，事實上評審們根本無需「模擬」街頭現場那些會隨時走掉的陌生人們。

這些評審以及相關單位的人員，理應提倡藝術，並且作為ㄧ種示範與典範，讓普羅大眾都能夠看到該如何去欣賞ㄧ場演出。一個表演者並不會因為他選擇在街頭表演，就因此比不上一個在大舞台演出的藝術家。我自己就曾在世界各地超過百個不同的絢麗舞台演出過，但我仍然汗顏自己可能也不比這些街頭藝術家們來的優秀。

我曾擔任過ㄧ些國際比賽的評審，我也曾舉辦過專業的試鏡；我從來沒有聽過關於尊敬一個人的這件簡單事情，會需要在時間充裕的前提下才能夠發生。

如果一點表情會洩漏出評審成績的好惡，其實也真的可以不用笑或是無需在表演結束時說一聲謝謝。而評審也真的「不需要」與考證照的街頭藝人感覺惺惺相惜，因為這些都不是我想討論的重點。

我在意的是，表演者所需要的，只不過就是一個對人與對一個演出者的「基本尊重」而已。這樣的尊重存在與否，如人飲水冷暖自知，在人與人的接觸中就能直接感受的到，著實無需仰賴規則或語言的贅述。

我作為一個藝術創作者和教育者，穿梭各地工作超過15年的職業生涯經驗，或許會因此被視為一個外國人，但我的身分就是一個台灣公民。身為一個39歲的成年人，我可以分辨何謂尊重，而表達尊重甚至不需要浪費到任何一秒鐘。如果一個人會需要至少五分鐘以上的充足時間才有可能表達出對另外一個個體的尊重的話，那他可能需要重新再思考一下，尊重對他而言意謂著什麼？


再度回應一位也曾擔任過街頭藝人評審的老師所提出來「中途要求更換曲目或要求表演者改唱另ㄧ種語言的歌」的理由，是因為評審們不會希望一個街頭藝人一整年下來只會唱同一種語言、甚至是只唱同ㄧ首歌。

我所思考的是當一個街頭藝人遵守規定，付費且努力準備去應試時，他ㄧ定會準備了符合完整時間長度的、同時也是自己最擅長、最喜歡或者是最期待能被看見的那些內容；表演一首歌曲或者ㄧ種風格並不代表他就只會唱那ㄧ首歌；而且就算是當做他只會唱ㄧ種語言、ㄧ首歌，如果他能把這首歌反覆演繹的淋漓盡致時, 又有什麼不好呢？

難道我們不曾注意到百老匯的音樂劇就是同樣的那幾部，而獅子王也已經在舞台上展演了20年了嗎？許多同樣內容重複的音樂劇票房始終歷久不衰，持續帶給觀眾們心靈的滿足。而人氣歌手愛黛兒從頭到尾也只會用英文唱歌，而且幾乎都是類似的曲風，我們可曾在乎過她有沒有能力去唱中文歌呢？

ㄧ部舞蹈作品光在荷蘭本土就能有至少五十場大大小小的演出機會。但在台灣，ㄧ部作品如果能有五個場次的演出，可能已經算是很長壽了。這樣的環境迫使藝術創作者們必須不斷快速的「生產新作」，而將舊有積累的作品與經驗拋在腦後。就所有對於藝術的挹注與投資（不僅僅是金錢）來說，這樣的情況對藝術的生產是ㄧ種過度消耗與浪費，也並未真正教育到民眾如何去看待藝術的價值。

而最終，這樣的評審過程與態度並不僅僅是對街頭表演藝術者的不尊重，同時也是對於藝術的不尊重。

台北市文化局星期ㄧ曾經聯絡過我，親切向我表示將與我進一步聯絡並討論這件事情；他們要求我先將評審的照片拿掉—我答應取下照片，但前提是他們必須確實誠意的允諾一個面對面的溝通。這幾天我也暫時迴避了一些報導媒體的詢問（還請大家見諒）只因我衷心希望能先與台北市文化局及該評審當面談一談。我ㄧ直等待，但我也持續的看到了相關機構或人員回應給媒體的諸多理由與藉口； 自從將照片從網路上取下之後，直到今日都沒有人再跟我連繫過。慢慢的我突然明白星期一的那通電話，或許純粹只是ㄧ個希望我能將照片取下的操作手法，而並非真的試圖去了解整個經過以及解決問題。我對這個本應提倡藝術與文化的機構感到無比失望。

我知道我並非一個公眾人物，而我也不能代表所有想要考取街頭藝人執照的表演者們；自從我的臉書網頁訊息爆炸之後，我就不斷的在思考這件事情，我反覆思考自己是否該繼續爭執此事，這似乎並非與我切身相關的事情，然而，身為一個藝術教育者，我卻又感受到深切的責任。

經過反覆的思考以及與朋友們的討論，我意識到不論我們的展演形式如何不同，我們同樣都是表演藝術群體中的一分子。台北市文化局最後很可能將持續充耳不聞，而這位被我所抱怨的評審也可能繼續做他這些年來ㄧ直在做的事—用他ㄧ貫的態度。除非他們願意傾聽與改變，否則我無法改變任何人。

我真心相信有些事情值得改善，也可以改善。我必須強調我並不是想要攻擊或羞辱任何人。我只希望能有機會去討論如何讓審查的過程變的更適當。我看到台灣有許多優秀的藝術家，但環境對藝術和藝術家的不尊重不但打擊同時也限制了他們的發展；更遺憾的是，這一切可能是在許多疏忽之中造就出來的環境。

許多評審過程如果能夠在尊重藝術的前提之下思考和進行，事情或許會截然不同。
只要有一點點可能去拋開面子的問題，或許也就有機會明嘹我們所期待的結果其實是一樣的。

事實上我之所以說了這麼冗長的話語，並非是要不尊敬所謂的評審或師長，而正是因為我對藝術的尊敬，使我更深切的關注身為一個教育者所代表的意義。今天我看到了街頭表演藝術家是如何被不當的對待，而很顯然的我也不會是唯一的目擊者。某個程度上我的聲音似乎被放大了，但我也知道我的聲音並不是唯一的一個，我是許許多多的聲音中的ㄧ份子。

William

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Dear All,

I would like to thank you for all the encouraging messages and supportive comments. I would also like to thank all the journalists and reporters who are passionate about this issue and are so willing to expose the problem that was faced by these street performers. I am sorry that I have been quiet but with a reason: I don’t want it to get much bigger than it already was until I talked to the Taipei Cultural Affair. I apologize that it took me a while, but I needed some time to gather my thoughts and help to translate my writing into Chinese.

Before I go on any further, I never expected my story would go viral on the media and the social media. I am humbled and touched to hear from many of you. All the messages I’ve received have been overwhelming. I am not able to reply to all of them, but I’d like you to know that I am honored, thankful, and touched by every single one of them.

I do not consider myself as a brave person, nor do I consider myself a representative for the street performers. BUT I am an artist, a performer, educator, and most of all I am a human being.I have always been taught to stand for what’s right by my family, friends and mentors.

I understand things are not as black and white as we all wish sometimes. However, what happened on Sunday 21st of May was a disgrace to the art community. Regardless of all the excuses that were given or cultural differences, it was very obvious these performers were treated like lower-class citizens; if not, students. It was also very clear that the intention might be well, but the execution of the busker’s exam was done horribly.

Somehow the idea that ART is NOT a privilege had been forgotten. Taipei Cultural Affair is supposed to be advocating for all things cultural and artistic but it was not conveyed that day. It was very clear the respect was not there. Many felt it and some got their feelings hurt. Even with all the excuses there are in the world, many experienced the disrespect. That was the truth. Again I have to emphasize that I believe Taipei Department of Cultural Affair and its adjudicators are good people, but the execution of the exam was poor.

It brings to the question…. why is it called an exam? Shouldn’t it be an audition?

These performers were not students when they took the exam. Some of them were actually professional musicians, dancers, or performers. Just because one is a student, it doesn’t make him or her less of an artist. Artists are not defined by their social status or occupation.

The term exam suggests an educational institution, but we know Taipei Department of Cultural Affair is not an educational institution. They do not decide what these artists need to know. These performers were not given any materials to study, thus the term exam is very misleading.

The exam took place in a public space. Many tourists and residents were there to enjoy the event. Many do not understand arts. So they may look up to these adjudicators as role models who are experienced in the arts. When they saw how this exam was being done, do you think they would have any respect for these performers afterwards? They saw these adjudicators interrupting the performers and left without saying a “thank you.” We all knew it was an exam, we all knew these people were adjudicators. They did not need to pretend to be street spectators who just walk away. They all carried their score boards in their hands.

Just because a performer performs on the street, it doesn’t make that performer any less of a performer than someone who is performing on big stages. I myself have performed over hundreds of stages around the world and I do not dare to think myself better than these performers.

I have judged a handful of international competitions. I have also held professional auditions. I have never heard an excuse that respect can’t be shown when time is limited. You do not need to smile to simply say “thank you.” Since when, a smile means “I favor you.” What a performer need is respect. Over the 15 year span of my professional career as an educator and artist, and 39 years of being a human being, I know what respect looks like. It doesn’t take more than a second to show it. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to show what respect is, I think you may need to rethink what respect means to you.

Another excuse that was presented was that they don’t want a street artist performs only one kind of songs or genre throughout the year. Don’t they know broadway musicals? Lion King has been performed over 20 years. They’ve been doing the same musical numbers for years to sold out audiences. Adele has been singing the same genre of music and always in English. Does it matter that she doesn’t sing in other genre or sing in Chinese?

One dance production in the Netherlands can be performed up to 50 performances within the Netherlands itself. In Taiwan, a dance work only performed 5 times the most. They are forced to constantly create new works and leave the old works behind. That is a waste of arts funding and it doesn’t educate the public on the value of the arts. These performers is old enough to decide what they want to show these judges with their limited time.

In the end it wasn’t just disrespectful to the performers, but also to the arts.

I was contacted by the Taipei Cultural Affair on Monday, the representative spoke nicely promising that they would discuss further with me. He asked me to take the adjudicator’s picture down, I agreed with the condition of meeting in person to further discuss what could be done better. I have refused to talk to reporters for the last few days. I have been waiting but I then heard the excuses given to the media. Since I’ve taken down the picture of the head adjudicator, they haven’t made any attempt to contact me. I came into a realization that when they made the call, it wasn’t to address the problem but simply to manipulate me to take down his picture. I’m disappointed at this institution that was supposed to promote the arts and culture.

I realized I am not a public figure, nor am I responsible for the well being of all artists who want to get a busker license. After my Facebook post went viral, I’ve been thinking so much about this issue. I kept going back and forth questioning whether I should keep fighting for this. It doesn’t feel like my fight, but at the same time I feel responsible as an art educator.

I truly believe this can be fixed. I need to emphasize, I am not attacking anyone. And I don’t want to shame anyone. I want to start a discussion how to make it better. Taipei has some of the best performers I’ve seen, yet the lack of respect for the arts and artists has suppressed their ability to excel. And ironically, it’s often done unintentionally.

If the exam is done based on respect for the arts itself, things might have come out differently. And just maybe if we all let go the “face” culture, we could possibly see further to realize that we are all wanting the same thing.

I saw mistreatments towards performers that day. It was very obvious I wasn’t the only one witnessing it. It was not that I don’t respect these adjudicators/teachers, but because I respect the arts and the meaning of a teacher that is why I had to speak up. Somehow my voice had been amplified this week. But my voice wasn’t and isn’t singular. I am simply a voice amongst many.

Sincerely,
William Lü

Taipei National University of the Arts 國立台北藝術大學
寶藏巖國際藝術村 Treasure Hill Artist Village
Taipei National University of the Arts
臺北表演藝術中心 Taipei Performing Arts Center
National Theater and Concert Hall, Taipei
中正紀念堂 Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
National Taiwan University of Arts
Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government

《歡愛後的代價》
The Price of Unbridled Love (English version below)

年輕時，從來都沒有想過，感性與性感是什麼意思，尤其是感性這兩個字。後來經修行有了悟境，才「理智」的看待，感性與性感之間的不同處。感性者，是對一切的人情事故，很直接的反應。性感者，是對異性外在方面的直接反應。比方說，妳你觀看一部連續劇，妳你閱讀一本小說，妳你的朋友，響妳你傾訴她他的遭遇等等，妳你的淚水不由自主的落下，這就謂之於感性也。

吾，玳瑚師父，認爲感性較易處理，性感所衍生的問題，那就沒那麼容易處理了。感性的感在前，顯然的出錯在一個「感」字上。一個沒修行的凡夫俗子，自身的感覺，以及對方給於妳你的感覺，大多甚至幾乎全部，皆是錯覺也。而這些錯覺，亦是「不理智」的情況下所產生之。性感的性在前，顯然的跟「性」有連接的關係。性感這兩個字，往往也多用於稱讚女性如：她的打扮裝扮很性感，她的身材很性感⋯⋯。

吾，玳瑚師父，在此勸請先生女士小姐們，千萬別誤以爲穿小就是潮流，若妳你有此想法的話，可見妳你的想法有多落伍。告訴妳你哦！這世界是充滿了「色素」的啊！妳你再製造更多的「色素」的話，妳你遲早變成「KIMCHI」（泡菜）。什麼意思？污染也。污染自己也污染她他人，罪過也。感性是一種情志的表現。性感則是一種體態的表現，千萬勿搞錯才好。大多的男女，皆因這種「體態的表現」，而焚毀了原始原有的道德，當初共結連理的承諾，一失足成千古恨啊！

據吾所知，凡是犯邪淫的人，命終將轉投畜生道五百劫或更多，做狗、雞、豬、蟲類。待劫滿再轉投做下等人，如：苦力、僕人、卑女、終身不被尊敬的人，等等同樣五百劫或更多。就算劫滿轉投較好等級的人，妳你所說的話，也祇有較少人會聽。這樣的「來來回回」，真不知何世才能做個，真正有福氣的人啊！所以吾常告誡那些八字、面相、骨骼、名字、家居風水，有濃濃淫味的男男女女，一定要專一。要不然，將來妳你的名字，就真的要叫阿豬、阿雞或阿狗了。佛法有斷淫的法門，若妳你不想「披毛戴角」，玳瑚師父願意救渡妳你。

.....................

In my younger days, I had never thought about the true meaning of these words: sentimentality and sexiness. It was only after I attained a certain level of awareness in my spiritual practice, I began to rationally look at the difference between sensibility and sexiness. Sentimentality in a person means that he or she has an acute sensitivity to the people and events in the surrounding. Sexiness refers to the awareness and reactions to people of the opposite gender. For example, if you experience deep emotions and tears easily when watching a drama serial, reading a book, or when a friend confides in you, you belong to the group of people with high sentimentality.

Master Dai Hu feels that it is easier to deal with sentimentality, compared to the problems that sexiness brings. Sentimentality deals with one's emotions and senses. And more often than not, the emotions of a mere mortal are illusory, the feelings that others give us are misperceptions. Such illusions and misperceptions are conceived from poor logic. On the other hand, sexiness leads us to the connotation of sex, and often associates with the female gender. For example: "She dresses so sexily" or "She has got a sexy figure. ", etc.

Master Dai Hu hereby reminds all ladies not to mistake being scantily dressed as the trend nowadays. You are old-fashioned if you think that way. Let me tell you, this world is already saturated with "colouring pigments". If you are going to create more "colours", it is a matter of time that you would become kimchi. Heavily tainted, that is! Tainting yourself is also tainting others, and this is a sin. Sentimentality is a show of emotions, while sexiness is a display of physical attributes. Don't get this wrong. Obsessed with the human display of physical attributes, many men and women had abandoned their innate morals and destroyed the marriage vows they made. How regretful!

To my knowledge, people who has committed sexual misconduct will suffer the fate of reincarnation in the animal realm for at least 500 lifetimes, taking the form of a dog, chicken, pig, worm, etc. After which they will return to the human realm and be reborn into a lower class, taking on roles such as a coolie, servant, maid, never gaining respect for the entire life, for at least 500 rebirths. Even if you have a better human reincarnation, your words will not command much respect or following. Such a tenuous game of never-ending rebirths, nobody knows when one can finally and truly enjoy good fortunes! This explains my endless reminders to those who has the high tendency for sexual indiscretions, to stay loyal and faithful in the relationship. Or else, your name will be Piggy, Chicky or Doggy for real. How can I tell? Through one's name, Bazi, facial features, bones structure, home Feng Shui, etc. The Dharma teaches the way to end your sexual desires. If you don't wish to wear fur or horns on your skin next lifetime, Master Dai Hu is willing to help you.