Camera is his first love -- A review of Tsai Meng-Shin from Mrs. Tsai
Under a fate, as a PE teacher, Tsai Meng-Shin encountered with a mandarin and history teacher (Mrs. Tsai). According to Mrs. Tsai, the most notable note was their honeymoon. They shuttled around the streets with a motorcycle only to find a surprise for his own interest. As long as an ecological attraction fascinated him, he would be intoxicated, and incidentally forget his new married wife. However, when Tsai spun out from the ecstatic situation, he found his wife being neglected. He would run to her and ask her to sit aside, and then embrace photography again. Maybe, a virtual and cultivating drove Mrs. Tsai. She wasn’t mad at him but tolerantly said, "Because camera is his first love, then the temperament lover - orchids, and the third is our daughters, granddaughter and grandson ……" Everyone knew camera is the first priority in his life. Orchid comes second. Once Tsai was off from work, he would devote into the orchid’s world inextricably. Having said that, Mr. and Mrs. Tsai missed a lot of sparkle moment in their life. They shared less to remark as joyful moment; however, she does not complain but become a major force to support Tsai photographical career.
No one knew Tsai better than Mrs. Tsai. She describes her husband that consistence is his virtual but also means his obstinacy. No matter what Tsai has insisted not to miss any events when he promise to go. Regardless of severe disease he had, he still insisted to go. For instance, when we followed Tsai and his students to go on a field, he went despite that he just had a fever last night. With a fear that his body would not bear, Mrs. Tsai also insisted to be accompany with. She worried and had to look out on him in case there was anything going wrong. From this couple who sustain their marriage for more than a quarter, we see how much Mr. Tsai cares and cherishes their teacher-student friendship and how much Mr. and Mrs. Tsai care each other, such a selfless dedication is the most valuable love in a relationship.
For the concept of money, this couple has the same consensus, and no distinction. But when their economic statue don’t stabilize, it may, therefore, lead to disputes. Mrs. Tsai thought about their youth, she said, it was a difficult period. He needed to go to classes in daytime and after school, he needed to be a vet. At the weekend, he didn’t stop working and never complaint. Even though, he has completely occupied by those matter, he would squeeze some time to visit children at Tzu Chi as a relaxing moment.
Tsai Is a Mentor -- Interview a follower of Tsai, Huang Wenchin
Huang Wenchin, one of Mr. Tsai’s first students of class of ecological knowledge, also planted orchids; hence, two of them hit it off immediately. At first, they both shared experience of orchids, later Huang became Tsai's student, and eventually best friends. Mentoring is the best portrayal description of these two men as their ongoing companionship for more than a decade.
"Perfectionism beyond everything" is the best lesson he learned from Tsai spirit over the past years. Huang said because of this belief and consistence, Tsai has cultivated himself with in-depth knowledge of Taiwan native plants, and even some scholars would consult him with this matter. After his retirement, Tsai, no longer, took pictures with his students, whereas they followed him for years. Huang coordinated with several other students to Tsai's residence; with emotional temp that Tsai cannot refuse their requests, eventually took them to some secret wooded paths took shots with some special ecological photos. He went on, back to the time when he has just joined the ecological photography classes about ten years ago. At one outing, he was wandering around where everyone was taking photos; with one accidental slip, the butterfly flew away. This act spoiled many nice shots and Tsai was angry at his rudeness and punished him running after his jeep for miles in order to be vigilant not to interfere while others were taking photos.
Tsai is a decent man, whose demands are leading to achieve the best result; although, it is to make himself even harder. Tsai has never asked him to do any unorthodox things. Instead, Tsai always has himself as an instance; example is better than precept. He tells the truth by other methods or metaphor. Imperceptibly, Tsai never forces him to do anything, or tells him how to do.
While this interview, we listened to his description of the grand prevailing economic Taiwan as well as the intersection between Huang and Tsai. Like a movie out of scene, we has been dragged back to the 80’s. When Taiwan economy was booming, orchid prices continued to rise until other countries import large quantities of orchids to Taiwan market and farming techniques relocation. Tsai orchid business gradually declined, but Tsai has been very stubborn that he kept looking and pursue any possible alternatives. To Huang, the greatest influence of Tsai is not only in knowledge and photography, but also exhorts and imparts him. He is this kind of man who is stubborn but never give up.
Study Ecology through his lens -- Biological Teacher, Wang Wen-Tsun
Tsai is not only a mentor but his knowledge and familiarity with biological organisms also let whomever majored in biology feel shame by that. He is able to identify new species or new records and providing researchers a more precise identification. He is willing to spread his knowledge; therefore, he is always a volunteer or narrator at some national parks. What is more, he distributed his own investigation the biological information to domestic research institutions to enrich the diversity of biological academic research.
In accordance with Wang, Tsai is very hospitable. He said, whenever I visit Tsai’s family, there is always a swarm of visitors. All of his students are contented to consult him, because Tsai's character is to share and make a clean breast of what he knew that makes him a popular figure. Likewise, everyone is harmoniously delighted to share their experience with him. Tsai can apply for the highest honor in International Photographic Society, but he did not seek for a fame. He only aspires his knowledge to share more people and benefits to the mass.
Interviewing Tsai Meng-Shin
This is an exciting day. Questions buried in our mind for a long time is going to be reveal today!
This is our first interview with Tsai Meng-Shin. The first encounter is always the most nervous. In order to be well-prepared, we simulated with our interview draft after the guidance from our instructor (Chiang Yalin), we fully grasped the focus and ready to go. We all were looking forwards to this interview. With curious but disturbed feelings, we arrived Tsai Meng-Shin's house. Surprisingly, we were greeted with a warm welcome. Tsai Meng-Shin started to give us a tour of his house. First, it is the ecological garden where we seem to be into another world. Just then, we saw a yellow hypertrophied pupae which caused a commotion among us. Tsai said, it is the pupae of Acherontia lachesis, also known as the Bee Robber and very fond of honey. He continued, now it’s winter time to dormant and in spring it will transform into imago…. After this garden, he took us to his secret base, a greenhouse, used to grow orchids, where sunlight scattered directly, where we all agreed it is a good place for the interview. We set up the camera right away!