Aspiring Chef Inspires Culinary Arts Professor
    A professor from the Culinary Management Department at Nankai University of Science and Technology said, “The handling of culinary ingredients is of utmost importance. Practicing knife skills is not only dangerous but also requires concentration and hand-eye coordination. During examinations, you must also balance speed and aesthetics. Are you sure you want to pursue a degree in culinary management?”
 
    Shang Zhe said, “I love cooking for my family and friends. I want to become a chef and open a restaurant to show the world that individuals with Down syndrome have unlimited potential. I am not afraid of challenges or danger. I am willing to take on new things, even if it means practicing dozens of times longer than others. I am not afraid of hardship and will never give up. I believe I can achieve my goals.”
 
    Currently a third-year student in the Culinary Management Department at Nankai University of Science and Technology, Shangzhe bravely faces various challenges. He passed the Ministry of Labor's Intermediate Chinese Cuisine Cooking Skills Certification Exam on June 23, 2019, and continues to work toward other related certifications.
 
Multiple Disabilities, Multiple Talents: Spreading Love in Time
    Shang Zhe's parents, Chen Qingbiao and Zhang Pinling, said that Shang Zhe, who is handsome, articulate, sunny, and cheerful, does not look like a typical child with Down syndrome. However, he faces all the challenges associated with Down syndrome—intellectual disabilities, low muscle tone, congenital heart disease, impaired vision and hearing, and thyroid dysfunction—as well as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.
 
    During elementary school, he saw Zhou Yijia, a child with Down syndrome who holds 23 street performer licenses, performing on a clay flute at Micro-Hot Hill in Nantou. He then sought out information and eventually began learning the clay flute and saxophone under the guidance of Lin Qitong. In 2015 and 2016, he obtained street performer licenses in Kinmen and Taichung, respectively.
 
    Despite his multiple disabilities, he has achieved numerous honors, including being recognized as a Model Student in Taichung City in 2016, winning first place in the music performance category at the 9th National Talent Competition for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in 2018, securing first place in the adult division of the 8th Taiwan Central and Southern Region Atlet Cup Basketball Shooting Competition, receiving the Courage and Virtue Gold Medal at the Greater Taichung Youth Hero Awards, and being honored as an Outstanding Youth during Youth Day.
 
    As a result, Shang Zhe never gave up, continuing to learn and improve his skills. He learned swimming and basketball to build his physical strength and mastered the ocarina and saxophone, playing beautiful melodies. Under the guidance of Lin Qitong, he joined the Tang Bao Daqi Orchestra and performed in Hong Kong, Japan, and mainland China, spreading love and inspiration far and wide, creating a virtuous cycle. From honing his culinary skills to aspiring to become a chef and open a restaurant, using food and music to spread love, he aims to deliver these dishes of love to orphanages and nursing homes, sowing seeds of love. He truly lives up to the title of “Chef Tang Baobao.” From among 2,954 candidates recommended by people from all walks of life worldwide, he stood out and was honored with the “2022 25th Global Love for Life Medal” by the Zhou Daoguan Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan.
 
    Our foundation warmly welcomes recommendations from around the world for individuals who embody effort, kindness, courage, and achievement as “Life Warriors.” (Taiwan Zhou Da Guan Cultural and Educational Foundation Global Award for Love of Life Nomination Hotline: 886-2-29178770, Fax: 886-2-29178768, Address: 3rd Floor, No. 52 Mingde Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City 231, Taiwan, Website: http://www.ta.org.tw, e-mail: ta88ms17@gmail.com).
 
Outstanding in Culinary-Related Courses
    Taiwanese cuisine is renowned worldwide, and Chen Shang-zhe is determined not to lag behind. He hopes that Taiwanese cuisine, while already excellent, can continue to innovate and evolve.
 
    Therefore, he has dedicated himself to culinary-related courses. Whether its core courses—Culinary Overview, Basic Cooking, Food Preparation, and Food Service—or specialized courses—Culinary Arts Application and Culinary Management—or practical courses—Culinary Business Management, Project Development, and On-Campus/Off-Campus Internships—while other students might read or practice once, he reads or practices thousands of times.
 
    This relentless pursuit of knowledge is like the tortoise and the hare. Though Chen Shangzhe learned at a slower pace, he made up for it with diligence, never stopping or giving up. He has taken the focused perseverance characteristic of individuals with Down syndrome to the extreme, diligently honing his culinary skills, fostering innovative thinking, and cultivating the humanistic literacy required of a culinary management professional in the digital age.
 
    In the end, Chen Shangzhe achieved the highest honors—he excelled in culinary-related courses and was named first place.
 
A Mother's Hope for Opportunity
    Due to Down syndrome, Shangzhe suffered greatly from illness from a young age. After birth, he was frequently admitted to the intensive care unit and underwent multiple surgeries due to congenital developmental abnormalities.
 
    When Shangzhe was five months old, his mother began taking him for rehabilitation, starting with traditional folk therapies and later enrolling him in cognitive and language classes at the Down Syndrome Association and occupational therapy sessions at the hospital.
 
    As he grew older, he began learning to swim, ride horses, and attend a classical text reading class. All these therapies and educational opportunities were aimed at helping Shangzhe develop a healthy body and the ability to care for himself.
 
    Although progress was slow, seeing Shangzhe grow brought immense comfort and pride to his mother, making all the hardships worthwhile.
 
    One day, during a class at the association, Shangzhe was invited by Chen, the association staff member, to join a clay flute class. In the classroom, he saw the children holding small clay flutes and, under the teacher’s guidance, producing beautiful melodies.
 
    Shangzhe's mother was delighted—music therapy should be beneficial for children and help cultivate their character. She decided to seize this opportunity, and thus Shangzhe met the mentor who would change his life—Mr. Lin Qitong.
 
After six months, he played his first children's song.
    When Shangzhe started the clay flute class, his mother accompanied him like the other parents. The teacher taught everyone to clap the rhythm and sing the notes together.
 
    At this point, Shangzhe's mother realized he couldn't correctly produce the notes Do, Ra, Mi, and Fa, nor could he keep the beat accurately. She could only keep searching for methods to train his sense of rhythm.
 
    In the early stages of learning the clay flute, besides practicing finger coordination, aspects like mouth shape and breathing techniques also took Shangzhe a long time to figure out. Every child with Down syndrome has their own challenges to overcome.
 
    The first key he learned was F. Due to the stiffness of his small hand muscles, Shangzhe's left ring finger could not be lifted independently.
 
    At this point, the teacher taught the children to use their right hand for assistance, moving the ring finger away from the hole. While this looked cute and amusing to us, it significantly affected the smoothness of the performance!
 
    Therefore, to achieve smooth playing, it was necessary to practice moving each finger flexibly. After six months of practice, Shangzhe gradually learned to lift his ring finger and slowly began to play simple folk songs and children's songs.
 
    Additionally, the oral structure of children with Down syndrome poses some limitations in playing. Their large tongues reduce flexibility, and facial muscle coordination is also affected, making blowing a significant challenge!
 
    At first, Shangzhe blew air instinctively with a “whoosh, whoosh” sound. Through constant encouragement and guidance from his teacher in class and diligent practice at home, he gradually learned to distinguish between different tones and mastered the correct exhalation technique, using a “puff, puff, puff” method to produce a smoother tone, making the music sound softer and more lively.
 
    During this arduous practice process, Teacher Lin Qitong not only taught the clay flute but also frequently reminded Shangzhe of classroom rules and proper body movements. Gradually, the child became more understanding and continued to make progress.
 
    However, what keeps Shangzhe's parents on their toes is that he needs to practice consistently. If he slacks off even a little, the regression could outweigh the previous efforts.
 
Going against the current. If you don't move forward, you fall behind.
    The proverb, “Learning is like rowing a boat against the current; if you don't move forward, you fall behind,” is aptly demonstrated in the lives of children with Down syndrome. Therefore, during practice, Shang-zhe would get tired, but his parents would not let him give up because of setbacks.
 
    So, Shang-zhe's parents encouraged him to keep moving forward. Although the pace may be slow, he is taking solid steps toward his dream.
 
    In class, after practicing a section, Mr. Lin Qitong asks a child to play it for everyone. After each performance, he always praises the child for their progress and then encourages them to improve in specific areas.
 
    Shangzhe is shy by nature and initially dared not perform on stage, fearing he would make mistakes. When he did make mistakes, he would feel upset or sulk.
 
    However, in this learning environment, Shang Zhe gradually overcame his fear of making mistakes, learned to accept and correct his errors, and became more confident in expressing himself in class. He even volunteered to be the first to play, finding his confidence and stage in the world of the clay flute.
 
Swim Forward—The Best Cardio Training
    Shangzhe has been swimming for eight years and has mastered the breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke. However, his stamina is still not very good.
 
    Every time he swims, it is a heart and lung workout for Shangzhe. Besides improving his health, swimming has also positively influenced his flute playing. The increased lung capacity allows Shangzhe to play more smoothly and with more energy!
 
    In addition to classroom practice, Shangzhe diligently practices playing the clay flute every day after school. He also makes time for sports and exercise, ensuring a well-rounded and solid learning experience.
 
    Shangzhe's steps are steady and unwavering as he continues to move forward. Under the encouragement of his teacher, Lin Qitong, Shangzhe began to break through his own limits in 2015 and 2016, earning street performer licenses in Kinmen and Taichung.
 
Overcoming the Saxophone Challenge and Spreading Positive Energy
    Additionally, Shangzhe often joins the Daqi Orchestra's “Send Love” activities, performing at nursing homes and senior care centers across the country. Through his performances on the clay flute and saxophone, he interacts and shares joy with the elderly and also participates in life education sharing sessions at schools of all levels.
 
    The children with Down syndrome showcased their dedication and perseverance through the beautiful melodies of the ocarinas, while Ms. Su Yingying's insightful explanations added to the emotional impact of the performance.
 
    Now, Shangzhe has begun learning his “second specialty,” the saxophone. In this new field, he must once again start from scratch, learning to control the strength of his breath. Too much force causes the sound to dissipate, while too little results in no sound at all.
 
    Just like when he was learning the clay flute, Shangzhe is slowly figuring out how to produce a good sound. The difference is that, with the encouragement of his teacher and family, he no longer easily gives up. Instead, driven by his love for music, he practices even more diligently.
 
    All of this is thanks to Mr. Lin's selfless dedication and the strong support of his wife and grandmother.
 
    Shang-Che, who has fallen in love with music, becomes stronger with each setback. Through the melodies of the saxophone, he is expanding his stage and shining brighter while also continuing his original aspiration—to become a chef and open a restaurant, using food and music to spread love, and hoping to convey love and emotion further, wider, and more deeply.
 
Chen Shang-Che has received widespread recognition both domestically and internationally.
    He was honored with the title of Model Student of Taichung City for the 2016-2017 academic year.
 
    In 2018, he won first place in the music performance category of the 9th National Talent Competition for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.
 
    He also secured first place in the adult category of the basketball layup competition at the 8th Taiwan Central and Southern Region Atlet Cup Games.
 
    In 2018, he was awarded the “Bravery and Virtue Model Gold Medal” at the Greater Taichung Youth Hero Awards.
 
    In 2019, he received the “Outstanding Youth Award” on Youth Day.
 
    On June 23, 2020, he passed the Ministry of Labor's Intermediate-Level Chinese Cuisine Cooking Skills Examination.
 
    In 2021, he won an Excellence Award in the 9th National Talent Competition for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in the Painting Category.
 
    In 2020, he achieved outstanding results in the 10th “I Draw, I Speak” Painting Competition.
 
    Obtained street performer licenses in Taichung, Kinmen, Hualien, and Miaoli through performances on the ocarina and saxophone.
Actively engaged in public welfare activities, using the ocarina and saxophone to spread love to Hong Kong, Japan, and Dalian in mainland China, inspiring people with disabilities to strive for excellence and live life to the fullest.
 

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