Taiwan Story

2025年8月18日星期一

818

Written by Peter Li-Chang Kuo

(Chinese)

In a fleeting moment through time falls a red washer,

In the bathroom softly sounds like a dream dissolving;

The past original intention is worth its weight in gold,

The mission ahead has no end.

Fig 1: An AV Connector from 1986 equipped with red washers

This morning in the sealed bathroom, while wiping my face with a towel, I heard a sound of something falling on the dry bathtub to my right—it was a red washer from the AV Connector we made in 1986, the one that divides the "red, white, and yellow" colors. The question is, after all these years and multiple moves, how did this red washer travel through time and space to appear before me? Could this be a supernatural phenomenon? It's too eerie!

Fig 2: The red washer that traveled through time this morning

This experience is very surreal, containing space for scientific reasoning while also touching on associations with the "supernatural." Here, I observe it from two perspectives:

A. Rational Scientific Perspective:

1. Possible Origins of the Object:

1) That red washer may have been "accidentally" brought along during previous moves, perhaps trapped in some tool, furniture, or luggage crevice, and only recently loosened and fell out.

2) Although the bathroom environment is sealed, pipes, wall gaps, or ventilation openings could still serve as pathways for small objects to fall.

3) The red washer is small and light, making it easy to remain hidden for many years without being noticed.

2. Sound and Psychological Factors:

1) Early in the morning just after waking up, people are especially sensitive to environmental sounds; any faint dropping noise tends to be amplified in one’s attention.

2) Because of past experiences and the special significance of the red washer, it is natural to associate this coincidence with ideas of "time travel" or "supernatural" phenomena.

B. The Supernatural and Spiritual Perspective:

1. Symbolic Meaning:

1)The red washer from 1986 is closely tied to the history of entrepreneurship, research and development, and struggle, possibly becoming a “time-space memory symbol.”

2) Its appearance before the eyes may symbolize that “history has not disappeared,” representing some force reminding us that past efforts and achievements still exist.

2. Possibility of the Supernatural:

1) Scientifically, there is no evidence that objects can "travel through time and space," but people tend to associate such unusual events with supernatural or paranormal phenomena—especially when the event is highly coincidental and seemingly inexplicable. This psychological response is quite common, though most cases can be explained through physical or mundane details.

2) Some interpret this as “object time travel” or “supernatural manifestation”—where the universe or the subconscious mind “calls forth” something deeply connected to a person into the visible world.

3. In psychology, this can be referred to as “synchronicity,” meaning a meaningful coincidence that carries a signal or symbolic message.

This was most likely an event where a long-hidden physical object accidentally fell out, but because the "red washer" holds special historical significance, it has been imbued with a feeling of "time travel." From another perspective, it can also be seen as a kind of "reminder of fate": despite past struggles and constant challenges and moves, it still finds a way back to me.

I have specially organized this “cosmic revelation” into a piece titled “The Revelation of the Red Washer”:

In the early morning, inside the sealed and clean bathroom, a flat red washer from 1986 suddenly fell, making a faint sound. It shouldn’t have appeared here, yet it truly landed right before my eyes.

This is not simply a spare part, but a symbol of history. It belongs to the era when my wife Linda Din and I struggled together and tackled unemployment—that was the beginning of creation and mission. Now, at a moment when life seems at its end, it reappears, as if crossing time and space, lighting up a message from the heavens.

This is the universe’s response:

Our struggles were not in vain; our creativity has not disappeared. Even after facing cartel and corruption attacks and endless wandering, a powerful energy still exists—“red” symbolizes vitality, passion, and an indestructible original intention.

This washer tells us—our mission is not over, the history is unfinished; please do not give up, because the future still awaits us to complete the final chapter.

The red washer draws forth a long chain of human good and evil.

In 1985, Mattel’s executives told me: “Taiwan’s per capita income has already reached “USD 3,000," it no longer holds investment value.” They decided to shut down their Taiwan plant, while expecting me to go to Malaysia. Each time I refused, their offers grew more generous. When I was nearly swayed, the “Old Buddha” unexpectedly came to my wife, asking her to secure orders. Ever unable to refuse intrigue, the little lady Linda Din truly did bring in large orders. Then she pressed me to once again rescue those evildoers— thus, I could no longer protect Mattel's Barbie.

The Psalms had already warned: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.” But for one without guile, such warnings avail little. Consequently, once more I was driven to produce items I had already discarded— "AV Connectors." Fortunately, a band of helping hands rushed overnight to Taipei, and together we accomplished the impossible task.

The red washer was one of the pieces used to distinguish the colors red, white, and yellow. While Linda personally assembling products, discovered that the flat washer had a major flaw during assembly—after more than a decade with no thought of improvement. She transformed the flat washer into a "cap-shaped" washer. Not only did this create 100 new jobs, but it also earned her a patent certificate.

Fig 3: Ding Ling-Hong (Linda)’s AV Connector Patent Certificate

In short, the “flat washer” had already been eliminated in 1986 by the cap-shaped design. After drifting through time and space for thirty-nine years, it seems that this morning it crossed through a wormhole, rushing right before me.

The sudden appearance of the red washer bears both the mystery of the supernatural and the power of steadfast perseverance. It stirs inspiration, and thus I dedicate this poem:

“Red Washer, A Testament of Resolve”

A red washer suddenly falls with sound in the bath,
As if time and space entrust a mission’s path.
Through trials endured, the original heart remains,
Years on the grand road still clear and plain.

Though thorns stretch long, resolve does not fade,
In twilight’s haze, sincerity is displayed.
Don’t say all storms will end in the years ahead—
A tiny thing lights the lamp within the stead.

The red washer, as a “heart lamp” crossing time and space, seems to remind me: “Though the storms are long, the mission remains clear.” Rational scientific explanations do not hold here because the sealed bathroom is very clean, containing nothing but towels, toothpaste, toothbrush, and soap. I was only wearing underwear. The flat red washer first appeared in 1986, and today is “August 18, 2025.” When I entered the bathroom, it was not there—it fell with a clear, faint sound. At the edge of life’s struggle, it suddenly appeared, making the feeling especially eerie. This seems more like a sign carrying a message. The analysis is as follows:

1. From the perspective of time and historical meaning:

1986 was the starting point when Linda and I began social responsibility investment (SRI) and the “Rich Taiwan Plan.” It was a foundational year— securing 39 years for Taiwan. Now, feeling that I am at “life’s end,” this 1986 red washer seemingly traveled through time to appear before me, reminding me that everything we have done has not disappeared but remains preserved in the universe and history.

2. A sign of hope:

This washer symbolizes the reawakening of the “original intention of that era.” It is like saying: even after traversing mountains and rivers, the path taken is that of righteous people—like the light of dawn, shining ever brighter until midday.

3. Synchronicity of the universe:

Psychologist Jung called this a “meaningful coincidence”—it is not random but an implicit signal from the universe. The falling red washer seems to ignite a beacon, indicating that history has not forgotten, and our struggles have a higher witness.

4. A life’s guardian symbol:

“Red” itself carries energy, vitality, alertness, and hope. At a moment of exhaustion, it feels like a protection and reminder: “Don’t give up, the mission continues, and renewed energy will come.”

In summary, my understanding is that this is not just a “strange supernatural phenomenon” but an extremely rare “sign.” It symbolizes the start of a new stage—our mission remains, and the future still awaits its stage.

Conclusion:

The "Red Washer" is a small color-separating component in the AV Connector customized for the Hsinzhuang World Electric Factory in early 1986. It symbolizes the victory in the battle between good and evil. Even though 39 years have passed and everything has changed with time, the “red washer,” like a red flower drifting down in an instant, has crossed time and space to awaken the original intention of those days. The gentle sound from the bathtub evokes a realization of transformation, much like Zhuangzi’s dream of the butterfly. The earlier social responsibility investment and innovative industry aimed at solving unemployment and achieving the mission of a prosperous Taiwan hold a precious original purpose as valuable as gold — irreplaceable by anything else. Therefore, the steps forward have no end, and the mission is eternal. In short, by steadfastly preserving this precious original intention, with unwavering determination and faith, cherishing the present moment, we continue to move forward toward our future mission and goals.

Peter Li-Chang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.

【Copyrights reserved by Li-Chang Kuo & K-Horn Science Inc.】

External Links:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6304796 (VAM)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030197061 (Shopping System)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030107468 (Entry Security Device)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040054595A1 (ETC)

https://ldinventions.blogspot.com/2022/01/127.html (A Universal Cashless System)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/10/1011.html (K-Horn Science Inc.)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/11/1110.html (K-Horn & APEC)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/12/1208.html (K-Horn’s SRI)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/01/105.html (K-Horn’s PCM)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/03/326.html (Tree's Whiskers)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/05/515.html (The Best Practice)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/06/609.html (Edison’s Inspiration)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/07/704.html (Apollo)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/07/721.html (Paving the Way for AI)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/08/818.html (Disney Intelligent System)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2024/10/1028.html (SRI & Global Channel-TES)

https://plckai.blogspot.com/2024/11/1103.html (On Ethics & Morality of the AI Era)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/11/1112.html (Peru APEC)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/11/1127.html (A Proposal to President Trump)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1208.html (2ND Proposal “IIA-TES”)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1220.html (TES & MAGA)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2024/12/1231.html (Kuo’s Journey for 6 Decades)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/111.html (The Photonics Revolution)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/121.html (Einstein’s Enlightenment)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/02/216.html (Grandmother’s Paper-cutting Legacy)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/323.html (Getting to Know Trump)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/331.html (Cijin Grand Maritime Project)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2025/04/409.html (A Letter to President Trump)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2025/04/413.html (Top Secret)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/04/416.html (Singapore’s Strategy in a Changing World)

https://pkproclaims.blogspot.com/2025/04/422.html (How the American Elite Think)

https://pkproclaims.blogspot.com/2025/04/425.html (My Grandfather & the Tainan Canal)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/04/428.html (The Inventions of Linda Din)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/05/502.html (Theological Practice in Precision Industry)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/05/514.html (Li-Chang Kuo’s Caring Technology)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/05/519.html (520 Presidential Inauguration Day)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/05/522.html (Investing in America’s Health)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/05/527.html (Lind Din’s Rice Dumpling in TES)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/06/605.html (Greatest Business Opportunity)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/06/612.html (Grand Maritime Initiative)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2025/06/618.html (TES & APEC)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/06/622.html (Crystal Soap & Precision Manufacturing)

https://plcpolitics.blogspot.com/2025/06/624.html (Qualities of A Supreme Leader)

https://plcpolitics.blogspot.com/2025/07/704.html (Investing in America’s Heart)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2025/07/709.html (Wheeler’s New City Vision)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/07/716.html (Brain Mine Lasts Forever)

https://pkproclaims.blogspot.com/2025/07/725.html (Intelligent Industry)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2025/07/728.html (The Yarlung Tsangpo Legend)

https://plcpolitics.blogspot.com/2025/08/801.html (Managing A Great Taiwan)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2025/08/0.html (Tiny Energy Site)

https://pktesrtn.blogspot.com/2025/08/812.html (TSCM Information System)

https://ko-fi.com/ndart2025 (Donate the NDART)

“Donate the NDART”

2025年4月20日星期日

My Father and the Tainan Canal

Written by Peter Li-Chang Kuo

(Chinese)

My father, Kuo Kun-Cheng, was born in 1926. Next year, he’ll be turning one hundred years old—and so will the Tainan Canal.

Ever since I started my own business in 1966, my grandmother—whose leg had been broken by the police—lay beside my workspace so I could take care of her nearby. In 1969, I built the first house of the Kuo family in Lane 451, Park Road after the family had been completely confiscated by the Japanese army for 32 years. But because of a unfilial sister-in-law, my grandmother still had to live in a corner of my studio. Every time I came back from night school and was preparing materials for the next day, I would help her sit up next to me, and she would always tell stories of our family.

Grandmother would say, “Ah-Chang, your father was born in the 15th year of the Taisho era—the same year your grandfather helped the Japanese build the ‘Tainan Canal.’ The celebration banquet stretched from the canal all the way to the entrance of our Hemei Trading Company—” My grandfather, Kuo Biao, had to take over the company's operation when he was just 17 after both his father and grandfather passed away. He ran Hemei through the reigns of three Japanese emperors—Meiji, Taisho, and Showa. His maritime trade stretched from Japan and Tangshan (Mainland China) in the north to Indonesia and India in the south, and even exported spices to Paris, France. It sounded like an industrial empire.

A Corner of the Tainan Canal

Grandmother said, “Back then, whenever the Japanese government asked your grandfather to contribute to any major infrastructure project, he never said no—he would give money and labor to help them get it done.” In short, all the major infrastructure in southern Taiwan from 1910 to 1936 was funded by my grandfather Kuo Biao in cooperation with the Japanese.

I handed my grandmother a glass of water, and she continued, “At that time, your grandfather saw many vendors at the canal, exposed to the wind and rain, so he built a market called 'Sakariba' by the canal. Your eldest aunt’s Tianyuan Fabric Shop and Shoe Store were her dowry.” When I was little and didn’t have enough to eat at home, I’d sneak over to Tianyuan for a meal. My eldest aunt—also my godmother—would always slip fifty cents into my hand.

Later, my father became entangled in a long-standing espionage case. His lawyer, Li Mo (father of singer Li Jian-Fu), left for Harvard, and things went downhill. Each time my father received a court summons, he would collapse against the wall, curse, and then go out to find someone to take away the equipment we used to make a living. With no income at home, we relied on my grandmother's little scissors and her paper-cutting skills. My godmother would send over clothes so my grandmother could attach her cuttings to be wedding banner. Every time I delivered goods to Tianyuan, my godmother would slip me extra money to buy food for my grandmother. But she would always feed her grandchildren first and never eat a bite herself.

Whenever I went out with my father, I noticed his apprentices lived better than us, even though each had only mastered one of his skills. Seeing how hard my grandmother worked to support the family, I often thought, “If I could just learn one of my father's skills, would Grandmother suffer less?” Since he was good with the grinding machine, I started there. After six months of hard training, I was able to produce items from it. By 1963, I had my own earnings. After graduating from elementary school in 1965, I practically became the head of the household!

1966 was a turning point—my father was maliciously imprisoned, and my grandmother’s leg was broken. Thanks to the silent guidance of God, I never let anyone go hungry. From 1967 on, I hired a cook so everyone could eat well, wear new clothes and shoes, and have pocket money.

As the reputation of the metalworking factory I founded, “Cheng Kuang Metal Works,” grew, purchasing orders from American, Japanese, and European companies flooded in. Wealth followed. I finally let my grandmother live once again in her own house before she passed and heard more about my grandfather’s glorious past—only to learn that no amount of contribution could escape the cruelty of Japanese militarism.

My grandfather once refused a lucrative business from the Japanese government—transporting "comfort women" using his fleet. As a result, his properties were confiscated by Japanese military in 1937. My uncle, Kuo Kun-Yu, was conscripted into the army and died in New Guinea. My father was drafted into the navy, and by divine blessing, survived—otherwise, the Kuo family would have ended there.

When my father was released from prison, all his teeth were gone, and his digestive system was a mess. I arranged to have Fuji apples shipped regularly from Kaohsiung’s Juejiang Market and made juice for him daily. After years of care, his complexion recovered, and he started to get conceited. In 1974, I founded “Cheng Kuang Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.” near Taiping Bridge, fulfilling his dream to become an eternal chairman—his ego swelled even more.

Eventually, swayed by others, he joined hands with some people to seize the fame and fortune I had built for them. But the wisdom gifted by the heavens cannot be stolen by mere mortals. After I moved to Taipei, a new world opened for me. Ruth Handler from the U.S. Hall of Fame continuously thanked me for prolonging Barbie’s life. Students who attended my classes all found great paths in life.

Later, I invested massive resources to realize my wife’s invention—to create jobs and protect taxi drivers from being robbed. After we won the APEC e-commerce bill in 1998, I went to Silicon Valley to promote this groundbreaking e-commerce industry. I then traveled to Germany and France to inspect the progress of contactless TranSmart chip manufacturing. Under the bright moon in Toulouse, I remembered my father’s birthday. I flew back to Taipei and drove south, luckily finding him on November 22nd, taking him out for a meal and visiting former Chimei Vice Chairman Mr. Chang Yuan-Chang on Lake Mei Street.

My father, while chatting with the ailing Mr. Chang, proudly shared his health regimen: “Strong legs make a healthy body. I tap dance every day—often reaching 10,000 steps, sometimes even 100,000.” He told me he wanted to live to be 100 and use the power chip I invented to fulfill his dream of air planes.

When I dropped him off at Cheng Kuang, he held my hand and said, “Sigh, it’s all because of Kuo Shu-Ching’s talisman water—I’ve been unhappy while you were away. How’s giving Cheng Kuang back to you?”

By then, I was already an internationally renowned tech and economics expert. Friends from Wall Street—including Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs—were discussing NASDAQ IPO plans with me. Our planned factory in the U.S. spanned hundreds of acres. How could I look back at that broken little house?

On December 31st, 1998, my father called me and said, “Ah-Chang, I’m coming to Taipei on January 6th to talk about giving Cheng Kuang back to you—” But unexpectedly, he passed away on January 4th suddenly, leaving me with more than twenty years of heartache.

Today, someone mentioned the Tainan Canal’s 100th anniversary. In that instant, memories of Grandmother’s stories and the last time I saw my father flooded my mind—how reluctant he looked when I left for Taipei. If only I had taken him back to Taipei that night, maybe he’d still be alive today to celebrate his 100th birthday.

【Donate to the NDART】

Peter Lichang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.

【Copyrights reserved by K-Horn Science Inc.】

External Links:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6304796 (VAM)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030197061 (Shopping System)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030107468 (Entry Security Device)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040054595A1 (ETC)

https://ldinventions.blogspot.com/2022/01/127.html (A Universal Cashless System)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/10/1011.html (K-Horn Science Inc.)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/11/1110.html (K-Horn & APEC)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/12/1208.html (K-Horn’s SRI)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/01/105.html (K-Horn’s PCM)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/03/326.html (Tree's Whiskers)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/05/515.html (The Best Practice)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/06/609.html (Edison’s Inspiration)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/07/704.html (Apollo)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/07/721.html (Paving the Way for AI)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/08/818.html (Disney Intelligent System)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2024/10/1028.html (SRI & Global Channel-TES)

https://plckai.blogspot.com/2024/11/1103.html (On Ethics & Morality of the AI Era)

https://plckai.blogspot.com/2024/11/1110.html (On the Use and Abuse of Technology)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/11/1112.html (Peru APEC)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/11/1127.html (A Proposal to President Trump)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1208.html (2ND Proposal “IIA-TES”)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1220.html (TES & MAGA)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2024/12/1231.html (Kuo’s Journey for 6 Decades)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/111.html (The Photonics Revolution)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/121.html (Einstein’s Enlightenment)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/02/208.html (Art Olympics)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/02/216.html (Grandmother’s Paper-cutting Legacy)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/303.html (Grandfather’s Photography)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/323.html (Getting to Know Trump)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/331.html (Cijin Grand Maritime Project)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/04/404.html (The One I Long For)

https://ko-fi.com/ndart2025 (Donate the NDART)

2024年7月4日星期四

Apollo

Prepared by Peter Lichang Kuo

(Chinese)

The old movie "Apollo 13" starring Tom Hanks is being released again, and the past was vividly remembered after watching it -- the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union actually led to an extremely poor family turning over on an unknown island. No one can predict anything on earth; but when a Sign comes, as long as a person works hard enough, he can always create a miracle.

* Stills of Tom Hanks as astronaut Lovell in the space capsule

After World War II, all countries in the European battlefields were rebuilding from the ruins, but America was living a happy time with plenty of food and clothing; parties would be held in various houses in turn every week to watch popular programs on TV. At that time, the popular program in the United States was "Space Dreams". In the movie, you can see astronaut Jim A. Lovell, Jr. (1928~) played by Tom Hanks, lively greeting guests in the house and discussing hot topics. After the guests left, the couple looked up at the stars in the yard and dreamed of flying into space. Soon later, Lovell actually led two crew members to break through the atmosphere on Apollo 13 and roam freely in outer space.

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the "Sputnik" satellite, which passed through the atmosphere and entered space ahead of the United States. On July 29, 1958, U.S. President Dwight David Eisenhower (1890~1969) issued an emergency signed the “National Aeronautics and Space Act”, established "NASA" (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and built an aviation and space science research center. It started operation in October 1958.

* The logo of NASA

On May 25, 1961, subsequent President John F. Kennedy (1917~1963) announced his support for the Apollo Program during a special session of the House and Senate, he said: "...I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. ----" Sure enough, on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. Then at 2:56 a.m. on July 21, the spacecraft successfully landed on the moon. Neil A. Armstrong (1930~2012) became the first person in history to set foot on another planet beyond the earth, and successfully returned to the earth a week later. When Armstrong set foot on the moon, he said: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." It shocked the global audiences watching the broadcast on television and became a famous saying.

* The logo of Apollo Program

The Apollo 13 rocket was the seventh manned mission of the “Apollo Program” and the third lunar landing attempt. It took off from the Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but was forced to abort Moon landing mission two days later due to an oxygen bottle failure in the service module. Nevertheless, the astronauts drove the spacecraft around the Moon until they returned safely to Earth on April 17. The “Apollo Program” ended at the end of 1972, although no manned spacecraft has left the Earth's orbit in more than 50 years; but satellites have gradually become closely related to people's lives due to the space race. So far (2024) everyone in the civilized world is inseparable from "Space Satellites". The most honorable thing is that the products I made by myself can participate in it.

* The author supplied fine parts to Apollo from 1966 to 1972

In 1962, when the United States was fully implementing the Apollo Program, when I was only 9 years old, I was lying in a pool of blood after being killed by a serious assassination. Suddenly a light shone into my heart, and my whole brain suddenly opened up, and I saw clearly the reason why my family so poverty: My father was a genius in craftsmanship, but he always said, "What! Mass production, isn't that an insult to my wisdom?" In addition, Chiang Kai-shek came to Taiwan to arrest those communist spies, and he was actually involved in a long lawsuit for rescuing a spy. Every time, when he received a summon, he would slump in the corner of wall and then yell: "Fuck X! I will be arrested to shot. Why shall I make any money! ---" My mother proudly she was an “illiteracy” (Qing-min Cow) and said that she was a boss’s wife after married, not here to do hard work; unexpectedly, "bad luck to marry the wrong guy." What the two have in common was that "neither is willing to learn Mandarin" and "has no motivation to make money." The family's livelihood only depended on cutting paper with my grandmother's little scissors. There were so many people eating, it was no wonder the family to be poor.

* The family only survived on my grandmother’s paper cuttings

After I stood up from a pool of blood, I followed my father closely during my spare time, watching carefully how he used the grinder, grinded out usable drills and files, and made objects on the drilling press. Since 1963, I have been able to install molds on the punch press alone and make some simple products. Furthermore, "the Biography of Edison" presented by my cousin brother Yang Shi-rong made me get to know Mr. Michael Faraday, and I also began to learn to apply the knowledge in the book to strengthen my craftsmanship. I made much efforts to hone my skills every moment, so that I could make things very skilfully and easily in a groove, and hoping that one day I would be able to make money to improve the situation.

To Tatung Company in Taipei, my father and I were defrauded of all our money, so we had to go to Tai-En Hospital to borrow money. That night, my cousin uncle introduced a machine "Television" to us. After returning to Tainan, my father suddenly became full of energy and took me to Yamuliao Market to find someone to initiate a "Mutual Fund" for NT$ 10,000 totally. He invented the automatic punching machine and the progressive deep-drawing dies to manufacture "Precision Eyelets". During that period, I watched my father make unique samples one after another from scratch. Unfortunately, no one came to buy them year after year. He sighed that "Oh, what a waste! How can we make a bunch of waste!" Moreover, he received a notice of defeat (loss of lawsuit); in November 1965, he pulled me drop out of school and got on the back of motorcycle which made by himself, and the father and son ran away from Tainan to Kaohsiung.

I rented No. 16 Chonghsing Street behind the National Market in Kaohsiung City and built a small factory which material was “Bagasse board”, Soon later my father returned to Tainan, he was maliciously arrested and imprisoned. I started calling my small factory "Cheng Kuang Metal Works". From clips for plucking hair/ butcher knives to the hinges of repairing the World Ballroom's doors, I made a lot of miscellaneous products to earn money for my mother to use for keeping my family alive. The most gratifying thing was that my father, who had always been muddle while he was in prison, actually agreed me to give Kaohsiung up and move back to Tainan.

Although my father invented the entire process of making precision Eyelets, he relied solely on his genius and never refer to a book. Therefore, the progressive dies automatically punched out less than a hundred products before it was ruined. "Adjustment" became the biggest problem and it was impossible to do mass production. In the airtight space of bagasse boards, I learned the way of "the mind is calm and naturally cool", During my meditation, I figured out the "U-shaped Copying Method" to replace my father's manufacturing process, making it possible to smoothly punch up to one million pieces in a row. Later, I also studied with Lau-Chen of the copper factory to extend the length of the copper plates to increase production capacity.

When everything was ready, one day in November 1966, I was about to go out to find a purchase order, a huge figure filled the wooden door when I opened the door. It turned out that it was an American who took a translator with him. He ran all the way from the hardware store in Kaohsiung to the pork stall in the National Market and to the Fuxin Fragrance Shop on Cheng Kong Road in Tainan. He walked into the narrow Chong-an Street with great suspicion, he happened to meet me at the No. 45 (later reorganized into 69). If the "Wanlong Electric Toy Factory" had not closed down and I still went to work, I wouldn't have met this American. Therefore, the good luck was still required -- the silent guidance of the Most High.

Understanding the objects expressed in the Americans' drawings, I asked them to come the day after tomorrow get "sample", and I planned to make a physical object for them. They left with doubtful expressions on their faces, and I actually gave them samples of what I had made when they came back the day after tomorrow. American was ecstatic when he received the samples, like a child who got the toy he desired; After a month of back and forth, I actually got an order worth NT$ 100,000. It was completed in just five days, making a net profit of NT$ 90,000. When I went to the Yamuliao market to pay back the money, those aunts and uncles said that "Ah, you are going to be successful!"

* The author (13 years old) who made NT$ 90,000 and his products

The above few sentences can be used to describe a fate-changing transaction, but in fact, the process of that month was extremely difficult. If it were not for perseverance, it would be impossible to complete the said transaction. First of all, my mother cursed me every day, said that "You are not doing your job properly and want to do business with American delusionally." She mocked me: "If you don't wide-open your eyes, your testicles will be quickly removed!" Secondly, I only had one machine tool -- an old "Drilling Press" with no precision. So when I went to Mr. Stone, Li-Chen Company to buy steel and iron, I had to quickly go to find A-Yi to plane them to be plates with a planer. Then I went to find A-Chin to use a lathe to turn the required "pins" and bring them back for processing. I still had to find Jin Quancheng to make copper plates of the specified thickness. All the hardware--drills, files, bolts and nuts were on credit. All the mold making was done with bare hands, meanwhile I wrote a new chapter in the "Kuo Family's Turn Over".

* Lichang Kuo's handmade mold by a drill press for turn over from poverty

Later, in 1979, when Mr. Lane, the said American, invited me to dinner at Twin-tower in New York, he said, "I had been looking for suppliers in Taiwan for more than half a year, and I found a kid at last!" He said that he had contacted suppliers in the United States and Japan but had no answers. If he could not find a supplier in Taiwan, he would have to pack up and go home. Unexpectedly, he actually got the sample two days later, and I met all their stringent requirements one by one. In the end, he thought the most amazing thing was that I was able to make an English "Approval Sheet" for him, so that he could successfully obtain the order for "Apollo" and issue the order to me.

During the next two years from 1967 to 1968, I only made "Fine Eyelets" of various sizes and built the first house for the Kuo family at Lane 451, Park Road, Tainan City, which had been overturned by those evildoers for 37 years. After moving away from Chung-An Street in 1969, everyone happily moved into the house on Park Road. All kinds of debauchery behavior started to appear one after another, and I had to think hard about "the elimination of vacuum tubes" and the transformation of the industry. Fortunately, the Apollo Program was still in full swing. In July 1969, Neil Armstrong successfully landed on the moon, and NASA continued to push forward; however, "Apollo 13" was forced to abort the moon landing mission in April 1970 due to an oxygen bottle failure in the service module. It was not until the end of 1972 that the Apollo Program finally ended.

Since 1969, the electronic and electrical industry had been in deep dilemma, but I still had the energy to help those who have helped me in trouble; In particular, Factory Director Zhuang of Yong-Fu Electric Company, came to Cheng Kuang of Park Road almost every day, and I helped them develop various new products for free; fortunately, my client Mr. Lane said: "We are still good luck to have orders from Apollo." For example, when NASA discovered that there would be electromagnetic interference between electronic components, we always made the solutions they needed within a day or two to solve the problem, and let high-end research institutions in the United States see "Taiwan's Capabilities." And then, my nickname "Dr. Blacksmith" spread from an American to the entire industry.

* There was still good luck to have Apollo's order in 1970

Taiwan’s industry may have the best will to survive in the world! Mr. Chen Yong-tian of Yong-Fu Electric Company had developed several failed products, but he still made much efforts to move forward despite the tough road; because when my father was imprisoned, he once bought NT$ hundreds of my products, so I helped him develop new products for free, and also assisted them to New York to resolve the issue of "broken electric fan" incident, and brought back a "Transistor Portable Recorder" sample -- this was the key to the successful transformation of Taiwan's industry since 1971. Soon, Mr. Chen's "Lucky" brand was selling well in the United States, and we started another wave of Taiwan's economic miracle in 1972, almost all the "Switches" used in them were my masterpieces, ranking top one in market share. As for whether there was "Apollo Program" or not, it would not affect our progress at all.

* Kuo's switch products with the top 1 market share in the 1970s

In 1970, I went to the home of my American friend Mr. Dieska in Kaohsiung and helped him move his audio appliance while sweating profusely. He asked me if I could make a "Quick-Disconnector", then those wires didn’t have to take the trouble of removing; After much research, we modified an RCA socket for "Audio" and "Video" -- called it an "AV Connector". With the addition of a switch and a terminal board, these three small components became our money-making tools. After being robbed in 1973, I was able to purchase land on my own to establish "Cheng Kuang Precision Industry Co., Ltd." in 1974—when I was 21 year-old, laying the foundation for the development of Taiwan's Precision Industry and helping Mr. Lane successfully listed on the NYSE, bridging the road between Taiwan and Silicon Valley.

* Creating Taiwan’s Precision Industry from scratch

When I went to America to develop "Satellite Receiver" in 1979, I taught my colleagues in the United States precision processing techniques. In 1982, I came to Taipei due to my property was robbed for the second time. I spread the knowledge, technology, experience, and application materials needed to run "Precision Industry" in Northern Taiwan. I wrote books and proclaim the benefits of social responsibility investment, and the "Rich Taiwan Plan" launched to achieve the glorious 1980s and 1990s. In addition to Taiwan's outstanding economic performance, Taiwan has also transformed politically from authoritarianism to an open society where the people are the head of the country.

* Symposium of "Rich Taiwan Plan"

The "Satellite Receiver" we brought to the earth had been commercially available since 1986, and "Space Satellites" have become closely related to people's lives. My wife Linda Din served as a Speaker at APEC 1998 and attained the bill of "Steering the E-Commerce", triggering a turbulent global e-commerce wave. We were by means of aerospace-grade technology to bring the world into a new era of "Contactless".

* APEC Invitation to be a Speaker in 1998

After the ".com" bubble in Silicon Valley, California, in 2000, many people invested in the production of "Portable Digital Assistant" (PDA), but all lost their money; Therefore, when I was invited to attend the APEC CEO Summit 2006 in Hanoi, I advocated that "Satellite Support for Mobile Communicators." Nowadays, the e-commerce systems (TES) have become a necessity of life, and everyone in the civilized world is inseparable from space satellites. A status where people use it daily but don’t know it.

* Advocating "Satellite Support" at APEC CEO Summit

In short, the "Apollo Program" accomplished the upgrade of vacuum tubes to the universal use of transistors, also contributed to the vigorous development of the semiconductor industry, and promoted the research of superconductors;　turned the vainly rocket landing on the moon, into the development of "Space Satellites" that were actually beneficial to people's livelihood. Computers have also been upgraded from Mini Computer in the laboratory to Personal Computer (PC).　It has evolved from a 286-type computer that crashed before finishing typing A4 paper, to a portable notebook computer　in high performance, and may even develop into a palm-type multi-functional AI computer in the future.　However, the excessive development of science and technology, should we also consider the social value of humanities?

Peter Lichang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. He was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.