TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A woman spotted on the Taipei MRT with acupuncture needles jutting out of her head on Tuesday (Nov. 1) has been identified as former Taipei City Councilor Chen Hsueh-fen (陳雪芬).
On Tuesday, a member of the Facebook group Streets Observation Academy posted two photos taken in the MRT of a woman who not only had at least 30 acupuncture needles sticking out of various parts of her head, ears, and face, but he noted that she "made good use of her time" as she also knitted a sweater.
The post quickly went viral, gaining 10,000 likes, 723 comments, and 285 shares. Taiwanese YouTuber Chen Yee (陳沂) that evening also shared the photos on her Facebook page and confirmed that the "needle head woman" is her mother, the former Taipei City councilor.
(Facebook, Streets Observation Academy photo)
Netizens were shocked by the large number of needles protruding from Chen's head:
"Aren't acupuncture needles supposed to be taken out after 15 minutes?"
"Wouldn't it be dangerous to walk in a crowded MRT station like this?"
"Why are you going home with the needles? Do you want to take them out yourself?"
Chen's daughter replied to these concerns by saying that her mother always goes to Chinese medicine clinics and takes the MRT. She said that although some say 15 minutes is enough, others say that the needles should be left in for an hour to have a real effect. She added that her mother takes the needles out on her own.
Both of Chen's parents served as Taipei City councilors. Her mother served as Taipei City councilor for three consecutive terms, while her father is Chen Chun-yuan (陳俊源), who was involved in the Rongxing Garden fraud case in 1988. For that reason, Chen Yee is estranged from her father, referring to herself as the "Sinner's Daughter" and denying that he raised her.
(Facebook, Streets Observation Academy photo)
