English 
正體中文 
The College of Management at Yuan Ze University invited alumnus Yi-Hao Cheng (Class of 1996, Department of International Business) to return to his alma mater and share with students his diverse career journey spanning education, travel, agriculture, film and media, the music industry, and ultimately, local revitalization. Drawing on his own experience, Cheng emphasized that a career did not have to be fully determined at the outset, but rather took shape gradually through continuous exploration.
Cheng recalled that upon graduating from high school, he had felt uncertain about his future and decided to travel around Taiwan alone by bicycle. During a brief stay in Ruisui, Hualien, the warm hospitality of local tribal residents allowed him to experience a deep connection between place and life. However, when he passed through Taipei on his return, he saw news reports of a typhoon that had severely devastated eastern Taiwan. The contrast between the places he had just visited and the post-disaster scenes left a powerful impression on him and gave him a deeper understanding of the meaning of “place.”
After entering Yuan Ze University, Cheng’s life gradually became more stable, and he rediscovered his curiosity about and connection with the world. Following graduation, he first worked in the technology industry as an import–export administrator. Yet within the highly systematized and fast-paced environment, he gradually realized that he longed for more direct engagement with people and with real-world settings. He therefore chose to leave the corporate world and enter rural education.
Through teaching, Cheng observed that the true impact did not lie in how much one accomplished, but in whether one genuinely accompanied children through a stage of their lives. This experience also laid the foundation for his later work in culture and community development, shaping his people-centered philosophy. During this period, he helped peach farmers in Lala Mountain resolve problems of unsold produce through online marketing, and for the first time felt that individual effort could bring about tangible change.
Cheng later traveled to Australia on a working holiday. Through cross-cultural encounters and intensive work experiences, he learned independence and gained greater clarity about his life goals. After returning to Taiwan, he became involved in Indigenous film and cultural projects, accumulating practical skills through filming, documentation, and project execution, while also developing a deeper sensitivity to cultural issues.
Subsequently, Cheng joined the team of Indigenous musician Suming (舒米恩), participating in tours, event planning, and cultural promotion, and becoming deeply involved in organizing the Amis Music Festival. He witnessed how culture could be presented to the world through performance and came to understand the responsibility and preparation behind cultural work.
In recent years, together with a group of young partners who had long lived in Dulan, he co-founded and promoted the local brand “Dulan Nation.” Through cultural interpretation, craft creation, local tours, experiential activities, and youth empowerment, they established a self-sustaining model for community development. Cheng emphasized that the core of their actions was not commercialization, but the creation of healthy, sustainable, and mutually supportive relationships among people, culture, and the land.
At the conclusion of his talk, Cheng encouraged students with these words: “Do things you don’t dislike, and accumulate real experiences. You don’t have to get it right in one try, and you don’t need to stop acting because of anxiety. Every attempt leaves clues for the future, guiding you closer to the person you want to become.”
From a confused youth to cross-cultural growth; from rural education to agricultural practice; from cultural creation to community action, Yi-Hao Cheng’s life story revealed a meaningful life trajectory that connected every stage of his journey. His experiences also offered valuable inspiration for students as they reflected on both their careers and their lives.
