Taiwan's "notebook boy" commits his memories in writing

Taiwan's "notebook boy" commits his memories in writing

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Chen Hong-zhi's notebooks are his life.

Nine years ago, Chen seriously damaged his hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with forming memories, in a traffic accident.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "July 2, 2018 Make chopped bamboos a little rain 5898 rain sell uncle Liao wax gourds T$500 10:08 ZZZ".
Right: Chen holds a wax gourd.

The 26-year-old has lost the ability to make and retain short-term memories. Instead, he painstakingly records his days in lined notebooks, crammed with entries in blue ink.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "November 7 10:28 ZZZ help mother buy stuff 1998 morning go sister Jhang's home help uncle Shao".
Right: Chen carries persimmons collected from his neighbour Uncle Shao's garden.

"I use the notebook to remember who I helped today, how much farm work I did, whether there was rain ... the notebook is my memory," said Chen, who lives with his stepmother, Wang Miao-cyong, 65, in a remote village in Hsinchu County, northwestern Taiwan.

"I once lost one of my notebooks. I was so sad that I was crying and asked my dad to help me find it."

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
Chen and his stepmother work on their farmland.

Since his father died four years ago, Chen and his stepmother have lived on a government disability allowance and a small income they get from farming fruits and vegetables, which they barter with neighbours, some of whom call Chen "notebook boy".

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "July 31 go to hospital alone Shao's home YA 100 3898 10:08".
Right: Dr Lin shows X-ray images explaining the difference between a normal brain (left) and Chen Hong-zhi's brain.

Dr Lin Ming-teng, head of the psychiatry department at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, said Chen has made remarkable progress despite his extensive brain damage.

"From the X-ray, we can see a large part of his brain in black - these are the sections that were operated on after the traffic accident," Lin said.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "August 17 overcast go to Beipu alone 5898 Shao's house go ground tea go sister Jhang give bread 1 packet x6".
Right: Chen reacts as he walks in Beipu Old Street area.

"After losing such a substantial portion of his brain, it is quite amazing for him to achieve what he is doing now," Lin said, adding that Chen could only remember things he had done in the last five to 10 minutes.

Lin said the damage had also affected Chen's ability to receive and process information.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
Chen quarrels with his stepmother.

"This has an effect on his relationship with his mother, too, as sometimes his mother cannot get over the fact that he forgets things," Lin said.

Wang longs to go back to her hometown in Indonesia, but she feels she cannot leave Chen alone.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "YA sell sister Jhang third prize 6600 September 26 Shao's dog OK 888 go to Beipu alone visit sister Jhang 9:28".
Right: Chen talks to his friend, Sister Jhang.

"If I leave, who will take care of my son? I can't imagine his future after I die."

For now, Chen's notebooks allow him to preserve some semblance of order in his life.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: A note details Chen's day on October 26.
Right: Chen looks for the mobile phone he lost.

"October 26 go to Beipu alone, Chen clan organisation, go find phone, go Catholic church, Citian Temple, 10:38 ZZZ", reads one poignant note about a day he spent searching for, and praying to find, his lost mobile phone.

. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Left: "November 6 YA found phone and KFC tonight go to eat election campaign rally 10:38 ZZZ".
Right: Chen claps during an election campaign rally.

Ten days later, he found his phone, documenting the find in his notebook, of course.

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Slideshow

Chen takes a shower.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen takes a shower.

Chen prepares to boil water.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen prepares to boil water.

Chen prays at a temple to be helped to find his lost mobile phone.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen prays at a temple to be helped to find his lost mobile phone.

Chen is reflected in a broken mirror at his home.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen is reflected in a broken mirror at his home.

Chen looks at a photograph of himself on his mobile phone.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen looks at a photograph of himself on his mobile phone.

Old photographs of Chen.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Old photographs of Chen.

A notebook of Chen.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

A notebook of Chen.

Chen arranges lottery tickets.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen arranges lottery tickets.

Chen poses with an electric fan he won in a lottery.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen poses with an electric fan he won in a lottery.

Chen reacts after removing weeds at his farmland.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen reacts after removing weeds at his farmland.

Chen removes weeds.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen removes weeds.

Chen talks to his friend at his neighbour's home.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen talks to his friend at his neighbour's home.

Chen eats his lunch.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen eats his lunch.

Chen shops at a supermarket.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen shops at a supermarket.

Chen takes an afternoon nap next to his stepmother.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen takes an afternoon nap next to his stepmother.

Chen adjusts clock hands.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen adjusts clock hands.

Chen sleeps.
. Hsinchu, Taiwan. Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chen sleeps.