For over 20 years Lin has constantly challenged herself professionally as she has raised theatrical costume design in Taiwan to an international level. (Hsueh Chi-kuang)

Two years ago the College of Dance at Taipei National University of the Arts staged an innovative production of The Afternoon of a Faun by the Russian "dance god" Vaslav Nijinsky. Vaslav's octogenarian daughter Tamara Nijinisky traveled from the US to attend. Afterwards, the full house offered a thunderous ovation to the adapting choreographer, director, orchestral conductor and all the performers. To express her gratitude, Nijinsky then excitedly shook the hand of Lin Ching-ju, the costume designer.

Winner of the tenth National Award for the Arts in dance, Lin has been diligently toiling behind the scenes for more than 20 years, working on more than 100 productions, which range from dance, to theater, music, traditional Chinese Opera, and children's theater. The range of productions she has worked on is extremely broad, and she takes great care with each.

"Every stage production should be performed as an integrated artistic whole," says Lin calmly as she peruses design sketches that fill her room. "The clothes ought to add value to the performance rather than steal the spotlight." Before there was any conception in Taiwan of "theater costume design," this rail-thin woman was grabbing hold of professional skills, crafting costumes one stitch at a time with great thought and workmanship, and intently pulling Taiwan costume design to an international level. The image of her obscured amid piles of fabrics is one of the most moving sights in the world of Taiwan theater.

Lin Ching-ju was born in Taipei in 1952. Her father was a reporter at Kung Lun Pao, which back then was one of Taiwan's most important newspapers. Although he had a regular job, the paper had precarious finances, so he often couldn't collect his salary, and the burden of providing for the family's six mouths fell to Lin's mother. Exhibiting an aptitude for the arts at a young age, Lin would often lead her friends in making paper cutout dolls and imitating the Huangmei Opera Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. She'd devise a scenario and direct her friends in acting it out.

A vain junior-high student, she would save up her lunch money, buy fabric and bring it to a seamstress, who would make a dress to her specifications. Although it was an era when one might be labeled a "bad girl" for wearing unusual clothes, Lin's mother tolerated her daughter's non-conformity. Rebellious in spirit, Lin didn't care about the odd looks she got and happily wore her own creations regardless of the attention they attracted on the street.