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When the Government of the Republic of China (ROC) relocated to Taiwan in 1949, a great number of renowned calligraphers from various provinces flocked to Taiwan. Most of them were highly educated and adept at multiple calligraphic styles in addition to poetry, painting, and seal carving. By internalizing their fields of study, they were able to form their own artistic identities. Artists such as Yu Yu-Jen, Wu Ching-Heng, Tung Tso-Pin, Pu Hsin-Yu, Chang Ta-Chien, and Ting Nien-Hsien, in particular, were already accomplished figures in Chinese calligraphy circles before they even set foot in Taiwan. Prior to the arrival of these calligraphers, never before had Taiwan seen such high quality and quantity of talent in such a wide variety. A sizable number of them brought their vast collections of stelae, model books, calligraphy works, paintings, and other cultural artifacts with them, providing the nourishment required for Taiwanese calligraphy to grow and prosper. These calligraphers not only led the calligraphy in Taiwan to its peak but also set up a wide and solid base for the thriving development of Taiwanese calligraphy.

This exhibition selects 26 migrant calligraphers and divides them into three categories by their specialty: the Model Calligraphers, the Painter Calligraphers, and the Scholar Calligraphers. Under such categories, we emphasize not only the features of the calligraphers’ works but also their accomplishments from their lives and backgrounds.

"The Model Calligraphers"

These individuals spent all their energy practicing calligraphy, subsequently earning renown in the calligraphy world. Featured in the exhibition are Yu Yu-Jen (1879-1964), Ting Chih-Pan (1892-1988), Chu Chiu-Ying (1898-1996), Wang Kai-He (1901-1997), Ting Nien-Hsien (1906-1969), Hsieh Tsung-An (1907-1997), Wang Chuang-Wei (1909-1998), Hsi Nan-Hsun (1915-1976), Chen Chi-Chuan (1917-2003), and Sung Chin-Yin (1917-1982).

Ting Nien-Hsien and Wang Chuang-Wei were both especially authoritative figures in the publishing of calligraphy and painting treatises; though they also had qualities of the Scholar Calligraphers, this exhibition categorizes them under the Model Calligraphers due to their extraordinary legacy in the art of calligraphy.

"The Painter Calligraphers"

These calligraphers excelled at ink wash painting. Besides such attainment in both fields, many of them were also skilled at poetry. Their abilities complemented each other in such a way that their calligraphy had a particular expressiveness and charm akin to painting. Featured Painter Calligraphers in this exhibition are Pu Hsin-Yu (1896-1963), Peng Chun-Shih (1896-1976) Chen Ting-Shan (1897-1989), Chang Ta-Chien (1899-1983), Kao I-Hung (1908-1982), Fu Chuan-Fu (1910-2007), Lu Fo-Ting (1911-2005), Chang Kuang-Pin (1915-2016), Wu Ping (1920-2019), and Chiang Chao-Shen (1925-1996).

Pu Hsin-Yu, Peng Chun-Shih, Chen Ting-Shan, Lu Fo-Ting, Chang Kuang-Pin, and Chiang Chao-Shen were also accomplished scholars and poets, however, due to their incredible achievements in painting and calligraphy and prominence in these fields, this exhibition categorizes them as painter calligraphers.

"The Scholar Calligraphers"

These calligraphers were all exemplary scholars as they were accomplished calligraphers. In this exhibition, we present six of the best Scholar Calligraphers: Wu Ching-Heng (1865-1953), Tung Tso-Pin (1895-1963), Kao Pai-Shih (1901-1969), Tai Ching-Nung (1902-1990), Chang Lung-Yen (1909-2009), and Wang Chung (1926-2010).

The aforementioned Pu Hsin-Yu, Peng Chun-Shih, Chen Ting-Shan, Ting Nien-Hsien, Wang Chuang-Wei, Lu Fo-Ting, Chang Kuang-Pin, and Chiang Chao-Shen from the other categories were also accomplished scholars in their own right.

Curator

HUANG Tung-Fu

Consultant

TU Chung-Kao

Artists

YU Yu-Jen, TING Chih-Pan, CHU Chiu-Ying, WANG Kai-He, TING Nien-Hsien, Hsieh Tsung-An, WANG Chuang-Wei, HSI Nan-Hsun, CHEN Chi-Chuan, SUNG Chin-Yin, PU Hsin-Yu, PENG Chun-Shih, CHEN Ting-Shan, CHANG Ta-Chien, KAO I-Hung, FU Chuan-Fu, LU Fo-Ting, CHANG Kuang-Pin, WU Ping, CHIANG Chao-Shen, WU Ching-Heng, TUNG Tso-Pin, KAO Pai-Shih, TAI Ching-Nung, CHANG Lung-Yen, WANG Chung