The Investigation and Recording of Contemporary Taiwanese Calligraphers The Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin

Ching-Hua LIAO

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Professional Doctorate in Design

National Institute for Design Research Faculty of Design Swinburne University of Technology

March 2008 Ching-Hua LIAO

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Professional Doctorate in Design

National Institute for Design Research Faculty of Design Swinburne University of Technology

March 2008 Abstract

The aim of this thesis is both to highlight the intrinsic value and uniqueness of the traditional Chinese character and to provide an analysis of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. This project uses both the thesis and the film documentary to analyse and record the achievement of the calligraphic art of the first contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy group, the Ink Trend Association, and the major Taiwanese calligrapher, Xu Yong-jin.

The significance of the recording of the work of the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong- jin lies not only in their skills in executing Chinese calligraphy, but also in how they broke with tradition and established a contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. The documentary is one of the methods used to record history. Art documentaries are in a minority in Taiwan, and especially documentaries that explore calligraphy. This project recorded the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin over a period of five years. It aims to help scholars researching Chinese culture to cherish the beauty of the Chinese character, that they may endeavour to protect it from being sacrificed on the altar of political power, and that more research in this field may be stimulated.

I Acknowledgement

I would like to acknowledge the assistance in this doctoral study from my principal supervisor, Professor Allan Whitfield. He is not only an excellent communicator, but is also a professional supervisor. I would like to thank Nanette Carter who has had the patience to watch my documentaries and provide me with many professional suggestions. Additionally, I am immensely grateful to my family. To my wife, Lin Li-shan, without whose encourage I could not have finished my doctoral study. When my daughter Vivian was seven years’ old, she chose to accompany me to Australia for two years. She was a comfort during my bouts of homesickness and she gave me the power to overcome difficulties. My thank-you list would be incomplete without her name.

II Candidature Declaration

I certify that the thesis entitled: The Investigation and Recording of Contemporary

Taiwanese Calligraphers—The Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin

submitted for the degree of: Professional Doctorate in Design

is the result of my own research, except where otherwise acknowledged, and that this thesis in whole or in part has not been accepted for an award, including a higher degree, to any other university or institution.

Full Name Ching-Hua Liao

Signed Date

III Table of Contents

I Abstract II Acknowledgement III Candidature Declaration IV Table of Content VI List of Figures

1 Section 1- Introduction

5 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy 13 Continuing traditional Chinese culture within Taiwan and Mainland China 18 Origin and development of Taiwanese calligraphy 21 Taiwanese contemporary calligraphic art versus traditional calligraphic art 24 Position of Taiwanese modern art and Chinese modern art in the world

27 Section 3 - An Investigation of the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin 28 The Ink Trend Association—pioneers of Taiwanese contemporary calligraphy 28 Birth of the Ink Trend Association 29 Political and social activities connected with calligraphic art 33 Contribution to Taiwanese contemporary calligraphy 37 Calligraphic art of the Ink Trend Association 69 Xu Yong-jin—a man who has devoted his life to calligraphy 69 Rebellion, resistance and an insight into Xu’s calligraphy Philosophy 71 Analysis and recording of the artwork of Xu Yong-jin

82 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries 83 A brief history of documentary filmmaking in Taiwan 87 Fundamental problems of Taiwanese documentaries 91 New possibilities in documentary production

IV Table of Contents

98 Section 5 - Conclusion

101 Appendix 107 Bibliography

V List of figures

Figure 2.1 Han character: eight principles of ‘yong’ Figure 2.2 Female character Figure 2.3 The skills of holding the brush Figure 2.4 Different kinds of brushes Figure 2.5 Autobiography of Huai Su (AD 830-870) Figure 2.6 The paintings of Wang Wei Figure 2.7 The work of Yue Fei Figure 2.8 The work of Hui Zong Figure 2.9 Seal script Figure 2.10 Cursive script Figure 2.11 The character painting of Lu Fo-ting Figure 2.12 Ju Ming, Tai Chi Single Whip, sculpture, 1985 Figure 2.13 Xu Bing, Square Word: New English Calligraphy for Beginners, 1996 Figure 2.14 Xu Bing, A Case Study of Transference, 1994 Figure 3.1 Members of the Ink Trend Association in 1994 Figure 3.2 Respect to the Martyrs of Tian An Men, 1989 Figure 3.3 We Have Grown up Drinking the Milk of Traditional Calligraphy, 1993 Figure 3.4 The performance art of the Ink Trend Association, 928 Vanguard Art Announcement, 1984 Figure 3.5 Li Zai-qian, The Low Limit of Infinitive, spray paint on steel plate, 1983 Figure 3.6 Respect Heaven and Fear God, 1985 Figure 3.7 Xu Yong-jin, Chinese Calligraphy Is Framed by Traditional Calligraphy, curving on sand, 1994 Figure 3.8 Yang Zi-yun and Lian De-sen, Ink Trend, beach and stones, 1994 Figure 3.9 The Ink Trend Association, Does, ink on paper, 1994 Figure 3.10 Yang Zi-yun, Years, beach and stones, 1994 Figure 3.11 Performance art of the Ink Trend Association in Korea, 1992 Figure 3.12 The article of The Ink Trend Association in ‘Art Magazine’, 1993 Figure 3.13 Zheng Hui-mei, Holding the Life-force of Taiwan, ink on clay, 1993 Figure 3.14 Zheng bound herself with wrinkled papers which is her husband’s works, 2003 Figure 3.15 Zheng Hui-mei, Offering Sacrifice to Calligraphy, ink on paper, fire and earth, 1994 Figure 3.16 The calligraphy wedding party of Xu and Zheng, 1982

VI List of figures

Figure 3.17 Liao Can-cheng, Dao-philosophy, ink on paper, 1993 Figure 3.18 Liao Can-cheng, Autumn, ink on paper, 1992 Figure 3.19 Liao Can-cheng, 2004 Figure 3.20 Liao Can-cheng, The Flying Vultures in the Sky of Taiwan in the End of Century, colour ink on paper, 1992 Figure 3.21 Yang Zi-yun is also a vocal musician, 2003 Figure 3.22 Yang Zi-yun, To Get together, ink on paper, 2001 Figure 3.23 Yang Zi-yun, A Dream of Play, colour ink painting, 1994 Figure 3.24 Yang Zi-yun, Nine Songs, ink on paper, 1993 Figure 3.25 Yang Zi-yun, I Am just a Little Bird, colour ink painting, 1994 Figure 3.26 Xu Yong-jin, 2002 Figure 3.27 Xu Yong-jin performed writing cursive script in the show When Calligraphy and Painting Meet Music in 2001 Figure 3.28 Xu Yong-jin, The Naked Women and Cursive Script 2, ink on paper, 1997 Figure 3.29 Xu Yong-jin, Happy and Cool, curving on styrofoam, 1994 Figure 3.30 Zhang Jian-fu can play many musical instruments, 2004 Figure 3.31 Zhang Jian-fu, The Sacrifice Ceremony of Calligraphic Art Number 841, pictures and ink on paper, 1984 Figure 3.32 Zhang Jian-fu, Wall Calligraphy of the Homicide Case of Henry Liu, board, spray paint and ink, 1985 Figure 3.33 Zhang Jian-fu, Mourning to Nagoya Crash, Pictures, clip and paste on card, 1994 Figure 3.34 Cai Ming-zan, 2004 Figure 3.35 Cai Ming-zan, Dancing Sheep B, colour ink on paper board, 1994 Figure 3.36 Cai Ming-zan, Relativity, Pictures, ink on paper, 1994 Figure 3.37 Cai Ming-zan, Wu Fo Chu Chen Zun, cloth and carved status, 1993 Figure 3.38 Chen Ming-gui, 1994 Figure 3.39 Chen Ming-gui, Money, colour ink on red paper, 1994 Figure 3.40 Chen Ming-gui, Sigh! Life, colour ink on red paper, 1994 Figure 3.41 Chen Ming-gui, Life Is Like a Dream, ink on paper, 1993 Figure 3.42 Lian De-sen, 1993 Figure 3.43 Lian De-sen, Treading Culture, colour ink on paper, 1993 Figure 3.44 Lian De-sen, Walking Turtle, colour ink on paper, 1993

VII List of figures

Figure 3.45 Lian De-sen, Education, book of stone rubbings and human body, 1994 Figure 3.46 Xu Yong-jin, Pig, Ox and Dog, ink on paper, 1994 Figure 3.47 Xu Yong-jin, Dragon, cloth on grass, 1994 Figure 3.48 Xu Yong-jin, Taiwanese Does Culture, colour ink on paper, 1994 Figure 3.49 Xu Yong-jin, Drift, Rush and Wild Whirlwind, ink on paper, 1996 Figure 3.50 Xu Yong-jin, Taiwan, colour ink on paper, 2001 Figure 3.51 Xu Yong-jin, Comfort Women, ink on paper, 2001 Figure 3.52 Xu Yong-jin, Oil Pollution, ink on paper, 2001 Figure 3.53 Xu Yong-jin, Big Shake, colour ink on paper, 1999 Figure 3.54 Xu Yong-jin, Cursive and Nude Women 1, ink on paper, 1998 Figure 3.55 Xu’s childhood, front line right first, 1958 Figure 3.56 When Xu restored in the hospitable, he tried to use his left hand to draw picture, 2004 Figure 4.1 Spreading effect Figure 4.2 Strong contrast effect Figure 4.3 Split screen footage Figure 4.4 Split screen footage Figure 4.5 Shaking effect Figure 4.6 Overlapping effect Figure 4.7 Quick motion effect Figure 4.8 ‘Does’ characters appeared one by one to express the different meaning of this character

VIII Section1 Introduction

1 Section 1: Introduction

At the beginning of 2006, a report appeared announcing that from 2008 the United Nations will only use simplified Chinese characters in its organisation.1 This report prompted supporters of traditional Chinese characters (standardized form of Chinese characters) to protest to the United Nations. It was later ascertained that as early as 1971, when the People’s Republic of China (Mainland China) replaced the Republic of China as a member of the United Nations, a decision had been made by the United Nations to eventually replace traditional Chinese characters with simplified Chinese characters.

Although the above report in 2006 was later confirmed to be incorrect, the reaction it provoked illustrates the level of concern felt by Chinese scholars regarding the gradual disappearance of Chinese traditional characters. There are now only about 30 million people using traditional Chinese characters in the world, compared to over 1,300 million people using simplified Chinese characters. As there is close connection between traditional Chinese culture and traditional Chinese characters, the increasing use of simplified Chinese characters; it has been argued, will impact upon Chinese traditional culture.2

Chinese character calligraphy is an art, and regarded in Chinese culture as a method that can cultivate one’s moral character. Writing calligraphy is considered to contribute to peace of mind and to promote intelligence and morality. It is regarded by many as the highest art form and the very symbolization of Chinese culture. Art scholar Xiong Bing- ming said: ‘Chinese calligraphy is the core of the core of Chinese culture’.3 Even the foreigner can appreciate the beauty of Chinese calligraphy, in the same way that people who do not understand Western opera can appreciate its beauty.4

Like Korea and Japan, Taiwan has been deeply influenced by Chinese culture. Taiwan and Mainland China not only have the same historical origin, but also use the same characters and language. Since 1949, they have been separate, under two governments, with different political systems. To educate its people, increase the literacy rate, and thereby develop the country, simplification of Chinese characters was carried out in Mainland China in the 1950’s. Traditional Chinese culture, including calligraphy, was seriously damaged during the ‘Cultural Revolution’ from 1966-1976. Taiwan now regards itself as the inheritor of traditional Chinese culture: it insists on promoting traditional culture and

1 Chinatimes, Taipei, 24th March, 2006

2 The Central News Agency, Mainland China, 3th March, 2006. It is an interview with Zong Jin-hang, the assistant professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of Hong Kong Baptist University.

3 My translation, Xiong Bing-ming, System of Chinese Calligraphic Theory, Taipei, Hsiung Shih Art Books, 1999, p.3.

4 My translation, Xiong, p.35.

2 Section 1- Introduction

using the traditional characters. The maintenance and development of Chinese calligraphy therefore has become an important social and political issue in the struggle to preserve Chinese culture. Traditional Chinese characters have come down in one continuous line for at least 3000 years. The adoption of simplified Chinese characters thus represents a step of separation from traditional Chinese culture.

Since 1980, Taiwanese calligraphers have been influenced by Japanese vanguard calligraphy, Korean contemporary calligraphy, Western abstract art, and post-modernism. Some forward-thinking calligraphers have developed a ‘contemporary calligraphic art’ which is different from the traditional calligraphic art. These calligraphers have tried to create a new art form, attempting to break through traditional boundaries and to develop different aesthetic ideas and styles. Initially they were laughed at for departing from traditional calligraphy and were attacked by traditional calligraphers. However, they are now more accepted by artists in Taiwan.

The Ink Trend Association is the first group that used the name ‘contemporary calligraphic art’ and is its first advocate. The group now has eight members, comprising a feminist calligrapher, a blind calligrapher, a musical calligrapher, a significant Taiwanese contemporary calligrapher, a radical social resistance activist, a calligraphy scholar, a calligraphy writer, and a calligraphy educator.

Xu Yong-jin is a significant contemporary artist in Taiwanese calligraphy and also a member of the Ink Trend Association. His works are a synthesis of the modern and traditional in Taiwan. Xu has lived through the period of martial law, the end of martial law, the turbulent time caused by the opposition party challenging the ruling party, and the introduction of democracy in Taiwan. Xu’s works portray the transition of resistance within Taiwanese society during the past 30 years. His works are inclusive, ranging from traditional calligraphy, to modern calligraphy, to postmodernism.

The research described in this document and its two accompanying film documentaries focuses upon Chinese calligraphy and its post -1949 manifestation in Taiwan. Inevitably, this has an underlying political dimension involving two nations each laying claim to the name ‘China’ – the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China (henceforth referred to as Mainland China and Taiwan). They also lay claim to representing of Chinese culture and heritage. Within this political, cultural, and now economic arena, there are many battle lines. The focus of the present research lies with the conflict over the written language itself which, in its calligraphic form, represents the highest expression of Chinese culture.

The intention of this research is not to provide a further history of calligraphy, of which there are many. Nor is it to isolate a particular historical period and to provide detailed analysis. Rather, the intention is to capture via both documentaries and text one of the

3 Section 1- Introduction

most radical manifestations of calligraphy to emerge in the Chinese speaking world. This, the Ink Trend Association, began as an internal reaction within Taiwan against the political and social moves of its own government. It sought to emancipate calligraphy from its traditional sensibilities, and to use it for both social and political ends. In so doing, it found itself in conflict with the establishment within the country, and rose to prominence as a force for change.

In undertaking this research, there were two underlying objectives. The first was to construct a coherent overview of the Association giving coverage to its key members and their work. The second and the primary reason for the film documentaries was to provide a historical record of this Association, to interview and to record its members. This involved approximately 400 hours of interviews and recordings which form the basis of the documentaries. As will be apparent from the documentaries, the members are ageing, and the most influential, Xu Yong-jin, recently suffered a stroke. This research is the first attempt to assemble such information, and possibly the last opportunity to capture in documentary form the members.

Supporting the documentaries is a text that draws upon the interviews. It uses this material to provide explanation and comment from the individual members of the Association. Some of this is taken verbatim and some, for reasons of clarity, is interpreted by the author. The author, himself both a calligrapher and a film-maker, was able to gain close access to the members.

The document that follows provides a background to the evolution of Chinese calligraphy, its cultural and historic significance. This provides a prelude to the Ink Trend Association, its members, its work, and with a particular focus upon its most prominent member, Xu Yong-jin. Finally, and as a lead into the documentaries, attention is given to documentaries as a genre within Taiwan. For political and social reasons the documentary per se has been constrained, and its recent emancipation is exemplified by the two documentaries presented here. Documentary One covers the Ink Trend Association, while Documentary Two focuses upon Xi Yong-jin. Aside from an historical record and critique of both, they have been constructed for television. In combination with the text (in Chinese translation), they will be offered as a purchasable product within Taiwan. The intention here is not financial, but rather to preserve a piece of Chinese history from the turbulent period post-1949 and to make it publicly available.

4 Section2 The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

5 Section 2: The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

China has over five thousand years of history. This vast and historic nation is home to a number of nationalities including the majority Han people, and other minority tribal nationalities such as the Manchu, Mongol, Hui, Tibetans, and Miao. As well as the Han written character form (Figure 2.1), the Manchu, Hui, Tibetan, Mosuo5 and ‘Female’ written characters6 (Figure 2.2) also form part of the nation’s heritage. For example, the Mongol state was established by Genghis Khan (AD 1162-1227) in 1206. It used its own characters—Mongolian. Subsequently, the grandson of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, overturned the Chinese Song Dynasty and established the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279-1368) in its place, which ruled China for almost 100 years. The Ching Dynasty (AD 1644 -1911) also had its own character form— the Manchu character, and ruled China for 268 years.

Although these strong dynasties ruled the Chinese people over a long period of time, only Han characters were used by their government officials. Today, almost all people in China accept Han characters as their written script. With a history of over four thousand years, the Han character not only has a practical value in people’s lives, but also represents broad and profound cultural and artistic values. As the dominant language of the modern Chinese nation, when we refer to the Chinese character, we actually mean the Han character.

5 In ancient China, there was a ‘female’ or matriarchal nation located in south western China. The written characters of this nation and their culture are still kept secret even today by their descendants.

6 The only ‘female’ character in human history was found in China’s Hunan Province. This is a character that only mothers are allowed to teach to their daughters, the older generations teaching the younger generations. It can only be understood by females. The ‘Female Character’ has similarities with oracle- bone-script and consists of vertical, slanting, arc strokes and drops. Its form is italic, rhomboidal and right high left low. The writing is from top to bottom and right to left, with no punctuation marks, and no paragraphs. The total number of ‘Female Characters’ is about 1200 but only 800 are in common use. (This report is sourced from Li Si-zhi, a reporter with Chinese News.) Luo Xiaoge, Female Character and the Women of Chu, Mainland China, Central Translation Publishers, 2004.

6 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Figure 2.1 Han character: eight principles of ‘yong’ 7

Figure 2.2 Female character 8

Chinese character calligraphy is a form of art that is both concrete and abstract. It is

7 Han character: eight principles of ‘yong’, reference is from National Tsing-Hua University Arts Centre: http://arts.nthu.edu.tw/NewWww/Exhibition/1999-03-01/dict/, Jun, 2006.

8 Female character, reference is from Guangzhou TV Station: http://www.gztv.com/channel/entertainment/ node, Jun, 2006.

7 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

normally considered the highest level of art in China. What then is the artistic nature and the value of Chinese calligraphy? There is general agreement on three main aspects. 9

The ‘writing’ of calligraphy

The calligraphic brush has its own unique function. Certain rules have been laid down about how to hold the brush and how to write with it. There are five essential techniques for holding the brush: the fingers should be tight, the palm should be empty, the palm should be upright, the wrist should be flat, and the elbow should not be on the table (Figure 2.3).

There are also essential rules for writing Chinese calligraphy. The brush is to be made of the hair of animals such as the sheep, wolf and rabbit (Figure 2.4), so that it is soft and responsive. This has allowed Han characters to develop as a unique art form where it may be both writing and painting.

Figure 2. 3 The skills of holding the brush 10

9 Fan Shu-ying and Yang Bing, Chinese Calligraphy, Hong Kong, Joint Publishing, 2002, pp.15-18.

10 The reference is from E-DEN Studio: http://www.edenmok.com/hbrush.htm, Jun, 2006.

8 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Figure 2. 4 Different kinds of brushes 11

The ‘structure’ of calligraphy

The calligrapher not only has to focus on the beauty of the form of the Han character, but also has to think about the arrangement of the space and the form. Because calligraphers have different life experiences, personalities and cultural accomplishments, good calligraphers will sometimes not follow the accepted rules. They will deconstruct the original character form and give it a new layout, in terms of contrast, arrangement of dots and strokes, and empty spaces. They are, in effect, able to develop unique styles of writing calligraphy (Figure 2.5). This is the reason why the theory of Chinese calligraphy is so diverse and complicated. After delving into the art of Chinese calligraphy, Xiong Bing-ming concluded that it could be divided into six systems: ‘metaphor’, ‘pure form’, ‘feeling’, ‘ethics’, ‘nature’, and ‘meditation’.12 This classification model helps provide an understanding of the characteristics of the works of calligraphers, although it does not allow us to classify calligraphers per se. What it does do is to provide an insight into the meaning expressed in the characteristics of the works.

11 Different kinds of brushes, reference is from http://www.tokusen.info/kougei/0004/, Jun, 2006.

12 My translation, Xiong, p.7.

9 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Figure 2.5 Autobiography by Huai Su (AD 830-870) 13

The ‘artistic conception’ of calligraphy

A calligrapher from Mainland China, Luo Yang, stated that ‘the skill of writing calligraphy can be improved by practising, the layout and structure of calligraphy can be learned, but the artistic conception and the appeal of calligraphy should be developed by the calligrapher himself’’. 14 Chinese calligraphers treat artistic conception as important and, indeed, the calligrapher Cai Yi of the East Han Dynasty (AD 132-192) stated in his book The Theory of How to Use Brush, ‘really good calligraphic work must have its own artistic conception and appeal’. 15 For example, the poet and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Wei (AD 701-761), expressed his own poetry in calligraphy. His works reveal an

13 The work Autobiography by Huai Su, reference is from http://www.yingbishufa.com/ldbt/4065.HTM, Jun.2006.

14 Guo Yu-tao, Collection Field Monthly, Peking (Mainland China), Peking Press Publisher, September, 2005.

15 The calligrapher, Cai Yi, of the East Han Dynasty (AD 132-192), was also a scholar of calligraphy. His book, The Theory of How to Use the Brush, is an important work on calligraphy theory and has exerted a decisive influence on the works of later calligraphers.

10 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

artistic conception combining the aesthetics of calligraphy, poetry, and drawing (Figure 2.6). The calligraphy works of the general of the Song Dynasty, Yue Fei (AD 1103-1142), are full of momentum (Figure 2.7), while the works of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, Hui Zong (AD 1082-1135), are pure and beautiful (Figure 2.8). 16

Figure2.6 The paintings of Wang Wei 17

16 My translation, Xiong, p.66.

17 Reference is from the website of Chinese Art: http://www.cnart.biz/, Jun.2006.

11 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Figure 2.7 The work of Yue Fei 18

Figure 2.8 The work of Hui Zong 19

18 The work of Yue Fei, reference is from http://www.city.china.com.cn/market/chengsmh/426837.htm, Jun, 2006.

19 The work of Hui Zong, reference is from The Website of The Art of Chinese Calligraphy: http://art.2222. idv.tw, Jun, 2006.

12 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Han character calligraphy holds a very important place in the art history of the world, having both ‘artistic’ value and ‘practical’ value. Its artistic significance is that it is a unique art form, while its practical significance is that it is a tool for communication. Without artistic arrangement, Han character calligraphy is only writing. But through its expression of the image, it forges its own special place in culture and becomes an important art form, ranked above painting, sculpture and architecture. Xiong Bing-ming provided the following analysis of calligraphy:

The real appreciation of calligraphy is about pure design form. When we read a calligraphy poem such as the five-character-regulated-poem or the seven-character quatrain, in trying to understand the meaning of these poems, our appreciation of these works is transferred from calligraphy to the poems. The character is the medium of calligraphy, but the meaning of the character is not the most important thing, the real appreciation of calligraphy does not depend on the character, it is just like looking at an abstract painting. 20

Chinese calligraphy is an art of beauty. The aesthetic of this art embraces ‘flying blank’, 21 form, rhythm, artistic conception, and cultivation of one’s moral character. The Taiwanese calligrapher, Fu Shen, stated that: ‘all languages in the world, with their different historical backgrounds, have developed a special kind of writing. However, the development of most foreign languages and the art of writing have been subjected to various obstructions to a greater extent. In the history of human civilization, Chinese calligraphy is absolutely the leader of calligraphy in the world’. 22

Continuing and developing traditional Chinese culture within Taiwan and Mainland China

Since the middle of the twentieth century, the pen has taken the place of the calligraphy brush in the Chinese people’s world. Today, the keyboard is also gradually replacing the pen. Chinese calligraphy has become a creative act in professional art rather than in the

20 My translation, Xiong, p. 35.

21 Flying blank is a particular skill in calligraphic writing. When writing is done fast and the ink is not wet, the calligraphic strokes will seem as if they contain many silken threads, white in colour, giving the impression of power and speed.

22 Fu Shen, Analyze the Chinese Character and Its New Direction of Creation, The Exhibition of International Calligraphy Document—Character and Writing 2000, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs, p.6. Fu Shen, Professor of Art History, Graduate School of Taiwan University, is an international appraisal expert of Chinese calligraphy and painting, and specializes in research into Chinese calligraphy and painting.

13 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

writings of ordinary people. Few people can write calligraphy well, and not many can understand calligraphy, especially the seal script (Figure 2.9) and the cursive script (Figure 2.10). In addition, in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party began to simplify Chinese characters, and this has resulted in a downgrading of the content of these characters.

Figure 2.9 Seal script 23

23 Seal script, reference is from the website of http://homepage2.nifty.com/tagi/gojyosi.jpg, Jun, 2006.

14 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Figure 2.10 Cursive script 24

Even before it held political power in China, the Chinese Communist Party had begun to promote the use of simplified characters in order to promote education and to eliminate illiteracy. The Chinese Communist Party decided that Chinese characters were too complicated; that is, they were not easy to read or to write. They also considered that traditional characters were not good for the development of education and culture, and would even obstruct the development of the economy and of science. Scholars in Mainland China advocated the use of simplified characters.25 On 10th October in 1949, the government of Mainland China established the ‘Chinese Character Reform Association’. 26

Mao Tse-tung, the then leader of Mainland China, stated in 1951 that ‘the Chinese character should innovate and go forward in the direction of the pronunciation’. He further

24 Cursive script, reference is from the website of http://homepage2.nifty.com/seifuukai/tosyo/todosousyo. gif, Jun, 2006.

25 For example, Mainland Chinese scholar, Qian Xuan-tong presented an article ‘The Proposition of Reducing the Strokes of Chinese Characters’ in New Young Generation magazine no. 7 Volume, no. 3. He advocated abolishing the traditional Chinese character and adopting simplified Chinese characters.

26 Reference is from the website of http://210.240.193.70/xency/default.asp, July, 2006.

15 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

said: ‘before we achieve the pronunciation of character, we should simplify the character in order to be appropriate for the present application’. 27 This speech accelerated the move towards simplifying Chinese characters. In 1977, at the end of the ‘Cultural Revolution’, the government announced the second ‘Scheme of Simplified Characters’, in which they further simplified the character by abbreviating, changing and substituting the form of character.28 Subsequent to these changes, some character scholars identified serious consequences arising out of this policy of simplifying Chinese characters.29 Although the policy of reducing the number of writing strokes in a character does make writing easier; simplicity does not equate with quality, and serious damage may have been done to the form and to the spirit of the Chinese character. In particular, it created two systems of Chinese characters, standardized characters (traditional character) and simplified characters, introducing a barrier to academic communication. For example, the Chinese characters for「運 動」(sport) simplifies to「运动」, 「廣 義」(broad sense) simplifies to 「广义」 and 「圖書」(books) simplifies to「图书」…. These forms of simplified Chinese characters and traditional Chinese characters differ greatly and their equivalence is not easy to detect. Gong Peng-cheng stated that the new generations in Mainland China now find it is difficult to study standardized characters. Simplified Chinese characters also have created problems for the preservation and handing down of the tremendous heritage of Chinese culture.30 The argument between the use of traditional and simplified Chinese characters is further complicated because of the political factors involved. It is difficult to judge which is better, but from the point of view of preserving traditional Chinese culture, saving the traditional characters is undoubtedly an important consideration.

There are four main concerns.

Firstly, the Chinese character has rich content, which could be destroyed by its simplification. In addition, many characters share the same pronunciation, but have vastly different meanings. If we use the same simplified character to represent various different characters, levels of meaning will be lost.

27 Refer to ‘The Editing of Secretarial Department of Chinese Character Reform Meeting’, Collection of Documents of the First National Chinese Character Reform Meeting, Mainland China, Character Reform Publishing House, 1957, p.14.

28 Guo Xi-liang, Knowledge of Chinese character, Peking (Mainland China), Peking Publishing House, 1981, pp.100-112.

29 For example, literature scholar of Mainland China, Pan Shi-shan was strongly opposed to the move to simplify Chinese characters. He considered that characters are the soul of a nation and are the basis of the continuation of Chinese culture over thousands of years. Yao Rong-song, The Chinese Language and Literature of Lin Jing-yi, Taipei, Proceedings of the International Conference on Research into Han Characters, 1991, p. 21.

30 See the website of the literature scholar Gong Peng-cheng: http://ftp.ciss.idv.tw/de

16 Section 2 - The Significance of Chinese Calligraphy

Secondly, the new generations in Mainland China do not learn traditional characters and so find it difficult to understand their traditional culture that is recorded in traditional characters. This heritage that they are losing includes an ability to understand the content of Chinese antiques, excavations, ancient painting, ancient history, and ancient writing. Only a diminishing number of experts is able to understand China’s ancient culture, endangering the transmission of Chinese culture to the next generation. Already it has been argued that the level of cultural attainment of the new generation has diminished.31 A researcher at the Art Research Institute in Mainland China, Zhou Ru-chang, has commented that: ‘typed characters are very much in vogue now. I find these simplified characters quite malformed and ugly. If our children only get to read such ugly characters as they are growing up, how can we expect them to be able to write beautiful calligraphy? It is hard to imagine how our tradition of calligraphy could have fallen to such depths’. 32

Thirdly, Chinese poetry, calligraphy and painting are three separate art forms, but they also exist as one integrated art form. These three art forms are not only an illustration of a unique aesthetic, but also symbolise Chinese culture. Different calligraphers have developed different styles for their calligraphy. If simplified characters are used to write calligraphy, it will mean the destruction of the aesthetic of Chinese calligraphy. 33

Fourthly, the main reason put forward by the Mainland Chinese government for their programme of simplification of Chinese characters was to eliminate illiteracy. However, the experiences of literacy programmes in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, which both use the standardized form of Chinese characters, do not support this. Taiwan has always used the traditional form of Chinese characters in its schools. There has been almost no illiteracy in Taiwan since 1970. 34

The ‘Cultural Revolution’ was particularly devastating in its destruction of traditional Chinese culture. On May 16 1966, the central government of Mainland China announced the ‘Notification of the Development of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution’.35 The Cultural Revolution lasted for ten years, from 1966 to 1976, and was one of the most

31 See James C. F. Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics: An Introduction (7th Edition), USA: Prentice Hall Publisher, 2001. Paul A. Cohen, ‘Remembering and Forgetting National Humiliation in Twentieth-Century China.’, Twentieth-Century China 27, no. 2, April, 2002, pp.1-39.

32 Zhou Ru-chang, The Eight Principles of the Yong Character, Calligraphy Art Teaching Handout, Guangxi (Mainland China), Guangxi University Publishing House, 2006, p.4.

33 Ibid.

34 According to research by the United National Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, illiteracy in Taiwan is much lower than in Mainland China.

35 Zong Huai-wen, Years of Trial, Turmoil and Triumph: China from 1949-1988, Beijing, Foreign Languages Press, 1989, pp.457-463.

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serious cultural disasters in the whole of Chinese history. Historical relics and ancient monuments were destroyed throughout the country. Many intellectuals, scholars and teachers were humiliated and killed. Finally, on September 9 1976, Mao died and, not long after, on October 6, there was a change in the government of Mainland China. The central leadership of the Chinese Communist Party arrested the ‘Gang of Four’ led by Jiang Qing, and after a trial, they were sentenced to death by the Chinese court of law. Although huge discussions, self-examinations and critiques have since appeared concerning the events of the Cultural Revolution, very few have focused upon the widespread destruction of the Chinese cultural heritage during those ten disastrous years.36

Origin and development of Taiwanese calligraphy

In addition to China, many Asian countries have been influenced by Chinese culture, and also use the Chinese character script. These countries are called the ‘Chinese Culture Sphere’. These include Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan. Elements of Chinese traditional culture such as Confucian thinking and Chinese humanism, laws and systems have influenced these countries greatly. This group of Eastern Asian countries form a large ‘Chinese Culture Sphere’, which differs greatly from Western culture.37

Although Japan has its own characters, Han character calligraphy is still treated by the Japanese as an aesthetic activity of the highest level. Three standards of Han characters have been established by the Japanese government.38 One is Han characters in common use, which are the basic Han characters of daily life. Secondly are the ‘Han Character Names’, used in people’s names. Thirdly are the Han characters used in information exchange, which are the symbols for the keys on computers.

Korea has developed its own Korean characters. In 1945, the government authorities in charge of eradicating illiteracy decided to abolish the use of Chinese characters. A document ‘Rules on Special Formal Letters’ set out the rules for Korean characters in 1948: ‘Korean government material should be written in Korean characters; the Han

36 Wei Zheng-tong, A Terrible Wind and Thunder—Mao Tsetung and Culture Revolution, Taipei, Xuli Culture Publisher, 2001

37 My translation, the reference is from the website of Chinese University Internet News: http://www. cunews.edu.cn/html2006/xbwc/144317303.html

38 Ashe Zheci, The Three Standards of Chinese Character of Japan, International Conference of Chinese Character and Globalization, Taipei, Cultural Affairs of Taipei, 2004, p.9.

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character may only be used in certain situations if necessary’.39 This rule is still being discussed today, and it is still unclear.

Vietnam is another country influenced by Chinese culture. A Vietnamese sinologist stated that:

Except on some special or particular occasions, Vietnam has already stopped using Han characters. But it has only stopped using the form of the character. The sound and meaning of Han characters can still be used widely in daily life. This kind of use of the Han character is called the ‘Han Vietnam Term’. If only the sound of the Han character is used without the form and meaning, we call it the ‘Han Vietnam Sound’. ‘Han Vietnam Term’ and ‘Han Vietnam Sound’ are important parts of modern Vietnamese language. 40

Taiwan has also been influenced by Mainland China. According to historical Chinese records, in 230 AD the ruler of the Wu State ordered his army to occupy ‘Yizhou’ (the ancient name of Taiwan) to expand his territory. This document is the earliest historical record of contact between Mainland China and Taiwan.41 The armies of the Wu State reached Taiwan, captured many people, and then returned to the mainland. It was during this period that Chinese calligraphy passed to Taiwan. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, General Zheng Cheng-gong withdrew from Mainland China and settled in Taiwan. Many literati and artists also moved to the island with him. The regime set up by General Zheng lost control over Taiwan during the reign of the third generation ruler, Zheng Ke-shuang, who surrendered to the Ching Dynasty.

During the Ching Dynasty, the custom of writing calligraphy became very widespread and more and more people developed a high level of expertise in this art. Taiwanese calligraphy is thought to have its beginnings during the Ming Dynasty and developed further during the Ching Dynasty. After the Sino-Japanese War in 1894-1895, Taiwan was brought back under the rule of the Republic of China, but then later was occupied by Japan. As the Japanese also treat calligraphy as a high art form, the occupation of Taiwan by Japanese actually provided an encouraging environment for

39 Zheng Xi-yuan, Chinese Character in Korean—To Analyze the Tidal Wave of Chinese Character in Korean Recently, International Conference of Chinese Character and Globalization, Taipei Cultural Affairs of Taipei, 2004, p.15.

40 My translation, Wu De-shou, The Influence of Chinese Characters on Vietnamese Culture, International Conference of Chinese Character and Globalization, Taipei, The Department of Cultural Affairs of Taipei, 2004, p.25.

41 Chen Shou, History of the Three Kingdoms, Taipei, Hong Ye Bookstore, 1979, p.287.

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the learning of calligraphy in Taiwan.42

According to research carried out by Chen Qi-quan, the modern development of calligraphy in Taiwan can be divided into four periods: the ‘Stagnant Period’ (AD 1949- 1956), the ‘Revival Period’ (AD 1957-1968), the ‘Arising Period’ (AD 1969-1979) and the ‘Vigorous Period’ (AD 1980-present). 43

When the Chiang Kai-shek government moved to Taiwan from Mainland China in 1949, some calligraphers moved with him. When they came to Taiwan, most of them expected to go back to Mainland China. They did not spend much time advocating calligraphy, so it was a ‘Stagnant Period’ in the history of Taiwanese calligraphy. Later, calligraphy in Taiwan gradually arose through the work of these calligraphers. Calligrapher Zeng Shao- jie is a good example. When he moved to Taiwan he popularised calligraphy education. In 1959 he founded the ‘Ten People’s Calligraphy Association’ with calligraphers Chen Ding- shan, Wang Zhuang-wei, Fu Juan-fu, Zhang Long-yan, Ding Nian-xian, Chen Zi-he, Zhu Long-an, Li Chao-zai, and Ding Yi. This group held many calligraphy exhibitions during this period. It brought calligraphy from the ‘Stagnant Period’ to the ‘Revival Period’.

In 1966 the government of Taiwan decide to promote Chinese culture, and with it calligraphy. It was during the period following 1970 that more Taiwanese calligraphers began to offer themselves as teachers of calligraphy. To encourage creativity in calligraphy, calligraphy competitions and exhibitions were held in Taiwan every year, such as school calligraphy competitions, the National Literature and Art Award, the Literary and Artistic Creation Award of the Ministry of Education, the National Art Exhibition Award, the Sun Yat-sen Literature and Art Award, and the Wu San-lian Literature and Art Award. Many universities and colleges established art centers that assisted in promoting creativity in Chinese calligraphy. It is an ‘Arising Period’ in Taiwanese calligraphy history. The influence of Taiwan’s efforts gradually spread to Japan and Mainland China. Artworks by ancient calligraphy masters were also exhibited in public. Contemporary calligraphic art was advocated by the Ink Trend Association and other forward thinking groups. Publishing and internet industries grew and flourished, allowing new generations of calligraphers to be introduced to the public. The ‘Vigorous Period’ begun in 1980 and continues to the present.44

42 My translation, see the report of Calligraphy Studio of Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center of Taiwan Tamkang University

43 Cai Ming-zan, The Calligraphic Art of Huang Zong-yi, http://www.hinet99.net/topline/index-f2.htm, 2006.

44 Wu Jing-ji, The Current Situation of Creative Education in Taiwan, Taipei, Ministry of Education, 2004, p119-146. This book collects and introduces related policy, plans, competition programs, books and theses concerning creativity in Taiwanese education, including calligraphy. See the websites of the Education Department of Taiwan: http://www.edu.tw/consultant/ and http://www.creativity.edu.tw

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Taiwanese contemporary calligraphic art versus traditional calligraphic art

From 1980 onwards, a number of calligraphers developed a contemporary calligraphic art. This calligraphic art is different from traditional calligraphic art, as indicated by Cai Ming-zan, president of the Chinese Calligraphy Association:

The Ho Gallery of Calligraphic Arts Foundation, which represents Taiwanese calligraphy, held an ‘Exhibition of Tradition and Experiment’ in 1990, which was a really significant activity in the Taiwanese calligraphy field at the time. This exhibition subverted the old thinking and poured new thinking inside the calligraphy. It started the life-force of the creation of calligraphy. 45

Initially, many traditional calligraphers were not able to accept contemporary calligraphic art. They considered it to be ‘Fake Calligraphy’.46 Gradually, more and more works of modern calligraphy appeared. These works were accepted only slowly by some traditional calligraphers, who labelled them ‘Semblance Calligraphy’. There is a well-known saying by Dong Qi-chang (AD 1555-1636), a famous calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty, that ‘there are no excellent calligraphers who learn from the past without changing it’.47 Fu Shen has commented that the calligraphers of the Ming Dynasty wanted to make changes four hundred years ago. During the Vigorous Period, Taiwanese contemporary calligraphers wanted to make bold changes. They experimented with calligraphy as two- dimensional work, three-dimensional work, installation artwork, and performance art. For example, with two dimensional calligraphic creations, modern calligraphy moved towards painting-like calligraphy and developed picturesque ink colours, coloured calligraphy, and decoratively coloured paper. These forms made contemporary calligraphic art increasingly diverse, picturesque, symbolic and abstract.48

45 Cai Ming-zan, The Direction of the Creation of Taiwanese Calligraphy, Selection of Theses of Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Chinese Calligraphy Educational Association of Republic of China, 2001, p.191. Ho Gallery of Calligraphic Arts Foundation, established on October 8th 1994, aims to champion the calligraphic arts and to promote public enthusiasm for calligraphy, so as to make calligraphy an essential part of the lives of Taiwan's people and a source of inner cultivation for all. In the past 10 years, it has encouraged calligraphers to create works and held many important calligraphy exhibitions. It also published many books recording the activities of Taiwanese calligraphy. Ho Gallery of Calligraphic Arts Foundation is the one of the 300 important foundations in Taiwan.

46 Fake calligraphy here means it is not genuine calligraphy, but it is camouflaged to appear as calligraphy.

47 Dong Qi-chang, Hua Chan Shi Sui Bi, Criticizing Calligraphy, Jiang Su (Mainland China), Jiang Su Education Publisher, 2005.

48 Fu Shen, pp.7-10.

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In the 1960s, Wang Zhuang-wei, a calligrapher and seal cutting master, created a modern calligraphic work, Disordered Calligraphy, which is early-period contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. When Wang was fifty years old, he realized that ‘writing is drawing’.49 He carried out a number of experiments with calligraphy. For example, he used ink of varying thicknesses to write five times, each time overlapping his writing. He then rubbed the paper and wrote on it, wrote calligraphy on silk fabric, and sank it briefly in water to make the calligraphy spread. This attempt at creation attracted the attention of the art field. In 1970, Shi Zi-chen created colourful calligraphy, sourcing ancient writing in different colours.50 The character painting of Lu Fo-ting (Figure 2.11), ‘Half Buddhist Monk in Art Field’, is also important. Lu Fo-ting explained:

My character painting wants to liberate the pictographic character from the practical symbol. Not only do I want to restore the real face of the pictographic character, but also I want to give them a poetic prospect. I recombine them to become a painting which is simple, plain, vivid, interesting and has a pure appreciation of beauty. Therefore, I do not name it ‘picture writing’. I name it ‘character painting’. In fact, the ‘Chinese Literati Painting’ is the integration of poem, calligraphy and painting. My ‘character painting’ wants to melt poem and calligraphy deeply in painting, to make it become a truly integrated art.51

49 Wang Zhuang-wei was a calligrapher with a conscientious and rigorous approach to his work. The overly unrestrained way of writing calligraphy ended up, for him, as just being an experimental phase in his creative life, and he eventually went back to creating traditional calligraphy. He spent most of his life in either reading or in writing calligraphy, passing away in his sleep at the age of ninety, it is said, with a smile on his face. His manner of living and dying is often mentioned with admiration. See Cai Wen- ting, Falling in Love with Calligraphic and Seal Cutting Art—The Artist Wang Zhuang-wei, Taipei, Taiwan Panorama, 2001 February, p.68.

50 Shi Zi-chen, Colourful Calligraphy, Taipei, The Research Committee of the Chinese Museum, 1975, p.22-24.

51 My translation, Lu Fo-ting, My Little Artwork—Characters Painting. Lu Fo-ting died on July 24th 2005 when he was 95 years old. This information is from ET Today News. The website is http://www.ettoday. com/2005/09/17/123-1845593.htm.

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Figure 2.11 The character painting of Lu Fo-ting

Towards the end of the 1970s, the Ink Trend Association made its appearance in Taiwan. On his return to China, after attending the conference ‘The New Hope of Contemporary Calligraphy in 2001’ in Taiwan, the Mainland Chinese scholar, Wu Wei, wrote an article on the Ink Trend Association:

When I joined the conference, I felt strongly the power of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. Modern Taiwanese calligraphy is based on the Ink Trend Association. The Ink Trend Association was established on 1976 and was the first modern calligraphic group, though it was initially scorned for departing from calligraphic tradition. At present, the members of the Ink Trend Association are Zhang Jian-fu, Cai Ming-zan, Chen Ming-gui, Lian De-sen, Yang Zi-yun, Zheng Hui-mei, Liao Can-chen and Xu Yong- jin. In 1992, the Ink Trend Association embedded ‘modern calligraphy’ at the heart of their creative activity. It constantly made waves in the contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy field. During this period, the members of the Ink Trend Association held many exhibitions, and also joined group exhibitions and some important international exhibitions. Apart from practical creativity, the Ink Trend Association also attaches importance to the theory and critique of modern calligraphy. (Zhang Jian-fu, Yang Zi-yun, Zheng Hui-mei, Xu Yong-jin are particularly good in this field.) 52

The Ink Trend Association was ‘the first group to place as much emphasis on modern

52 My translation, see ‘Century online China Art Networks’, http://hk.cl2000.com/?/calligraphy/xdsf/lltt/ wen _ 16.shtml

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calligraphy as on traditional calligraphy’.53 Many young calligraphers were inspired by the creations of the Ink Trend Association in collage, installation, performance and visual artworks.54 The concepts displayed in these works are sometimes subversive. In an analysis by Wu Wei, he argues that there are three reasons for the success of these contemporary Taiwanese calligraphers. Firstly, they were affected by Western modern art. Secondly, the attitude of the Taiwanese government helped promote the vigorous development of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. Thirdly, art foundations were supporters of modern calligraphic art. Most of the art foundations in Taiwan were independent bodies, which helped to ensure freedom in artstic activities. Wu further argues that not only should modern calligraphy in Mainland China learn from Taiwan, countries belonging to the ‘Chinese Culture Sphere’ should not ignore the achievements of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy.

Position of Taiwanese modern art and Chinese modern art in the world

The Chinese art scholar Lu Sheldon claimed that: ‘since the1980s, the blossoming of postmodern art in post-New China has gone through two phases. The first wave has been called ‘political pop’, a genre of oil painting. The second wave, though not strictly so in chronological order, goes beyond the medium of painting and includes installation, video, body, performance, and mixed media’.55 The same happened in Taiwan. With the lessening of political restrictions in China and Taiwan, the postmodern art of both countries received increasing attention in the international art field. An example is the work of Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming, Tai Chi Single Whip (Figure 2.12), in which he uses modern sculpture as a way to represent Chinese Tai Chi culture. Chinese artist, Xu Bing, who lives in New York, created New English Calligraphy for Beginners (Figure 2.13). The work of Xu Bing, A Case Study of Transference (also known as Cultural Animals) (Figure 2.14), was exhibited at FACT (Film, Art & Creative Technology) in Liverpool, UK. In this, unreadable English words and Chinese characters were printed on two pigs, one male and the other female. These two pigs played, slept and mated with each other.

53 Cai Ming-zan, The Calligraphic Art of Huang Zong-yi, http://www.hinet99.net/topline/index-f2.htm,2006

54 Ibid.

55 Lu, Sheldon H., China, Transnational Visuality, Global Postmodernity, California, Stanford University Press, 2001, p. 144.

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Figure 2.12 Ju Ming, Tai Chi Single Whip, sculpture, 1985

Figure 2.13 Xu Bing, Square Word: New English Calligraphy for Beginners, 1996

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Figure 2.14 Xu Bing, A Case Study of Transference, 1994

The works of Xu Yong-jin of the Ink Trend Association also represents a synthesis of the modern and traditional in Taiwan. Xu’s works portray the transition of Taiwanese society during the past 30 years. His works range through traditional calligraphy to modern calligraphy to postmodernism. In addition to Xu Yong-jin, there are other modern calligraphers who attempted to combine calligraphy with other media, such as computer digital special effects and communication media.

Even in Mainland China, where simplified characters are the standard script, calligraphy is still written in traditional characters. Although countries falling within the sphere of Chinese culture such as Japan and Korea have their own national character scripts, they still use Han characters (traditional Chinese characters) to write calligraphy and regard Han character calligraphy as a high level form of art— ‘Shu Dao’. In addition, Han character calligraphic art is not only a symbol of Chinese culture but has also become a significant part of Western post-modernist art.56 Artists emerging from the turbulent Western and Eastern cultures of modern times have declared themselves as embracing a duality largely transcending East and West, tradition and modernization, humanism and science. They aspire to an approach advancing a universal and enlightened humanist spirit fusing Western and Eastern culture. Calligraphers can not ignore this international trend.

56 For example, the works of Xu Bing: Square Word: New English Calligraphy for Beginners (1996) and A Case Study of Transference (1994).

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27 Section 3: An Investigation of the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin

The Ink Trend Association—pioneers of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy

Birth of the Ink Trend Association

The Ink Trend Association was established in May 1976. Its original purpose was ‘to go deep into traditional calligraphic art and explore modern calligraphic art’.57 After 1992, the focus was more firmly on modern calligraphic art.58 There are now eight members: Zheng Hui-mei (1956- ), Liao Can-cheng (1950- ), Yang Zi-yun (1954- ), Xu Yong-jin (1951- ), Zhang Jian-fu (1956- ), Cai Ming-zan (1956- ), Chen Ming-gui (1956- ), and Lian De- sen (1956- ). Most of the members are not only skilled calligraphers but are also adept at other art forms such as ink painting, seal carving, poetry and music (Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1 Members of the Ink Trend Association in 1994

The members of the Ink Trend Association want to keep improving their artistic creations, both by creating new forms and by breaking the restrictions of tradition. They pool the wisdom and the efforts of their members, using diverse source materials, subjects and expressions to explore the potential of modern calligraphy. Underlying this is their wish to establish a new aesthetic of calligraphy. Cai Ming-zan wrote on this issue: ‘Modern calligraphic art is a complete “release” of art because its thought, method and form of

57 My translation, see the website of The Alliance of Fine Art, http://arts.tom.com/1004/2006523-26788. html

58 The Ink Trend Association, Modern Calligraphic Art, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994, pp.5-7.

28 Section 3 - An Investigation of the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin

creation are all new’.59 Zheng Hui-mei rethought Chinese calligraphy from the viewpoint of Western art and came up with some new possibilities for the creation of modern calligraphic art, such as the liberation of the character form, the drawing out of the meaning function of characters, the development of materials and the expansion of concepts combined with the spontaneity of graffiti.

Political and social activities connected with calligraphic art

In terms of breaking through the boundaries of traditional calligraphy, the creative style of the Ink Trend Association is, on occasions, very bold. Some Taiwanese traditional calligraphers view the Ink Trend Association members as art heretics.60 As Zheng Hui-mei pointed out, Chinese calligraphy gradually became a refined art during the North-South Dynasty (AD 220-589). The ultimate achievement sought by this refined art is departure from society and disconnection from the public.61 Therefore, the members of the Ink Trend Association represent a departure from the normal quiet personality of Taiwanese calligraphic artists. They go outdoors to create calligraphy with their bodies and with nature. They also participate in various environmental, political and social movements, and use these forums to express their views.

An illustration of this is the Tian An Men incident in Mainland China in 1989,62 when members of the Association held a gathering to show support for the participants in the Tian An Men demonstrations. They also expressed their feelings in the work Respect to the Martyrs of Tian An Men (Figure 3.2) which was a protest against the government of Mainland China. On 8 August 1993, they presented some performances of modern calligraphic art at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, including We Have Grown up Drinking the Milk of Traditional Calligraphy (Figure 3.3), Enter into Tradition but Depart from It and Does. These were intended to express their feelings about events in society.

59 Ibid, p.9.

60 Xu Yong-jin, The Modern Calligraphic Art of Xu Yong-jin, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2001, p.71.

61 Zheng Hui-mei, The Birth, Age, Illness and Death of Modern Calligraphy, Art Magazine, Taipei, Art Publishing House, 1994, p.463.

62 The Tian An Men Incident took place in the Peking Tian An Men Square from 15 April to 4 July in 1989. A large number of students and ordinary people marched together to demonstrate against the government and in support of democracy. The students and government were unable to achieve any consensus. In the end, the government sent the army to quell and to kill many students and members of the public. Some student leaders were arrested and imprisoned while others went into exile abroad. Some political commentators consider that the Tian An Men episode brought political reform in Mainland China to a halt, or even reversed reforms. Many arguments about the politics of the event remain unresolved.

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Figure 3.2 Respect to the Martyrs of Tian An Men, 1989

Figure 3.3 We Have Grown up Drinking the Milk of Traditional Calligraphy, 1993

During the past thirty years, most students of calligraphy in Taiwan have only imitated the works of ancient calligraphy masters and have not learnt to create their own calligraphy. Although Taiwan society is increasingly free and open, the calligraphy work it produces are still limited in terms of open creativity. Thus, the performance and exhibition of

30 Section 3 - An Investigation of the Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin

modern calligraphic artworks by the Ink Trend Association were often blocked by art groups. For example, in 1984, the National Taiwan Art Education Museum cancelled a performance by the Ink Trend Association, 928 Vanguard Art Announcement, and, as a result, the Ink Trend Association was forced to perform the event outdoors (Figure 3.4).

Figure 3.4 The performance art of the Ink Trend Association, 928 Vanguard Art Announcement, 1984

The Ink Trend Association also worked hard to have the freedom to create in Taiwan. ‘Affair of Li Zai-qian’ is an example. The artist Lee Zai-qian created an abstract art work, The Low Limit of Infinitive (Figure 3.5), made from red steel plate. It was placed just inside the entrance of the Taiwan Fine Art Museum. Because this work consists of some triangular plates, from some angles it looks like a star. Taiwan was then under martial law and some people criticized this work as propaganda for Mainland China, because the national flag of Mainland China is a red five-star flag.63

63 Yu Shar-leen, ‘Two Periods of the Development of Taiwan's Geometric Abstraction Art Style’, National Taipei College of Business, No. 9, 2006, p.112.

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Figure 3.5 Li Zai-qian, The Low Limit of Infinitive, spray paint on steel plate, 1983

Su Rui-pin was a curator in the Taiwan Fine Art Museum in 1985. Lee Zai-qian was forced to change the colour of The Low Limit of Infinitive from red to white by Su Rui- pin. This affair produced a serious public discussion about art and politics. The ‘Affair of Li Zai-qian’ was the last time martial law was applied to art. This affair also involved the young artist Zhang Jian-fu, one of the founders of the Ink Trend Association.64 He visited the Taipei Fine Art Museum and protested to the Museum that Su showed no respect for the integrity and freedom of artists. He not only raised a plaque to protest about the ‘freedom of using red’ but also took off his pants in the Taipei Fine Art Museum to protest about the rudeness and unfairness of exploiting artists.65

The Taipei Fine Art Museum also rejected two applications for an exhibition by the Ink Trend Association. One of these applications was by Zhang Jian-fu, Respect Heaven and Fear God (Figure 3.6). The curator, Su, held different artistic opinions to Zhang. Zhang even filed a lawsuit against Su.66 Eventually, a year later, Su apologized to Zhang.67 The Ink Trend Association was also forced to withdraw from a calligraphy exhibition at the China Television Company (Taiwan) because of antagonism by the chief of this company

64 The Ink Trend Association, pp.112-113.

65 See http://sql.tmoa.gov.tw/art/html/2-5/201.htm

66 Ibid.

67 See http://www.aerc.nhcue.edu.tw/8-0/twart-jp/html/ah-f1985.htm

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towards the Association.68 The works of the Ink Trend Association have often been subjected to criticism, and even attacks, over the past 30 years in Taiwan. Nonetheless they continued their activities and persisted in their efforts to promote modern calligraphic art.

Figure 3.6 Respect Heaven and Fear God, 1985

Contribution to contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy

The Ink Trend Association has now been in existence for thirty years. The works that they produce are diverse. The members of the Association on occasion create modern calligraphic art outdoors and have visited such places as Waishuang River, Honghuang Gorge and the Xindian River Embankment in Taiwan to create outdoor modern calligraphic art. Activities of the Association also include landscaping, art installations, performance art, writings, graffiti, burnings, carving and the use of ready-made objects (Figure 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10). Artworks created by these activities not only represent new experiences for the Ink Trend Association, but also are unprecedented in modern calligraphic history.69

68 The Ink Trend Association, p.113.

69 Ibid, p.139.

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Figure 3.7 Xu Yong-jin, Chinese Calligraphy Is Framed by Traditional Calligraphy, curving on sand, 1994

Figure 3.8 Yang Zi-yun and Lian De-sen, Ink Trend, beach and stones, 1994

Figure 3.9 The Ink Trend Association, Does, ink on paper, 1994

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Figure 3.10 Yang Zi-yun, Years, beach and stones, 1994

For example, in 1992 members of the Ink Trend Association travelled to Seoul, Korea, to take part in an ‘International Modern Calligraphic Art Exhibition’ and presented performance art (Figure 3.11). In 1994, the Ink Trend Association went to a beach to create modern calligraphic art, and produced such works as Kuihai Book by Zhang Jian- fu, Immortal of The Sea and Dragon King of The Sea by Zheng Hui-mei, The Frame of Tradition and Illusion and Dream by Xu Youn-jin, Propping Up and South by Cai Ming- zan, Leisure Time on the Beach and The Song of the Desert by Chen Ming-gui, Spirit of Dragon and Horse by Liao Can-cheng, and Haiju Book by Wang Guo-feng and Zhang Jian-fu. In the same year, they held a calligraphic art exhibition called ‘Calligraphy and Life’. They wrote calligraphy on lampshades, umbrellas, clothes, fans, calabashes, straw hats and vases. These calligraphic works used ready-made objects, and also recycled objects to demonstrate an environmental awareness.

Figure 3.11 Performance art of the Ink Trend Association in Korea, 1992

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From 1993 to 1994, the Ink Trend Association held group exhibitions and informal meetings to discuss modern calligraphic art. In August 1993, they initiated the ‘Forum on Modern Calligraphic Art’ in Art Magazine (Figure 3.12), a mainstream art magazine in the Chinese world.70 As well as writing articles, they also supplied pictures of artworks.

Other Taiwanese artists have had to confront the challenges of this new wave in art. There are those who dislike modern calligraphic art and hold strong views about it. However modern calligraphic art is now a formal branch of modern art. In 2000, the Ho Chuang- shih Calligraphy Foundation held a ‘Traditional and Experimental Calligraphy Exhibition of Modern Calligraphers’. They asked 113 Taiwanese senior, middle aged and young calligraphers to present their traditional and experimental calligraphy works. It was the most important occasion in Taiwan calligraphy of the past fifty years. Modern calligraphy had reached the stage where it was able to compete on equal terms with traditional calligraphy.

Figure 3.12 The article of The Ink Trend Association in Art Magazine, 1993

Although many works are experimental and rebellious, the spirit of courage and innovation displayed is already acknowledged in the Taiwanese art field. The Ink Trend Association is regarded as the most important group in modern calligraphic art in Taiwan.

70 Xiong, Yi-zhong, The Research of Taiwanese Contemporary Calligraphy, http://www.tmoa.gov.tw/journal/ mag48/3.htm. Zhang Qiong-fang, Chinese calligraphy, Taipei, Taiwan Panorama Press, 2006.

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Calligraphic art of the Ink Trend Association

What follows is a brief overview of individual members of the Ink Trend Association.

Feminist calligrapher—Zheng Hui-mei

Zheng Hui-mei was born in Tainan in 1956. She majored in French at Fu Jen Catholic University and also graduated from the Graduate Institute of Arts at the University of Chinese Culture. She is skilled in Western modern art and historical research, and has written many articles on modern calligraphic art. As a previous chief editor at the Taipei Fine Art Museum, she has experience in communicating with artists and in planning exhibitions. Zheng’s husband is Xu Yong-jin and this married couple work together, creating art and carrying out research. The works of Zheng Hui-mei focus on life—in them she emphasizes sex, people, the earth and society’s life-force. For example, in her work Holding the Life-force of Taiwan (Figure 3.13), she used clay soil to model a huge male penis and wrote calligraphy on it to express the hard-working spirit of Taiwanese people who throw their all into their work. In her performing art, she has wrapped herself up crumpled paper written on by her husband Xu Yong-jin, to express the idea that although she loves her husband and loves calligraphy, as a female, she has to wash clothes, cook, bear children, take care of the family and help in her husband’s business. These things literally tie her down (Figure 3.14).71

Figure 3.13 Zheng Hui-mei, Holding the Life-force of Taiwan, ink on clay, 1993

71 Personal communication, interviewed with Zheng Hui-mei in on 25th July 2004.

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Figure 3.14 Zheng bound herself with wrinkled papers which is her husband’s works, 2003

Her self-expression in installation has included a ceremony of holy sacrifice—lighting and burning calligraphy to give power to calligraphy. This is the meaning of her work Offering Sacrifice to Calligraphy (Figure 3.15). Zheng has also made use of pigskin and newspapers to create a modern calligraphic work, The Fear of the End of the Century. She wanted to respond to an appalling event in Taiwan through this work. Some merchants, lacking social conscience and eager to earn large and quick profits, sold diseased pork to the public. Following the revelation of this scandal in the newspapers, people became anxious. This episode was followed by a scandal of poisoned vegetables and rice being put on public sale.

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Figure 3.15 Zheng Hui-mei, Offering Sacrifice to Calligraphy, ink on paper, fire and earth, 1994

Since the pioneer of Taiwan’s feminist movement Lu Hsiu-lien advocated the ‘New Female Movement’ in the 1970s,72 many women have understood ‘male supremacy’ as a flawed concept, but there is still room for improvement in ‘female rights’ in Taiwan. The women who support the ‘New Feminist Movement’ put forward the views of women, organize women’s groups, write relevant books, make speeches and present petitions. They encourage women to become economically independent.

The feminist movement has made great strides in Taiwan in recent years.73 For example, in the presidential election of 2000, Lu Hsiu-lien was elected as the first female Vice President in Taiwanese history. There are nine female members in the new government. This is also a record in Taiwanese history. Although there have been some achievements in the feminist movement, Taiwanese society is still controlled by traditional patriarchy. For example, family violence, teenager dropouts, and the high rate of divorce are serious problems in Taiwan.74 Some conservative people believe that these social problems are caused by an over emphasis on female rights.75 In Taiwan these people still advocate that successful females should help their husbands and raise their children well. If the women can not handle these two things, they will be regarded as unsuccessful women.

The works of Zheng Hui-mei portray a clear feminist vision. Even as a young adult, Zheng had already begun to display what in Taiwan would regarded as unconventional

72 Lin, Lishan Lin, Feminism and Gender Relationship, Taipei, Wu Nam Co., 2006, p.34.

73 Ibid, pp. 19-48.

74 Ibid, pp. 312-351.

75 Ibid, pp. 3-5.

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behaviour. For example, according to Taiwanese custom, the university degree held by a husband should be higher than that held by his wife. But when Zheng married Xu, she already had obtained her Master’s degree and was a university lecturer, while her husband was still a university student. Her wedding party was also unique—the Chinese calligraphy wedding party of Zheng and Xu was reported in the mass media76 (Figure 3.16). Many of Zheng’s works are about ‘the male reproductive organ’, as she not only reflects on Chinese culture which treats males as more important then females, but also mocks ‘phallocentrism’.

The creative works of Zheng Hua-mei reveal a strong feminist consciousness. She observes that women are subjected to all manner of restrictions in their process of self- actualisation, but even she herself has not been able to find a way to break through the restrictions in her own daily life. She still spends most of her time helping her husband and educating her children, as is expected of a wife in Chinese society. She helps to organise the works of her husband, Xu Yong-jin, and writes many articles and essays endorsing her husband. She always places her husband’s career before her own and treats the educating of her children as her vocation. These actions are considered the moral duties of a good wife and mother in traditional Chinese society. Thus, in her creative works, we can sometimes see her complaints about the role of the female. However, still, in her daily life, she is, for the large part, unable to escape from the traditional Chinese role of being ‘a proud supporter of her husband’.

Figure 3.16 The calligraphy wedding party of Xu and Zheng, 1982

76 Central Daily News, Mun Sang Poh, Taipei, 3th September, 1982.

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Blind calligrapher—Liao Can-cheng

Liao Can-cheng was born in 1950. He gradually lost his eyesight through chronic glaucoma but, although blind, with the assistance of his wife Lin Su-yu, he still perseveres with creates artworks. He researches written Chinese characters, and this has led him to create four new types of calligraphy. The first type that he developed integrates cursive script into the changing movements of the Tai Chi sequence, and has been used by Liao to create a series on ‘Tai Chi Calligraphy’. In the second he has returned Chinese characters to their original picture form and has created a form of pictographic calligraphy. In the third he has combined cursive script with pictographic calligraphy. This last type of innovative calligraphy is the transfer of Tai Chi philosophy into pictographic form (Figure 3.17).

Figure 3.17 Liao Can-cheng, Dao-philosophy, ink on paper, 1993

When Liao developed chronic glaucoma he found that although the upper part of his vision was completely lost, the lower part was normal, just like the Tai Chi image which is based on the principles of Yin and Yang and a balance of opposites such as black and white or hard and soft. His alternative given name, ‘Tai Chi Sheng’, is derived from the philosophy of Tai Chi, and Liao combines Tai Chi and character images to develop a new style of art (Figure 3.18).

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Figure 3.18 Liao Can-cheng, Autumn, ink on paper, 1992

Liao won a national university student calligraphy competition while he was an undergraduate and won an oil painting exhibition prize when graduating from the National Taiwan University of Arts. His standard cursive script also won third place at a National Art Exhibition of the Republic of China. Liao has used the philosophy of Tai Chi to develop

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his own theory of calligraphy. As well as creating calligraphy, he also is a stage actor and one of his significant works on stage has been his dance of Tai Chi calligraphy.

With regard to Tai Chi calligraphy dancing and modern calligraphic art, Liao has stated that:

Expression of modern calligraphic art is constructed from characters and from modelling. It starts in wisdom and ends in interest. Its process has been from the real image → picture → abstract → seal character → official script → cursive script → running hand script → regular script → reform and simplification. This flow path is my anticipation for and my dream of the character and is the symbol of the macrocosm. Characters are abstract symbols. Cursive script is the abstract of the abstract. The vanguard of Tai Chi calligraphy places standard cursive script into a Tai chi image. Characters are between the Yin and the Yang. 77

Although Liao is blind, his mind is bright and full of enthusiasm (Figure 3.19). He is observant and remains concerned about the social events of Taiwan. His work, The Flying Vultures in the Sky of Taiwan at the End of the Century, expresses the idea that the change of political parties in Taiwan is like heaven changing its face, as the flying vultures in the sky cover the sun (Figure 3.20). Taiwanese people feel alarmed by the perception that Taiwanese politicians are just like the ugly vultures covering the sun. Violence, abuse and deceitfulness in social events have already left blemishes on the beautiful island of ‘Formosa’ (Taiwan). 78

77 My translation, see Art Magazine, Taipei, Art Magazine Publisher, August, 1993.

78 See http://www.arts.com.tw/artist/liaw-tc.asp

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Figure 3.19 Liao Can-cheng, 2004

Figure 3.20 Liao Can-cheng, The Flying Vultures in the Sky of Taiwan in the End of Century, colour ink on paper, 1992

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Other works of Liao such as The Good Fortune of Jia Xu Year, Overflying, Greatly Strengthened Power and Fierce Tiger Is Coming in Wu Yin Year reflect the political tension present in Taiwanese society. Liao has commented that humans can feel many real things through their senses of vision, hearing, smell and touch, but that this reality has no physical form. After becoming blind, he feels more sensitive to an existence which is not physical and his works also naturally reveal a sense of humanitarianism.

Musical calligrapher— Yang Zi-yun

Yang Zi-yun was born in Hsinchu, Taiwan in 1954. He won the national calligraphy competition at Sun Yet-sen Memorial Hall in 1973. He excels at writing different styles of calligraphy, including regular script, cursive script, seal script and official script. Not only is Yang a calligrapher and painter, but he is also a vocal musician (Figure 3.21). He graduated from Holland’s Utrecht Music Academy, majoring in vocal music and has participated in many performances of operas, including Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, which was performed in the National Theatre Concert Hall of Taiwan in 2000.

Figure 3.21 Yang Zi-yun is also a vocal musician, 2003

Yang Zi-yun is active in the arts community and established the ‘Shui Tiao Ge Tou’ music

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group. He integrates calligraphy and painting into his songs. Cai Ming-zan, President of the Art of Chinese Calligraphy Association, commented on Yang’s works, ‘He uses life as a stove, feelings as fire and experiences and knowledge as a medium. He melts them in the fire to refine them. Therefore, the aesthetics of West and East burst forth and produce a strong sense of vision and a deep light of meditation which he responds to in his works’.79

Yang Zi-yun is a sentimental man. He has had to deal with many different life experiences and he finds liberation through creating art and singing. He became very upset when he separated from his close girlfriend and gave up a company he had managed for twelve years to enrol in the graduate school of art at the Chinese Culture University. His graduation dissertation was entitled ‘Research into the Calligraphic Art of Ba Da Shan- ren’.80 He then travelled to Leuven Catholic University in Belgium to study at the graduate school of philosophy. Finally he attended Holland’s Utrecht Music Academy to study vocal music. Unfortunately, Yang’s father later committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree in front of a court of law as a personal protest against the serious debasement of the Taiwanese justice system. This terrible tragedy impacted upon Yang considerably. Artists may reconcile their depression and frustration by creating art. This was so with Yang, and his wild cursive script expressed the spirit in which he fought with such adversity (Figure 3.22). Art critics have commented that Yang’s works are imposing and that they reflect the voice of protest.81 In Yang’s calligraphy he focuses on people, the subject of creation, rather than on structure and form. He stated that, ‘Literature, poetry, music, painting and calligraphy are equal in rank. They all have some kind of poetry. They are the tools of expression. Therefore, people who use these tools, and the original existence in nature of these tools, are the important issues’. 82

79 My translation, Yang Zi-yun, Su Lu Zhi Wang—Ye Yu Shi Nian Deng, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2001, p.73.

80 Ba Da Shan-ren (AD 1626-1705) is an artist of Chi Dynasty.

81 Yang Zi-yun, p.3.

82 Ibid, p.109.

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Figure 3.22 Yang Zi-yun, To Get together, ink on paper, 2001

Three characteristics are present in Yang’s works. Firstly, he avoids decoration, and creates simple lines. Secondly, he uses natural human energy to express power. Thirdly, the complicated relationship between lines and form can express an infinitely moving rhythm.83 These characteristics are expressed in Yang’s works by the use of various character scripts; for example, wild cursive script, official script and running hand script. Examples of These Yang’s works are Green-faced Person, Gentleman, The Shy Fairy and A Dream of Play (Figure 3.23).

83 Ibid.

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Figure 3.23 Yang Zi-yun, A Dream of Play, colour ink painting, 1994

With regard to modern calligraphic art, Yang Zi-yun has argued in his article ‘Research into The New Life of Calligraphy’,84 that ‘Chinese calligraphy has more than three thousand years of history. Many calligraphy works have been written throughout this history. If we can not move beyond the limitations of the ancient master’s works, we will never be better than the ancient masters. We have to develop our own way’.85 Yang Zi- yun is in agreement with the views of Cassirer, who argued that the whole of human culture could be seen as the process of humans constantly liberating themselves. Humans

84 The Ink Trend Association, p.103.

85 Ibid.

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can realise their real value through the creation of art.86 Humans can achieve liberation through cultural activities.87 Western people bring this spirit into full play and have made great achievements in post-modernist art. Eastern people should bring this spirit into modern calligraphic art. First of all, they should restore the freedom of the subjectivity of ‘Calligraphy’ and ‘Being’. Secondly, they should restore the freedom of subjectivity of ‘Calligraphers’. This is the basic guiding concept in Yang’s creation of modern calligraphic art88 (Figure 3.24, 3.25).

Figure 3.24 Yang Zi-yun, Nine Songs, ink on paper, 1993

86 Ibid.

87 Ibid.

88 Ibid.

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Figure 3.25 Yang Zi-yun, I Am just a Little Bird, colour ink painting, 1994

A major Taiwanese contemporary calligrapher—Xu Yong-jin

Xu Yong-jin was born in 1951 (Figure 3.26). His works combine calligraphy with painting and he is well-known for his skill in cursive script. For over thirty years he has focused on creating Taiwanese contemporary calligraphy and is now a significant artist. He has won many national calligraphy competitions and has been the recipient of many honours, including ‘The National Excellent Youth’, ‘National Excellent Teacher of Special Education’, ‘The Outstanding Student of National Taiwan Normal University’ and ‘The Award for The Best Chinese Painting, Awarded by the Education Department’. It was after Xu obtained these many awards in calligraphy that he came to the realization that the real philosophy of art is ‘to be oneself’. He commented that: ‘how to find a way to go home, to come back to my hometown, to be the host of myself, to cultivate the field of my heart, became the most important lesson of my life’. 89

89 Zhou, Jin-hong, The Dance of Spirit, Miaoli, Culture Affairs Bureau of Miaoli County, 2004, p.11.

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Figure 3.26 Xu Yong-jin, 2002

In 1976, Xu and other artists established the first Taiwanese contemporary calligraphy group, the Ink Trend Association. It was then that the heart of this artist began to burn and he subsequently created many works of modern calligraphic art. Xu cooperated with Lin Gu-fang, a musician, to create the performance art piece ‘When Calligraphy and Painting Meet Music’ (Figure 3.27). Lin Gu-fang remarked that Xu Yong-jin is sensitive to music. He is able to feel the rhythm of music and transfer it to calligraphic art, not only in abstract calligraphy but also in concrete painting.90 One of Taiwan’s art critics, Xiao Qiong-rui, from the History Department at National Cheng Kung University stated: ‘in my opinion, Xu’s work Drift, Rush and Wild Whirlwind is one of the most significant works in Taiwan calligraphy since World War II’. 91

90 Ibid, p.4. The art show ‘When Painting and Calligraphy Meet Music’ is taken charge of Professor Lin Qu- fang. String music is played by Wang Yue and Xiao Ji. Artists Zhang Yun-min, Yu Peng, Ni Zai-xing and Xu Yong-jin match with music and painting or writing calligraphy.

91 Zhou, Jin-hong, p.10.

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Figure 3.27 Xu Yong-jin performed writing cursive script in the show When Calligraphy and Painting Meet Music in 2001

Throughout the process of creation, Xu rethinks his work constantly, and has said: ‘following the traditional rules and moving ahead steadily is like lying to me and to other people. I need to just let go and to dissolve myself, just as a moth emerges from its cocoon and flies away’.92 There is a parallel in what Xu says with the philosophy behind an ancient Chinese saying: ‘Truth is in your heart. You do not have to look for it on the outside’. Some artists share the same attitude as Xu. The Chinese artist, Lee Ke-ran (AD 1907-1989), said ‘call back your soul before you draw’.93 Taiwanese oil painter, Xi De-jin (AD 1923-1981), said, ‘we should feel the passion of our first love when we are painting’.94 French philosopher and social critic, Foucault, observed that the artworks of

92 Xu Yong-jin, Discovering the Truth of Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1999, p.24.

93 Mei, Mo-shen, The Critique of Modern Chinese Painter and Calligrapher, Peking, Peking Library Publisher, 1999, pp. 123-127.

94 Chen, Xiu-zhu, The Research of Xi De-jin’s Figure Painting, Taiwan, Thesis at Graduate Institute of Art Studies of National Central University, 2001, p.3.

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the modern world always burst out like an explosion from insanity. 95

Over the past twenty years, Xu’s works have become more free and unrestrained. His works meld with his heated mind to express a whirlwind of the dancing aesthetics of calligraphy. His cursive script is particularly able to coalesce with his skill in drawing naked women to express beautiful lines and forms. These works are Four Beautiful Women, Cursive and Naked Women (Figure 3.28) and Comfort Women, among others.96

Figure 3.28 Xu Yong-jin, The Naked Women and Cursive Script 2, ink on paper, 1997

95 Michel Foucault, Madness and Civilization: a History of Insanity in the Age of Reason, New York, Vintage Books, 1973.

96 The ‘Comfort Women’ refers to the young girls rounded up by the Japanese government and sent to Mainland China, Philippines, Taiwan, islands in the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, to supply sex services to the Japanese army in World War II. Many young girls were deceived into becoming comfort women in Taiwan. They had to supply a sexual service to twenty to thirty soliders in one day and their bodies and minds sustained severe trauma. When they returned to Taiwan, they were afraid to talk to other people about their sufferings and many such women are poor, sick and isolated in Taiwan. Jiang Mei-fen, Report on Taiwanese Comfort Women in 1995, The Information Net of Taiwanese Women, Theses Collection on Female Issues, 1995.

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Xu Yong-jin has remarked, ‘I have studied calligraphy for thirty years. I have learned nothing but relaxation’.97 He uses the approach of ‘swimming’ to write calligraphy and in doing so subverts the approach of traditional calligraphy. Sometimes he ventures outdoors to create his works. He has also tried to use different kinds of mediums and to integrate calligraphy with other arts (Figure 3.29). He believes ‘we should integrate the Chinese spirit with the Western vision. It is the way to diversify Taiwanese calligraphic art. We will then have a chance of showing ourselves on the world stage and finding the key that will open the door of the twentieth-first century for us’. 98

Figure 3.29 Xu Yong-jin, Happy and Cool, curving on styrofoam, 1994

Xu Yong-jin sometimes gives interviews to the Taiwanese and foreign media and he has written credit titles for a number of television programs and art exhibitions. He occasionally goes on television to present calligraphy demonstrations. At the same time he is also concerned about Taiwan and about current events. In 1989, he wrote calligraphy in public in the Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to protest against the ‘Tian An Men Incident’. In 1996 he went to the National Taiwan Library and to the Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to protest against a government that did not attach enough importance to the national treasures held in the National Palace Museum. The tourist logo for ‘Taiwan’ which was created by Xu Yong-jin has already become the new symbol of Taiwan. People who visit Taiwan are able to see this logo everywhere. Unfortunately, according to a newspaper report, the Tourism Bureau paid the Lian Xu Design Company about one million Taiwanese dollars to design the CIS logo for Taiwan. The Lian Xu Design Company then paid six hundred thousand dollars to another design company for them to

97 Xu Yong-jin, Discovering the Truth of Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1999, p.20.

98 Xu Yong-jin, The Modern Calligraphic Art of Xu Yong-jin, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2001, p.71.

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produce the design. But Xu Yong-jin, the original creator of this logo ended up only being paid twenty thousand dollars which is an unreasonable sum.99 It is not easy for artists in Taiwan to earn a living.

The soul of the Ink Trend Association—Zhang Jian-fu

Zhang Jian-fu was born in 1956. He previously held the post of President of the Art of Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and Seal Cutting Association. Now President of the Art Collector’s Association, Zhang practices poetry, literature, calligraphy, painting, music and seal cutting (Figure 3.30), and is also a pioneer in avant-garde art in Taiwan. Even before 1976, he won many calligraphy competitions. He works hard to ensure that calligraphic art endures into the future. Zhang Jian-fu wrote the following in A Preface to Fifty Art Charity Bazaars,

I passed the traditional Chinese medicine examinations together with my brother in 1974 but I was addicted to the creative arts and did not become a doctor of Chinese medicine. I worked instead as a teacher of elementary school and spent most of my time in art. When I retired from my job after twenty-five years, I had written theses of over one million words, two avant-garde novels, thousands of poems, hundreds of melodies and songs for piano, guitar, vertical bamboo flute, and electronic music. I also had collected thousands of paintings and calligraphy works, and held over one hundred art exhibitions in Taiwan and Mainland China. I had written various books on the arts, such as The Legend of Zhang Da- qian, The Legend of Pu Xin-yu, The Legend of Cao Rong and The Painting of Government Official of Min Dynasty which were published by the Education Department and totalled over two hundred thousand published volumes.100

With regard to his own works, Zhang Jian-fu has remarked that ‘the creation and

99 Zhao Hui-lin, The Winner Get His Dignity, United Daily News, 14, December, 2002, p.14. The lawsuit over a copyright issue with the Tourism Bureau, the Lian Xu Design Company and Xu Yong-jin resulted in a final decision being made that the Tourism Bureau was the owner of the property rights over the logo, Lian Xu Design Company could reasonably use the logo and Xu Yong-jin had a right of moral integrity and of property. Xu was allowed only his dignity but not allowed any monetary compensation.

100 My translation, Chen Jian-fu, Zhao Dong-jang, The Author’s preface of Chen Jian-fu Fifty Art Charity Bazaar, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2004.

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collection of artworks are the deepest expression of human wealth and spirit.’101 Zhang has always insisted that this works are in no way controlled by capitalism, and indeed, his works are sharp and radical, and do not play up to those in power. Taiwanese artist Lin Xing-yue has commented that Zhang is ‘a tough guy in the Taiwanese art field’.102 Although Zhang has been the recipient of numerous commendations from art critics, his artworks are still considered too radical by some. In 1984 and 1985 his works were rejected for exhibition at the National Taiwan Education Museum, the Taipei Fine Art Museum and the Painting Corridor of the China Television Company (Taiwan).

Figure 3.30 Zhang Jian-fu can play many musical instruments, 2004

Zhang Jian-fu does his utmost to drive modern calligraphic art forward. He not only

101 Chen Jian-fu, The Concise Theory of Collecting Quality and Quantity of Modern Calligraphic Art, Art Magazine, Taipei, Artist Magazine Publisher, 1990, p.445.

102 The Ink Trend Association, 1994, pp.126-127.

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writes books, popularizes new concepts and attempts to educate the public, but also he creates a diverse range of artworks. For example, Evidence of Physical Body, The Sacrifice Ceremony of Calligraphic Art Number 841 (Figure 3.31), Recording Facts of Honghuang Gorge, Wall Calligraphy of the Homicide Case of Henry Liu103 (Figure 3.32), Mourning to Nagoya Crash,104 and Burning Boat Affair of Thousand Island Lake.105 In particular, the works Wall Calligraphy of the Homicide Case of Henry Liu, Mourning to Nagoya Crash (Figure 3.33) and Burning Boat Affair of Thousand Island Lake express a feeling of change occurring within the Taiwanese government, as well as expressing the concerns of society.

Figure 3.31 Zhang Jian-fu, The Sacrifice Ceremony of Calligraphic Art Number 841, pictures and ink on paper, 1984

103 On October 1984, a shocking murder took place in San Francisco. The Chinese writer Henry Liu was murdered by professional killers sent by the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) of Taiwan because of a book he had written—The Biography of Chiang Ching-kuo (Chiang Ching-kuo is the son of Chang Kei-shek, a former president of Taiwan). This killing sent shockwaves through Chinese communities around the world.

104 On 26th April 1994, a China Airline plane from Taiwan crashed in the Japanese city of Nagoya; two hundred and sixty-four people died in this tragedy.

105 On 31th March 1994, twenty four Taiwanese tourists visited Thousand Island in Zhejiang province, China and were all murdered by gangsters who set fire to the victims’ boat after robbing them. This sad event was given the name of the ‘Thousand Island Affair’.

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Zhang Jian-fu has written that, ‘the field of calligraphic art should have as its premise, maximum content and maximum development’. He has taken the lead in advocating ‘the human right of calligraphy’ and states that ‘everybody has the right to treat calligraphy from his (or her) own viewpoint, creating his (or her) own calligraphic art’.106 He further argues that if Chinese people want to occupy a space on the modern art stage of the world, the following programme of action should be adopted. Firstly, Chinese people need to digest the heterogeneity present in international modern art and to assimilate it within their culture. Secondly, they need to realize the differences in international modern art and the blood relationship between traditional and modern calligraphy. Through understanding each, they can achieve mutual respect. Thirdly, they need to reconstruct the ‘old’ modern art and build the ‘new' modern art. The reconstruction of post-modernism is actually an extension and stretching of modernism. Through reconstruction they can create a larger art field without severing the connection between tradition and modernity. 107

Figure 3.32 Zhang Jian-fu, Wall Calligraphy of the Homicide Case of Henry Liu, board, spray paint and ink, 1985

106 The Ink Trend Association, pp.126-127.

107 Ibid.

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Figure 3.33 Zhang Jian-fu, Mourning to Nagoya Crash, Pictures, clip and paste on card, 1994

Calligraphy scholar— Cai Ming-zan

Cai Ming-zan was born in 1956 (Figure 3.34). He is a former president of the Chinese Calligraphy Education Association and is skilled at writing regular script, cursive script, seal script and official script. Remarkably, Cai is also able to write calligraphy with both his right hand and his left hand. He has also written many commentaries on calligraphy. Cai Ming-zan believes that innovation and the expressing of the ‘spirit of the moment’ are the two most important things in the creation of art. He transfers the form and the ink of seal script, official script, running hand script and regular script to his painting and, in doing so, has created a prolific and diverse body of artworks. He has created a new aesthetic of modern calligraphic art. Some of the more important of these works are Chasing Sun, Dancing Sheep B (Figure 3.35), Xinmo Cliff and Relativity (Figure 3.36) Wu Fo Chu Chen Zun (Figure 3.37).

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Figure 3.34 Cai Ming-zan, 2004

Figure 3.35 Cai Ming-zan, Dancing Sheep B, colour ink on paper board, 1994

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Figure 3.36 Cai Ming-zan, Relativity, Pictures, ink on paper, 1994

As a modern calligrapher and scholar, Cai has carried out research into Eastern and Western art. Cai Ming-zan stated:

The creators of modern calligraphic art use the abstract and lines of imagination, the infinite vision effect of space and the psychological activities which are awakened by image, to express creative challenges and aesthetic concepts. Of course, modern calligraphic art is not only for expressing images, but, also, through the images which have existed since ancient times, to portray the concept of ‘Image Expressionism’ in ‘Western Abstract Expressionism’, to create their artworks blended with devised mediums, thus developing a completely new form of art. 108

Chinese characters not only express meaning but also express form. Expressing form is the communication function of characters. Expressing form is the embryo of the image in artistic creation. Therefore, Cai thinks the abstract expression present in Chinese calligraphy is a pioneer for abstract art in the world. Faced with the modern embrace of globalization, Chinese people should endeavour to base their works on the aesthetics found in Chinese calligraphy, and try to transform modern calligraphic arts into an art symbol for the world.

108 My translation, The Ink Trend Association, p.125.

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Figure 3.37 Cai Ming-zan, Wu Fo Chu Chen Zun, cloth and carved status, 1993 Calligraphic literatus—Chen Ming-gui

Chen Ming-gui was born in 1956 and is a graduate of the History Department of National Taiwan Normal University (Figure 3.38). He first learned calligraphy when he was twenty years old and learned painting when he was thirty. Calligraphy was taught to him by the calligraphers Du Zhong-gao, Huang Du-sheng and Chen Qi-quan, while his painting was overseen by the Taiwanese painters, Tao Qing-shan and Zhou Cheng. Chen was very poor as a child and it was this background that helped him to develop his qualities of toughness and persistence. Chen enjoys drawing the pine tree, a plant symbolising unswerving determination. The Taiwanese calligrapher and collector, Chen Hang-xian, thought highly of him. He not only sent him his calligraphy works, but also invited Chen to view and critique his collections, to help Chen extend his creativity. Chen visited Mainland China in 1988. He wrote calligraphy entitled The Chinese Soul of Calligraphic Art for the Chinese and Taiwan Calligraphy Association Interchange Conference and this work is included in the book The Selected Works of Famous Modern Calligraphers. Since then, Chen has been treated as an important calligrapher in Mainland China.

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Figure 3.38 Chen Ming-gui, 1994

In 1993 Chen held his first calligraphy and painting exhibition in the Painting Corridor of the China Television Company. He wrote in the artist’s preface to his exhibition that ‘Art creation is very hard and serious. You have to devote your whole life to do it. It is only after you undergo severe training and tempering that a great work will be created’.109 This is the reason why he insisted on leaving his job to become a professional artist. With regard to modern calligraphic art, Chen Ming-gui observed that, ‘Innovation is the spirit of artistic creation. Over the past ten years, modern calligraphic art has been based on the rationale that calligraphy should renew and should change, so as to create a momentum in the international art stage. I am accustomed to using a “system” to create my works. The recent work used the system of “Seal Cutting”. The other system used is “Mocking”, which reflects the concerns of Taiwanese society’.110 Examples of these works include Money (Figure 3.39), Miss Zhang Liang, Sigh! Life (Figure 3.40), Life Is Like a Dream (Figure 3.41), and Watch a Play on the Paper.

109 My translation, Chen Ming-gui, The Calligraphy and Painting of Chen Ming-Gui, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994, p.4.

110 Ibid.

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Figure 3.39 Chen Ming-gui, Money, colour ink on red paper, 1994

Figure 3.40 Chen Ming-gui, Sigh! Life, colour ink on red paper, 1994

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Figure 3.41 Chen Ming-gui, Life Is Like a Dream, ink on paper, 1993

Calligraphy educator—Lian De-sen

Lian De-sen was born in 1956 (Figure 3.42). He was previously an elementary school teacher and is now a professional calligrapher and a calligraphy teacher. He has won various calligraphy competitions and his works have been collected by Taipei Fine Art

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Museum, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the National Art Education Museum. Lian is known as a humble and conservative man. With regard to his works, he stated: ‘I am a modern person who lives in Taiwan. Taiwanese politics and social events influence my thoughts. These thoughts are my actual life experiences, with no false display of affection and no complaints without good cause. I put these experiences into my works’.111 An example of this is Lian’s work Treading Culture (Figure 3.43) which shows black footprints stepping on red bricks, a symbol of culture. It is a reflection on the focus placed on chasing money in Taiwanese society, where rich people often use money to tread on culture. The other work is Walking Turtle (Figure 3.44). Lian wrote a turtle in seal character and made it walk over a crossroad. This work means that in building the rapid transit system, the Taipei government digs out what is buried, and makes the road muddy, full of bumps and hollows. The day of its completion does not seem to be even foreseeable. The construction work turns Taipei’s traffic into a nightmare, with the cars crowded together and moving slowly along the road, just like the walking of a turtle.

Figure 3.42 Lian De-sen, 1993

111 The Ink Trend Association, p.73.

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Figure 3.43 Lian De-sen, Treading Culture, colour ink on paper, 1993

Figure 3.44 Lian De-sen, Walking Turtle, colour ink on paper, 1993

Lian De-sen has also used computer characters and the board game ‘Go’ as source materials for his works. For example, in The Computer Board of Li Bai Goes to Kaling River, he keyed in Chinese characters first and then switched these Chinese characters into English letters, forming a symbolic system. The inflexible computer transfers something which is interesting and, by doing so, Lian creates the possibility of ‘Computer Calligraphy’. Life is a work in which Lian uses the black and white pieces of the game of ‘Go’ to arrange the Chinese character for ‘Play’. It signifies that humans are just like pieces during a game, sometimes we lose and sometimes we win. The game is just like life. Lian De-sen stated at a forum on ‘The Conversation between the Traditional and the Modern’ that: ‘The creation of modern calligraphic art should focus on new ideas. There

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is no limitation of forms and elements. There is no inflexibility about tradition or modern. The most important thing is to how to create the modern calligraphic artworks which provide for the spirit of modern time’.112 Lian’s works, such as Education (Figure 3.45), The Calligraphy and Snowman with Crown respond to his concept of creation. If a man only imitates the works of the ancient master calligrapher, recites epitaphs all day long, it is just as if a man is hoodwinking his own eyes. We cannot see the special ‘face’ of the author. What we see is only the same face and the same copied works. If calligraphy works lose their individual subjects, they will be just like snowmen with no life, even if they are wearing crowns.

Figure 3.45 Lian De-sen, Education, book of stone rubbings and human bodies, 1994

112 The Ink Trend Association, p.110.

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Xu Yong-jin—a man who has devoted his life to calligraphy

Art history scholar Xiao Qiong-rui said: ‘In the process of Taiwanese traditional calligraphic art transfers contemporary calligraphic art, Xu Yong-jin is the significant calligrapher in Taiwan art history’.113 Not only has Xu devoted his life to modern calligraphy, but his works also present the Taiwanese spirit—hardworking, drifting, rushing around and living in a wild whirlwind. 114

Xu’s status and ability as a calligrapher are beyond doubt. For seven years running he won important calligraphy competition in Taiwan,115 before deciding to follow a different path. In Chinese society, the master calligrapher is regarded with reverence for their sensitivity of touch and mastery of symbolic meaning. Yet the traditional calligrapher only masters the brush in a restricted sense, since he also writes to reinforce a cultural institution that bases its power on language. This paradox is masked by the spectacle of the calligrapher’s effortless facility; but the calligrapher’s main achievement is limited to being accepted into the canon of calligraphy—a cultural institution that regulates the principles and norms that define Chinese society, becoming part of a mechanism that secures society against ideological deviance.

In 2004, Xu suffered a stroke as a result of high blood pressure. His right hand, which he uses to write calligraphy, and leg, were paralyzed. Despite the seriousness of his illness, Xu has been determined to fight the disease and is gradually recovering. He can write with his right hand although he is not as fluent as before. In response, Xu has created a new kind of calligraphic aesthetic that is more conceptual and less reliant on high craft skills.

Rebellion, resistance and an insight into Xu’s calligraphy philosophy

In Taiwan, many calligraphy students simply imitate the style of masters like Wang Xizhi (Dongjin Dynasty AD 321-379), Yan Zhen-qing (Tang Dynasty AD 709-785), and Liu Gong-quan (Tang Dynasty AD 778-865). Xu now thinks this kind of calligraphy education is wrong, though when he was young he made the same mistake of believing there was no higher goal in calligraphy than achieving parity with the master’s style. Xu began to create calligraphy from a modernist spirit of self-expression when he was 25 years old,

113 Zhou, Jin-hong, The Dance of Spirit, Miaoli, Culture Affairs Bureau of Miaoli County, 2004, p.10.

114 Although some work of the members of the Ink Trend Association responds the Taiwanese current affairs Xu’s work is the only one focus on Taiwanese spirit.

115 Between 1973 and 1979 Xu won important calligraphy competitions in Taiwan, including the National Student Calligraphy Exhibition in 1973 and the 30th Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition in 1976.

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initially by using different material such as cloth, styrofoam, sand and branches.

Although Xu modernizes calligraphy he respects calligraphic tradition. He treats it as a treasury of inexhaustible possibilities. Many of Xu’s modern calligraphy works come from traditional calligraphy, but given a new face. Since he excels at using the brush, most of Xu’s works are created by brush. He also displays high facility in moving between the five basic styles of calligraphy: seal, official, regular, running hands and cursive scripts. Some of his calligraphy works depict animals or humans. These works look like the animals or humans but actually they are characters, such as Pig, Ox and Dog (Figure 3.46), Dragon (Figure 3.47) and Comfort Women. Xu’s works sometimes combine calligraphy and painting, such as Power of Life and Oil Pollution.

Figure 3.46 Xu Yong-jin, Pig, Ox and Dog, ink on paper, 1994

Figure 3.47 Xu Yong-jin, Dragon, cloth on grass, 1994

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Analysis and recording of the artwork of Xu Yong-jin

The works of Xu Yong-jin synthesise the modern and traditional in Taiwan. Xu’s works not only reflect the phenomenon of Taiwan, but also portray the transition of Taiwan society during the past 30 years. His works range from traditional calligraphy to modern calligraphy to postmodernism.

The following sections provide an analysis of the artwork of Xu Yong-jin.

The art of Postmodernism

Contemporary calligraphy is an art form created in the spirit of Postmodernism. Postmodernism views reality as essentially subjective, and allows the author to have space to develop their ideas. The author does not have to hide his or her subjectivity in their work. They can apply any elements of aesthetics and even use digital manipulation to enhance creativity. The audience does not have to believe in the objectivity of the author, but can interpret the work freely. The relationships between actual events, and between author and audience can be described as follows: existence of actual event → author explains the actual event → audience interprets the work made by author → people involved in the actual event explain the actual event…, This chain of relationships follows a deconstructivist pattern: it happens each time an audience engages with a work. Derrida has stated that deconstruction releases creativity, giving it freedom and energy of interpretation.116 The filmmaker and theorist Trinh T. Minh-ha wrote that:

The inability to think symbolically or to apprehend language in its very symbolic nature is commonly validated as an attribute of ‘realistic’, clear, and accomplished thinking. The cards are readily shifted so as to turn a limit, if not an impoverishment of dominant thinking into a virtue, a legitimate stance in mass communication, therefore a tool for political demagogy to appeal to widely naturalized prejudices. Since clarity is always ideological, and reality always adaptive, such a demand for clear communication always appears to be nothing else but an intolerance for any language other than the one approved by the dominant ideology. 117

The subject of the research and record in this project is what Minh-ha calls ‘a different hearing and a renewed viewing’. By drawing on the character of the ‘new calligraphy’, the project exemplifies the creative and discursive potential of the medium while seeking to

116 Derrida, Jacques, Writing and Difference, trans. Alan Bass, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978, pp.351-370.

117 Minh-ha, Trihn T., ‘All-Owning Spectatorship’ in Hamid Nacify and Teshome H. Gabriel (eds.), Otherness and the Media, Chur, Harwood Academic Publishers, 1993, p. 191.

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develop a new audience for calligraphy. Xu Yong-jin writes that

Contemporary calligraphy has many styles, but its form and content must differ from traditional calligraphy. For example, any material could be used to create calligraphy, not just the traditional brush and ink. We do not even have to write and paint to create calligraphy. We can brush, dye, rub, knead, splash and make ink rubbings from carved figures…can’t we? We don’t always have to always make calligraphy on paper. We can make it on umbrellas, lanterns, cloth, stone, pottery and porcelain. Further, we can combine other arts, such as painting, sculpture, music, dancing, computer and qi gong together. This will produce more creative artworks’. 118

The expression of ‘Taiwanese Spirit’

Xu Yong-jin became a significant contemporary Taiwanese calligrapher, not only because he went through the modernisation process during various political and social storms in Taiwan, but because his works also express the impact and the tension of this modern period in Taiwan. For example, in Xu’s political Taiwanese Does Culture (Figure 3.48), Xu brushed the black ink on the paper to symbolizing the dangerous ‘black gutter’ (Taiwan Strait) between China and Taiwan. About two hundred years ago, the first group of people emigrated from Mainland China to Taiwan. They passed through the ‘black gutter’ which was very dangerous at that time and many people died on the trip. Others survived and worked hard to bring land in Taiwan under cultivation. Their efforts have allowed Taiwan to become a rich and prosperous island. Xu uses golden powder to brush ‘Does’(幹) characters in different directions to make up this work. (‘Does’ 幹 in Chinese means ‘hard working’, ‘complain’ and ‘fuck’.) Taiwan used to be named one of the ‘Four Dragons of Asia’119 But now, since degeneration and corruption have entered politics in Taiwan, many citizens complain (幹) about what has happened. Xu used a thick and heavy form of the character ‘Does’ (幹) to express his strong complaint and his anxiety about his country. People who live in Taiwan understand the meaning of this work very well.

118 My translation, Xu, pp. 70-71.

119 In 1960-1970, the economy of Taiwan improved markedly, many economics scholars call Taiwan one of the ‘The Four Dragons of Asia’, the other three being Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong. These countries became the locomotives of the economy of East Asia and Southeast Asia during this period.

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Figure 3.48 Xu Yong-jin, Taiwanese Does Culture, colour ink on paper, 1994

As indicated above, Xiao Qiong-rui has stated that Xu’s work Drift, Rush and Wild Whirlwind (Figure 3.49) was ‘one of the most significant Taiwan calligraphy works since World War II’. Xu reflects on what is the spirit and value of Taiwan? What are the characteristics of Taiwan in the world? Taiwan is a small island. Its area in square metres is only about half the size of Tasmania, but the population of Taiwan is greater than Australia’s—there being twenty-three million people living on the small island of Taiwan. Many people are moving overseas, but many immigrants arrive to take their place.120 Throughout Taiwanese history, these immigrants have ‘drifted over’ from other places and become ‘new Taiwanese’. They have built careers for themselves and overcome adversities by harnessing the spirit of ‘rush and wild whirlwind’ in Taiwan. There is a common Taiwanese saying describing Taiwanese people—‘vulgar and powerful’. Taiwanese people do not turn simple things into mysteries on purpose. In Xu’s work ‘Taiwan’ (Figure 3.50), he wrote six rough English letters in colourful calligraphy. He intended this logo to be a bright, cultural totem for Taiwan. These six letters represent various natural conditions and social customs of Taiwan, such as the Tourism attraction ‘Queen Head’ in the Taipei county village of Wanli, beautiful betel nut girls, Taiwanese people holding wineglasses drink happily, and the grandmother holding her grandchild.

120 The structure of Taiwanese society had undergone severe changes and has became complicated during the past twenty years. According to statistics gathered by the Department of Internal Affairs, in 2004, the numbers of ‘foreign brides’ is one quarter of all newly married couples. The new-born babies of these ‘foreign bride’ account for an eighth of all new born babies in Taiwan. In 1990, the government opened up Taiwan to foreign laborers and as of 2004, there were three hundred and ten thousand foreign laborers in Taiwan. The nature of the mix of Taiwan population has become an important political issue today.

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Figure 3.49 Xu Yong-jin, Drift, Rush and Wild Whirlwind, ink on paper, 1996

Figure 3.50 Xu Yong-jin, Taiwan, colour ink on paper, 2001

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The social concerns of literati

Xu Yong-jin is an artist influenced by traditional Chinese culture. When he was young, he was a good student who followed the rules. However, eventually Xu began to shake off the constraints, boldly criticizing politics and also criticizing society and even himself. He gathered together artists in the same camp as himself and established the Ink Trend Association. He has participated in numerous social movements protesting against the government and has created many artworks expressing his concern for current affairs. Xu’s artwork underwent a change after his realization that ‘artwork which becomes disconnected from the modern is unable to become vivid and powerful’.121

In his work the Comfort Women, he used three big cursive characters to express the tragedy of the comfort women (Figure 3.51). Taiwan was colonized by Japan during the Second World War. The Japanese government tricked many young Taiwanese women into going to the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, where they were forced to be ‘comfort women’, providing sex to Japanese soldiers. These comfort women each provided daily sex services to twenty or so Japanese soldiers. When they went back to their homeland, most of them were lonely, sick and in dire straits. Xu uses three cursive scripts to express three sad naked women.

Oil Pollution (Figure 3.52) is about the Greek cargo ship ‘Amadius’, that crashed into the Eluanbi beach in Taiwan in 2001, causing major pollution. The resulting oil spill from the wrecked Amadius polluted the whole of the Eluanbi beach, and the seashore will take twenty years to return to its original state, seriously threatening the livelihood of the local fishermen. This incident led to the resignation of the director of the Department of Environmental Protection. The government agreed to commemorate the 14th January as ‘Taiwanese Seashore Day of Catastrophe’. Xu used a cursive script to create this work expressing an image of the miserable conditions caused by the oil pollution.

121 Zhou, Jin-hong, p.7

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Figure 3.51 Xu Yong-jin, Comfort Women, ink on paper, 2001

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Figure 3.52 Xu Yong-jin, Oil Pollution, ink on paper, 2001

Big Shake (Figure 3.53) describes Taiwan’s biggest earthquake, the 921earthquake of 1999, which killed more than 2000 people and injured over eight thousand. This earthquake had a serious impact on the economy and the society of Taiwan, and many valuable historical remains were destroyed. For example, the historic site ‘The Garden of

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Lin Family’ was almost completely destroyed. Xu’s work Big Shake not only expressed the feeling of the ‘shake of disintegration’ but also the sympathy he felt as an artist.

Figure 3.53 Xu Yong-jin, Big Shake, colour ink on paper, 1999

Integrated aesthetics of calligraphy, poetry and painting

Chinese characters can be expressed not only in writing form but also by chanting and dancing. Lin Huai-ming, the founder of the Taiwanese dance group ‘Cloud Gate’ said: ‘There are many similarities between calligraphy and dance. When a calligrapher is writing, he is a dancer. When we appreciate the work of calligraphy, we not only appreciate the lines, the different kinds of strokes and the empty space of calligraphy; more important is the personality expressed through the manner of the calligrapher’s writing. The action comes from “qi”. The calligrapher is the same as a dancer’.122

There is an old saying in Chinese art: ‘The whole world is a picture and a picture has its own world’. Calligraphy is an art of beauty. The various elements of calligraphy, such as dry brush, stroke diffusion, form, rhythm, and moral integrity are all different elements of Chinese art. Xu’s work combines calligraphy and painting, and he excels at cursive script. He also enjoys drawing nude women. Xu has commented that his skill in drawing nude women is very helpful to his cursive script. The two of them are very similar. His work Cursive and Nude Women combines cursive script and nude women in a single image (Figure 3.54). Xu also uses music and he is skilled at chanting poetry. He creates calligraphy accompanied by the rhythm of music. As mentioned above, Xu cooperated with the musician Lin Gu-fang to perform the work of When Calligraphy and Painting

122 Zou, Zhi-mu, Cursive: Birth of a Dance, Taipei, Ecus Publishing House, 2001, p.16.

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Meet Music at the National Theater. Xu draws strong inspiration from music, writing characters in time with the rhythm of the music that he is listening to.

Figure 3.54 Xu Yong-jin, Cursive and Nude Women 1, ink on paper, 1998

The pattern of Xu’s work

Xu comes from a poor family (Figure 3.55). While he was studying at college, in order to learn calligraphy and to save money, he used a branch to practise calligraphy on the sand and also used discarded paper already written on by other people when practising their calligraphy. After Xu married, so as to concentrate on the creation of calligraphy, he resigned from his secure job as a university lecturer and became a professional artist. In Taiwan, a professional artist’s income is low as illustrated above by the incident of the ‘copyright lawsuit’ over the logo for ‘Taiwan’. As indicated above, the Tourism Bureau paid a design company around one million Taiwan dollars to design the logo for Taiwan, but

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Xu Yong-jin, the original artist, only received twenty thousand dollars for his work. Even famous artists do not find it easy to make money, unless they link up with commercial interests or are clever at marketing themselves and using advertising. Under these difficult circumstances, only an artist with a strong willpower and a passion for art can manage to keep living and creating at the same time. Xu is a model for this kind of artist in Taiwan.

Figure 3.55 Xu’s childhood, front line right first, 1958

So that he could search further into the deeper expression of art, Xu challenged both tradition and himself. He learned to sit in meditation and tried to use the meditative vision in his creation. He challenged himself to improve his ability in writing cursive script. Eventually, cursive script became a style of calligraphy in which he is now very capable. He then tried to integrate cursive script with the drawing of naked women and so he developed his personal style. Today in Taiwan traditional art is fading and modern art is unfolding. Xu is a bridge between traditional and modern art. He is also the spring board from which Taiwan is propelling itself onto the international art stage. When Xu was fifty- three years old, he suffered a sudden stroke. The fifties are supposed to be an age when one is both steady and mature. Xu commented that his stroke had wiped away his ability in calligraphy built up over thirty years. Although suffering from this debilitating illness, Xu has still managed to overcome this challenge and continues to create art, exemplifying the old Chinese saying: ‘the silk-worms of spring will weave until they die’. During the time spent in hospital undergoing rehabilitation, Xu tried to use his left hand to draw pictures and to write calligraphy (Figure 3.56). Two months later, he returned home and tried to use his paralysed right hand to write calligraphy. I have recorded Xu’s life for over five years and have an intimate understanding of his philosophy and his struggle.

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Figure 3.56 When Xu was recovering in hospitable, he tried to use his left hand to draw picture, 2004

81 Section4 Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

82 Section 4: Taiwanese Arts Documentary

The art documentary is usually not a mainstream genre in Taiwan. Statistics gathered over the period 1993 to 1998 show that the art documentary makes up only about 10 per cent of all documentaries.123

A brief history of documentary filmmaking in Taiwan

The Taiwanese media scholar, Lu Fei-yi, divides the history of Taiwan documentary since 1945 into four periods: the movie newsreels period,124 the television newsreels and report period, the television and independent documentary filmmaking period, and the era of individual and academy documentary filmmaking.

The movie newsreels period (1945-1970)

During this period, the media was government owned and controlled. Film production was concentrated in the area of newsreels that the government party, the Kuomingtang (KMT), used as propaganda to promote its views and policy.125 Filmmakers had to be very careful in the films that they produced, including the documentary genre. As the government made the majority of documentaries in Taiwan, filmmakers could not create the kind of films that they wanted. Most newsreels of this period reflect an expository style consistent with the government’s point of view. Two main production companies made films that reflected the policy of the Taiwanese government—the Taiwan Production Company and the China Production Company. The filmmaking staff of both these companies came from Mainland China where the convention of propagandistic filmmaking was well established.

Very few filmmakers challenged the repression of their medium by the KMT. One of the few examples of independent filmmaking of the period is the important 1966 documentary Liu Bi-jia by Chen Yao-chi. In 1965, 1700 retired soldiers from Mainland China moved to Taiwan’s east coast to live. Over the following years they built a dam 6500 feet long to reclaim 770 acres of land. Liu Bi-jia is the story of one of these men.126 It was the first example of a Taiwanese observational documentary, and many

123 This information is drawn from the Database of Taiwan Cinema: http://cinema.nccu.edu.tw

124 My translation, Fei-I Lu, ‘Look Who’s Talking: the Changing Roles of Taiwanese Newsreel and Documentary Auteur’, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs, 2002, p.65.

125 KMT means Kuomintang, the National Party, which governed Taiwan for 55 years, from1945-2000.

126 Chi Chen-yao, Liu Bi-jia (documentary), Taipei, 1966.

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film scholars treat it as the first true Taiwanese documentary.127 Also notable was the fact that the subject was an ordinary person, a retired soldier and a farmer. During the movie newsreel period, documentaries consistently represented the government as good while showing the people of Taiwan as loyally citizens abiding by the rules of the government. Almost all documentaries were contrived industrial and information films celebrating the economic development of Taiwan, especially through their propagandistic narration, articulated in perfect Chinese by professional narrators.

Liu Bi-jia broke the bounds of the expository style. Chen recorded real sounds and the voice of Liu freely expressing his opinions about his life in his rough, everyday language. The film looked like a slice of everyday life, which was unprecedented in 1966, and offered a clear challenge to the prevailing nature of Taiwanese documentaries. Unfortunately, this film was hardly seen due to heavy pressure from the government. In 1970, Chen gave up documentaries to direct fiction films, commenting,Liu ‘ Bi-jia brought me a lot of trouble. I changed to directing fiction films, especially love stories. They could make more money during that time’.128 Due to strict government control of cinema, the documentary, although widely celebrated for its daring use of an observational style, did not become a model for other filmmakers. Only after the end of martial law in 1987 was the observational and direct approach to filmmaking in Liu Bi-jia was taken up by other filmmakers.129

Television newsreels and report period (1970-1984)

In the period 1970 to 1984, newsreels declined in number, being replaced by television news reports and documentaries.130 The government established the first commercial television station, the Taiwan Television Company, in 1962. The shift to television had a significant effect on the recording and dissemination of events in Taiwan. In 1970, a second television station, China Television Company, was established. These two stations became clear commercial competitors, their news, current affairs and documentary programs being an important point of differentiation. Reflecting the ratings battle, in March 1970 Taiwan Television Company made their news longer and improved its content. From 1971 to1974 the China Television Company produced the hour-long, current affairs series, News Collection. For this program Zhang Zhao-tang produced many excellent cultural segments, such as The Work of Artist Liao Xiu-ping (1973), The Four

127 Lu, p.67.

128 My translation, Yao Li-qun, ‘The introduction of Chen Yao-chi’, FA Magazine, No.51, Taipei, 1991, p.25.

129 Lu, pp.65-68.

130 Ibid, p.68.

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Photographers (1973), and The Sketch of Zhang Ying-wu (1973). In these segments, which each took up around half the program, Zhang created a new model for the Taiwanese arts documentary. Zhang presented his material in unconventional ways. He often dispensed with narration to create visual poems by matching sound and image for the whole of the film, or sometimes presenting moving images in complete silence.131 In combining elements of realism and aesthetic experimentation, his documentaries developed an approach known as ‘cine-poem style of Zhang Zhao-tang’. His work was highly influential on a small group of Taiwanese filmmakers who recognized the potential for more ‘artistic’ approaches to documentary filmmaking.

Between 1970 and 1980, a number of unofficial film companies began to produce documentaries. Although still in the expository style the subject of Taiwanese documentaries began to change, not only focusing on political, economic and military affairs, but also recording everyday life and Taiwanese culture, literature and the arts. Compared to film production, television production was cheaper, increasing the number of documentaries. Nonetheless, television cameras were still comparatively expensive, heavy and difficult to operate; meaning the real development of independent documentary had to wait until the arrival of the portable video camera.

Television and independent documentary filmmaking period (1984-1995)

In 1984, the Government Information Office invited experts and scholars of media to discuss the establishment of a public television service to improve the quality of Taiwanese broadcasting. The initiative was a sign of the growing openness of Taiwanese society. In 1987, the government declared the end of martial law. The control of contemporary culture, including documentary making, became much looser and the conflicts within Taiwanese society now became permissible topics for documentary filmmakers. Control over the public dissemination of culture was also relaxed with an increase in the number of cable channels. With increased media space, more independent film companies were established to provide media content, including documentaries, the number of which significantly increased. An important group of new documentary directors appeared in this period, especially around the Quan-Jing Studios. The founder of the studio was the director Wu Yi-feng. Wu collaborated with Guo Xiao-yun, Yang Chong-ming, and Chen Ya-fang to produce a series of 13 documentaries named Ren Jian Deng Huo between 1988 and 1990. These documentaries were about people with disabilities, a group seldom appearing in Taiwanese documentary. Examples include the film The Son of Star, on autistic children, and the film People Looking for Sunshine, on people with permanent disfigurements of the face. These documentaries were broadcast via the Public Television

131 My translation, Wang, Recording Taiwan, p.7.

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Service Foundation and deeply affected audiences, moving some people to work for the disabled minority. Wu’s impact as a director was important for the subsequent direction of Taiwanese documentary. He made documentaries much more popular among Taiwanese audiences, and he and his studio trained many people in the making of documentaries. His observational style and subject matter became the main style in Taiwanese documentary during this period.132

In 1991, the Preparatory Committee of Public Television Stations was established, and began to produce television programs. These included many documentaries, such as Bai Gong Tu, directed by Wang Xiao-di, which investigated the nature of different jobs, The Introduction to Hakka Culture directed by Peng Qi-yuan, Story of a City, directed by Liu Song and He Wen, The Sound of Waves, directed by Qiu Su, and A Temple Fair, directed by Ye Hong-zhou. The themes of these documentaries were mainly concerned with politics, society, culture, and nature, many of these subjects being new and fresh to Taiwanese audiences. In 1995, the Council of Cultural Affairs, wanting to develop the field of the documentary in Taiwan, authorized Quan-Jing Studios to train people interested in documentary films in Taipei, Hualian, Taichung and Kaoshiung to be filmmakers. These students came from many different backgrounds and began to record their life and their environment with video cameras. This training initiative produced a much greater number of documentaries than previously, on a far broader range of subjects, but all in the same observational style.

Individual and academy documentary filmmaking (1995- )

In 1995, the Audio and Video Research Institute of the Tainan Art College was established, marking the government’s entry into documentary film education in Taiwan. Documentary filmmakers began to become more experimental in their filmmaking and critical in their treatment of subject matter. In 1998, the Public Television Service Foundation was formally established after 14 years of discussion and planning, offering a new context for the public distribution of the documentary. Television and documentary film productions rapidly merged, although the style of documentary did not change much, most filmmakers still favouring the observational mode. At the same time, the technical capacity of video camera recording improved and became cheaper. Making documentary was much easier than before and more independent filmmaking appeared. Simultaneously, film competitions and festivals, including the Golden Horse Film Festival (1963- ), the Golden Rice Film Festival (1978- ), and the Taipei Cinema Festival (1998- ), began to encourage filmmakers in the field of documentary. 133

132 Lu, p.70.

133 Ibid, p.73.

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Fundamental problems of Taiwanese documentaries

It is evident from the above outline that Taiwanese documentary filmmaking has gradually shifted over a period of forty years from being the sphere of government activity to that of independent and commercial filmmakers. Over the same period the quality and quantity of Taiwanese documentary filmmaking has grown significantly. Yet this does not explain why there is such resistance to digital manipulation in the field.134 According to the Taiwanese media scholar Lee Dao-ming, a ‘realism complex’ is at the basis of this resistance.135 The ‘realism complex’ privileges the observational mode and rejects overt manipulation of the visual image and the nature of events.

The ‘realism complex’ of the Taiwanese documentary

The rise of the ‘realism complex’ can be traced to the 22nd Golden Horse Film Award in 1985, the most prestigious film prize in Taiwan. In that year, the judges announced that there would be no winner in the documentary section. All the nominees for the 1985 award were either industrial or information films. According to Lee Dao-ming, who was a jury member for the award, the panel rejected the exploitation of documentary by the military and the KMT, insisting that documentary should obey the truth, and not function as a propaganda tool.136 This was a very brave act during the period of martial law. In the ensuing debate, a number of film commentators supported the jury position. The influential film critic Huang Jian-ye also added to criticism of the films presented for the 1985 award on the basis of their quality as films, arguing that they lacked a personal viewpoint and had tedious voice-overs.137 Huang also argued that the music was a poor match for the film content.138 For Huang these films denied the spirit of documentary. He consigned them to the status of promotional films, lacking in truth and creativity.139

Lee Dao-ming has argued that due to the trouble around the 1985 Golden Horse Film

134 Wu has been the leading exponent of the observational style from 1985-1988, his films being very popular, highly praised and widely influential. Their style of documentary uses a limited aesthetic known as ‘Wu’s style’. It employs a rough, unbroken approach to recording reality footage direct from life and specifically avoids any sense of a composed and artful cinematic image. Any effects that beautify the image are frowned upon. Lee, p. 211.

135 Lee, p.210.

136 Ibid, p. 210.

137 My translation, A Yearbook of Cinema of R.O.C. in 1985, Taipei, p.56.

138 Ibid.

139 Ibid.

87 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

Award, the importance of representing ‘the truth’ became the new aim of Taiwanese documentary.140 From 1985-1988, actuality documentaries progressively increased, being epitomised by the observational films of Wu Yi-feng and the filmmakers around his Quan-Jing Studios. Wu has been the leading exponent of the observational style since this time, his films being very popular, highly praised and widely influential.141 Some of the stagnation in the field of Taiwanese documentary can be attributed to the influence of Wu, especially through his work as a film educator. Apart from working at the Quan-Jing Studios, Wu also taught in the Audio and Video Research Institute of Tainan Art College. In these two positions, Wu trained a significant group of professional documentary filmmakers. Their style of documentary uses a limited aesthetic known as ‘Wu’s style’. It employs a rough, unbroken approach to recording reality footage direct from life and specifically avoids any sense of a composed and artful cinematic image. Any effects that beautify the image are frowned upon.

Wu Yi-feng has significantly contributed to the rise of Taiwanese documentary, but ‘Wu’s style’ has also limited its development. The documentary director Xio Ju-zhen has argued that:

I have watched many foreign documentaries in recent years. I find that although the number of Taiwanese documentaries has increased, there is no discussion about aesthetics. I have even heard some ‘experts’ define the documentary in ridiculous ways. For example, when I made the documentary Hongye Young Baseball Team, someone even queried why I asked a professional musician to dub in background music in my film. I am always being queried about my work … some even question that my style of documentary is too ‘gorgeous’! But I wonder why the documentaries of other countries can be more ‘gorgeous’ than mine? The creative latitude in Taiwan is actually small. I feel very upset about that.142

As Xio suggests, Taiwanese documentary has been constrained by its limited philosophy and aesthetic. Works that obey the nature of documentary in engaging actuality but which use the film medium creatively should be encouraged, especially the possibilities for enhancing meaning and impact through the application of new media.

140 Lee, p. 210.

141 Many documentaries have been influenced by Wu Yi-feng, for example, The Kangaroo Mother of Xin Zhuang City (1998) by Ya-Fen Lee, Give Me the Job (1998) by Yang Ming-hui, The Neighbors of Yong Kang Park (1998) by Chen Liang-feng among others.

142 My translation, Wang, Development and Analysis of Taiwan Documentary.

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The problem of the ‘real’

The genre of the documentary has a specific set of values that govern the way footage is captured and treated. A pioneer of British documentary, John Grierson, defined documentary as having two characteristics. One is the recording of the image and sound of actual events, and the other is ‘the creative treatment of actuality’.143 Since 1970, the field of documentary has been renamed ‘non-fiction film’. The change stresses that what is presented is somehow true, creating a binary opposition with narrative cinema. Non- fiction film is characterized by a set of rules and conventions designed to ensure the ‘truth’ value of the content. There is, for example, an implied understanding between the director and the audience that all images record actual events in a direct way. Accordingly, the raw aesthetics of documentary style signify the honesty of the documentary process.144 It is nonetheless possible to argue that these conventions have ossified into a documentary style that is more about the look of reality than representational accuracy.

There is a long history of challenges to the objectivity of documentary film production that question whether non-fiction films record reality or simply the perspective of the filmmaker. The same event, filmed by a range of different filmmakers, would reveal different treatments and potentially different meanings no matter how much the individual filmmaker was dedicated to showing events in their actuality. The same person might even produce a different treatment of events on different occasions. Protecting the accuracy of non-fiction material is important. However, insisting on a limited aesthetic restricts the potential of the field to effectively communicate information and ideas. These issues are most critical for specific types of documentary. Film scholar Lee Dao-ming argues that, ‘Documentation and documentary are completely different vocabularies. When we record an affair, it will produce documentation, but will it become a documentary? I doubt it! Documentary is a creative work’.145

Media scholar Bill Nichols divides the field of documentary into six types.146 These are the observational mode, the expository mode, the poetic mode, the participatory mode, the reflexive mode and the performative mode. Nichols argues that in the observational mode, filmmakers record what happens in front of the camera without overt intervention.147 In all other modes, however, the intervention of the filmmaker in the subject matter is

143 Michael Rabiger, Directing the Documentary, Stoneham, Butterworth Publishers, 1987, p13.

144 Lee Dao-ming, ‘Exploring Some Aesthetic Issues of Taiwanese Documentaries’, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs, 2002, p.210.

145 My translation, Wei-Ci Wang, Recording Taiwan: Talking History of Taiwanese Documentary and Newsreels (The Second Volume), Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 2000, p.168.

146 Bill Nichols, Introduction to Documentary, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 2001.p.99.

147 Ibid, p.109.

89 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

clear. For Nichols, the expository mode uses titles and narration to represent the subject matter. This mode seeks to persuade the viewer to see the subject of the film from the ideological perspective of the filmmaker.148 Nichols contends that the poetic mode is a branch of documentary influenced by the filmmaking of the modernist avant-garde. It sacrifices the conventions of continuity editing and the sense of a specific location in time and place that follows from it, to explore ideas through ‘temporal rhythms’ and ‘spatial juxtapositions’.149 Nichols argues that in the participatory mode, the documentary filmmaker goes into the field to take part in the lives of others to represent what they experience.150

According to Nichols, the participatory mode provides ‘the meeting place’ for processes of exchange between filmmaker and subject. By contrast, he argues that the reflexive mode provides ‘the meeting place’ for processes of exchange between filmmaker and viewers. The reflexive mode addresses the issues implicit in a subject.151 For Nichols, the performative mode captures the personal experience of the filmmaker as in the tradition of literature or narrative cinema, except that the content is based on actual experiences.152

In Taiwan, production outcomes from all of these six modes of documentary exist. Before martial law ended in 1987, however, most documentaries belonged to the expository mode. Observational documentaries have dominated since 1987. There is a marked preference for them among Taiwanese filmmakers and they have also gained government support. As the digital video camera has become an increasingly popular means of recording everyday life, the Taiwanese Council for Cultural Affairs has proclaimed, ‘Everybody Make a Documentary’!153 Providing an outlet for Taiwanese documentary, the Taiwanese public broadcasting channel, Public Television Foundation, presents the program ‘Documentary Viewpoint’, a weekly screening of documentaries made by both professional and amateur filmmakers. The majority of documentaries are of the observational mode. Other modes of documentary have begun to appear in recent years in Taiwan but filmmakers are reticent about trying different approaches to the observational mode. In Taiwan, there are only a few documentary directors who use digital effects to create new approaches to documentary. The director Zeng Wen-zhen is one of these filmmakers, arguing in a 2001 interview that ‘I design an animation and a

148 Ibid, p.105.

149 Ibid, p.102.

150 Ibid, p.115.

151 Ibid, p.125.

152 Ibid, p.130.

153 My translation, Wang Wei-ci, Recording Taiwan: Talking History of Taiwan Documentary and Newsreel (The Second Volume), Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archie, 2000, p.166.

90 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

modern drama in my documentary Story of Xu Jin-yu to present the truth of the story.’154

New possibilities in documentary production

Film scholar Lee Dao-ming argues that ‘the development of Taiwanese documentaries is phenomenal in recent years. However, the documentaries are usually criticized for their poor technical quality and unified aesthetics’.155 He argues that ‘both of the problems in Taiwanese documentaries can actually trace their roots to the “realism complex”’.156 The ‘realism complex’ comes from the immense influence of Wu Yi-feng’s observational documentary. To solve the problems of Taiwanese documentary is not only to use digital manipulation but also to break the ‘realism complex’.

American director Michael Moore made the film Bowling‘ for Columbine’, recording a gun shooting incident that occurred on April 2,1999 at Columbine High School, located in Littleton City, USA. With this film he gave new life to the documentary.157 At the Cannes Film Festival the movie received a standing ovation that lasted thirteen minutes. ‘Bowling for Columbine’ had its World Premiere at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, the first time in 46 years that a documentary had been selected for the main competition, and went on to win the 55th Anniversary Special Jury Prize. Subsequently it has won around 160 international film awards. In American, it created an eighty-million American dollar box office record and so was able to break the historic unpopularity of the documentary.

Michael Moore, through the narration, the interviewing and the new film footage, added many modern technical elements, such as digital images, special effects, and animation. The film also offers diverse perspectives. Viewers can see the problems and rethink through the basic problem, which is connected with their own experience, from different angles, including war, history, environment, society, education and the media. For example, the TV reporters use SNG (Satellite News Gathering) to get their news. This film reports on various social problems, including the disparity between the rich and the poor and the widespread availability of firearms.

As shown by the example of Michael Moore, the documentary can be interesting

154 My translation, Wang Wei-ci, Development and Analysis of Taiwan Documentary in1990 and 2000, Taipei, Science and Technology Information Center, 2001.

155 Lee Dao-ming, ‘Exploring Some Aesthetic Issues of Taiwanese Documentaries’, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs, 2002, p.209.

156 Ibid.

157 Bowling for Columbine, Taiwan Taipei, King Media International Company Limited, 2003.

91 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

and draw a large audience. There are limitless possibilities in the shooting style. As a filmmaker Frederick Wiseman remarked that documentary is the ‘subjective annotation’ of the real events, people and places.158 Under the premise of ‘not to fabricate, not to fib’, each director could have his own ‘subjective annotation’ of narration and shooting style.159 A director does not have to disguise his biases to be objective. The audience does not have to agree with the viewpoint of the director. Viewers could have their own thoughts and opinions. No matter whether the director claims the works are detached and objective, they still contain personal values, specific life experiences and ideologies. Therefore, for expressing the author’s opinions, the less limitation in the application of the elements or methods in the film, the more possibilities of creation there are. In the opinion of poet and critic Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965), if the only way to continue tradition is to follow the way of the last generation, blindly and timidly, this tradition is not worth advocating. Tradition involves a historical consciousness. This historical consciousness involves awareness and feeling, not only to feel the past nature of the past but also the modern nature of the past. These two consciousnesses exist at the same time. This makes an author feel his position in time and space very acutely.160

The role of digital processes in production and consumption

The use of digital processes has transformed film production, giving filmmakers access to a wide range of technical and creative effects. In the field of documentary, digital cameras have made the cost and process of production and post-production far more accessible. In Taiwan resistance to the use of digital processes in the post-production phase is entrenched even though digital processes and effects offer documentary filmmakers the possibility of extending the meaning and impact of their work, and of amplifying the range and sources of information through interactivity and media convergence. In the main, however, digital technology is used predominantly as a cheap and convenient way to record audio visual material.

The contemporary dissemination and consumption of film increasingly happens through digital processes. No matter how a film is made, ultimately it will be translated into a digital format to be transmitted through broadcast technology or made available for public sale. The digitisation of film for consumption and the fact that the majority of Taiwanese documentary filmmakers use digital cameras to make their films, make their opposition

158 See the website of Frederick Wiseman: http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/W/htmlW/wisemanfred/ wisemanfred.htm

159 Ibid.

160 Wu Qian-cheng, Sailing alongside the Shore, Taipei, New Century Publishing Company Limited, 1999, p.154.

92 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

to digital effects somewhat anomalous. The predominance of digital processes in the dissemination and consumption of film also makes the basic definition and understanding of what is digital video production difficult.

The above analysis argues that there are some radical problems in Taiwanese documentaries, such as the focus on the recording of social events, the realism complex, insufficient use of digital manipulation, and infrequent use of interaction techniques. In order to develop and create more diverse documentaries with stronger aesthetics content, a progress is needed with these problems. Documentaries can not only record realities but can also be creative and interesting.

In my documentaries of this project, I tried to use digital effect to break through the ‘realism complex’. For example, I used spreading effect to express the beauty of ink (Figure 4.1). I used the effect of strong contrast to express the beauty of Tai Chi (Figure 4.2). I use split screen footage to emphasize individual importance in a group and also to enhance the explanation of texts and pictures (Figure 4.3, 4.4). I used shaking effect to create an animation to express the content of Xu’s work: Big Shake (Figure 4.5). I used overlapping effect to express the musical beauty of Cai Ming Zan (Figure 4.6). I used quick motion effect to express the compact image of group signing (Figure 4.7). I used digital effect to indicate different Does characters one by one to express the different meaning of this character (Figure 4.8). These are my attempts to break through the ‘realism complex’ and to introduce a more contemporary documentary style.

Figure 4.1 Spreading effect

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Figure 4.2 Strong contrast effect

Figure 4.3 Split screen footage

94 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

Figure 4.4 Split screen footage

Figure 4.5 Shaking effect

95 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

Figure 4.6 Overlapping effect

Figure 4.7 Quick motion effect

96 Section 4 - Taiwanese Arts Documentaries

Figure 4.8 ‘Does’ characters appeared one by one to express the different meaning of this character.

97 Section 5 Conclusion

98 Section 5: Conclusion

Great efforts over the past forty years have been made to ensure the survival of traditional Chinese culture. With the impact of modernization, of westernization, of globalization, and with the rise of local Taiwanese consciousness, a new wave of opposition to Mainland China (including Mainland Chinese people, Chinese political power emanating from Mainland China and even the Mandarin Chinese language) has emerged in Taiwanese society. There is now an increasing desire to emphasise instead the local Taiwanese consciousness (including Taiwanese people, Taiwanese political power, Taiwanese culture and the Taiwanese language).

The members of the Ink Trend Association grew up during the period of martial law in Taiwan and they were educated in traditional Chinese culture. They were strongly influenced by Chinese culture, and were inevitably constricted by this culture. The members of the Ink Trend Association have tried to convey the responsibility they feel as intellectuals, as well as their thoughts on the fate of intellectuals in modern society through writing modern calligraphy and showing concern for Taiwanese politics and social events. This is in keeping with Xu Yong-jin’s comment that contemporary Taiwanese calligraphic art should have as its core, freedom, personality, local colour and modernity. The history of the Ink Trend Association epitomizes of the contemporary competition between traditional Chinese culture, local Taiwanese culture and modern Western culture. A change of thinking in the members of the Ink Trend Association perhaps was an inevitable reflection of change in the nature of Taiwanese society. Although calligraphic art is one of the ‘treasures’ of Chinese culture, it is still, however, in these modern times, an art in decline. The older calligraphy masters are growing old and dying, while the middle-aged calligraphers are vacillating between the modern and the traditional. Few calligraphers of the younger generation have been able to develop new ideas or to bring about innovations in the field of calligraphy. Most of Taiwan’s younger generation is little interested in, calligraphic art. To this end, the recording the activities of the Ink Trend Association and the life and works of Xu Yong-jin is seems important to this author.

The Ink-Trend Association has tried to break through traditions during the period when Taiwan was subject to martial rule and during the period when Western culture began its attack on Taiwan society. Their struggles parallel, as well as embody, the developments that have taken place in Taiwanese society. For political reasons, Taiwan preserved and passed on Chinese traditional culture to future generations; however, the new political leaders in Taiwan are now transferring their attention and influence to local Taiwanese culture. It is clear that there is a close relationship between politics and art in Taiwan.

In the same way that the Ink Trend Association bridges traditional and modern calligraphic art, it is also a bridge between the old and young generation in Taiwan. Therefore to record the Ink Trend Association means to record the history of contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy. The Ink Trend Association not only continues to develop calligraphic art, but also develops new directions and a new spirit in contemporary Taiwanese calligraphy;

99 Section 5 - Conclusion

in doing so, the Association members give new life and power to calligraphy. It is indeed unfortunate that filmmakers have seldom been interested in recording Taiwanese calligraphy. This project is the first and only documentary to have filmed the activities of the Ink Trend Association. I have recorded them and Xu Yong-jin over the last five years, although, since his stroke at the end of 2004, he is now unable to create art in the same way that he used to.

Writer John Naisbitt wrote that in the future every classroom should have both a computer and a poet. He pointed out that our modern society has become afflicted with ‘high technology addiction’.161 From religion to nutrition, we live our lives the ‘fast food’ way. We blindly look for ‘meaning’ to fill the emptiness in our mind. As modern people cannot do without technology, we should try to add the romance of poets to our lives, and approach this technology slowly and with mindfulness. Calligraphy is an art but it is also a way through which we may cultivate our moral character: one straightens one’s clothes, one sits properly, then one carefully holds a brush-pen, and places a dot, and then a stroke and so on. By writing calligraphy, it is possible to calm one’s mind and modulate one’s temper. Unfortunately, calligraphy education in Taiwan primary schools is now in decline, and fewer children learn to understand the real spirit of calligraphy.

Taiwanese documentaries focus on recording politics and social events, as artists are generally not considered worthy of attention. It is not easy for professional Taiwanese artists to live in Taiwan as shown by the dispute over Xu Yong-jin’s meagre share of twenty thousands dollars from the original one million dollar payment. Art is of great significance and importance in our lives, but in Taiwan artists have become a disadvantaged minority. To record them not only celebrates their struggles and the contribution that they make, but also educates Taiwanese people. The act of recording endows things with extra meaning.

161 Yie-Ping, High Tech, High Touch, Taipei, China Times Cultural Publisher, 1999, pp.19-39.

100 Appendix

101 Appendix

Introduction to my documentary

In this research project, I have made a documentary entitled ‘Investigation of Contemporary Taiwanese Calligraphers: The Ink Trend Association and Xu Yong-jin’. This documentary is in two parts. The following is a brief overview of each part.

Part one: The Ink Trend Association—Pioneers of Contemporary Taiwanese Calligraphy

The first part: A active art group—the resistance activities

1. The birth of the Ink Trend Association.

2. 20 years ago, the founder of the Ink Trend Association, Zhang Jian-fu, protested to the president of Taipei Fine Art Museum about her actions in slighting the works of artists. This event was the first, and the most famous, act of resistance in the Taiwanese art field.

3. These acts of resistance have continued for 30 years in Taiwan, and these acts, combined with their contemporary calligraphy performances, make the Association truly avant-garde, and unique. (News archival pictures and films including resistance activities such as Respect to the Martyrs of Tian An Men, No free of Art Creation—Fucking Protest and Disregard of Art etc. are shown.)

The second part: the contribution of calligraphy

1. The Association has led Taiwan calligraphy in its transition from traditional to contemporary over the past 30 years.

2. The promotion of the globalization of calligraphy.

3. Outdoor performance.

The third part: unique individual artworks

1. Feminist calligrapher—Zheng Hui-mei.

2. Blind calligrapher—Liao Can-cheng.

102 Appendix

3. Musical calligrapher—Yang Zi-yun.

4. A significant Taiwanese contemporary calligrapher—Xu Yong-jin.

5. The soul of the Ink Trend Association—Zhang Jian-fu.

6. Significant calligraphy scholar— Cai Ming-zan.

7. Calligraphic literatus—Chen Ming-gui.

8. Calligraphy educator—Lian De-sen.

The fourth part: now and into the future

1. Art critics’ comments on the Ink Trend Association.

2. Pictures of the Ink Trend Association matched up to images of 30 years ago with each member presenting their comparisons of the past and the present.

Part two: Xu Yong-jin—A Man Who Has Devoted His life to Calligraphy

The first part: the poor childhood and the championing of calligraphy

1. The story of his study and mastery of calligraphy.

2. Seven years of continuous championing of calligraphy.

3. Calligraphy marriage.

The second part: an insight—to be himself—from traditional to modern

1. Xu’s acts of resistance with the Ink Trend Association.

2. No more calligraphy competitions, he becomes a contemporary calligrapher.

3. An analysis of Xu’s works.

103 Appendix

The third part: the comments of art critics and the position of Xu’s work in the art world

1. Interviews and comments of art critics.

2. Xu suffers a stroke.

3. Xu has created a new kind of calligraphic aesthetic.

Film websites about this project

Government Film Sites

http://movie.gio.gov.tw/

http://movie.cca.gov.tw/

http://www.cca.gov.tw/home _ e.htm

http://www.ctfa.org.tw/e _ index _ .htm

http://www.hmim.gov.tw/index1.htm

http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/movie/movindex.htm

http://www.pts.org.tw/~viewpoint/

http://www.taipei.gov.tw/ThemeWeb/Movie/2002/

Festival Web Sites

http://goldenhorse.kingnet.com.tw/c _ 1.html

http://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/

http://www.tieff.sinica.edu.tw/ch/e-index.html

http://www.wmw.com.tw/

104 Appendix

Taiwanese Film Data Web Sites

http://benz.nchu.edu.tw/~kfchiu/docu/show.htm

http://cinema.nccu.edu.tw/

http://www.dianying.com/en/

http://www.library _ shalu.tcc.edu.tw/

http://www.filmism.com/

http://www.fullshot.org.tw/

http://www.movie.com.tw/indexc.html

http://www.spot.org.tw/

http://www.twfilm.org/

Asia Film Data Web Sites

http://www.asianfilms.org/taiwan/

http://www.filmcritics.org.hk/

http://www.filmsea.com

http://www.hkmdb.com/index.b5.shtml

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/index _ flash.html

http://www.movieworld.com.hk/moviebase/index-b.shtml

International Film Data Web Sites

http://allmovie.com/

http://www.filmfestivals.com/index.shtml

http://www.imdb.com

http://www.mrqe.com/

105 Appendix

Calligraphy Web site

http://ajet.nsysu.edu.tw/~cf12/

http://calligraphy.dhs.org/main.htm

http://dofish.idv.tw/

http://www2.tku.edu.tw/~finearts/ccfac/penmanship.html

http://www.cca.gov.tw/Culture/wac/words.htm

http://www.cwin.com/topline/zine/

http://www.freehead.com/

http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/culture _ c/index.html

http://www.taiwaninfo.org/info/culture _ c/aei005.html

106 Bibliography

107 Bibliography

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Massood, Paula J., ‘An Aesthetic Appropriate to Conditions: Killer of Sheep, (Neo) Realism, and the Documentary Impulse’, Wide Angle, vol. 21, no. 4, October, 1999, pp. 20-41.

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Rosenthal, Alan, The Documentary Conscience: A Casebook in Filmmaking, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1980.

Rudolph, Eric, ‘Truth and Fiction in Storytelling’, American Cinematographer, vol. 83, no. 1, January, 2002, pp. 123-124.

Ryan, Orla, ‘Retelling History from Lost Sources’, Circa, vol. 106, Winter, 2003, pp. 51-55.

Sekula, Allan, ‘Dismantling Modernism: Reinventing Documentary (Notes on the Politics of Representation) Book Excerpt’, European Photography, vol. 20, no. 66, Fall, 1999, p. 13.

Shohat, Ella and Robert, Stam, Multiculturalism, Postcoloniality and Transnational Media, Rutgers University Press, 2003.

Utterson, Andrew, ‘Destination Digital: Documentary Representation and the Virtual Travelogue’, Quarterly Review of Film and Video, vol. 20, no. 3, July/ September, 2003, pp. 193-202.

Vaughan, Dai, For Documentary: Twelve Essays, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1999.

110 Bibliography

Winston, Brian, Claiming The Real: The Documentary Film Revisited, London, British Film Institute, 1995.

Yanru, H X C, ‘Film and Social Change: the Chinese Cinema in the Reform Era’, Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 28, no. 1, Spring, 2000, pp. 36-45.

Yeh, Yueh-yu, reviewer, ‘New Chinese Cinemas (Book Review)’, Jump Cut, vol. 42, 1998, pp. 73-76.

Yu, Emily, ‘Sounds of Cinema: What Do We Really Hear’? Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 31, no. 2, Summer, 2003, pp. 93-96.

Yue, Rebecca, Chinese Calligraphy Made Easy: A Structured Course in Creating Beautiful Brush Lettering, New York, USA: Watson-Guptill publisher, 2005.

Zhang, Ying-jin, Screening China: Critical Interventions, Cinematic Reconfigurations, and the Transnational Imaginary in Contemporary Chinese Cinema, Michigan, University of Michigan, 2001.

Zimmermann, Patricia R, Reel Families: a Social History of Amateur Film, Bloomington, Indiana University, Press, 1995.

Zryd, Michael, ‘Rhetoric and Representation in Nonfiction Film’, Film Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 4, Summer, 2000, pp.61-64.

Publications in Chinese

Barsam, Richard M., Non-fiction Film: A Critical History, Taipei, Yuan-Liu Publishing Co., 1996.

Berger, Arthur Asa, Essentials of Mass Communication Theory, Taipei, Pro-Ed Publishing Co., 2000.

Cai, Ming-zan, Interest of Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2000.

Chen, Giongu-hua, Summary of Art, Taipei, Sanmin Book Co., 1995.

Chen, Liang-feng, ‘Those True and Sincere Images’, Full Shot News Report, vol. 25, 1998, pp. 13-28.

Chen, Ming-gui, The Calligraphy and Painting of Chen Ming-gui, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994.

Chen, Ru-xiu, ‘Culture Research and Aborigine in Taiwanese’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 6, November, 1993, pp. 58-63.

Chen, Shou, History of the Three Kingdoms, Taipei, Hong Ye Bookstore, 1979.

111 Bibliography

Chuay, Bu, Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Cheng Bang Culture Business Co., 2001.

Council for Cultural Affairs, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs of Taiwan, 2002.

Dai, Bo-fen and Wei, Yin-bing, ‘The Observation of Opposite Main Stream Media in Taiwan’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 10, no. 3, 1992, pp. 112-114.

Dong, Nor, The Story of Chinese Word, Taipei, Unitas Publishing Co., 2001.

Du, Ke-feng, The Photographic work of Christopher Doyle, Taipei, China News Cultural Business Co., 1999.

Full Shot Foundation, ‘Why Do We Popularize Documentary’? Full Shot News Report, vol.12, 1998, pp. 64-66.

Ge, Guang-yu (ed), ‘Why don’t We Sing a Song’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 73, November, 1995, pp. 88-97.

Giannetti, Louis D., Understanding Movies, 2th ed., Taipei, Yuan-Liu Publishing Co., 2002.

Guo Xi-liang, Knowledge of Chinese character, Peking, Peking Publishing House, 1981.

He, Gui-feng, ‘How to Improve the Taiwanese Documentary’, Wen Xing Magazine, vol. 108, 1987, pp. 129-135.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Encourage the Taiwanese Fiction Film and Feel Sad about Taiwanese Documentary’, Chinese Forum Journal, vol. 226, 1995, pp. 24-26.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Introduction of Taiwanese Ethnographic Film’, Collected Papers of Institute of Ethnology of Academic Sinica, vol. 71, 1991, pp. 77-79.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Comment of Taiwanese Ethnographic Documentary Lan Yu Guan Dian’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 6, November, 1993, pp. 92-95.

Hu, Xing-qi, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary: The Story of Red Silk Ribbon’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 14, no. 6, 1996, pp. 28-31.

Hu, Xing-qi, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary Woman and Politics’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 15, no. 4, 1997, pp. 122-129.

Hua, Hui-ying, Cameraman—The Fifty Years History of Photography Works of Hui-Ying Hua, Taipei, Yuan-Liou Publishing Co., 2000.

Huang, Jing -ya, ‘The Portraits of the Writers of Taiwan, Mainland China and Hong Kong’, Exchange Magazine, vol. 36, 1997, pp. 55-59.

112 Bibliography

Huang, Wen-ran, Art Odyssey in the Modernist Era, Taipei, Artist Bookstore, 2002.

Katz, Steven D., Film Directing: Shot by Shot, Taipei, Wu Nam Co., 2004.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Current Situation of Chinese Television Documentary and Ethnographic Film’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 17, no. 1, January, 1999, pp. 12-17.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘How to Read Documentary’, Independence Daily News, February, 3, 1998.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘My Experience of Documentary Filmmaking’, Peking International Documentary Academic Conference, Peking, 1998, pp. 22-28.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Taiwanese Documentary and the Culture Issue’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, 1990, pp. 77-80.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Taiwanese Newsreel’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, 1995, pp. 51-53.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘The Filmmaker who makes a Speech on the Balcony and My Experience of Filmmaking of Social Movement in Taiwan’, Bian Di Fa Sheng Magazine, vol. 19, no. 2, 1992, pp. 24-29.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘The History of Taiwanese Documentary’, The Special Issue of Golden Horse Film Festival in 1987, 1987, pp. 152-154.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Record and Reality: The Review of Documentary Aesthetic Strategy in the Past Ninety Years’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 17, no. 1, January, 1999, pp. 56-58.

Lee, Dao-ming (ed.), Recording Taiwan: Talking History of Taiwanese Documentary and Newsreels, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 2000.

Lee, Dao-ming (ed.), Recording Taiwan: The Booklist and Document Collection of Taiwanese documentary, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 2000.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘What Is Documentary?’ Lian He Monthly Publication, vol. 52, 1985, pp. 38-41.

Lee, Ya-mei, (ed.), Twentieth Anniversary of Taiwanese New Cinema, Taipei, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, 2003.

Lee, Yong-wei, ‘The Future of Taiwanese Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 6, no. 1, 1988, pp. 22-26.

Lee, You-ning, How to Make a Film, Taipei, Shang Zhou Publishing Co., 2000.

Liu, Li-xing, Film Theory and Comment, Taipei, Wu Nan Bookstore, 1997.

113 Bibliography

Lu, Fei-yi, ‘Look Who’s Talking: the Changing Roles of Taiwanese Newsreel and Documentary Auteur’, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Council for Cultural Affairs, Taipei, 2002, pp.61-80.

Lu, Fei-yi, ‘The Change of the Skill of Reappearance and Concept of Documentary’, Communication Research News, vol.12, 1996, pp. 102-107.

Mei, Mo-shen, The Critique of Modern Chinese Painter and Calligrapher, Peking, Peking Library Publisher, 1999.

Meng, Tao, Reviewing for the Hundred Years of Aesthetics of Cinema, Taipei, Yang-Chih Co., 2002.

Ouyang, Zhong-shi, World of Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Taiwan Commercial Affairs Publishing Co., 2000.

Pudovkin, V. I., Skill and Performance of Film, Taipei, Shu Lin Su Lin Publishing, 1980.

Rabinowitz, Paula, They Must Be Represented: The Politics of Documentary, Taipei, Yuan- Liu Publishing Co., 2000.

Teng, Shu-fen, ‘Recording Taiwan—The Culture Hunting Filmmaker’, Sinorama Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, 1998, pp. 144-149.

Teng, Shu-fen, ‘Recording Taiwan—National Recording by Digital Camera Movement’, Sinorama Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, 1998, pp. 150-153.

Tian, Yu-wen, ‘Research into the Core of Taiwanese Ethnographic Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, May. 1994, pp. 77-78.

The Ink Trend Association, Modern Calligraphic Art, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994.

Wang, Mo-lin, ‘The Position Identification of Taiwanese Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 13, no. 2, 1995, pp. 79-82.

Wang, Wei-ci, Recording and Exploring—The Interview of the Filmmakers of Mainland China, Taipei, Yuan-Liou Publishing Co., 2000.

Wang, Wei-ci, ‘The Comparison of Development and Condition of Documentary between Taiwan and Mainland China’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 16, no. 5, 1998, pp. 109-111.

Wei, Zheng-tong, A Terrible Wind and Thunder—Mao Tsetung and Culture Revolution, Taipei, Xuli Culture Publisher, 2001.

Xiao, Ji-zhen, ‘Aborigine Films His Own Story’, Yu Le Weekly, vol. 47, 1997, pp. 82-85.

114 Bibliography

Xiaoye, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary— Looking for the power of Taiwan’, Global View Magazine, vol.77, October, 15, 1990, pp. 122-128.

Xion, Bing-ming, System of Chinese Calligraphic Theory, Taipei, Hsiung Shih Art Books, 1999.

Xu, Shun-jie, ‘Chen Yao-qi—Looking for the Subject of film from Life’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 5, September, 1993, pp. 102-105.

Xu Yong-jin, Discovering the Truth of Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1999.

Xu Yong-jin, The Contemporary Calligraphic Art of Xu Yong-jin, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Brush and Ink Publishing House, 2001.

Yang, Jia-lin, How to use a Digital Camera, Taipei, New Image Publishing House, 1998.

Yang, Yu-fu, Visual Communication Ideology: Manufactory of Visual Representation, Taipei, Countryside City Cultural Co., 2000.

Yang, Zi-yun, Su Lu Zhi Wang—Ye Yu Shi Nian Deng, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2001.

Yao, Jia-nine, ‘The Development and Current Situation of Taiwanese Documentary’, Influence Film Magazine, vol. 3. 1994, pp. 27-29.

Yao, Jia-nine, ’The Paper work of Documentary’, Influence Film Magazine, vol. 3. 1994, pp. 99-102.

Ye, Long-yan, The History of Taiwanese Cinema : 1945-1949, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 1995.

You, Hui-zhen, ‘Current Situation and Future of Taiwanese Laborer Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol.12, 1994, pp. 110-115.

Zheng Hui-mei, ‘The Birth, Age, Illness and Death of Modern Calligraphy’, Art Magazine, Taipei, Art Publishing House, 1994.

Zhong, Ming-derom, Realism to Post Modernism, Shu Lin Bookstore, Taipei,1995.

Zhou, Jin-hong, The Dance of Spirit, Miaoli, Culture Affairs Bureau of Miaoli County, 2004.

Zou, Zhi-mu, Cursive: Birth of a Dance, Taipei, Ecus Publishing House, 2001.

115 Bibliography

107 Bibliography

Publications in English

Addiss, Stephen, 77 Dances: Japanese Calligraphy By Poets, Monks, and Scholars 1568-1868, Massachusetts, USA: Weatherhill Publishers, 2006.

Asako, Fujioka, ‘International Documentary Film Festivals and the Current State of Asian Documentary Distribution’, Producing and Distributing Documentary Film for International Communication Seminar, on May 9, 2002.

Bailey, John, ‘Digital, Digital Get Down’, American Cinematographer, vol. 81, no. 11, November, 2000, pp.118-120.

Barbash, Ilisa and Lucien, Taylor, Cross-Cultural Filmmaking: A Handbook for Making Documentary and Ethnographic Films and Videos, Berkley, University of California Press, 1997.

Barnouw, Erik, Documentary: a History of the Non-fiction Film, New York, Oxford University Press, 1993.

Beausse, Pascal, ‘Photography versus the Image’, Art Press, vol. 251, November, 1999, pp. 44-47.

Burton, Julianne, The Social Documentary in Latin America, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1990.

Campagnola, Sonia, ‘Reality Checking in Taipei: Barbara Vanderlin and Huei-Hua Cheng Talk about the Taipei Biennial 2004 den and Amy’, Flash Art (International Edition), vol. 37, October, 2004, p. 58.

Chanan, Michael, ‘The Documentary Chronotope’, Jump Cut, vol. 43, 2000, pp. 56-61.

Chang, Chris, ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, Film Comment, vol. 41, no. 1, Jan/Feb, 2005, pp. 46-52.

Charlesworth, J. J., ‘Reality check’, Art Monthly Source, vol. 247, June, 2001, pp. 1-5.

Clarke, David, ‘The Culture of a Border within: Hong Kong art and China’, Art Journal, vol. 59, no. 2, Summer, 2000, pp. 88-101.

Derrida, Jacques, Writing and Difference, trans. Alan Bass, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1978.

Dixon, Wheeler Winston, The Second Century of Cinema: the Past and Future of the Moving Image, Albany, State University of New York Press, 2000.

Dixon, Wheeler Winson and Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (eds), Experimental Cinema: the Film Reader, New York, Routledge, 2002.

108 Bibliography

Drucker, Johanna, ‘Experimental Narrative and Artists' Books’, Journal of Artists' Books, vol. 12, Fall, 1999, pp. 3-25.

Ettedgui, Peter, Cinematography, San Francisco, McGraw-Hill, 1999.

Feaster, Felicia, ‘Chasing Reality: the New Documentary Aesthetic’, Art Papers, vol. 22, no. 5, September/October 1998, pp. 28-33.

Grierson, John, Grierson on Documentary, Latimer Trend & Co., London, 1966.

Griffiths, Alison ‘Experimental Ethnography: The Work of Film in the Age of Video’, Film Quarterly, vol. 54, no. 2, Winter, 2000, pp. 53-55.

Grundmann, Roy; Rockwell, Cynthia, ‘Truth is not Subjective: an Interview with Errol Morris’, Cineaste, vol. 25, no. 3, 2000, pp. 4-9.

Guneratne, Anthony R. and Wimal Dissanayake (eds.) Rethinking Third Cinema, London, Routledge, 2003.

Hess, John; Zimmermann, Patricia R., ‘Transnational Documentaries: a Manifest to Reimaging Radical Media to Combat the Rapid Diminishment of the Public Sphere through Globalization’, Afterimage, vol. 24, January/February, 1997, pp. 10-14.

Hjort, Mette and Scott, MacKenzie (eds.), Cinema and Nation, London, Routledge, 2000.

Jacobs, Lewis, The Documentary Tradition: From Nanook to Woodstock, New York, Norton, 1971.

Laurel, Brenda, Computers as Theatre, Massachusetts, Addison-Wesley, 1993.

Lestocart, Louis-Jose, ‘Doing It Digitally’, Art Press, vol. 265, February, 2001, pp. 46-50.

Lu, Hsiao-peng, China, Transnational Visuality, Global Postmodernity, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2002.

Massood, Paula J., ‘An Aesthetic Appropriate to Conditions: Killer of Sheep, (Neo) Realism, and the Documentary Impulse’, Wide Angle, vol. 21, no. 4, October, 1999, pp. 20-41.

Minh-ha, Trihn T., ‘All-Owning Spectatorship’ in Hamid Nacify and Teshome H. Gabriel (eds.), Otherness and the Media, Chur, Harwood Academic Publishers, 1993.

Naficy, Hamid, An Accented Cinema: Exilic and Diasporic Filmmaking, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2001.

Naficy, Hamid (ed.), Home, Exile, Homeland: Film, Media, and the Politics of Place, New York, Routledge, 1999.

109 Bibliography

Nichols, Bill, Blurred Boundaries: Questions of Meaning in Contemporary Culture, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1994.

Nichols, Bill, ‘Documenting Ourselves’, Film Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 1, Fall, 1999, p. 50.

Nichols, Bill, Introduction to Documentary, Indiana, Indiana University Press, 2001.

Perry, Elizabeth J. and Selden, Mark, Chinese Society : Change, Conflict and Resistance (Asia's Transformations), Maryland, USA: Routledge Publisher, 2000.

Peyton, Patricia, ed., Reel Change: A guide to Social Issue Films, Film Fund, San Francisco, 1979.

Plantinga, Carl R., Rhetoric and Representation in Non-fiction Film, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Porton, Richard, ‘Weapon of Mass Instruction: Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11’, Cineaste, vol. 29, no. 4, Fall, 2004, pp. 3-7.

Rabiger, Michael, Directing the Documentary, Stoneham, Butterworth Publisher, 1992.

Renov, Michael, Theorizing Documentary, New York, Routledge Publisher, 1993.

Rosenthal, Alan, ‘Documenting the Documentary’, Film Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 2, Winter, 1999, pp. 50-53.

Rosenthal, Alan, The Documentary Conscience: A Casebook in Filmmaking, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1980.

Rudolph, Eric, ‘Truth and Fiction in Storytelling’, American Cinematographer, vol. 83, no. 1, January, 2002, pp. 123-124.

Ryan, Orla, ‘Retelling History from Lost Sources’, Circa, vol. 106, Winter, 2003, pp. 51-55.

Sekula, Allan, ‘Dismantling Modernism: Reinventing Documentary (Notes on the Politics of Representation) Book Excerpt’, European Photography, vol. 20, no. 66, Fall, 1999, p. 13.

Shohat, Ella and Robert, Stam, Multiculturalism, Postcoloniality and Transnational Media, Rutgers University Press, 2003.

Utterson, Andrew, ‘Destination Digital: Documentary Representation and the Virtual Travelogue’, Quarterly Review of Film and Video, vol. 20, no. 3, July/ September, 2003, pp. 193-202.

Vaughan, Dai, For Documentary: Twelve Essays, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1999.

110 Bibliography

Winston, Brian, Claiming The Real: The Documentary Film Revisited, London, British Film Institute, 1995.

Yanru, H X C, ‘Film and Social Change: the Chinese Cinema in the Reform Era’, Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 28, no. 1, Spring, 2000, pp. 36-45.

Yeh, Yueh-yu, reviewer, ‘New Chinese Cinemas (Book Review)’, Jump Cut, vol. 42, 1998, pp. 73-76.

Yu, Emily, ‘Sounds of Cinema: What Do We Really Hear’? Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 31, no. 2, Summer, 2003, pp. 93-96.

Yue, Rebecca, Chinese Calligraphy Made Easy: A Structured Course in Creating Beautiful Brush Lettering, New York, USA: Watson-Guptill publisher, 2005.

Zhang, Ying-jin, Screening China: Critical Interventions, Cinematic Reconfigurations, and the Transnational Imaginary in Contemporary Chinese Cinema, Michigan, University of Michigan, 2001.

Zimmermann, Patricia R, Reel Families: a Social History of Amateur Film, Bloomington, Indiana University, Press, 1995.

Zryd, Michael, ‘Rhetoric and Representation in Nonfiction Film’, Film Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 4, Summer, 2000, pp.61-64.

Publications in Chinese

Barsam, Richard M., Non-fiction Film: A Critical History, Taipei, Yuan-Liu Publishing Co., 1996.

Berger, Arthur Asa, Essentials of Mass Communication Theory, Taipei, Pro-Ed Publishing Co., 2000.

Cai, Ming-zan, Interest of Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2000.

Chen, Giongu-hua, Summary of Art, Taipei, Sanmin Book Co., 1995.

Chen, Liang-feng, ‘Those True and Sincere Images’, Full Shot News Report, vol. 25, 1998, pp. 13-28.

Chen, Ming-gui, The Calligraphy and Painting of Chen Ming-gui, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994.

Chen, Ru-xiu, ‘Culture Research and Aborigine in Taiwanese’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 6, November, 1993, pp. 58-63.

Chen, Shou, History of the Three Kingdoms, Taipei, Hong Ye Bookstore, 1979.

111 Bibliography

Chuay, Bu, Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Cheng Bang Culture Business Co., 2001.

Council for Cultural Affairs, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Taipei, Council for Cultural Affairs of Taiwan, 2002.

Dai, Bo-fen and Wei, Yin-bing, ‘The Observation of Opposite Main Stream Media in Taiwan’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 10, no. 3, 1992, pp. 112-114.

Dong, Nor, The Story of Chinese Word, Taipei, Unitas Publishing Co., 2001.

Du, Ke-feng, The Photographic work of Christopher Doyle, Taipei, China News Cultural Business Co., 1999.

Full Shot Foundation, ‘Why Do We Popularize Documentary’? Full Shot News Report, vol.12, 1998, pp. 64-66.

Ge, Guang-yu (ed), ‘Why don’t We Sing a Song’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 73, November, 1995, pp. 88-97.

Giannetti, Louis D., Understanding Movies, 2th ed., Taipei, Yuan-Liu Publishing Co., 2002.

Guo Xi-liang, Knowledge of Chinese character, Peking, Peking Publishing House, 1981.

He, Gui-feng, ‘How to Improve the Taiwanese Documentary’, Wen Xing Magazine, vol. 108, 1987, pp. 129-135.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Encourage the Taiwanese Fiction Film and Feel Sad about Taiwanese Documentary’, Chinese Forum Journal, vol. 226, 1995, pp. 24-26.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Introduction of Taiwanese Ethnographic Film’, Collected Papers of Institute of Ethnology of Academic Sinica, vol. 71, 1991, pp. 77-79.

Hu, Tai-li, ‘Comment of Taiwanese Ethnographic Documentary Lan Yu Guan Dian’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 6, November, 1993, pp. 92-95.

Hu, Xing-qi, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary: The Story of Red Silk Ribbon’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 14, no. 6, 1996, pp. 28-31.

Hu, Xing-qi, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary Woman and Politics’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 15, no. 4, 1997, pp. 122-129.

Hua, Hui-ying, Cameraman—The Fifty Years History of Photography Works of Hui-Ying Hua, Taipei, Yuan-Liou Publishing Co., 2000.

Huang, Jing -ya, ‘The Portraits of the Writers of Taiwan, Mainland China and Hong Kong’, Exchange Magazine, vol. 36, 1997, pp. 55-59.

112 Bibliography

Huang, Wen-ran, Art Odyssey in the Modernist Era, Taipei, Artist Bookstore, 2002.

Katz, Steven D., Film Directing: Shot by Shot, Taipei, Wu Nam Co., 2004.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Current Situation of Chinese Television Documentary and Ethnographic Film’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 17, no. 1, January, 1999, pp. 12-17.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘How to Read Documentary’, Independence Daily News, February, 3, 1998.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘My Experience of Documentary Filmmaking’, Peking International Documentary Academic Conference, Peking, 1998, pp. 22-28.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Taiwanese Documentary and the Culture Issue’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, 1990, pp. 77-80.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Taiwanese Newsreel’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, 1995, pp. 51-53.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘The Filmmaker who makes a Speech on the Balcony and My Experience of Filmmaking of Social Movement in Taiwan’, Bian Di Fa Sheng Magazine, vol. 19, no. 2, 1992, pp. 24-29.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘The History of Taiwanese Documentary’, The Special Issue of Golden Horse Film Festival in 1987, 1987, pp. 152-154.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘Record and Reality: The Review of Documentary Aesthetic Strategy in the Past Ninety Years’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 17, no. 1, January, 1999, pp. 56-58.

Lee, Dao-ming (ed.), Recording Taiwan: Talking History of Taiwanese Documentary and Newsreels, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 2000.

Lee, Dao-ming (ed.), Recording Taiwan: The Booklist and Document Collection of Taiwanese documentary, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 2000.

Lee, Dao-ming, ‘What Is Documentary?’ Lian He Monthly Publication, vol. 52, 1985, pp. 38-41.

Lee, Ya-mei, (ed.), Twentieth Anniversary of Taiwanese New Cinema, Taipei, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, 2003.

Lee, Yong-wei, ‘The Future of Taiwanese Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 6, no. 1, 1988, pp. 22-26.

Lee, You-ning, How to Make a Film, Taipei, Shang Zhou Publishing Co., 2000.

Liu, Li-xing, Film Theory and Comment, Taipei, Wu Nan Bookstore, 1997.

113 Bibliography

Lu, Fei-yi, ‘Look Who’s Talking: the Changing Roles of Taiwanese Newsreel and Documentary Auteur’, Representing Reality: International Conference on Documentary Aesthetics, Council for Cultural Affairs, Taipei, 2002, pp.61-80.

Lu, Fei-yi, ‘The Change of the Skill of Reappearance and Concept of Documentary’, Communication Research News, vol.12, 1996, pp. 102-107.

Mei, Mo-shen, The Critique of Modern Chinese Painter and Calligrapher, Peking, Peking Library Publisher, 1999.

Meng, Tao, Reviewing for the Hundred Years of Aesthetics of Cinema, Taipei, Yang-Chih Co., 2002.

Ouyang, Zhong-shi, World of Chinese Calligraphy, Taipei, Taiwan Commercial Affairs Publishing Co., 2000.

Pudovkin, V. I., Skill and Performance of Film, Taipei, Shu Lin Su Lin Publishing, 1980.

Rabinowitz, Paula, They Must Be Represented: The Politics of Documentary, Taipei, Yuan- Liu Publishing Co., 2000.

Teng, Shu-fen, ‘Recording Taiwan—The Culture Hunting Filmmaker’, Sinorama Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, 1998, pp. 144-149.

Teng, Shu-fen, ‘Recording Taiwan—National Recording by Digital Camera Movement’, Sinorama Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, 1998, pp. 150-153.

Tian, Yu-wen, ‘Research into the Core of Taiwanese Ethnographic Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, May. 1994, pp. 77-78.

The Ink Trend Association, Modern Calligraphic Art, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1994.

Wang, Mo-lin, ‘The Position Identification of Taiwanese Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 13, no. 2, 1995, pp. 79-82.

Wang, Wei-ci, Recording and Exploring—The Interview of the Filmmakers of Mainland China, Taipei, Yuan-Liou Publishing Co., 2000.

Wang, Wei-ci, ‘The Comparison of Development and Condition of Documentary between Taiwan and Mainland China’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 16, no. 5, 1998, pp. 109-111.

Wei, Zheng-tong, A Terrible Wind and Thunder—Mao Tsetung and Culture Revolution, Taipei, Xuli Culture Publisher, 2001.

Xiao, Ji-zhen, ‘Aborigine Films His Own Story’, Yu Le Weekly, vol. 47, 1997, pp. 82-85.

114 Bibliography

Xiaoye, ‘Comment on Taiwanese Documentary— Looking for the power of Taiwan’, Global View Magazine, vol.77, October, 15, 1990, pp. 122-128.

Xion, Bing-ming, System of Chinese Calligraphic Theory, Taipei, Hsiung Shih Art Books, 1999.

Xu, Shun-jie, ‘Chen Yao-qi—Looking for the Subject of film from Life’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol. 11, no. 5, September, 1993, pp. 102-105.

Xu Yong-jin, Discovering the Truth of Calligraphy, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 1999.

Xu Yong-jin, The Contemporary Calligraphic Art of Xu Yong-jin, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Brush and Ink Publishing House, 2001.

Yang, Jia-lin, How to use a Digital Camera, Taipei, New Image Publishing House, 1998.

Yang, Yu-fu, Visual Communication Ideology: Manufactory of Visual Representation, Taipei, Countryside City Cultural Co., 2000.

Yang, Zi-yun, Su Lu Zhi Wang—Ye Yu Shi Nian Deng, Taipei, Hui Feng Tang Publisher, 2001.

Yao, Jia-nine, ‘The Development and Current Situation of Taiwanese Documentary’, Influence Film Magazine, vol. 3. 1994, pp. 27-29.

Yao, Jia-nine, ’The Paper work of Documentary’, Influence Film Magazine, vol. 3. 1994, pp. 99-102.

Ye, Long-yan, The History of Taiwanese Cinema : 1945-1949, Taipei, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, 1995.

You, Hui-zhen, ‘Current Situation and Future of Taiwanese Laborer Documentary’, Film Appreciation Journal, vol.12, 1994, pp. 110-115.

Zheng Hui-mei, ‘The Birth, Age, Illness and Death of Modern Calligraphy’, Art Magazine, Taipei, Art Publishing House, 1994.

Zhong, Ming-derom, Realism to Post Modernism, Shu Lin Bookstore, Taipei,1995.

Zhou, Jin-hong, The Dance of Spirit, Miaoli, Culture Affairs Bureau of Miaoli County, 2004.

Zou, Zhi-mu, Cursive: Birth of a Dance, Taipei, Ecus Publishing House, 2001.

115