Chang Ben-hang, the Deputy Director of the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center aka the Director of the Calligraphy Division, was honored with the Chinese Calligraphy Awards at the 11th Global Chinese Culture Heritage Awards Ceremony on October 11. He is departing to Korea on October 27 to collect another award from the Winter Cypress Art Awards for his contribution in promoting calligraphy. This is indeed a great compliment to him winning two significant awards in one month.

In the first awards, Chang was short listed together with 11 other awardees from nearly 200 Chinese candidates worldwide to receive such an honor bestowed by the R.O.C. Senior Jaycees Club. It demonstrates that his outstanding work is of world-class standard.

Chang is not only a faculty member at the TKU Chinese Department, but also acts as the Director of the Calligraphy Association of R.O.C. as well as the Chairman of the International Calligraphy Association among many other similar organizations. He has dedicated in developing and promoting calligraphy for years including combining computer technology with the teaching of traditional art of writing. Upon receiving his award at the Heritage ceremony, he commented on the importance of preserving the art of calligraphy and urged everyone to ‘tout’ the merits of the writing system, the complicated characters, in Taiwan to the international art community.

The second award Chang is about to receive in Korea was set up by the Winter Cypress Financial Group, a private Korean cultural foundation in, who awards talented or dedicated Korean and foreign artists. Chang is the third person, but also the first non-Korean winning the award with calligraphy, which makes his achievement even more admirable.