In the “New Year Calligraphy Displaying Meeting,” hosted by Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center, on the sixth of first month of Lunar New Year (February 3, 2006), President C. I. Chang, as one of the 12 initiators, penned the Chinese character for “year” to bless the participants.

Twelve noted figures from cultural and business fields are invited as initiators, with each of them writing one characters to complete the blessing sentence-- Displaying calligraphy to celebrate the year of Bing Hsu. The lucky twelve are Lien Sheng-yen, Honorable Director-general of Chinese Calligraphy Association, Ho Chung-hsung, President of Foundation of Traditional and Modern Cultural Education, Shih Kuang Yuan, Director-general of Chinese Calligraphy Association, President C. I. Chang, Chang Kuang-ping, respected calligrapher, Hsu Shui-te, Dean of College of Taiwanese Arts Progress, Chiu Kun-liang, Chairman of Council of Cultural Affairs, Taiwan, Chou Tsan-der, Deputy Minister of MOE, Ho Yuan-hsung, Deputy Minister of Ministry Of Transportation And Communications ROC, Li Chi-mao, Director of Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center, Pai Ping-ping, noted performer, Liu Ping-nan, former Director-general of Chinese Calligraphy Association.

There are twelve young calligraphers attending this meeting. They are school children who won the first prizes in national calligraphic competitions in 2005. They are invited to complete another twelve-character sentence--Inheriting the art of calligraphy and promoting civil aesthetics.

Chang Ben-hang, Chief of Center for the Study of Calligraphy, indicates that “inviting famous senior figures and successful young apprentices to display calligraphy together highlight the cultural inheritance of calligraphic art in the country.”

The “e-Pen calligraphy” developed by TKU was demonstrated during the meeting, to symbolize the successful combination of traditional arts and modern technology.

Chiu Kun-liang, Chairman of Council of Cultural Affairs, took the initiative to e-pen happy new year, and joined with prosperity in the year of Dog by Chou Tsan-der, Deputy Minister of MOE, and peace and luck by Ho Chung-hsung, President of Foundation of Traditional and Modern Cultural Education.

International friends, ambassadors and representatives from Dominican, Honduras, Philippines, Palau, Russian, Swaziland, South Africa, Germany, and Denmark also attended this fascinating meeting. (~ Chi-szu Chen )