Lin Yutang House【An Encounter with Letters–The Handwritten Letter Project】

In March and April 2017, the Lin Yutang House, under the operation of Soochow University on behalf of the Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs, held a series of Popiah cultural events. And in May, at the transition of spring and summer, the Lin Yutang House presented 【An Encounter with Letters】, a project that took yearlong planning and collaboration with the Yunwu Foundation, Kwoh-ting Li’s Residence, Wistaria Tea House, Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum, Liang Shih Chiu House, and Ch'ien Mu House to display handwritten letters by these masters.

Unlike in most other events where only one individual or one topic will be presented, this exhibition comprises of rarely-seen handwritten letters by these masters grouped by different thematic topics; their correspondence with family members, teachers, students, and friends. Through the words and stories in the letters, and the different sections of the exhibition, visitors may have a chance to be transported back to the time and space these masters left behind.

Letter readings by Cheng-Tao Chung (Director, Lin Yutang House) and Professor Chia-Wen Chu (Fo Guang University Department of Chinese Literature and Application) marked the opening of the exhibition on May 6^th at the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum. Plus One Guitar gave a moving guitar and violin performance.  Attendees had the rare opportunity of taking photos at the homes of these writers and their life-size cutouts. Beautifully designed souvenir letterheads were given to future master writers as children and adults alike came to experience the joy of sending out handwritten letters.