Libra－Lin, Yu-Tang on his 120th Anniversary

The Department of Cultural Affairs delegated the administrative supervision of the former residence of Lin, Yu-Tang to the Soochow University Art Center. Lin, Yu-Tang (1895~1976) was a Chinese writer famous around the world for his English-language works.  An advocate of humorous literature, he was called “The Master of Humor”. This great author wrote more than 40 works such as The Art of Living, The Life and Times of Su, Tung-po, and The Wisdom of China and India.

The former residence of Lin, Yu-Tang which was built in 1966, is located on Yangming Mountain. This building combines Western with Eastern cultures and is modern with a classical concept designed by Lin himself. The Master of Humor passed away in this building when he was 82 years old in April of 1976. The former residence is a diversified space featuring literature, speeches, recreation and a restaurant. It displays the Master’s living room with artifacts and works of Lin, Yu-Tang, where lectures and art exhibits are regularly held. The long-term goal of the center is to promote academic research and international exchange  devoted to Lin, Yu-Tang.

In 2015, the 120^th anniversary of Lin, Yu-Tang is being observed. TheArt Center presents “Former residence planning” to serve as a guide for teachers and students in their visit of the former residence of Lin, Yu-Tang, inspiring them  with Mr. Lin’s learning, his wisdom and his way of life.

I. 【Static Exhibition】

1. Subject: “Looking Around”, the Master walks through the world—Life of Lin, Yu-Tang exhibition
2. Time: Chengzhong Campus Recreation Square Exhibition Hall－10/02-10/17;

　　　　　 Shuangxi Campus R Building Shuangxi Gallery－10/05-10/11

3. Content：

--Life: Showing Lin, Yu-Tang chronology of his life

--Travel: Telling the story of Mr. Lin through his travels around the world.

--Marriage: Describing the love story of Mr. Lin, from first love to married life.

--Family: Outlining  Mr. Lin’s family life to show his views of life and women as a father and a husband.

--Humor: He thought humor to be a unique attitude. It is not something amusing or sarcastic but  wisdom of the ways of life and an attitude of leisure.

--Invention: His Chinese typewriter represents the persistence and realization of Mr. Lin’s childhood dream and also a significant contribution to the modernization of China.

--Hard times: A series of frustrations marked the life of Mr. Lin after 1947.

--Taiwan Consciousness:  Although Mr. Lin lived abroad, he still had a strong local consciousness.  For people who live abroad over 30 years, even their hometown changes, they still want to find some similar place to call home.

--Internationalization: Lin, Yu-Tang said, “Two footsteps in western and eastern culture; a heart comments in universal essays”. Although his works can’t represent the entire literature of China, his writings on literature can communicate the essence of western and eastern cultures and advance the global impact of Chinese literature. We can say that he was a great individual working on his own at that time.

--Design of the building: the designer of the former residence of Lin, Yu-Tang is Wang, Da-hung who won the National Literature and Art Prize in 2009. His fusion of Chinese and Western styles is derived from Lin, Yu-Tang.

【Video】：Playing Lin, Yu-Tang documentary film in the exhibition.

II. 【Dynamic Activity】

【Vintage modern feast】

1. Time: 2015/10/06 12：00-13：30。
2. Object: Soochow University Students and faculties, public figures.
3. Location: Shuangxi Campus Wangxin square
4. Participation:

     （1）Register at http://www.ecampus.scu.edu.tw/

     （2）Get an invitation letter from the Art Center

     （3）An invitation letter is needed to enter the exhibition

5. Procedure: please go to the Art Center website to get more information.

          ※All the participants receive a free photo. 

【Humor Bus Travel 1】

1. Time: Chengzhong Campus: 2015/10/07 12:00-15:30
   Shuangxi Campus: 2015/10/23 12:00-15:30
2. Object: Soochow University Students and faculty, limited to 40 individuals.
3. Participation: Register at http://www.ecampus.scu.edu.tw/
4. Procedure: please go to the Art Center website to get more information.

          ※All participants receive a gift.

【Humor Bus Travel 2】

2. Time: 2015/10/17 13:00-16:00
3. Object: Soochow University Exchange Students, limited to 40 individuals
4. Participation: Register at http://www.ecampus.scu.edu.tw/
5. Procedure: please go to the Art Center website to get more information.

          ※All the participants receive a gift.

III. 【Contact Information】

Website: http://www.scu.edu.tw/artcenter

Consultation: Chengzhong: 23111531*2332 Ms.Cheng (E-mail: meichi@scu.edu.tw)

Shuangxi: 28819471*5712 Ms.Lai (E-mail: peishan@scu.edu.tw)