A Chinese brush painting (
It sounds complicated, yet for many Chinese, painting can be considered a form of meditation or a relaxing hobby. For others, it's a means to learn about Chinese arts and culture.
PHOTO: DIANA FREUNDL, TAIPEI TIMES
There are numerous schools offering art classes in Taipei and understandably most are in Chinese. Brush artist and instructor Lin Hong-jia (
Lin's daughter Jessica Lin (
Clearly, understanding Chinese is not a prerequisite for taking an art class.
"Because so much of the class is visual, a lot can be learned by just following along. As you study the technique, you can also study the
language," the elder Lin said. In addition to his Tianmu location, he has been offering Chinese and Western oil painting classes for more than 30 years at his gallery in Zhongxiao East Road area.
Lin said that many of the students have little, if any, background in painting. "We teach people of all ages, mothers, their children, even businessmen. It doesn't matter how old someone is when they start."
"Some of best students are those with no previous training. The most important thing is to relax and enjoy the class," he said.
Those too shy to partake in group classes can arrange for private lessons through various art schools or with instructor and graduate students in university departments.
An average class-size is between two to 10 students and is priced at NT$5,800 for 24 hours (12 two-hour classes).
Lin's prices are comparable to others around town. Classes are ongoing and those interested can either call to register or stop by the gallery. Many studios offer instruction in Chinese only.
Class Information:
Classes in English and Chinese
Tianmu: Yi-Jhan Gallery
Community Services Center :
25, Ln 29, Zhongshan N Rd, Sec 6, Taipei
Classes in Chinese only
Zhongxiao: Yi-Jhan Gallery Fl 2, 7 Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 6, Taipei
Tel: (02) 2786 5858.
Yonghe: Hippopotamus Art Studio (next to Fuhsing Mei Gung Art College) 191, Xiangliang Rd, Sec.1, Yonghe
Tel: (02) 2233 1718.
Private or small group classes with Chinese brush artist
Peng Kang-long
Tel: (0911) 831 212.
May 6 to May 12 Those who follow the Chinese-language news may have noticed the usage of the term zhuge (豬哥, literally ‘pig brother,’ a male pig raised for breeding purposes) in reports concerning the ongoing #Metoo scandal in the entertainment industry. The term’s modern connotations can range from womanizer or lecher to sexual predator, but it once referred to an important rural trade. Until the 1970s, it was a common sight to see a breeder herding a single “zhuge” down a rustic path with a bamboo whip, often traveling large distances over rugged terrain to service local families. Not only
Ahead of incoming president William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration on May 20 there appear to be signs that he is signaling to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and that the Chinese side is also signaling to the Taiwan side. This raises a lot of questions, including what is the CCP up to, who are they signaling to, what are they signaling, how with the various actors in Taiwan respond and where this could ultimately go. In the last column, published on May 2, we examined the curious case of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heavyweight Tseng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) — currently vice premier
The last time Mrs Hsieh came to Cihu Park in Taoyuan was almost 50 years ago, on a school trip to the grave of Taiwan’s recently deceased dictator. Busloads of children were brought in to pay their respects to Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正), known as Generalissimo, who had died at 87, after decades ruling Taiwan under brutal martial law. “There were a lot of buses, and there was a long queue,” Hsieh recalled. “It was a school rule. We had to bow, and then we went home.” Chiang’s body is still there, under guard in a mausoleum at the end of a path
Last week the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) released a set of very strange numbers on Taiwan’s wealth distribution. Duly quoted in the Taipei Times, the report said that “The Gini coefficient for Taiwanese households… was 0.606 at the end of 2021, lower than Australia’s 0.611, the UK’s 0.620, Japan’s 0.678, France’s 0.676 and Germany’s 0.727, the agency said in a report.” The Gini coefficient is a measure of relative inequality, usually of wealth or income, though it can be used to evaluate other forms of inequality. However, for most nations it is a number from .25 to .50