Chen Ding-Chi

TAIWAN, Chiayi

Chen Ding-Chi was a calligrapher whose original name was Chen Teng-Chi and was also known as Shouching. In 1932, he graduated from the National University of Tainan. Chen learned calligraphy at the age of six and practiced scripting from books of steles from various dynasties. Although influenced by the Japanese calligraphy style of the modern era, his own calligraphy displayed uniqueness and creativity in his use of ink and strong brush strokes.
He was a teacher, superintendent, and principal at several different schools around Taiwan and eventually in 1943, he made his way to Macau where he was in charge of the curriculum at a Japanese school in addition to establishing a newspaper. At the age of 55, Chen took over the management of Hsuanfeng Calligraphy Association where he instructed students to edit the monthly periodical, Way of Calligraphy. His many remarks on calligraphy were published into a book entitled Comments on Calligraphy by Chen Ding-Chi, and Chen himself authored the text, Introduction to Calligraphy Education.
His Buddhist pieces include a copy of the Stele of Master Sengyong at Huadu Temple as well as several transcriptions of the Heart Sutra. He also created several pieces in varying scripts on monk Budai’s verse, “While planting rice saplings in the field, I lower my head to see heaven in the water. The way to cultivation is to purify the six senses. Retreating is advancing.”