A five-day International Symposium on Chinese Painting, the first of its kind, was held at the National Palace Museum in Taipei June 18-24.
More than 130 delegates from 15 countries and areas participated. They agreed in principle to a proposal by Chiang Fu-tsung, curator of the Palace Museum, that symposiums be held once every three years. Chiang suggested the meetings be held in the Republic of China, United States, Japan and Europe in turn.
The Taipei symposium was opened by Madame Chiang Kai-shek in her capacity as honorary chairman. She told delegates that the Cultural Renaissance Movement in the Republic of China is being promoted "as a fresh attempt to re-evaluate the past and to search for and preserve the more enduring qualities in our cultural heritage."
Madame Chiang said: "We should encourage the growth of new and fertile ideas, and nourish them on the spiritual harmony which is the essential glory of Chinese painting."
The Republic of China's delegation was headed by Dr. George K. C. Yeh, minister without portfolio and a member of the board of trustees of the National Palace Museum. Eighty-two connoisseurs and art collectors came from the United States, Canada, Uruguay, England, Germany, France, Sweden, Austria, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Fourteen papers were presented on the background, style and impact of ancient Chinese paintings.
The Palace Museum displayed masterpieces of the T'ang, Sung, Yuan, Ming and Ch'ing dynasties.
A set of seven postage stamps based on the scroll "One Hundred Horses" was issued to mark the symposium.
Five NT$1 stamps are of the painting by the 18th century Italian painter-priest Giuseppe Castiglione, known as Lang Shih-ning in Chinese.
The two other stamps, in denominations of NT$5 and $8, present close-ups of the painting.
A total of 600,000 sets of the stamps was printed and 120,000 sets sent to Osaka for sale at the China Pavilion of Expo 70.
Asian literature to be translated
The Third Asian Writers Conference concluded its three-day meeting in Taipei June 19 with a resolution to set up a translation center for Asian literature.
Some 150 participants from 18 countries and areas decided to establish a permanent, committee to provide liaison among Asian writers.
David Carver, general secretary of the International P.E.N., spoke on the importance of writers as creators and propagators of ideas. He urged translation of literature into languages of world currency.
He said P.E.N. and UNESCO recommended translation of Yukiguni (Snow Country), a novel by Yasunari Kawabata of Japan, 1968 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Kawabata attended the conference.
Dr. Lin Yutang, who presided, suggested that each Asian country select three or four representative literary works and send them to other Asian countries for translation and dissemination.
Ryoichi Sato, who has translated many of Dr. Lin's works into Japanese, and Edward Seiden sticker, an American scholar who has translated most of Kawabata's works into English, reported on their experiences in translation. Direk Julasiriswasdi of Thailand proposed establishment of scholarships to encourage translation.
Participating were 150 writers from Australia, Ceylon, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as well as Eastern European writers living in exile.
The next conference will be held in Japan or Iran.
Summer science seminar opens
The annual summer science seminar sponsored by the Academia Sinica, National Taiwan University and National Tsinghua University opened July 1.
The eight-week session has sections for mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and computers. The last two are new.
Twenty-two scholars from the United States or Japan are giving lectures for some 300 college teachers, research scientists and graduate students majoring in science.
Culture accord comes into force
The Sino-Bolivian Cultural Convention came into force June 16, 1970, when Ho Feng-shan, the Chinese ambassador to Bolivia, and Eggar Camacho Omiste, Bolivian foreign minister, exchanged ratification in La Paz.
The convention was signed in Taipei July 15, 1969. It provides that the governments of the two countries will encourage the study of each other's language, history, literature, philosophy and art, and promote and facilitate the exchange of professors, students and journalists, and the exchange of publications, films and radio programs.
The Republic of China and the Philippines signed a cultural agreement in Manila June 10.
The agreement in Chinese, Tagalog and English versions provides for exchanges in the arts, sports, sciences and journalism.
Chinese Ambassador Patrick Pichi Sun said the agreement would further strengthen friendly relations.
Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, who signed for the Philippines, noted the influence of Chinese culture in the Philippines. He said the agreement would increase "mutuality, amity and goodwill."
Government reports on the Yuyitungs
The Yuyitung brothers, who were deported to Taiwan by the Philippines government in early May, are doing well, the Chinese Government Information Office reported June 24. They are detained during the progress of an investigation.
The brothers spend much of their time reading and are in good spirits, the statement said.
Quintin, the elder, has been reading Stream in the Desert. He was quoted as saying, "It seems as if I have found a joyous spring in a wild desert."
Rizal said, "I have been here for only two months but have gained a wealth of knowledge about the true status of my motherland."
The younger brother received news that his wife had given birth to a girl. He named her P'o, which means "amber."
Quintin has long suffered from asthma. Medicines from the Philippines have helped.
Other hooks Quintin has read include The Future World Situation and the Republic of China and Free and Democratic Economic Systems.
The publisher (Quintin) and editor-in-chief (Rizal) of the Chinese Commercial News in Manila were deported by the Philippine government on charges of spreading Communist propaganda.
ROC wins top film awards at Jakarta
Chinese movie stars won best actor and actress awards at the 16th Asian Film Festival in Jakarta June 18-19. The best direction and best scenario awards were also won by Chinese. Nine of 21 honors went to Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Miss Kwei Ya-lei, 26-year-old wife of a Chinese Air Force officer, was judged best actress for "Home Sweet Home." The picture also won the scenario award for Chang Ying-siang.
Hong Kong star David Chiang was named the best actor for "Vengeance," which won the direction award for Chang Che.
Taiwan actress Chen Pei-lin received the best supporting actress award for "Bitter Love."
Taiwan's "Confucius-Master of Masters" was honored for the best cultural presentation.
"Love Without End," a Mandarin picture produced by Shaw Bros. of Hong Kong, took the best color photography award. "The Lost Spring," also from Hongkong, won the art direction honors.
The best planning award went to the Hong Kong-produced documentary "Festival of Hong Kong."
Madame Tien Suharto, wife of the Indonesian president, presented Golden Harvest Awards to the winners.
The overseas Chinese community of Jakarta presented three special prizes to Chinese movie stars attending the festival. Miss Hsia Tai-feng was named as the most promising actress, Miss Tang Lan-hua the most popular actress and Yang Tao the most promising director.
The 17th festival will be held in Taipei, which was the host in 1964.
New park law to protect wildlife
The government has drafted a law establishing parks and sanctuaries to protect the flora and fauna of the Republic of China.
Drafted by the Interior Ministry and approved by the Executive Yuan (Cabinet), the law is now under consideration at the Legislative Yuan (Parliament).
National parks would be established and a control office set up in each park to prevent encroachment on natural resources.
National parks would be divided into three categories-natural, historical and recreational.
Taiwan's rapid population growth and other factors have affected the ecological balance. A number of animals and birds native to the island are close to extinction.
The law will prohibit hunting, farming and livestock grazing in national parks.
Chinese medicine will be promoted
The National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine is planning a re search and development center.
German-trained Dr. Liu Huan-hsin, director of the institute, said the center will have 16 departments for advanced studies of herb medicine.
"Western physicians are paying attention to Chinese medicine today," Liu said. "They have found many herb prescriptions are effective."
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has a 10-year plan for the development of the pharmaceutical industry. Production will be increased and foreign sales promoted.
Import duty on foreign pharmaceutical products will be raised and that on pharmaceutical raw materials reduced.
Technical cooperation with foreign companies will be encouraged.
Reversal of brain drain predicted
There will be a reversal of the brain drain before long and the government should prepare for the new situation now, Dr. Wu Ta-you said.
The chairman of the National Science Council said more than 3,000 Chinese students are expected to return to Taiwan in the next three years.
The National Science Council has been recruiting Chinese scientists abroad for home assignments, but on a limited scale.
Reversal of the brain drain could create a serious job placement problem, Dr. Wu said.
Reductions in defense and space resear.ch budgets are already reducing U.S. science employment opportunities.
Dr. Wu denied that the National Science Council has placed too much emphasis on the livelihood of teachers at the expense of scientific research. Only 19 per cent of the science development fund is used to improve the living conditions of teachers and research workers, he said.
For the 1969-70 fiscal year, 36 per cent of the budget was spent on training, 35 per cent on facilities for research institutions, 26 per cent for research and 3 per cent for miscellaneous purposes.
Dr. Wu said the Sino-American science cooperation agreement, signed last year, has been implemented. Scientists are being exchanged.
Preparations made for 1971 graduates
The Executive Yuan (Cabinet) has decided to help 66 per cent of junior high graduates to enter seem high.
The rest will be given vocational training or assistance in finding jobs.
The decision was made at a meeting of representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Council for International Economic Cooperation and Development, Youth Guidance Commission and the Provincial and Taipei Municipal Governments.
According to a survey, 85 per cent of 235,440 ninth graders would like to go to senior high schools. The government would have to open more than 500 new classes to accommodate them.
Junior graduates of 1971 will be the first under the nine-year education program.
Employment assistance will be given by the projected National Employment Assistance Commission, which will take over functions of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen, Youth Guidance Commission and the Labor Department of the Ministry of the Interior.
US$ 4¼m. earmarked for 3rd TV station
China Educational Television Company will have US$4.25 million to establish Taiwan's third commercial television station.
The company will reorganize the existing educational station operated by the Ministry of Education.
Liu Hsien-yun, vice minister of education, said the Ministries of Education and National Defense will cooperate in the project.
The Ministry of National Defense will invest US$1,375,000 and the Ministry of Education US$1,125,000. The rest will come from international loans.
Educational programs for service men and students will be emphasized. But there will be entertainment, too, and advertising will be sold. Some personnel will come from the Armed Forces Radio Network.
The educational station is the oldest in Taiwan but lacks modern equipment and is seen only in Taipei in the afternoon.
Education Ministry to help improve TV
Education Vice Minister Sun Tang-yueh told legislators that the Ministry of Education will help commercial television stations improve their pro grams.
The Education Committee of the Legislative Yuan held three interpellation sessions on television.
China Television Company (CTV) and Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV) were criticized for "neglecting the responsibility of social education and following a wholly profit-making line."
Lawmakers' criticisms centered on puppet shows in the Taiwan dialect.
Professor Hung Yen-chiu, who was elected to the Legislative Yuan last December, defended the show because "it represents local folk-custom." He conceded improvements are needed.
Another legislator, Hsieh Chien-hua, demanded banning of the show. He said it is "low in taste" and has done "serious mental damage" to children.