Eight new members were elected to the Academia Sinica to increase the membership from 78 to 84 at the two-day 11th Academicians' Conference.
The new members are:
Chou Wen-teh, 55, of Chekiang province, professor at the University of Illinois.
Chou Yuan-shen, 50, of Hupei province, professor at Columbia University.
Chang Pai-yi, 54, of Hunan province, professor at the University of Texas.
Kuo Chung-teh, 41, of Taiwan, professor of National Taiwan University.
Chang Kuang-chih, 43, of Taiwan, professor at Yale University.
Yu Ying-shih, 44, of Anhwei province, a dean at the Chinese University of Hongkong.
Fang Hao, 64, of Chekiang province, professor at the National Chengchi University.
Chiang Fu-tsung, 76, of Chekiang, curator of the National Palace Museum.
The Academia Sinica set up an American Culture Research Institute to promote research.
Dr. Chen Chi-lou, 51, was appointed head of the Institute, which was established at the recommendation of the Commission on Sino-American Science Cooperation to replace the former American Research Center.
Research areas will include U.S. politics, economics, social trends, foreign relations, law, literature and history. Cooperation between Chinese and American academic institutions will be promoted.
Dr. Chen earned his doctorate in sociology at Tokyo University. He is on the faculty of National Taiwan University.
Gallery displays old finger painting
Five years ago in Hongkong, C. H. Mao made an unusual find - a large scroll painting by a Manchu poet of the Ch'ing dynasty, Kao Chi-pei (1672-1734).
Before he bought the finger painting, Mr. Mao consulted appraisers and checked on authenticity.
He examined the scroll carefully himself, reading the stamps the artist had put on it. Mr. Mao paid US$4,200 for the picture of a lonely old man playing a sevenstringed lute and brought it home to Taiwan.
The painting was placed on display at the C. H. Mao Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy on the third floor at 45 Kuan Chien Road, Taipei (two doors south of the Bank of America). The museum or collector who wants to buy it will need US$5,000 and a room with a high ceiling. At Mao's gallery, it hangs full length, but there would not be room to unroll it in an ordinary living room.
Kao not only started the technique of painting with fingers, but also changed traditional brushpainting theory and was unique in his use of colors.
Although many conservative painters criticize finger painting, the style has become popular among contemporary artists.
Kao began painting at the age of 8, as the story goes. At 18 he had filled two big cases with paintings and at 20 he became upset because he was not yet famous. After a long day of painting, he felt tired and fell asleep. He dreamed that an old man led him into a room full of paintings and explained the techniques. Kao wanted to learn but had neither brush nor paints. He found a pot of water and started to paint by dipping his fingers into the water.
When he wakened, he was jubilant. From that day on, he painted with his fingers and never used the brush again.
BCC going strong after 46 years
The Broadcasting Corporation of China, Taiwan's biggest and the only national radio network engaged in broadcasting to the Chinese mainland, celebrated its 46th anniversary.
Founded in Nanking on August 1, 1928, BCC has nine local stations.
"Television is tough competition," said Lee Shih-feng, the BCC president. "But as a result of constant striving after progress and reform in programs and the establishment of FM stations and news stations, our listeners have returned."
The Voice of Free China, BCC's overseas service, is tuned in by listeners throughout the world. Programs are broadcast in major languages and various Chinese dialects.
BCC is a beacon of hope for millions of Chinese struggling against Communist tyranny. Chinese compatriots are informed of what is going on in their homeland and the free world.
Broadcasts have inspired defections in the Chinese Communist party. Letters tell of wide-spread opposition to the Communists.
Exchange of programs is arranged with friendly countries. Programs on Chinese culture and music are sent out to scores of foreign stations.
BCC is on the air 24 hours a day and reports the news every half four. The newly established traffic radio station in Taichung reports on road conditions. Broadcasts on five FM stations emphasize music.
A fortnightly magazine, Listeners' Companion, serves as a bridge between BCC and its listeners. BCC has about 1,000 staffers.
Taipei drivers are served by the Police Radio Station, now in its third year of public service.
Operating 24 hours a day, the station reports on missing articles, stolen automobiles and traffic conditions in the Taipei, Taoyuan and Keelung areas.
According to a survey by Chengchi University, 78.44 per cent of Taipei taxi drivers listen daily.
Drivers may write in or call the station with suggestions or complaints.
Parliamentarians spur cooperation
Six resolutions were adopted at the closing session of the two-day Fourth Executive Board Meeting of the Asian Cultural Center, Asian Parliamentarians' Union, to strengthen cultural interflow. Among the most important were to:
- Prevent and eradicate use of narcotics.
- Offer lectures on Asian philosophical research.
- Exchange television and broadcasting programs.
The ACC executive board said it plans a convention of Asian cultural scholars and a youth camp.
Nearly 30 delegates and observers from the Republic of China, Japan, the Khmer Republic, South Korea, Thailand, South Vietnam and Australia attended.
Dr. Ku Cheng-kang, president of the APU Chinese group, pointed out that ethics, democracy and science are fundamental requirements in creating a new Asian culture.
The fifth executive board meeting will be held at Bangkok in November.
Overseas Chinese come for education
Approximately 19,000 overseas Chinese youths completed college educations in the Republic of China between 1951 and 1972, Education Minister Y. S. Tsiang reported.
Tsiang said 42,275 overseas Chinese youths came to Taiwan for education through 1972.
The number increased from 60 in 1951 to 32,021 in 1974.
Of those completing college educations, 28 per cent were engineering majors, 39 per cent studied humanities and social sciences and 16 per cent majored in agriculture and medicine.
Youths from Hongkong accounted for the bulk of the graduates, numbering 6,062. Those from Malaysia formed the second largest group at 5,186.
The others were from Indonesia (2,098), South Vietnam (1,844), South Korea (828), the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Burma, Japan, India and Laos.
Tsiang described the education program as successful in winning the support of overseas Chinese for the government of free China.
The program also has created a leadership core in overseas Chinese communities and spread Chinese cultural influence abroad.
Student population trebles in 24 years
The student population in Taiwan has more than trebled during the last 24 years, Education Minister Tsiang said. The number of teachers increased by 365 per cent during the same period.
Expansion is fastest at the college level. In 1950, there were three colleges, three junior colleges and one university.
Today there are 14 colleges, 76 junior colleges and 9 universities.
Enrollment at universities and colleges has increased 14 times and that of junior colleges more than 100 times.
Old house doomed by Taipei growth
Among the tall and modern buildings of Ssu-wei Road in Taipei is an ancient home which has endured for more than 200 years.
Judged by dilapidated exterior, fading red stone walls, dusty furniture and cobwebs covering ceiling beams, it is hard to tell this was once a beautiful and luxurious home.
The house covers an area of about a hectare and houses more than 300 people, all of them descendants of Lin Chin-ming, who came to Taiwan from Fukien 200 years ago.
Lin Chih-nun, the fourth son of Lin Chin-ming, served as "Ta-Hsueh-Shih", a ranking official, during the reign of Emperor Kao Tsung (1736-1796). During this time he reconstructed the Lin house as an official residence.
The stone pillars beside the front door bear carvings of the a phoenix and chilin. Window frames carry a lotus decoration. The wooden crosspiece over the door is carved in an eagle design.
The main hall is supported by four ebony pillars. A long narrow table holds the ancestral tablets. There is an altar to the gods of happiness, wealth and longevity.
At the back of the hall is a courtyard with rooms opening off it. The courtyard is paved with stones, two of which are 28 meters long. Windows are decorated with designs of old coins.
No nails were used in construction. Pillars, beams and sculptures on the walls were covered with gold dust.
Some construction materials were transported from Fukien. Two hundred workers took more than two years to build the house.
The house will be demolished to make way for the expansion of Tunhua South Road.
Library of folksong records established
Foreign musicians used to encounter many problems when they came to Taiwan to study folksongs.
Shih Wei-liang, director of the Provincial Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and professor of Tunghai University, and Prof. Hsu Chang-hui have changed that. They founded a Chinese Music Study Center with support of the China Youth Corps and Chung Shan Cultural Foundation.
Musicians and students of music departments have covered every corner of the island and recorded hundreds of folksongs. Study was interrupted for awhile for lack of funds. Some recordings were kept in the Chinese Youth Musical Library in the care of Prof. Shih and some were kept by Prof. Hsu.
Tunghai University has promised to copy the items kept by Prof. Shih and arrange them. The university will publish five pieces based on Hakka folksongs collected by Yang Chao-chen, a vocalist, aboriginal folksongs by Lo Wei-tao and Lu Pin-chuan, and Taiwanese folksongs by Prof. Hsu.
At the invitation of the Hung Chien-chuan Educational and Cultural Foundation, Prof. Hsu is planning a record library.
Included will be Fukien, Hakka and aboriginal folksongs, and piano, string and vocal compositions by contemporary Chinese musicians.
Tourism continues to grow by 20.5 %
Tourist arrivals in the first six months of this year reached 440,523, an increase of 20.5 per cent compared with the like period of 1973.
Foreigners numbered 388,023, an increase of 22.9 per cent over the January-June period of 1973, and overseas Chinese 52,500, up 5.6 per cent.
Japanese topped the foreign list with 388,023, or 67 per cent, followed by 54,151 Americans, making up 14 per cent.
Japanese showed an increase of 35.2 per cent over the January-June period of 1973. But the increase was recorded between January and March. Japanese began to taper off after April 20, when Taiwan-Japan air services of China Airlines and Japan Air Lines were suspended.
From January through March, an average of 1,937 Japanese arrived daily. The number dropped after April 20 and continued to fall in May and June. The daily average during the April-June period was 950.
American tourists were down by 16.3 per cent compared with the January-June period of 1973. Tourism was affected by economic recession. Only the Philippines showed major growth among the Far Eastern countries. Hongkong had 5.3 per cent growth in the January-May period.
Vocational schools draw graduates
The Ministry of Education disclosed that graduates of junior middle schools prefer vocational schools to senior middle schools. The ratio is 6 to 4.
Although the number of junior middle school graduates going on to senior middle school has increased, the percentage of junior middle school graduates is down.
The number of junior middle school graduates preferring employment to continued education remained steady at about 16 per cent.
The following statistics were released by the ministry:
1. 1971:
- Number of graduates: 241,428.
- Number of graduates who preferred continued education: 172,261 (71.35 per cent).
- Number of graduates who found employment: 40,392 (16. 73 per cent).
- Number of graduates who neither continued their education nor found employment: 28,775 (11.92 per cent).
2. 1972:
- Number of graduates: 248,017.
- Number of graduates who preferred continued education: 174,971 (70.55 per cent).
- Number of graduates who found employment: 38,237 (15. 82 per cent).
- Number of graduates who neither continued their education nor found employment: 33,809 (13.63 per cent).
3. 1973:
- Number of graduates: 275,481.
- Number of graduates who preferred continued education: 180,432 (65.50 per cent).
- Number of graduates who found employment: 42,067 (15.50 per cent).
- Number of graduates who neither continued their education nor found employment: 52,348 (19 per cent).
The ministry said that of the 292,442 graduates this year, 226,381 (77.4 per cent) wanted to continue their education and 57,839 (19.8 per cent) wanted to work.
Young woman wins agriculture doctorate
Miss Ho Chao-mei, 28, passed Ministry of Education exams to become the first Chinese woman and youngest student to win an academic doctorate in Taiwan.
Miss Ho received her doctor of agriculture degree for her dissertation on TEPA and its effect on the sterility of male house flies. TEPA is the name of a chemical.
Miss Ho, of Anhwei, majored in plant pathology at National Taiwan University. After obtaining her B.S. degree, she stayed to work for her master's degree.
She passed her three-hour oral exam at the Education Ministry, which has now given nearly 100 doctorates.
Cost of education up by 40 per cent
It will cost parents 40 per cent more to send children to school this fall.
The Ministry of Education approved increases in tuition and miscellaneous fees for both public and private schools.
Education Vice Minister Chu Hwei-sun said the raise is justified by increased prices for everything.
Government colleges will charge US$17.1 and private colleges US$91.44 per semester.
Government functionaries who are entitled to educational allowances will get proportionate increases.
Government primary and junior high schools do not charge tuition.
The Education Ministry urged private schools to raise the pay of teachers by 40 per cent, the same as the amount given public school teachers.
Research allowances for teachers have been nearly tripled. A college professor draws a US$168.42 research allowance.
Tri-Service Hospital offers acupuncture
The Tri-Service General Hospital is inaugurating an outpatient department offering acupuncture treatments on an experimental basis.
This will be the second hospital offering acupuncture with the blessing of the National Science Council. The Veterans General Hospital has already initiated the therapy.
Dr. Chin Hua-kao, chief anesthetist of the Tri-Service General Hospital, said the department will be open six days a week.
During the initial period, acupuncture will be applied only to the treatment of myopia, asthma, deafness and for anesthesia. Later on treatments may include hypertension, stomach disorders and diabetes.
NSC is supporting an acupuncture research project conducted by the Tri-Service General Hospital, Veterans General Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital.