The Hengshan Calligraphy Art Center (HCAC) is proud to announce the results of the Third Hengshan Calligraphy Research Award, an initiative dedicated to cultivating emerging talent and advancing scholarship in the field of calligraphy studies. Aimed at fostering research that bridges the local and the international, tradition and innovation, as well as theory and practice, the 2025 edition introduced a dual-track system combining international jury nominations and open submissions, for the first time accepting both published and unpublished papers.
This year’s Award received a total of 70 submissions in Chinese, Japanese, and English, reflecting a growing international interest in the study of calligraphy. Contributors hailed from Taiwan, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Italy, further expanding the global perspectives on calligraphy research within the broader Sinosphere and beyond.
Following a rigorous two-stage review process conducted by an international panel of experts, the Award selected one Grand Prize recipient (NT$150,000) and two Merit Award winners (NT$30,000 each). The award ceremony and academic symposium will take place on January 24, 2026, at the HCAC Lecture Hall. The event will feature presentations and dialogues among the awardees and jurors, promoting dynamic international exchange and the sharing of research insights across borders.
The submissions to the Third Hengshan Calligraphy Research Award reflected remarkable breadth and depth across disciplines. Topics ranged from the history of calligraphy and literati networks and aesthetics to modern and contemporary practices and calligraphy education. With methodologies drawn from history, philosophy, sociology, curatorial practice, music, and creative writing, the papers exemplified an interdisciplinary richness and intellectual vitality, reaffirming the enduring relevance of calligraphy studies within the broader Chinese character cultural sphere.
The international jury brought together seven esteemed scholars:
Liu Su-chen, retired Associate Professor, Department of Painting and Calligraphy, National Taiwan University of Arts;
Wu Kuo-hao, Chief Research Fellow, Ho Chuang-shih Calligraphy Foundation;
Wu Sau-wa, Associate Professor, University of Macau;
Xue Longchun, Professor, Zhejiang University;
Qi Xiaochun, Wu Yuzhang Chair Professor, Renmin University of China;
Sawada Masahiro, Professor Emeritus, Daito Bunka University; and
Fukuda Tetsuyuki, Professor Emeritus, Shimane University.
Following a rigorous two-stage review process, three winning papers were selected to receive top honors.
The Grand Prize (NT$150,000) was awarded to Chien Hsin-chen (Taiwan) for the paper The Kangxi Emperor’s Activities Related to Collecting Characters: A Discussion from Several Versions of Nineteen Old Poems in Dong Qichang’s Name. This study presents a sweeping historical perspective and meticulous historical document analysis, illuminating the relationship between the Kangxi Emperor’s character-collecting practices and the legacy of Dong Qichang’s calligraphy. By examining the material and mounting features of various scrolls, the paper resolves long-standing scholarly debates and reveals the complex entanglement between Qing imperial culture and calligraphic tradition—offering both analytical clarity and scholarly depth.
Two Merit Awards (NT$30,000 each) were presented to:
Launched in 2020 by the HCAC under the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, the Hengshan Awards have become a flagship initiative promoting exhibitions, research, and critical discourse in the field of calligraphy. Building on the strong foundation of previous editions, the third Research Award introduced a dual-track model of international nomination and open submission, resulting in an unprecedented diversity of languages, regions, and academic approaches. The number and quality of this year’s submissions not only surpassed those of prior years but also demonstrated the Award’s growing visibility and influence within the international scholarly community.
Looking ahead, the HCAC remains committed to advancing the academic development of calligraphy by encouraging exceptional research, fostering global scholarly exchange, and broadening the critical perspectives that shape the evolving landscape of calligraphy studies.
The award ceremony and academic symposium will take place on January 24, 2026, at the HCAC Lecture Hall. For more information, please visit the official websites of the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts (https://tmofa.tycg.gov.tw/en) and the Hengshan Awards (https://www.tmofa-hengshanawards.com.tw/en).
