DR. LIN TSUNG-I FOUNDATION / About

Dr. Lin Tsung-I Foundation was founded by Dr. Tsung-I Lin. In his early years while he was living in Japan, his heart was in his hometown, Taiwan. He spared no effort to promote the culture of his country, and his love and enthusiasm for the development of art history inspired the compilation of high-quality collections that benefit young scholars.

In view of the needs of preserving and promoting Chinese culture, in 1999, Dr. Tsung-I Lin independently contributed funds to establish this foundation, which was approved by the Ministry of Education.

With the purpose of rewarding academics, cultivating talents, and promoting Chinese culture and other related public welfare, the Foundation handles the following businesses in accordance with relevant laws and regulations:

  • Sponsor the publication of important educational academic dissertations and academic works.
  • Provide scholarships for outstanding students.
  • Organize or sponsor academic lectures.
  • Preserve and promote advanced works of art.
  • Donate book series to university libraries.
  • Reward outstanding individuals talents or groups pursuing academia, art or culture.
  • Other related public welfare and education affairs in line with the purpose of the establishment of the Foundation.

Dr. Tsung-I Lin, courtesy name Zhichao, was born in Banqiao in 1923, and is a member of the Lin Benyuan family. In his early years, he obtained a bachelor degree in foreign language from National Taiwan University. After which, he studied English literature at Tokyo University. He specializes in Chinese, English, and Japanese literature. Since the age of 30, he has devoted himself to the collection of cultural relics, and has become a famous collector of calligraphy and painting in China and Japan.

Although Dr. Tsung-I Lin lived in Japan for many years, he was deeply attached to his hometown in Taiwan. The collector’s seals of “Dingjingtang”, “Jigushuwu” and “Laiqingge” on his paintings and calligraphy are all references to the names of the Lin family’s ancestral home in Banqiao.  He donated his  private collection of famous paintings and calligraphy to the public.   The collection of paintings and calligraphy he donated to the National Palace Museum is the largest calligraphy and painting collection received by the National Palace Museum. He is well respected by the art and literature circles.

In April 2002, the National Palace Museum held a ceremony for the donation of cultural relics. Dr. Tsung-I Lin instructed his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ay Ling Lin, to read his manuscript on his behalf, in which he specially quoted a passage from Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament to describe his mindset. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heavens: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.” Dr. Tsung-I Lin repeatedly donated his beloved collections – “pluck up what is planted”. His generosity and devotion surpassed that of collectors. His devotion and enthusiasm that was close to that of a religionist has significantly played a positive role in promoting art.

The logo of the Dr. Lin Tsung-I Foundation is designed by Mr. Pingnan Xue.

Pingnan Xue, born in 1945, with the courtesy name Dingzhi, is a native of Kaohsiung County, Taiwan. He now specializes in calligraphy and seal carving, and is also a professor at the National Taiwan University of the Arts. He has won the first prize of the 9th National Art Exhibition (seal carving), the Zhongxing Literature and Art Award (calligraphy), the Zhongshan Literature and Art Award (seal carving), the National Literature and Art Award (calligraphy), etc., and has published “Xue Pingnan’s Calligraphy Collection”, “Xue Pingnan’s Seal Script Collection”, “Xue Pingnan’s Seal Collection” and so on. Now he is the chairman of the Chinese Standard Cursive Calligraphy Society, the vice-chairman of the Taiwan Seal Art Society, and the director of the Xiling Seal Art Society.