Chang Wan Chuan, a man of brilliant personality and unique artistic accomplishment, is one of the leading representatives of Taiwan’s first generation of artists. He was born in 1909 and died in 2003 at the age of 95.

1909  Born in Danshuei, Taipei Country to Chang Yong-Ching, a customs officer at Danshuei.
1924  Graduates from one year high school program at Shilin Public School (original name: Pattsiran Public School).
1927  Joins Ishikawa Kinichiro’s Taiwan Watercolor Society and participates in the group’s first show in November.
1929  Joins Ni Chiang-Huai’s Taiwanese Art Institute (later named Modern Art Institute of Taiwan).
1930  Attends Tokyo Kawabata Private Art School and Hongo Art Institute in Japan with Hung Rui-Lin and
          Chen Te- Wang to study western painting and drawing. While there, resides with Chen Chin –Chi,
           Li Mei-Shu and Li Shih-Chiao.Work Taiwan Landscape selected for The First Art Exhibition.Meets painter
          Toho Shiotsuki, his painting style gradually moves towards Fauvism.
1931  Admitted into the Teikoku Art School along with Hung Rui-Lin and Chen Te-Wang.
1932  Leaves the Teikoku Art School and studies at Tokyo Kawabata Private Art School.
          Visits his relatives in Xiamen during a holiday and meets art student Xie Guo-Yong.
          His work Temple Market is chosen for the sixth Taiwan Fine Art Exhibition.
1936  Joins the Taiyang Art Association along with Hung Rui-Lin and Chen Te-Wang.  Exhibits in the second
           Taiyang Art Exhibition.
1937  Travels in Guangdong and goes back to Xiamen.
           Organizes Qingtian Painting Society with Xiamen Painting Academy graduate Xu Sheng-Ji (Lu Chi-Cheng).
           Exhibits in the third Taiyang Art Exhibition.
1938  Organizes the Mouve Artist Society with Hung Rui-Lin, Chen Te-Wang, Xu Sheng-Ji, Chen Chun-De and
           Huang Ching-Cheng. Is invited to teach at the Xiamen Art School by Principal  Lin Ko-Kung.
           Leaves the Taiyang Art Association at the same times as Hung Rui-Lin and Chen Te-Wang.
           His painting Scenery at Gulangyu is chosen for the first Taiwan Government Fine Art Exhibition.
1939  Returns to Taiwan and works at Ni Jiang-Huai’s mine Ruifang. His painting Church at Gulangyu is chosen
           for the second Taiwan Government Fine Art Exhibition.
1941  After the Mouve Artists Society changes its name to the Taiwan Creative Art From Association it holds an exhibition
           in Taipei, new members include Yen Shui-Long, Lan Yun-Teng, Fan Zhuo-Zao and Xie Guo-Yong.  With the
          addition of crafts and design, the Association becomes an integrated art group.
1942  The Japanese government in Taiwan puts into effect laws restricting art supplies, resulting in the use of straw
           board in place of canvas for painting.
           Taiwan Creative Art Form Association holds exhibition in Nostalgia Teahouse. From this point on, fish become a common
            theme in Chang’s painting. His painting A View of Xiamen is chosen for the fifth Taiwan Government Fine Art Exhibition.
1943  His painting Southern Landscape is chosen for the sixth Taiwan Government Fine Art Exhibition.
1944  Enlists in the army and paints military subjects.
1945  Father passes away and one of his younger brothers is killed in action in the South Pacific.
           Called back home to care for family.
1946  Appointed instructor at Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School and reorganizes the football team.
1947  228 Incident erupts.  Leaves Jianguo High School and flees to the Jinshan district to live with his younger brother
          who is a doctor. Fishes for sustenance and meets Miss Hsu Bao-Yue.
1948  Works as an art teacher at Datong High School.
1949  Marries Hsu Bao-Yue.
1950  Takes a second job at Yanping School.
1951  Takes up the post of training director at Datong High School. Coaches the school football team.
1952  Once again joins Taiyang Art Association.
1954  Organizes the Era Fine Art Association with Hung Rui-Lin, Chang Yi-Hsiung, Liao Te-Cheng, Chin Jun-Tso and holds the
           Society’s first exhibition at the Rose Marie Art Gallery on Boai Road in Taipei.
1955  Once again leaves Taiyang Art Association.
1958  Mother passes away.
1964  Employed in the evening division of the National Taiwan University of the Arts.
1966  Returns to Japan for the first time since the end of World War II.  Holds solo exhibition in Sendai, Kagoshima in August.
1971  Holds solo exhibition in June at Zhongshan Hall, Taipei.
1972  Chang Wan-Chuan’s much admired good friend Hung Rui-Lin retires.  Chang Wan-Chuan follows his steps, retires from
           Datong High School.
1975  Takes leave of posts at Yanping Middle School and National Taiwan University of the Arts.  Travels to France and
          stays along the Seine River to concentrate on his painting.
1976  Travels from Paris to Madrid, and then Tome and Venice.
1977  Returns to Taiwan.  Rents a studio on Zhongxiao East Road and concentrates on oil painting based on his trip to Europe.
           Holds his European Travel Exhibition at the National Taiwan Museum in November, exhibiting over 70 still-life and
           landscape paintings inspired by Spain, France, Italy, Thailand and Hong Kong.
1979  Visits Japan and the United States.  Visits eldest son who lives abroad.  Travels to many cities in Mexico and
           fills three sketchbooks.
1983  Attends Picasso exhibition in Japan.  Travels to Tokyo, Kyoto and Fukuoka.
1985  North American Taiwan Association invites Chang to visit the United States.
1990  Participates in the Taipei Fine Arts Museum exhibition Retrospective of Western Art – the Early Period in Taiwan.  Visits
          Europe to attend Vincent Van Gogh Retrospective at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
1996  Has cataract surgery.
1997  89 years old.  Has solo retrospective exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Chang Wan-Chuan’ A Retrospective.
2000  Suffers a mild stroke, but still retains mental clarity.
2003  95 years old.  Passes away of old age at home on January 12.
 
Reference:
Taiwan Fine Arts Series 25 – Chang Wan-Chuan (Artist Publishing Co.)
Remembering the White Building in Danshuei (Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taipei Country)