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Name : |
Liu Hsing-chin
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Place of birth : |
新竹縣
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Sex : |
Male
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D.O.B : |
1934/04/13
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Star sign : |
Aries
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Job : |
comic artist
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Experience : |
Liu was born in Dashanbei village, Xinzhu County. He is stockily-built and has dark skin, he speaks in a loud voice and is a typical “honest” man from the countryside
He graduated from Taipei Teachers College and has an honorary art PhD from Union University, USA
Experience
1. President of Haiyue International Ltd.
2. Assistant Professor, Fu-jen Catholic University
3. Standing Board Member, Comic Association, R.O.C .
4. Standing Board Member, Taiwan Inventors Association
5. Member, ROC International Invention Award Recipient Association
6. Instructor, Taipei county nanny training class
7. Art teacher, Hong Kong Child Education Association
8. Instructor, Department of Education teacher training courses
9. Founder, China Talent Development Association
Inventions
1. Life use : self-sharpening pencil, T-shape combination faucet, toilet seat cover paper, wave power generation and 102 patents in all.
2. Educational use : Musical shoes, Self-Learning Machine, Self-Learning tool, Self-Learning Language machine, intelligent jewels and 36 patents in all.
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Skills : |
Mr. Liu has created many records in cartoon circles and his achievements remain unsurpassed He is an accomplished cartoonist and inventor. He is the only cartoonist to win the approval of four ROC presidents.
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Liu was born on April 13, 1934 in Dashanbei village, Hengshan rural township, Xinzhu County, the second eldest child in the family. He is stockily-built and has dark skin, he speaks in a loud voice and is a typical “honest” man from the countryside. Liu displayed his drawing talents as a child. At the time his family would often paste auspicious symbols in the farm building hoping that the year would be prosperous. One time, father asked him to go to a neighboring village for a lucky symbol. When he returned it was already dark and he accidentally tripped over in the cemetery, tearing the lucky symbol that he had made such an effort to acquire. He knew that to get another he would have to go back through the cemetery, which he really didn’t want to do. He had a clever idea and went to the house of his fellow student, Ah-Niu, who lived nearby, where he borrowed a sheet of spirit money, a brush and ink. He pieced the torn lucky symbol together and copied it, much to his surprise he found that he made an almost perfect copy! Liu’s drawing talent was thus revealed by his bright idea in a moment of crisis.
In World War II the US regularly bombed Japanese bases in Taiwan and, at the same time, would also drop propaganda leaflets over cities and the countryside. Most of these leaflets featured comic figures of people. This stimulated Liu’s interest and, in 1951, after graduation from the Department of Art of Taipei Teacher’s College, he took up a post as an art teacher at Yongle Primary School in Taipei city. In the school Liu was adept at drawing information leaflets that attracted attention and were loved by teachers and pupils. These were the product of the inspiration from the propaganda leaflets dropped by the US in the war and his own experimentation.
One year, Sword and Celestial being- type chivalry comics were very popular in schools and most children believed that they could really “go into the mountains and find a celestial being”which caused a lot of associated problems. The education related bodies at the time blamed the problems on comics and banned children from reading them. Clever Liu Hsing-hsin thought of another way of solving the problem: “Why not use a comic to “fight poison with poison”?” he asked and drew a “Record of searching for a celestial being”comic book. To his surprise the book received an enthusiastic welcome and it also had a positive effect in terms of a easing a chaotic social situation and educating children. This is how Liu accidentally became a comic artist.
The rise of comic magazines also happened at this time. “Schoolmate Monthly”, “Eastern Youth,” “Comic Weekly,” “Youth Friend” and “Model Youth” monthlies and weeklies were successively established. In almost every one Liu’s works could be seen. This is how Liu’s famous characters were born.
Brother Ah-San published in “Model Youth” was a character based on Liu himself. “Big Aunt” was published in “Youth friend’ and was based on his mother.Liu depicted the feelings of country people towards city dwellers in an amusing way.
The hilarious lifelike expressions, the depression of city people amidst the prosperity and their struggle for fame and fortune are portrayed by the artist brilliantly, the humor making people forget any troubles.In early 1960 comic periodicals were fading in popularity and Liu began publishing his works in newspapers and magazines.
In 1964, the “Taiwan Daily” was established. The newspaper invited Liu and “Brother Ah-San and “Big Aunt”on a tour of Taiwan. At the time “Taiwan tour” programs were very popular. As a result of Taiwan Daily’s bright idea and Liu’s creativity “Brother Ah-San and Big Aunt tour Taiwan” comic strip by Liu became extremely popular.
In 1968, Liu established the “Hsing-hsin Pictorial magazine” himself, publishing his own works. As the government was actively promoting science, Liu created the “Robot” and “Ah-Jin” characters. Liu went on to draw over ten comic books featuring “Robot”, including “The birth of Robot”, “Funny things about robot”, “Missing Robot”, and “Robot Armageddon” and a number of works related to science and invention. At the time, Liu had endless inspiration which encouraged him to move into “invention” opening a new page in his personal creativity.
In 1970, master Liu had numerous innovative ideas and his 138 inventions became renowned worldwide. These ranged from educational to life use items. Many daily use items are the product of Liu’s imagination, including a pencil that doesn’t need sharpening, T-shaped hot and cold taps, toilet bowl lid toilet paper and wave power generation, 102 patents in all. Education items include music shoes, self-learning machine, self- learning tools, language self-learning machine and intelligent jewels, 36 patents in all. In addition, he created the "hand-shaped creative drawing” method, using a simple hand shape with a few pencil strokes added to create a remarkably true to life image. This magical-like drawing led to TV appearances and made Liu well-known.
These inventions were not only well-received in Taiwan, they were also applauded internationally. He received prestigious invention awards ranging from the first ROC Design Award, the Zhongshan Technology Invention Award, the Japan International Quality Product Award, silver and bronze medals from the Geneva Invention Exhibition and the gold medal from the Nuremburg World Invention Exhibition, awards seeming to come easily to Master Liu. Various awards for invention decorate the Master’s office. Hs achievements have also won him an honorary Arts doctorate from Union University in the US. He has also been given an audience with three former ROC presidents Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Jing-guo and Lee Teng-hui, and current ROC president, Chen Shui-bian, an unprecedented record and honor in the comic world. In 1991, seeing that younger comic artist talent that was coming up, Liu announced his retirement from comic drawing, intending to leave more space for younger artists to show their skills. Although he withdrew from comic creative work without regret, the Master used his experience and influence to actively participate in or promote activities beneficial to the development of comics in Taiwan. At the end of 1999 Neiwan, Xinzhu County cooperated with Liu and used a comic character he drew to attract tourists and boost the local economy. After less than one year Neiwan line railway was re-started and has become a cultural trip full of local charm. It was also planned within a few years to turn the railway employee dormitory into the “‘Liu Hsing-hsin Comic and Invention Exhibition Hall.” (Officially opened in Spring 2005) .In the 1stst Comic Gold Statue Awards of 2002, Liu was awarded the “Lifelong Achievement Award” in recognition of his limitless contribution to Taiwan comics over the years. Later, when Liu was living in the US, he fondly remembered the scenery of his homeland and painted ink and wash “folk’ paintings of rural scenes before Retrocession (1945). In January, 2005 Master Liu held his first “folk painting” solo exhibition in the art and cultural space of National Chiaotong University, also showing his numerous oil and watercolor paintings. Liu Hsing-hsin, with his many talents, spirit of self-improvement and determination is a fine example to younger people!
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