Wannian Tin Art Museum Introduction
The Chen Wan-neng Tin Art Studio is a tin art studio jointly run by the national treasure tin art master Chen Wan-neng and his sons, Chen Chih-yang and Chen Chih-sheng, who are also recognized as preservationists of traditional tin craft in Changhua County and registered as part of the Taiwan Craft House. Tin is a metal with a silvery-gray luster, also interpreted as "bestowed," and tin craft involves casting and engraving various objects using a tin-lead alloy, commonly seen in past wedding and religious ceremonies, with a history of over a hundred years in Taiwan. Particularly, Lukang experienced a prosperous period starting from the late Qing Dynasty's Jiaqing era, when there were as many as six to ten tin workshops, and Che Lu Kou became known as Tin Workshop Street, with masters and apprentices spread across the island engaging in the supply of tinware.
"Wan Neng Tin Shop" is one of the few remaining traditional tin shops in Lukang that is actively reviving the art of tin craftsmanship. It is run by Mr. Chen Wan Neng (1942-), a recipient of the National Cultural Award. The Chen family has inherited this ancient craft for four generations. Mr. Chen started learning the craft from his father at the age of 14, developing his own style while following traditional methods. He received the Minjian Arts Heritage Award from the Ministry of Education in 1988 and was listed in the Chinese Contemporary Art Celebrity Directory in 1995. His works have also been honored with awards such as the Bronze Ding Award.
