Chou Ying, also known as Chou Lin-chang, was born in Chang-ting County, Fukien, in 1922. Between 1948 and 1988 Chou was appointed as lecturer, assistant professor and professor at the Taipei Normal College. Being a celebrated print artist, Chou was one of the founders of the Graphic Art Society of the Republic of China. From 1957, he took part in many important exhibitions at home and abroad, including the “São Paulo Art Biennial” in 1957, the 2nd “International Biennial of Printed Art” in Korea in 1972, the “Contemporary Chinese Printed Art Exhibition” in 1973, the 62nd “Exhibition of Printed Art” in Japan in 1994, the 1995 “International Exhibition of Printed Art in Asia,” the “Retrospective for the 50 Years of the Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition,” etc. Chou had won awards from the Chinese Painters’ Society in 1974, and, in 1983, the first “International Exhibition of Printed Art, ROC.” He passed away on 11 September, 2011, at the age of 90.

Chou Ying was known for printmaking. In the 40s his woodcuts of realistic, native characters documented the contentment and wellbeing of life in Taiwan’s countryside. Later the work developed into abstraction with irregular geometries, floating, wandering and converging in the imagery; he also tried to employ mixed media in his creative work. In Praise of Rocks – III is part of a series from the 80s, exploring the life-creating substance in its structure and mass, in search of a relationship between the changes of texture under light and shadow. He derived inspiration from original, natural existences, and, through his technique of contrast in light and shadow, black and white, brightness in colours, created a texture that was instinctive, balanced and well-tempered. The abstraction of objects, situated on the crossover between surface and volume, conveyed a unique exuberance and purity of rocks in the limitless extension and fusion of spaces.

Chou was a veteran Taiwanese printmaker, as well as an art educator. In the 40s, Chou Ying represented the characteristic quality of hardiness and simplicity in the traditional folk culture with woodcut prints of clear, vibrant, black and white lines; Spring in Full Bloom was one of the classic works. In the 80s, striving to be original and innovative, Chou tried mixing various media and unique expressions, as well as taking directly from stone as a creative element, which was a feat of creativity for Taiwan’s printmaking, attracting considerable attention. Over almost 60 years of his creative career, Chou, as an educator, not only inspired many newcomers, but also, as an artist, worked extensively across a variety of genres such as water colour, drawing and mixed media, etc. For the future generation, the kind of tireless pursuit and exploration of new expressions and techniques is indeed a spirit and determination that is awe-inspiring and worthy of emulation.