An academic forum was held at CAA’s Nanshan Campus on December 6 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Mr. Lin Wenzheng’s birth. Nearly 20 scholars from five countries and regions gathered for an in-depth discussion on his achievements at the inaugural academic forum centered on studies on Mr. Lin. The guests kicked off the event as they together viewed the documentary titled Lin Wenzheng. Two publications, An Anthology of Lin Wenzheng’s Art and An Anthology of Lin Wenzheng’s Poetry, debuted at the event, providing literature that facilitated studies related to Mr. Lin.

Mr. Lin Wenzheng (1903−1989) was born in Meizhou, Guangdong. In 1919, he traveled to France and studied French literature and Western art history at Université de Paris on a work-study basis. He returned to China in 1927. In the following year, he co-founded the National Academy of Art (now CAA) with Mr. Lin Fengmian, serving as the provost and professor of Western art history. Mr. Lin published many papers on art in his early years, shedding light on the ideas of “replacing religion with aesthetic education” and “integrating Eastern and Western art” and stressing the importance of foundational studies in art schools. In 1938, he taught French at the National South-West Associated University, followed by Sun Yat-sen University, and then Nanjing University. His key publications include What is Art? and translations such as A Brief History of Chinese Fiction (Chinese to French) and Twenty Years After (French to Chinese).