Overcoming Life's Twists and Turns
    Wang Zhiyang has been by his wife's side as she battles a rare form of cancer, cared for his mother with dementia, and nurtured his daughter, who lost her mother, never wavering for 18 years, overcoming life's countless challenges.
 
    Wang Zhiyang battles death, which seeks to take his loved ones away, 24 hours a day.
 
    Utilizing every precious moment, Wang Zhiyang, self-taught, immerses himself in the world of classics, transforming driftwood into floral art, and uses calligraphy to express himself—not only writing emotions, expressing love, and making friends through calligraphy, but also enhancing national diplomacy and benefiting the underprivileged through calligraphy.
 
Spreading Love Through Calligraphy and Floral Art
    Thus, Wang Zhiyang grew up in remote mountainous areas, swimming, climbing trees, playing sports, and chasing the wind, which honed his agile limbs and sharp mind. He often says, “A bent tree is majestic; a twisted vine is resilient; a winding river flows freely; a flexible person is wise.”
 
    Wang Zhiyang took setbacks as his teacher, poverty as his friend, transformed sorrow into calligraphy, and obstacles into floral art. He uses floral art to pass on his skills and calligraphy to spread love, earning him the title of “Playful Leopard of Calligraphy.” Among 703 candidates for the Life Literature Creation Award, he stood out and was honored with the “2015 Global Life Literature Creation Award” by the Zhou Daguan Cultural and Educational Foundation.
 
The beauty and sorrow behind the smile
    For the first time, I felt such a strong emotional impact at a special book signing event; for the first time, I saw so many people moved to tears at a book signing because of the author's heartfelt confessions; for the first time, I felt Wang Zhiyang's immense popularity, with all copies sold out in a single day; for the first time...
 
    Many friends told me that they read all the articles in The Curve—Calligraphy Notebook in one sitting. Of course, that’s because the fifteen articles are short, but it’s also because these fifteen short pieces contain many touching stories. These stories reveal an unknown side of the author, Wang Zhiyang—the beauty and sorrow behind his brilliant smile.
 
    The day after the book signing event, I accompanied Principal Zhang Yiling of Haisheng Primary and Secondary School to Mudan Township in Pingtung County. Principal Zhang shared her thoughts on reading The Curve—Calligraphy Notebook.
 
    Principal Yiling said, “Fangqi, after reading this book, I was deeply moved. The only thing missing is an introduction to the author by you. Because you interviewed Mr. Wang in the first person, readers only hear his own words. If you had written from the perspective of an interviewer, the book would have been even more complete.” Principal Yiling's suggestion was indeed excellent.
 
    When I interviewed Mr. Wang, I did indeed have such thoughts: “The person before me has such a rich life experience, such a serious attitude toward life, such persistence in artistic creation, such filial piety toward his parents, and such sincerity toward others...” It seemed I should write an article to properly introduce him. However, after finishing the interview transcript, I became engrossed in my work, and thus, this idea was put on hold...
 
    Now, the book has been published. I didn't expect it to be reprinted so quickly, but Principal Yiling's reminder made me think about whether I should take this opportunity to add something. With the consent of Hong, the president of “Cool Sound,” I picked up my pen to write about the Wang Zhiyang I know!
 
The Cool Sound of Life
    How should I introduce Wang Zhiyang?
 
    I met Wang Zhiyang through Hong, the president of “Cool Sound.” Hong hoped I could write a short piece for Wang Zhiyang's calligraphy notebook. I readily agreed, as I thought a dozen or so short pieces would be a breeze. So, I arranged an interview with Mr. Wang at “Grand Hall Café,” thinking a few conversations would suffice. However, he insisted that I must ride in his car and follow him on his adventures. He said, “Sitting in ‘Grand Hall’ for an interview, you only hear a partial version of me. Only by following me around can you see the complete me.” What a persuasive reason! Thus began my “sightseeing” interview journey.
 
    My first impression of Wang Zhiyang was likely the same as most people's—he was a “chatterbox”; once he started talking, he couldn't stop. In the car, stories came one after another, nonstop. For someone who loves listening to stories like me, it started with great enthusiasm, then midway through I felt drowsy, and by the end, I was exhausted.
 
    Listening to so much talk is exhausting, but every time the interview ended and I returned home to organize the conversation, a sense of emotion would well up inside me. How could this person have experienced so many extraordinary events? How could he have such boundless energy? Why did he remain so passionate? Why could he remain optimistic even when faced with adversity?
 
A home made of driftwood
    I remember the first time I visited Wang Zhiyang's home by the sea in Fengbaitou. The outside was piled high with driftwood that looked like rotten wood. The interior was very small, and his narrow living room, which also served as a bedroom, was filled with driftwood artworks.
 
    His living room had a small desk, completely buried under books. The walls were covered with his calligraphy works, large and small, serving as the most elegant wallpaper. I looked around his cramped space and curiously asked, “Where do you write calligraphy?” He pointed to the floor: “For small pieces, I kneel on the floor to write.” What about large pieces?
 
    “Usually I write them outside. Whenever someone asks me for a calligraphy piece, I go to their place to write it. The principal's office at Fengming Elementary School is also where I write large calligraphy pieces. Principal Zheming often lends me the large meeting table in his office for calligraphy.” He spoke casually, but I felt a pang of envy.
 
    Typically, artists have their own studios for contemplation and quiet creation. Yet this calligrapher doesn’t even have a table large enough to write on. So he doesn’t practice calligraphy every day; instead, he uses the opportunities to write for others as practice. No wonder he often says, “I’m actually very grateful to those who ask me for calligraphy, because they give me the chance to practice.”
 
    In the calligrapher’s room, I saw many beautiful driftwood artworks: clocks made from rotten wood, uniquely shaped brush holders, tea scoops made from coconut shells, incense burners carved from bamboo… There were too many to count. These uniquely shaped everyday items were all collected from the beach.
“I love going to the beach to collect driftwood. There are so many beautiful discoveries—wood, bamboo, vines, coconut shells, and more, all shaped by the sea's waves and the rocks' grind. These are the best materials for my creations.”
 
Obsessed with ecology, close to nature
    Thus, the setting for my interview moved from Wang Zhiyang's home to the coast of Fengbaitou.
 
    On the beach, driftwood piles up like mountains—nature's gift to the artist, an endless treasure trove. On the beach, many crabs scuttled about. Wang Zhiyang, with his childlike enthusiasm, suddenly demonstrated his skill at catching crabs. His agile movements as he dug into the sand to catch them left me in awe. The delicate way he held the crab in his palm to observe it moved me deeply—it was a sign of respect for life. He said, my daughter Xi Yu and I love coming to the beach to observe crabs. Once, I discovered a long-eyed crab (commonly known as a ghost crab, the fastest crab on Earth, capable of running three meters in a second) on the beach. I immediately rushed to school to get Xi Yu excused so I could bring her to the beach to catch crabs.” It turned out that he had been leading his daughter to connect with nature and explore ecology in this way.
 
    Pointing to the ruins of a seaside fortress, Wang Zhiyang said, “When I was a child, I used to hide there to gamble.” Among the overgrown weeds of the ruins lie countless memories of his ‘rebellious’ past. Why didn't he turn out badly? He said, “Because I love sports. Sports give me an outlet for my energy. More importantly, I have parents who love me completely.”
 
    As a mother myself, I find it hard to tolerate my son's occasional misbehavior. For a child as mischievous and troublesome as him, how much patience must his parents have to endure? How deep must their love be to accept him? “From childhood to adulthood, I feared nothing, but I feared my mother's tears the most,” Wang Zhiyang said.
 
Protecting the vulnerable with his life
    During my interview with Wang Zhiyang, I realized how busy he was. One moment he was taking his mother (his adoptive mother) to the hospital for a doctor's appointment, the next he was driving his biological mother to see Dr. Li for cupping therapy, and then he rushed straight to Mingyang Middle School to find hope for dropouts and juvenile offenders. The illnesses of two mothers and the despair of a group of children kept him constantly on the go, but he never complained. He always expressed gratitude, saying, “Having the opportunity to fulfill my filial duty to two mothers is my greatest blessing.” He is even more grateful for the chance to accompany disadvantaged children in living a life filled with love.
 
    Besides being busy with his family, he is also extremely enthusiastic about his friends. When friends ask him to write calligraphy, he never refuses. When someone asks him to guide them on an ecological tour, he gladly agrees as long as his schedule permits. Every time I accompany him to visit friends and see how kind and warm they are toward him, I can’t help but think, “This man must be truly sincere and passionate toward his friends. That’s why he has earned so much love and respect.”
 
Expressing Truth Through Ink, Spreading Love Through Calligraphy


Wang Zhiyang has a wide circle of friends, but they are not superficial acquaintances; rather, they are sincere and close-knit friends who share a deep connection. Following him to places like Liugui, Maolin, Mudan, Nantou, and Wutai, one encounters friends who rarely see each other in everyday life, yet they greet him with great joy, treating him with the warmth and intimacy of family. It is thanks to him that I was able to find a quiet place to write in Wutai, where I met Du Dage and Du Dajie from “Dream House.”
 
    When it comes to calligraphy, Wang Zhiyang has developed his own unique style called “expressing through ink.” He will write on the spot according to the request of the person seeking his calligraphy and then interpret the content of the writing, engaging in a meaningful conversation and sharing of life experiences with the person. Often, during these conversations, the person requesting the calligraphy would have tears in their eyes. The emotion was not only from the power of the calligraphy but also from the spiritual dialogue with Mr. Wang in that moment.
 
He will draw his bow like a full moon.
    Wang Zhiyang did not graduate with a liberal arts degree, but when you talk to him, you find that his language and thinking are full of philosophy. It turns out that he took Confucius, Mencius, and Laozi as his teachers and seized every moment to teach himself. Wang Zhiyang said, “I owe my introduction to philosophy to Zhou Teacher's reminder.” Zhou Teacher was Wang Zhiyang's “elder friend.” One day, Zhou Teacher told him, “Zhiyang, you work as an ecological guide and have many opportunities to interact with people. If you can read more literature and immerse yourself in the beauty of poetry, I believe it will enhance the quality of your conversations with others.” These words resonated deeply with Wang Zhiyang. He not only began reading literature but also delved into the realm of philosophy.
 
    He was very busy but made good use of his spare time. On several occasions, we had planned to go out for an interview, and he drove to the school to pick me up. However, I was delayed by trivial matters and didn't manage to leave until several minutes later. As soon as we got in the car, I apologized profusely, but he said casually, “its okay! I used the time waiting for you to finish listening to this chapter of Laozi.”
 
    He always used his driving time to listen to Professor Fu Pei-rong's lectures on Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, and used the time waiting at red lights to take notes. Therefore, he never complained about traffic jams or felt tired from long drives. It turned out that he had the company of the sages!
 
    Due to the circumstances of the interview, I had the opportunity to interact closely with Wang Zhiyang. Seeing how optimistically he lives, how actively he practices filial piety and kindness, and how he makes the most of his time to enrich himself, I finally understood that his “deep words” come from the countless moments of inspiration he experiences every day. He is such a selfless and generous person, always eager to share.
 
    Wang Zhiyang often says that “filial piety,” “doing good deeds,” and “reading books” are the three “non-refundable tickets” of his life. During this period of interaction, I saw that he truly lived up to these principles.
 
    Finding honor in adversity: from feeling, being moved, to gratitude and enlightenment
 
    One day, I re-read the Analects of Confucius and came across the 14th chapter of the “Learning” section: “The Master said, ‘The gentleman does not seek to be full in his eating, nor to be comfortable in his dwelling; he is diligent in his affairs and cautious in his words; he seeks guidance from those who are wise. This may be called a love of learning.’” I found myself unconsciously writing in the margin: “Wang Zhiyang is such a person.”
 
    Here was a man who seemed to be in a difficult situation, yet he was always optimistic and cheerful, bringing joy, convenience, confidence, and hope to others every day.
 
    How should I introduce Wang Zhiyang? I'll let you get to know him for yourselves when you have the opportunity to meet him and get to know him!
 
Wang Zhiyang:
Born on January 20, 1952, in Fengbaitou, a remote coastal village in southern Taiwan.
 
Education: Graduated from Kaohsiung Maritime College, Shipbuilding Department.
 
Experience: Worked as a cook, sold cold drinks, worked at a pawnshop, served at a cram school counter, and did temporary labor.
 
Most fulfilling work: ~~household manager, full-time stay-at-home dad, volunteer teacher at Mingyang Middle School
 
Interests and specialties: calligraphy, driftwood art creation, tea ceremony, ecological guided tours, parenting lectures
 
Works: The Curve—Wang Zhiyang’s Calligraphy Notebook, Feelings: Perception, Emotion, Gratitude, Insight
 

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