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traditionally been progressive in thought, and are considered more advanced than those in the north and south. Among
them are many individuals whose vision and aspirations cannot be underestimated; their thinking may be regarded as
representative of the tendencies of Taiwan’s intellectuals in general.” Indeed, since the Japanese colonial period, Taichung
has been known as the “Cultural City.” The greater Taichung area, encompassing both Taichung City and Taichung County
in the past, has nurtured a wealth of outstanding writers, artists, craftsmen, musicians, and even activists in the nationalist
movement.
Taiwan’s first bookstore, Jui-Cheng Bookstore, was founded in Taichung in 1912. Taiwan’s first middle school
established through private initiative—the Taichung Middle School—was also founded there in 1915. During the Japanese
colonial period, Taichung was a flourishing center of culture, serving as the most important base and founding site of both
the Taiwan Cultural Association and the Taiwan People’s Party. After the war, Taichung became home to the Provincial
Government and the Provincial Assembly. In terms of the arts, the city not only produced an abundance of talent, but was
also known as the hometown of Taiwanese crafts and the capital of sculpture. The establishment of the National Taiwan
Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung further attests to the city’s richness in artistic talent and the remarkable achievements it
has fostered.
In 1996, 14 years after the establishment of the Taichung Municipal Cultural Center, the Council for Cultural Affairs
(today the Ministry of Culture) launched the “National Festival of Culture and Arts.” In response, the Cultural Center
inaugurated the “Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition,” named after Taichung’s historical toponym Da Dun. The exhibition was
organized into eight categories: Ink Wash Painting, Glue Color Painting, Calligraphy, Oil Painting, Watercolor Painting,
Printmaking, Sculpture, and Crafts, with first, second, and third prizes awarded in each. At the outset, eligibility was
limited to residents of Taichung City. The following year (1997), however, the “Da Dun Prize” was established, adding Seal
Engraving and Photography as new categories.
The Da Dun Prize was awarded by selecting five works from among the ten first-prize winners across all categories,
thus bestowing a higher honor on the recipients. Participation rules also gradually expanded: beginning with the 4th
exhibition (1999), eligibility was no longer restricted to Taichung residents, but extended to all citizens of the Republic
of China, transforming the event into a national competition. By the 7th exhibition (2002), it had broadened further to an
international level, welcoming submissions from around the world. In 2005, with the 10th exhibition, “Digital Art” was added
as a new category.
Over the past 30 years, counting the first-prize winners from the inaugural exhibition in each category together with the
Da Dun Prize recipients from the second exhibition onward, a total of 153 works by 143 artists have been honored. These
include: 18 in Ink Wash Painting, 15 in Calligraphy, 15 in Seal Engraving, 17 in Glue Color Painting, 20 in Oil Painting, 21

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