Chinese Name: 黃永松
Born: Oct. 17, 1943
Died: Mar. 4, 2024
Birthplace: Taoyuan City (Northern Taiwan)
Did You Know That… ?
Time, an American news magazine, honored the Echo (漢聲) magazine, a bimonthly publication edited by Huang Yung-sung, as Best Esoteric Publication in 2006.
Huang Yung-sung graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts (國立臺灣藝術專科學校, now National Taiwan University of Arts) in 1967 and joined the Central Pictures Corporation as an art director and photographer. With a passion for photography and cinema, Huang was invited to join the editorial team of Echo magazine in the 1970s, where he took on the roles of art designer and curator of folk culture content. This marked the beginning of his deep exploration and research into Taiwanese folk culture, shedding light on local arts and aesthetics while nurturing emerging talents in the industry.
In the 1980s, when Taiwan lifted its travel ban on China, Huang seized the opportunity to journey across the strait and study folk arts in China. His goal was to create a complete “DNA database” of Chinese traditional culture. Over the course of more than five decades, he dedicated himself to Echo magazine, contributing to the publication of over 100 magazines and related books. As a pioneer in documenting Taiwanese traditional and folk culture, Echo magazine provided a modern perspective on cultural data documentation during its time and continues to wield significant influence today.
Aside from his editorial responsibilities, Huang was deeply involved in preserving cultural heritage, devoting himself to safeguarding traditional crafts, performing arts, monuments, and historical architecture. In 1995, he initiated the “Longtan Word-worshipping Paper Incinerator Rescue Movement (「搶救龍潭聖蹟亭」古蹟運動)” and successfully preserved the monument. Additionally, he tirelessly documented folk events and celebrations through his camera lens, seeking to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity with an extensive collection of photographic records.
On account of his efforts, Huang received the Arts and Culture Award at the Presidential Culture Awards in 2017. Furthermore, in 2023, the National Center of Photography and Images released a book series titled “Photographers of Taiwan” with one volume featuring Huang Yung-sung, acknowledging his invaluable contribution to systematically documenting the everyday lives of Taiwan through both photographs and texts over the years.