Woodcarver Li Bing-gui (李秉圭) was awarded the National Crafts Achievement Award, the highest honor in Taiwan's craft industry, for his extraordinary achievements and selfless dedication in the field of craftsmanship at a ceremony held at the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) on Dec. 11.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) stated that the award which is presented by the Executive Yuan, the nation's highest administrative body, represents the highest respect of the country, and he hopes that those who have made long-term contributions to various industries in Taiwan will be recognized by the public. He mentioned that the Executive Yuan has approved a medium-and-long-term project on the development of the craft and culture industry. Starting next year, nearly NT$3 billion dollars will be invested over four years and this demonstrates the determination and sincerity of the government.
Culture Minister Lee Yung-te specially thanked Premier Su for attaching great importance to the development of Taiwan's crafts. Next year, the Ministry of Culture and NTCRI will significantly increase the budget related to crafts under the support of the Executive Yuan to encourage artists' creation while establishing an important platform and marketing channel, so as to provide more space to showcase Taiwanese crafts and raise the visibility of these artworks.
This is Li's third time accepting an award on stage. Previously, he was recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a preserver of both traditional woodcarving and traditional chisel work in 2013 and 2018, respectively. Hailed as a national treasure, he expressed his gratitude to the country for the honor and recognition.
First presented in 2007, the annual award has been presented to the prestigious woodcarving artisan Yeh Ching-yi (葉經義), crystalline glaze master Sun Chao (孫超), renowned bamboo weaver Chang Hsien-ping (張憲平), cut-and-paste ceramics master Chen San-huo (陳三火) and more.