閱讀吳卿

一切因緣法的定律皆是「法喜」

The glory of life in the creature world is depicted detail by detail. With a sharp eye for minutiae, as the carving knife moves, the wonder of that beyond the physical world is conveyed.
秦孝儀 Ex-director Taipei National Palace Museum

With much hardship and over a long period of time, he has refined his creative works of art until his sculpting has now reached a higher state.
星雲 Buddhist Master

2013/07 Wu Ching was Included in the "Natio...


2013/02 Wuching Golden Sculptures Spectacul...


2012/01 A great deal of thought and effort ...


 A great deal of thought and effort has gone into launching the Wu Ching Sculptures bilingual website in Chinese and English. This will allow comprehensive one-click access to the creative concepts, creative background, unique technique, art appreciation, 

2011/06 Kaohsiung’s famous Fo Guang Monaste...

Buddhist Master Hsing Yun, the founder and head of Fo Guang Monastery, praised Wu Ching’s divinely inspired work, saying that Wu’s unremitting cultivation of mind and spirit, purification and sublimation infused with external technique allowed for attainment of the perfect state in which mind and art are combined. Wu Ching’s art is a sophisticated, delicate and thin and transparent absolute state of sculpting technique in a class of its own that moves those who behold it. Wu Ching’s mind has attained the Dharma state of emptiness that allows understanding of the mystery of nothingness, a realm where things and self are one. This is the power and inspiration for his inspired creation. Wu Ching has cultivated himself through the tempering from living as a human being and enlightenment from life via precise sculpture creation. Especially during the centennial of the Republic of China, the Buddha Memorial Center of Fo Guang Monastery decided to welcome in the new lunar year by inviting Wu Ching to exhibit his gold sculpture works so that the public could be replete with Dharma bliss and joyfully see in the new lunar year.

2011/01 1. The Xian International Horticult...


The Xian International Horticultural Expo specially invited Taiwan’s gold sculpting master Wu Ching to exhibit his gold sculpture works alongside national treasure-class cultural objects “Che Tong Ma” and “San Er Long Wen Ding” in the Chang’an Tower. After receiving the invitation, Wu Ching specially created “Datong Shijie”, “Tianluo Diwang”, “Great Harmony”, “Posuo Haiyang,” “Prosperous Descendants” and 13 works he felt closest to for display at the Chang’an Tower.

2010/01 Wu Ching accepts invitation from th...


​In 2009, the deputy curator of the China Maritime Museum in Shanghai led a delegation to Europe where in the Hamburg Maritime Museum they saw a pure gold model of a ship. The museum authorities proudly declared that this was one of the rarest gold ships in the world. Casting a ship required bringing together exacting industrial art precision and choice and an extraordinarily expensive selection of material, so it was rarely found in museums around the world. The deputy curator of the China Maritime Museum asked many ship model companies about this, but due to the risk and extreme difficulty, none were willing to take on a commission to fabricate a ship model. By chance, he heard of Taiwan’s famous gold sculpting master Wu Ching, whom he asked to make a 99.99% pure gold model of a large-finned ancient Chinese battleship for the China Maritime Museum so that the museum’s display could have historical significance and enhance its precious art collection value. This was a pioneering work in the museum’s collection and a major conceptual manifestation of “pre-arranged collecting.” 

2009/01 The 89th Floor Observation Deck of ...


Two new works premiered at this exhibition: “Urn”; 30 x 30x 25 cm; gold and porcelain (approximately 20 gold ants) “Mystery of Orchid Life” 2006; 30 x 30 x 20cm; gold and porcelain

2008/01 Wu Ching was engaged by the Prepara...

“Countryside Reminiscences” is an unparalleled large-scale work given a place of honor in the special collection of the Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts under the Council for Cultural Affairs and the National Center for Traditional Arts. It was a pioneering work for Taiwan’s promotion of a national special collection policy, and was the only large-scale art work commissioned by the National Center for Traditional Arts in terms of scale, technique and artistic attainment. It has become the treasured centerpiece of the township center, is a tourist attraction, and is effective as an example of applied education.

2007/01 The Yilan National Center for Tradi...

One a year of time and 25 kg of boxwood was used to make this 25 gram sculpture of 24 by 36 inch women’s lace underpants. The woman’s physique is invisible, the sculpting very detailed and since the work appeared lifelike, it elicited curiosity from those who saw it. The Center specially arranged a recording and slides as well as a sophisticated poster to explain the process of making this work.

2006/01 1. The Xingang, Chiayi County Cultu...

1. The “Wu Ching Wood Sculpture/Gold Sculpture/Installation and Statuary Art Exhibition” was divided into wood sculpture and gold sculpture categories: Wood Sculpture “Mundane Affinity” 1991; 28 x 28 x 55 cm; boxwood “Soar and Roar” 1978; 9 x 10 x 24 cm; boxwood “Struggling to Break Free” 1984; 31 x 31 x 380 cm; boxwood “Dreaming of Butterflies” 1987; 23 x 23 x 100 cm; boxwood “Symbiotic Connection” 1987; 32 x 12 x 41 cm; satinwood “Zen” 1986; 11 x 11 x 22 cm; boxwood “Process of Life” 1983; 84 x 13 x 59 cm; ironwood Gold Sculpture “I Need Soil” 1999; 16 x 20 x 68 cm; gold and glass “Prosperous Descendants” 1997; 55 x 20 x 42; gold, silver and copper “Dragonfly Love” 1993; 13 x 9 x 13 cm; gold and stone “Grief and Joy Intermingled” 1996; 96 x 71 x 275 cm; gold and copper “Involvement? Obeisance?”; 300 x 60 x 190 cm; copper “Hairy Crabs Gathering at the Precious Basin” 2006; 23 x 23 x 26; gold, porcelain “Mantis Preying Upon a Cicada” 1995; 30 x 15 x 15; gold and silver “Rustle of Grass in the Wind” 1991; 30 x 12 x 42; gold and stone 2. The Taipei 101 building’s observation deck exhibition “Taiwan’s Golden Images—Wu Ching Gold Sculpture Art Exhibition” featured a display of 22 sculptures using 99.99% pure gold worth NT$200 million, at a venue atop what was then the world’s tallest building, to set a new record. All works used such virtually pure gold as their sculpting material, allowing them to manifest integrality. Most works were welded together with 1100°C heat then minutely micro-sculpted to give a uniform and gorgeous surface appearance. Pursuing exacting standards has allowed Wu Ching’s gold sculpture art to appear lifelike as if it could speak…gold sculpted flower petals are transparent, butterflies lightly tremble as lifelike as if they were about to fly out the window. Thick and heavy gold, thanks to Wu Ching’s precise and minute sculpting, becomes a thin, transparent and moving work of art.

2005/01 The then Taipei County Gold Museum ...

The most famous work in Wu Ching’s gold sculpture exhibition is the large-scale “Prosperous Descendants” which used 2.9 kg of gold to make, and which is 1.95 meter long, 1.05 meter wide and 1.33 meters tall, in addition to a silver base and bronze frame. It has bitter gourd vine creepers and ants as its main subjects. The gold ants are the same size as real one. There are also butterflies, praying mantis and lady bugs flit to and fro. This work that uses realism techniques expresses the beauty of the natural world of creatures. The work consists of thousands of individual entities carved to make molds then is assembled with extremely difficult welding techniques to join gold piece with gold piece. He directly uses nearly pure gold with spot use of 1200̊C heat. The surface of the work is uniform and represents a new aspect of gold art. Use of floating, three-dimensional and transparent sculpting techniques, this hand-carved work has a special portrayal that is very lifelike, and is a rare example anywhere in the world of a large-scale gold sculpture carved with such precision. Another most well-know work is “Home,” 6 meters long, 0.8 meters wide and 0.6 meters tall. Made with 1.021 kg of gold, it is an ecological work with 523 gold ants as its subject. It minutely portrays a society of creatures from the natural world in all their fine complexity and vividness.

2004/01 1. Wu Ching gave something back to ...

1. The exhibition “A View of What Matters in Human Life from the World of Flora and Ants” displayed 8 gold sculptures, 8 wood sculptures, and 2 copper sculptures. Among them was “Broken Urn,” a work consuming two years to complete, on display for the first time. Although not formally released for 15 years, it was specially brought to congratulate realization of the Chiayi Municipal Museum, and is the progenitor of all orchid sculptures in Taiwan. A vase of butterfly orchids was carved from a single block of 3,000 year-old boxwood. The work is marvelous to behold and lifelike, with the butterfly orchid’s branches and trunk coarsely carved, and its flower petals carved thin as gossamer cicada wings. The flower vase has the feel of a hand-thrown piece of pottery. The work was well received and the subject of considerable attention. For the exhibition “Wu Ching and Van Gogh—A Cross-Era and Distance Dialogue,” over ten wood and gold sculpted works were displayed, and “Dharma Bliss” was publicly premiered for art lovers, featuring Wu Ching’s own head as its subject. Also on display for the first time was “Woman Walking,” which took as its subject matter a pair of women’s underpants. The fourth generation of the Chiang family, Chiang Yu-po, cultural creation master, was invited to attend. He most admired “Dharma Bliss,” feeling that the entire entity was very startling and made extremely precisely with minute detail, leaving a deep impression. To encourage the circumstances for artistic talent, creation and research, and foster the pluralistic development of the fine arts in Taiwan, as well as to assist in cultivating assessment and critical capabilities for modern art, Wu Ching accepted an invitation to serve on the planning commission and as a panel judge for the 17th Nationwide Art Exhibition, where he unselfishly promoted the emergence of new art and exulted in fame being accorded real talent.

2003/01 Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Art & Culture ...

This was the first time that the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Educational and Cultural Foundation invited an individual touring exhibition. The works during this period experimented with another kind of value preserving material, jade, with wonderful results. Completed works include: “Lotus Crab” (Harmony); gold and jade; 30 x 15 x 15 cm “Source of Life II”; gold and copper; 30 x 30 x 50 cm “Deep in Thought?”; copper; 69 x 85 x 101 cm “Involvement? Obeisance?”; copper; 300 x 60 x 190 cm

2002/01 The Taichung Municipal Huludun Cult...

The works during this period once again improve on the “Prosperous Descendants” series of works, making them easier to display and collect. The “Gold and Jade Drawing Room” exhibition displayed over 100 sets of gold sculpture and ancient jades. What was most viewed by the public was Wu Ching’s gold sculpture work “Countryside Reminiscences”. Wu Ching spent nearly three years meticulously creating this ant world where no detail was left out, large or small. In all, 806 lifelike gold ants arduously labor atop silver branches, transporting things. The circulation and interdependence of Nature are evident in the subtleties of this work. Director Chen of the cultural center stated, “Teacher Wu Ching’s mastery of sculpting tiny ants is much like learning Buddhist practices, it requires extraordinary personal endurance and determination to realistically depict the world of ants to serve as an allegory for genuine human life.”

2001/01 Invited to take part in “Gold Legen...

The works completed during this period: “Prosperous Descendants” 2001 (medium-sized version); gold, silver and copper; 89 x 43 x 86 cm (2002 Wang Wen-yuan collection)

2000/01 Took a year-long sabbatical in Tait...

Creation of the works completed during this period was commissioned by the National Science and Technology Museum of Kaohsiung as an invitation to create ecological education materials. “Prosperous Descendants” 2000 (medium-sized version); gold and copper; 110 x 50 x 100 cm (2000 Wu Jen-fu collection)“Ant Ecology” 2000; gold and copper; 81 x 26 x 33 cm; (2000 National Science and Technology Museum of Kaohsiung collection)

1999/01 1. The Kaohsiung Museum of History ...

1. A total of 23 gold sculpture works were displayed. From 1989 onward, sculptured art works were made with gold, directly using 99.99 percent pure gold welded at 1200°C. This produced works with perfect surface appearance and opened up a new field of precision carved art. Silver and copper were combined with gold for a multiplier effect and different materials were matched and combined to give the gold sculpted works even greater perfection and to broaden the expressive space of sculpted art. 2. The major works include: “New Year’s Orchid” 1999 (small version); gold and stone; 22 x 23 x 58 cm “I Need Soil” 1999 (small version); gold and glass; 16 x 20 x 68 cm “Dragonflies Sport with Taipei Grass Frogs”; gold and copper; 30 x 17 x 17 cm “Swallowtails Sport with Taipei Grass Frogs”; gold and copper; 30 x 17 x 17 cm

1998/01 1. Chungyo Department Store in Taic...

1. To promote artistic and cultural events to give something back to society, the Chungyo Department Store of Taichung invited Wu Ching to hold a large gold sculpture exhibition. Since this objective was highly significant, Wu Ching happily agreed to do his part to make it a success. 2. In all, 23 works were displayed, demonstrating Wu Ching’s compassion, exploration, concern and philosophical insight on impassioned and passionless life. During his lonely, long-term and arduous creative career, he gradually realized the marvelous in emptiness and the Dharma bliss amidst tranquility, just as Buddhist Master Hsing Yuan’s words of praise put it: “The material he shapes is gold, and the residue on his hands is gold. But in his heart, there is not gold but self-cultivation.”

1997/01 The Buddha’s Light International As...

The “Wu Ching Gold Sculpture Exhibition” displayed only one wood sculpture, “Why Stir Up Dust?” along with 31 gold sculpted works. Wu Ching attempted to explore such concepts as the alternation of life and death and affinities of passion in the human world, while abstrusely realizing practice of the Buddhist doctrines, going beyond realism to incorporate abstract ideas and expressing philosophical ideas about such issues as ecology and the environment. When sculpting ants, he began reading the Buddhist canon and was greatly influenced, leading this individual exhibition to demonstrate the results of his personal Buddhist practice. The works during this period once again improve on the “Prosperous Descendants” series of works, making them easier to display and collect. “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-1 (medium-size version; gold, silver and copper; 68 x 42 x 56 cm “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-2; gold and stone; 30 x 16 x 6 cm; (1997 Kao Chung-yun collection) “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-3 (small version); gold, silver and copper; 55 x 20 x 42 cm “Ant Ecology” 1997; gold and silver; 80 x 26 x 24 cm (Koo Chen-fu collection)



Snow



The glory of life in the creature world is depicted detail by detail. With a sharp eye for minutiae, as the carving knife moves, the wonder of that beyond the physical world is conveyed.

秦孝儀 Ex-director Taipei National Palace Museum


With much hardship and over a long period of time, he has refined his creative works of art until his sculpting has now reached a higher state.

星雲 Buddhist Master









  •  A great deal of thought and effort has gone into launching the Wu Ching Sculptures bilingual website in Chinese and English. This will allow comprehensive one-click access to the creative concepts, creative background, unique technique, art appreciation, 
    Buddhist Master Hsing Yun, the founder and head of Fo Guang Monastery, praised Wu Ching’s divinely inspired work, saying that Wu’s unremitting cultivation of mind and spirit, purification and sublimation infused with external technique allowed for attainment of the perfect state in which mind and art are combined. Wu Ching’s art is a sophisticated, delicate and thin and transparent absolute state of sculpting technique in a class of its own that moves those who behold it. Wu Ching’s mind has attained the Dharma state of emptiness that allows understanding of the mystery of nothingness, a realm where things and self are one. This is the power and inspiration for his inspired creation. Wu Ching has cultivated himself through the tempering from living as a human being and enlightenment from life via precise sculpture creation. Especially during the centennial of the Republic of China, the Buddha Memorial Center of Fo Guang Monastery decided to welcome in the new lunar year by inviting Wu Ching to exhibit his gold sculpture works so that the public could be replete with Dharma bliss and joyfully see in the new lunar year.


    The Xian International Horticultural Expo specially invited Taiwan’s gold sculpting master Wu Ching to exhibit his gold sculpture works alongside national treasure-class cultural objects “Che Tong Ma” and “San Er Long Wen Ding” in the Chang’an Tower. After receiving the invitation, Wu Ching specially created “Datong Shijie”, “Tianluo Diwang”, “Great Harmony”, “Posuo Haiyang,” “Prosperous Descendants” and 13 works he felt closest to for display at the Chang’an Tower.


    ​In 2009, the deputy curator of the China Maritime Museum in Shanghai led a delegation to Europe where in the Hamburg Maritime Museum they saw a pure gold model of a ship. The museum authorities proudly declared that this was one of the rarest gold ships in the world. Casting a ship required bringing together exacting industrial art precision and choice and an extraordinarily expensive selection of material, so it was rarely found in museums around the world. The deputy curator of the China Maritime Museum asked many ship model companies about this, but due to the risk and extreme difficulty, none were willing to take on a commission to fabricate a ship model. By chance, he heard of Taiwan’s famous gold sculpting master Wu Ching, whom he asked to make a 99.99% pure gold model of a large-finned ancient Chinese battleship for the China Maritime Museum so that the museum’s display could have historical significance and enhance its precious art collection value. This was a pioneering work in the museum’s collection and a major conceptual manifestation of “pre-arranged collecting.” 


    Two new works premiered at this exhibition: “Urn”; 30 x 30x 25 cm; gold and porcelain (approximately 20 gold ants) “Mystery of Orchid Life” 2006; 30 x 30 x 20cm; gold and porcelain
    “Countryside Reminiscences” is an unparalleled large-scale work given a place of honor in the special collection of the Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts under the Council for Cultural Affairs and the National Center for Traditional Arts. It was a pioneering work for Taiwan’s promotion of a national special collection policy, and was the only large-scale art work commissioned by the National Center for Traditional Arts in terms of scale, technique and artistic attainment. It has become the treasured centerpiece of the township center, is a tourist attraction, and is effective as an example of applied education.
    One a year of time and 25 kg of boxwood was used to make this 25 gram sculpture of 24 by 36 inch women’s lace underpants. The woman’s physique is invisible, the sculpting very detailed and since the work appeared lifelike, it elicited curiosity from those who saw it. The Center specially arranged a recording and slides as well as a sophisticated poster to explain the process of making this work.
    1. The “Wu Ching Wood Sculpture/Gold Sculpture/Installation and Statuary Art Exhibition” was divided into wood sculpture and gold sculpture categories: Wood Sculpture “Mundane Affinity” 1991; 28 x 28 x 55 cm; boxwood “Soar and Roar” 1978; 9 x 10 x 24 cm; boxwood “Struggling to Break Free” 1984; 31 x 31 x 380 cm; boxwood “Dreaming of Butterflies” 1987; 23 x 23 x 100 cm; boxwood “Symbiotic Connection” 1987; 32 x 12 x 41 cm; satinwood “Zen” 1986; 11 x 11 x 22 cm; boxwood “Process of Life” 1983; 84 x 13 x 59 cm; ironwood Gold Sculpture “I Need Soil” 1999; 16 x 20 x 68 cm; gold and glass “Prosperous Descendants” 1997; 55 x 20 x 42; gold, silver and copper “Dragonfly Love” 1993; 13 x 9 x 13 cm; gold and stone “Grief and Joy Intermingled” 1996; 96 x 71 x 275 cm; gold and copper “Involvement? Obeisance?”; 300 x 60 x 190 cm; copper “Hairy Crabs Gathering at the Precious Basin” 2006; 23 x 23 x 26; gold, porcelain “Mantis Preying Upon a Cicada” 1995; 30 x 15 x 15; gold and silver “Rustle of Grass in the Wind” 1991; 30 x 12 x 42; gold and stone 2. The Taipei 101 building’s observation deck exhibition “Taiwan’s Golden Images—Wu Ching Gold Sculpture Art Exhibition” featured a display of 22 sculptures using 99.99% pure gold worth NT$200 million, at a venue atop what was then the world’s tallest building, to set a new record. All works used such virtually pure gold as their sculpting material, allowing them to manifest integrality. Most works were welded together with 1100°C heat then minutely micro-sculpted to give a uniform and gorgeous surface appearance. Pursuing exacting standards has allowed Wu Ching’s gold sculpture art to appear lifelike as if it could speak…gold sculpted flower petals are transparent, butterflies lightly tremble as lifelike as if they were about to fly out the window. Thick and heavy gold, thanks to Wu Ching’s precise and minute sculpting, becomes a thin, transparent and moving work of art.
    The most famous work in Wu Ching’s gold sculpture exhibition is the large-scale “Prosperous Descendants” which used 2.9 kg of gold to make, and which is 1.95 meter long, 1.05 meter wide and 1.33 meters tall, in addition to a silver base and bronze frame. It has bitter gourd vine creepers and ants as its main subjects. The gold ants are the same size as real one. There are also butterflies, praying mantis and lady bugs flit to and fro. This work that uses realism techniques expresses the beauty of the natural world of creatures. The work consists of thousands of individual entities carved to make molds then is assembled with extremely difficult welding techniques to join gold piece with gold piece. He directly uses nearly pure gold with spot use of 1200̊C heat. The surface of the work is uniform and represents a new aspect of gold art. Use of floating, three-dimensional and transparent sculpting techniques, this hand-carved work has a special portrayal that is very lifelike, and is a rare example anywhere in the world of a large-scale gold sculpture carved with such precision. Another most well-know work is “Home,” 6 meters long, 0.8 meters wide and 0.6 meters tall. Made with 1.021 kg of gold, it is an ecological work with 523 gold ants as its subject. It minutely portrays a society of creatures from the natural world in all their fine complexity and vividness.
    1. The exhibition “A View of What Matters in Human Life from the World of Flora and Ants” displayed 8 gold sculptures, 8 wood sculptures, and 2 copper sculptures. Among them was “Broken Urn,” a work consuming two years to complete, on display for the first time. Although not formally released for 15 years, it was specially brought to congratulate realization of the Chiayi Municipal Museum, and is the progenitor of all orchid sculptures in Taiwan. A vase of butterfly orchids was carved from a single block of 3,000 year-old boxwood. The work is marvelous to behold and lifelike, with the butterfly orchid’s branches and trunk coarsely carved, and its flower petals carved thin as gossamer cicada wings. The flower vase has the feel of a hand-thrown piece of pottery. The work was well received and the subject of considerable attention. For the exhibition “Wu Ching and Van Gogh—A Cross-Era and Distance Dialogue,” over ten wood and gold sculpted works were displayed, and “Dharma Bliss” was publicly premiered for art lovers, featuring Wu Ching’s own head as its subject. Also on display for the first time was “Woman Walking,” which took as its subject matter a pair of women’s underpants. The fourth generation of the Chiang family, Chiang Yu-po, cultural creation master, was invited to attend. He most admired “Dharma Bliss,” feeling that the entire entity was very startling and made extremely precisely with minute detail, leaving a deep impression. To encourage the circumstances for artistic talent, creation and research, and foster the pluralistic development of the fine arts in Taiwan, as well as to assist in cultivating assessment and critical capabilities for modern art, Wu Ching accepted an invitation to serve on the planning commission and as a panel judge for the 17th Nationwide Art Exhibition, where he unselfishly promoted the emergence of new art and exulted in fame being accorded real talent.
    This was the first time that the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Educational and Cultural Foundation invited an individual touring exhibition. The works during this period experimented with another kind of value preserving material, jade, with wonderful results. Completed works include: “Lotus Crab” (Harmony); gold and jade; 30 x 15 x 15 cm “Source of Life II”; gold and copper; 30 x 30 x 50 cm “Deep in Thought?”; copper; 69 x 85 x 101 cm “Involvement? Obeisance?”; copper; 300 x 60 x 190 cm
    The works during this period once again improve on the “Prosperous Descendants” series of works, making them easier to display and collect. The “Gold and Jade Drawing Room” exhibition displayed over 100 sets of gold sculpture and ancient jades. What was most viewed by the public was Wu Ching’s gold sculpture work “Countryside Reminiscences”. Wu Ching spent nearly three years meticulously creating this ant world where no detail was left out, large or small. In all, 806 lifelike gold ants arduously labor atop silver branches, transporting things. The circulation and interdependence of Nature are evident in the subtleties of this work. Director Chen of the cultural center stated, “Teacher Wu Ching’s mastery of sculpting tiny ants is much like learning Buddhist practices, it requires extraordinary personal endurance and determination to realistically depict the world of ants to serve as an allegory for genuine human life.”
    The works completed during this period: “Prosperous Descendants” 2001 (medium-sized version); gold, silver and copper; 89 x 43 x 86 cm (2002 Wang Wen-yuan collection)
    Creation of the works completed during this period was commissioned by the National Science and Technology Museum of Kaohsiung as an invitation to create ecological education materials. “Prosperous Descendants” 2000 (medium-sized version); gold and copper; 110 x 50 x 100 cm (2000 Wu Jen-fu collection)“Ant Ecology” 2000; gold and copper; 81 x 26 x 33 cm; (2000 National Science and Technology Museum of Kaohsiung collection)
    1. A total of 23 gold sculpture works were displayed. From 1989 onward, sculptured art works were made with gold, directly using 99.99 percent pure gold welded at 1200°C. This produced works with perfect surface appearance and opened up a new field of precision carved art. Silver and copper were combined with gold for a multiplier effect and different materials were matched and combined to give the gold sculpted works even greater perfection and to broaden the expressive space of sculpted art. 2. The major works include: “New Year’s Orchid” 1999 (small version); gold and stone; 22 x 23 x 58 cm “I Need Soil” 1999 (small version); gold and glass; 16 x 20 x 68 cm “Dragonflies Sport with Taipei Grass Frogs”; gold and copper; 30 x 17 x 17 cm “Swallowtails Sport with Taipei Grass Frogs”; gold and copper; 30 x 17 x 17 cm
    1. To promote artistic and cultural events to give something back to society, the Chungyo Department Store of Taichung invited Wu Ching to hold a large gold sculpture exhibition. Since this objective was highly significant, Wu Ching happily agreed to do his part to make it a success. 2. In all, 23 works were displayed, demonstrating Wu Ching’s compassion, exploration, concern and philosophical insight on impassioned and passionless life. During his lonely, long-term and arduous creative career, he gradually realized the marvelous in emptiness and the Dharma bliss amidst tranquility, just as Buddhist Master Hsing Yuan’s words of praise put it: “The material he shapes is gold, and the residue on his hands is gold. But in his heart, there is not gold but self-cultivation.”
    The “Wu Ching Gold Sculpture Exhibition” displayed only one wood sculpture, “Why Stir Up Dust?” along with 31 gold sculpted works. Wu Ching attempted to explore such concepts as the alternation of life and death and affinities of passion in the human world, while abstrusely realizing practice of the Buddhist doctrines, going beyond realism to incorporate abstract ideas and expressing philosophical ideas about such issues as ecology and the environment. When sculpting ants, he began reading the Buddhist canon and was greatly influenced, leading this individual exhibition to demonstrate the results of his personal Buddhist practice. The works during this period once again improve on the “Prosperous Descendants” series of works, making them easier to display and collect. “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-1 (medium-size version; gold, silver and copper; 68 x 42 x 56 cm “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-2; gold and stone; 30 x 16 x 6 cm; (1997 Kao Chung-yun collection) “Prosperous Descendants” 1997-3 (small version); gold, silver and copper; 55 x 20 x 42 cm “Ant Ecology” 1997; gold and silver; 80 x 26 x 24 cm (Koo Chen-fu collection)