Taoyuan: National Central University (NCU) on Monday presented a plaque to the Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation certifying that an asteroid it discovered has been named after the late artist.

According to Focus Taiwan, in January, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved an application by NCU’s Lulin Observatory for the asteroid, discovered in 2007, to be named “Chenchengpo,” and assigned it the formal designation number “661666.” The university released a statement confirming the designation and celebrating the honor bestowed upon the renowned artist.

Chen Cheng-po, who lived from 1895 to 1947, is celebrated as a pivotal figure in Taiwanese art history. He was the first Taiwanese artist to have his oil paintings selected for the prestigious Japanese Imperial Art Exhibition, as noted in the IAU’s bulletin about the asteroid’s naming.

NCU Graduate Institute of Astronomy Professor Ip Wing-huen, who proposed the asteroid’s name, emphasized the stringent criteria the IAU applies when reviewing such proposals. Ip highlighted that the IAU only allows names of people who have significantly contributed to the humanities, excluding business figures, military leaders, and politicians.

Ip further commented on Chen’s legacy, emphasizing that the artist’s work often embodied a zest for life, alongside his dedication to peace, which ultimately led to his tragic demise. “Because of his lust for life and pursuit of peace, we want to remember Mr. Chen Cheng-po not only 78 years later but forever, not only in Taiwan, but in the universe,” Ip stated, referencing Chen’s execution in 1947.

Chen Li-po, the chairman of the Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation and the artist’s oldest grandson, expressed the foundation’s commitment to leveraging the asteroid’s designation to foster positive developments in science, art, and cultural fields.

In conjunction with these celebrations, a mini-exhibition introducing the Chenchengpo asteroid has been organized at the National Railway Museum. This exhibit is part of the larger “Rediscovering Taiwan: Chen Cheng-po’s 130th Birthday Anniversary Exhibition,” which will be open until May 11, as announced by the Ministry of Culture.

Chen Cheng-po’s untimely death occurred during the 228 Incident in 1947, a period marked by the violent suppression of anti-government demonstrations by the Kuomintang (KMT) regime across Taiwan. Chen, serving as a peace negotiator, was misled into what he believed were peace talks and was subsequently executed on March 25, 1947, in front of Chiayi Railway Station.