The 2009 China Wood Culture Symposium and Yunnan Wood Culture Exhibition  took place on 28 November 2009 at Southwest Forestry University in Kunming. The event was sponsored by the International Wood Culture Society (IWCS), Southwest Forestry University and the China branch of IWCS.

The opening ceremony was conducted by Southwest Forestry University Vice-President Du Guanben. The president of the university Liu Huimin delivered the opening address.  Inspiring and passionate speeches were made by many organizations' leaders including Yunnan Province Forestry Industry Association President, International Wood Culture Society President, and USDA-Forest Service Southern Research Station Chief Scientist Chung-Yun Hse.  International Wood Culture Society Secretary General Ms. Su Jin Ling presented the welcoming speech.  Other special guests included China Timber Distribution Association President Zhu Guangqian, Yunnan Province Furniture Professional Association President Qi Hui and Southwest Forestry University Vice-President Yang Yuming.  More than one hundred people attended the conference both domestic and international.
 
Professor Liu Huimin said in the opening address:  “Wood is one of the friendliest ecological materials and is the only renewal natural resource in massive use.  Wood culture has its own cultural meaning and shape.  It has a rich cultural connotation and law of development.  This wood culture symposium will cover a wide range of topics from the cultural and humanities angle. It will provide a new approach and thought for effective, scientific and  reasonable use of wood. I believe the conference will certainly be a positive step to the continuous promotion, research and study of wood culture.  I wish wood culture will be able to develop thoroughly in its sustainability”.

Professor Chung-Yun Hse said in his speech: “It is a young man with lofty ideals and the aspiration that introduced me to the world of wood culture. His name is Wen Pin Hou and his aspiration leads to the formation of International Wood Culture Society (IWCS).  It is his diligent dedication and support of the wood industry that enabled the organization to build a network and platform”.  He said that the main goal of this conference is to discuss wood from the cultural perspective, to continue to promote 'Wood is Good!' and to introduce the harmonious coexistence of nature and people.

International Wood Culture Society Secretary General Ms. Su Jin Ling spoke the following in her welcoming address. She said “The aim and mission of IWCS is to explore the value and usage of wood from a cultural perspective, to present human’s experience, knowledge, wisdom and inspiration of wood, to provide a scientific guide of reasonable and highly effective use of wood so wood culture may have a positive impact and influence in our lives for generations and in the development of human civilization and a harmonious, sustainable relationship with nature”.

The conference schedule is as follows: the opening ceremony, eight keynote reports, group discussions, the closing ceremony and the Yunnan Wood Culture Exhibition. 34 experts and scholars made great presentations of different wood subjects including humanity, education, science and technology and wood production and marketing. The attendees had a thorough discussion and exchange of wood culture related subjects and made seven mutual conclusions. 

The Yunnan Wood Culture Exhibition focused on Yunnan wood scientific culture, Yunnan wood humanities and other wood related subjects and wood industry.  The on-site demonstrations featured four craft skills unique for the Jianchuan woodcarving, the Dongba wood culture, the out-of-print woodcarving and Taiwanese carpentry.  ‘Wood Beauty,' ‘Wood Science,' ‘Wood Education' and ‘Wood Humanities' are the subjects of more than 80 elegant exhibition boards, which attracted many audiences. 

This IWCS conference, which is the fourth seminar held in China in the field of wood culture, will play a positive role and has a profound influence to the healthy development of wood culture.      

A consensus was reached for the following at the conclusion of the group discussion and exchange at the two-day conference:

1.    International Wood Culture Society (IWCS) is to explore the value and usage of wood from a cultural perspective, to advocate a harmonious relationship with nature and to develop and practice the theory of wood culture for an appreciation of wood, a sustainability of timber resources and an eco-friendly environment.

2.    The members of IWCS is to explore the wonder of wood from a cultural perspective and to share their experiences, knowledge, wisdom and inspiration of wood by means of learning and demonstrations through history, science, philosophy and art.  They are to pursue the integrity of wood culture in the spirit of honesty, truth, compassion and perfection and to realize the idea 'Wood is Good!' from a cultural approach.

3.    Simultaneous seminars and exhibitions have resulted in a good model for wood culture activities. This model has been adopted by the organizers and participants for future events and activities.

4.    Future conferences will have separate themed sessions which are pre-assigned or through on-site suggestions.  Specific topics will be predetermined for each conference in order to have better discussions on wood culture theory and practice. Multiple conferences may be held throughout the year.

5.    IWCS should organize and compile wood culture educational teaching materials, special editions and periodicals.

6.    IWCS will continue to promote wood education for consumers and the general public.

7.    IWCS should set up steering committees with professionals of various fields of wood culture in order to plan wood culture related activities of specific subjects.

8.    IWCS should increase efforts to further strengthen cooperation with government officials, associations, businesses and civil groups and to work together for future wood culture development.

9.    To establish Wood Culture Foundation to organize, manage and allocate the funds for the research, education and promotion of wood culture.

10.   Although the conference has ended, we encourage everyone to continue the discussions at the conference website (iwcs-yn2009.events.wood.info) and Woodculture.cn.                          

Author: Sue, Diana
Editor: Song Song