Not just starring Lin Chi-ling — China Airlines showcases calendars from 1990 to present

▲ “That Year, Our China Airlines Calendar Special Exhibition,” revisiting calendar memories from 1990 to 2013.

Reported and photographed by You T-Ru / Taipei

Remember the year when Lin Chi-ling’s calendar became the must-have collectible gift for Taiwanese? From today (1st) until November 3rd, China Airlines is holding the “That Year, Our China Airlines Calendar Special Exhibition” on the first floor of the North Tobacco Factory at Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, looking back at calendar memories from 1990 to 2013, as well as the story of Taiwan.

For many overseas Chinese, expatriates, and students, the China Airlines calendar represents a longing for home; for the people of Taiwan, it has gone from being a necessity for planning life in the past to a much-sought-after collector’s item today. In October, China Airlines began soliciting “old China Airlines calendars,” prompting many to rummage through their belongings to find that precious yearly memory. China Airlines spokesperson Yang Tzu-pao noted that the airline has been producing calendars since 1970, and the evolution of these calendars also symbolizes the significance of different eras in Taiwan.

The calendar exhibition kicked off with four flight attendants dressed in retro uniforms from the 1980s onward, showcasing calendars from 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1996 donated by enthusiastic members of the public. The 1991 calendar was donated by 86-year-old Uncle Yang, who once served at the Air Force Headquarters, while the 1992 and 1993 calendars were donated by 91-year-old Uncle Ni, also a former air force serviceman. The 1996 calendar was donated by Ms. You. These calendars, which even China Airlines itself no longer has in its archives, also serve as memories of Taiwan’s history.

 

 
▲ The old calendars seem to capture the historical memory of Taiwan as well.