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The Paperfolding of Philip Shen
 

Introduction

Philip Shen was born in 1931 in Manila in the Phillipines and died in Claremont, California in 2004.

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Chronology

1931

Philip Shen was born in 1931 in Manila in the Phillipines (see entry for 1965 below)

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1953

In 1953 Shen moved to Chicago to study the philosophy of religion and theology.

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1958

The bibliography in 'Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5, Part 1: Paper and Printing' by Tsien Tsuen-Hsuin, which was published by Cambridge University Press in 1985, contains an entry for:

a copy of which I have been unable to locate. I do not know which journal the abbreviation NCSAS refers to.

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1961

Philip Shen is featured in an article published in the Chicago Daily Tribune of 25th June 1961, which pictures one of his geometric creations and describes him as a 'University of Chicago divinity student'.

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Volume 2 Issue 2 of 'The Origamian' for Autumn 1961 contains mention in a letter from Philip Shen of how a twisted version of the Love Knot Letterfold had been used as a pen or brush cap during his childhood.

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1962

In 1962 Shen moved to Hong Kong and joined the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Chung Chi College.

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1963

 In 1963, Shen received his Ph.D. from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago.

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'The Best of Origami' by Samuel Randlett, which was published by E P Dutton in New York in 1963 and by Faber and Faber Ltd in London in 1964, contained the following biographical details:

And diagrams for one of Shen's original designs:

Flower

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1965

Vol 5: Issue 2 of 'The Origamian' for Summer 1965 carried a profile of Philip Shen, written by Alice Gray.

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The same issue also carried an article 'Paper Folding as a Folk and Creative Art', written by Philip Shen.

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The same issue also included standard diagrams for one of his tables:

And photo diagrams for his 'star basic form' and 4 designs derived from it:

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A Star Disk

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Flower no 1

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A Propellor

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Flower no 2

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1966

Volume 6, Issue 3 of 'The Origamian' for Autumn 1966 contains a letter from Philip Shen saying he is too busy with his university duties in Hong Kong to have much time for paperfolding.

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1976

Philip Shen's 'Omega Star' (6-part modular) appeared in Issue 25 of the'Flapping Bird'. This design was developed from XYZ by E D Sullivan.

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1990

In 1990 Shen was appointed head of Chung Chi College in Hong Kong and an artocle about his love of paperfolding was published in the newsletter of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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