At the age of 32, his father joyfully welcomed his eldest son and named him "Wan-chuan" with the intention of "passing on everything," which resonates with the pronunciation of "Man-chuan" in Taiwanese Hokkien.
To enhance his exam readiness, Chang Wan-chuan enrolled in the Kawabata Art School and the Honjo Painting Research Institute for further studies.
In 1931, Chang Wan-chuan, Hong Rui-lin, and Chen Te-wang all passed the entrance exam for the Western Painting Department of the Imperial Art School.
In 1932, Chang Wan-chuan decided to drop out of the Imperial School of Fine Arts due to the limited focus on creative courses.
He turned to self-study and continued to hone his drawing skills through the study of books and sketchbooks, as well as attending private art schools for practice and creation.
[1]: 16–17 Although Chang Wan-chuan did not enter the traditional academy system to study fine arts, his work "Market in front of the Temple" was still selected for the 6th Taiwan Exhibition in 1932.
Chang Wan-chuan initially took refuge in his ancestral home in Yangmingshan, but later sought shelter with his elder brother Zhang Wanju, who was practicing medicine in Jinshan.
It not only represented the everyday objects he encountered, but also symbolized the gratitude he felt towards Hsieh Guo-yong, who managed fish ponds during his southern exhibitions.
That same year, he co-founded the "Sunday Painters Club" with other teachers from Taipei Datong High School, such as Chen Te-wang (陳德旺, 1910-1984), Tsai In-tang.
In 1975, Chang Wan-chuan embarked on a two-year journey to Europe, followed by travels to various countries in Japan and the Americas, leading a nomadic lifestyle for a total of 15 years.
He used various mediums such as oil painting, watercolor, and sketching, as well as printmaking,[4] showcasing a distinctive style characterized by expressionism and elements of the Fauvist movement.