Chinese Spring Festival Celebrated in Thailand

From January 23 to February 4, ＂Cultural Series in Celebration of Chinese Spring Festival＂ was launched in Thailand, coorganized by Chinese Cultural Ministry, Chinese Embassy in Thailand and departments of the Thai Government concerned. It was the fifth session of the event and the largest Spring Festival celebration that China held overseas in 2009.     

Let＇s Go and See the Outside World!

Two decades ago, traveling abroad was just a dream for most of Chinese people; only those with relatives living abroad could go abroad in the name of ＂visiting relatives＂. In 1988, Thailand became China＇ first outbound travel destination. Now, Chinese travelers appear at every corner of the world, wherever in Champs-Elysees in Paris, Colosseum in Rome, Pyramids in Egypt or the snow mountain in Swiss. I still recall that I was often asked if I were Japanese when I traveled abroad a dozen of years ago. But now even handsome boys sailing Gondola in Venice can greet me with ＂Ni Hao＂ （Hello in Chinese）.     

＂Happy Chinese New Year＂ Tours to Thailand

Spring Festival is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese nation. ＂Happy Chinese New Year＂ is a brand for cultural exchanges with foreign countries initiated by the Ministry of Culture. This film introduces celebrations of Chinese New Year in Thailand in 2013 and presents the joyous and auspicious Chinese Spring Festival and the colorful Chinese culture from the eyes of government officials from two countries,     

“Early China： the Formative Period of. Chinese Civilization” Disphyed in Capital Museum

Last autumn, the exhibition ＂Early China： the Formative Period of Chinese Civilization＂ was held in the Capital Museum in Beijing. The 210 sets or pieces of exhibits showcase the origin and early evolution of Chinese civilization from 3500 BC to 1400 BC.     

LI SHENGHONG： DEDICATED TO CALLIGRAPHIC ART

Li Shenghong is currently the executive vice director of Chinese Calligraphy Institute under China Art Academy and has a f professional title as the state first-grade artist. He is particularly versed in cursive writing. Li＇s calligraphic works and critic essays have been published in ＂Selected Works of Chinese Calligraphy＂ and such professional publications as ＂Chinese Calligraphy＂,     

Olympic Village Permeated with Fragrance of Chinese Tea

When elegant images of Chinese porcelain and the huge character of ＂Cha＂, meaning ＂tea＂, were shown in the hi-tech scroll of Chinese ink painting at the opening gala of the Beijing Olympic Games, the global audience seemed overwhelmed by the brilliant history of Chinese ancient civilization as represented by the miraculous Silk Road through which tea and porcelain accounted for major exports of the Central Kingdom. Recognized as a symbol of Chinese culture, the art of tea has been demonstrated at the Olympic opening ceremony and in the Olympic Village for the first time in history.     

Getting to Know China： Appreciation of 100 Chinese Characters

Getting to Know China： Appreciation of 100 Chinese Characters is one of the book series ＂Meet China＂ produced by the Ministry of Culture of China in 2013. The book selects 100 Chinese characters that represent Chinese culture to some extent. Targeted at foreign readers most of whom are unfamiliar with Chinese characters, the book elaborates on the meanings of Chinese characters and their cultural connotation concisely and to the point.     

Treasures of Ancient China,New Course of Communication--Chinese Historical Relics Exhibition in Prague

To celebrate the 65 years anniversary of Sino-Czech diplomatic relations, the Chinese 1 Cuhural Relics Exhibition was held in the worldwide known Prague Castle. Under the great support of China＇s State Administration of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Affairs Bureau of Czech and Chinese embassy in Czech, the ＂Chinese Treasures Exhibition＂ , which was sponsored by Art Exhibitions China （AEC） and the Czech-China Friendship Association.     

＂Presences China＂ ： Foreign Musicians to Compose Chinese Music

Eight French composers were invited to a competition called ＂Presences China＂ to compose distinctive Chinese music during Shanghai Music Festival taking place in May 2006. They were requested to use Chinese instruments and familiar Chinese melodies, which was hailed as a creative endeavor in the history of music.     

Gao Xiaohua： Painting the Truth of Life

As an initiator of ＂Wounded Art＂, a representative of ＂Rural Realism＂ and one of the founders of the ＂Sichuan School of Painting＂, Gao Xiaohua has unarguably been recognized as one of the leading artists in contemporary Chinese art history. In 1978 his oil painting entitled ＂Why＂ daringly broke the political taboo and boldly raised the touchiest social question with awesome guts. Therefore his name and his painting become everlasting in Chinese art history. In 1982 he had another great success of completing his oil painting entitled ＂Rush to the Train＂, which is highly praised as the contemporary version of ＂Riverside Scenery on Pure Brightness Festival＂, one of the greatest Chinese classical painting. He focuses on everyday life of general public with stunning realness and sensation. It becomes an epitome Red Crag＂ and ＂Chongqing on a Bomb-site＂. He demonstrates his open mind, lofty ideal and strong sense of historical and social responsibility nowadays when the domestic art market is booming up in an unprecedented manner.     

Melody of ＂Jasmine Flower＂ Echoes in Olympic Venues

When hostesses dressed in outfits with image of white-and-blue porcelain and holding red flower bouquets served medals at Olympic medal ceremonies during the 2008 Games, the readapted, lingering melody of the Chinese folk song ＂Jasmine Flower＂ sounded in the sports venues. According to Wang Ning, an official in charge of medal ceremonies from the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee, the music used at the medal ceremony was recreated based on the original melody of ＂Jasmine Flower＂ which is perhaps the most popular Chinese folk song.     

Convergence of Civilizations： World Heritage Sites in Croatia Exhibited in Beijing

The exhibition ＂World Heritage Sites in Croatia＂,under the auspices of Chinese Cultural Ministy and co-presented by Center of International Cultural Exdhange and Croatian Embassy in Beijing,opened in the newly-built Boyi Gallery on October 26.Some 80 guests from Chinese Cultural Ministry ,diplomatic missions in Beijing adn the art circle of Beijing attended the opening ceremony.     

Dynasty Painting：A Vigorous Art

An exhibition on rubbings from Han Dynasty painting masterpieces,,entitled ＂A Vigorous Art＂, was held in May in the Military Museum of Chinese People＇s Revolution in Beijing. The masterful exhibits illustrated the vigorous and bold aspect of the Chinese culture, demonstrating no traces of feminism, frailty or conservativeness.     

Art Information

＂Colorful China＂： Chinese Ethnic Costumes Displayed in USA
At the invitation of the World Artist Experience, Chinese ethnic artists presented costume performances in the eastern coast of USA from October 26 to November 7. Performers from various ethnic groups of China staged fascinating performances, including indigenous songs, costume shows, concerts on traditional instruments and ethnic dances.     

FOCUS ON CHINESE CULTURE --The art exhibition ＂China in Eyes of African Artists＂ held in Benin

A s a comprising event of ＂Focus on Chinese Culture 2009＂ series, the art exhibition ＂China in Eyes of African Artists＂ , was recently held in China Culture Center in Cotonou,economic capital city of Benin. An artist delegation from Shenzhen was invited to attend this event. Some 300 officials, diplomats and artists participated in the opening ceremony.     

Chinese Folk Arts Showcased in Olympic Village

The 29th summer Olympiad, extolled as ＂truly exceptional＂ by IOC President Jacques Rogge, has left over tremendous legacy to Beijing, in particular, its perfect combination of sports and culture. The showcases of Chinese folk arts in the Olympic Village, while amazing the whole world with their vitality and creativity, have boosted Chinese people＇s awareness of the protection of Chinese intangible cultural heritage which bears unique historical and aesthetic values     

Books Released to Celebrate Anniversary of China-France Relations

In celebration of the 50th anniver- sary of China-France diplomatic relations and on the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinpin＇s state visit to France, Guangming Daily and China International Publishing Group co-organized the voting for ＂ten most influential French books in China＂ and ＂ten most influential Chinese books in France＂. On March 25, a ceremony was held to announce the voting result. Nominated books on the list include French books ＂The Spirit of Laws＂,     

Chinese Murals Displayed in Kennedy Center

Eight visual art exhibitions highlighted the Festival of China last October, the largest Chinese cultural exchange event ever taking place in America, including three terracotta warriors excavated in Xi＇an, a sculpture and installation exhibition planned by renowned Chinese curator Prof. Fan Di＇an, a cloth and patchwork display entitled ＂Chinese Red＂designed by famous Hong Kong artist Ye Jintian, a fashion exhibition entitled ＂New China Fashion＂ co-planned by overseas Chinese designers Tan Yanyu and Wang Weiwei, and the firework show entitled ＂Tornado＂ by Cai Guoqiang. Among them, the most significant are the two mural works created by Prof. Sun Jingbo from Central Academy of Fine Arts.     

Recent and Forthcoming Events

The 4th Chinese Film Festival opened officially in Paris
On May, 12nd, the 4th Chinese Filrn Festival was officially opened in Gaumont on the avenue of Champs- Elysees. Zhai .luan, Ambassador of China to France, Yin Fu, Director of China Cultural Center in Paris and Chairperson on the part of China of this festival, special guest Catherine Deneuve, Xia Zitong and Liu Xiaoguang, the leading actress and producer of the film ＂The Monkey King＂ and other guests attended this opening ceremony.     

Young sinologists： messengers to spread Chinese culture overseas First session of the 2014 visiting program for young sinologists

The first ＂2014 Young Sinologists Training Program＂ was held from July 2 to 22 in Beijing. Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and organized by the Center of International Cultural Exchange, the program drew 18 young Sinologists from 15 countries, including the United States, France, India and South Korea. By participating in lectures, seminars and other activities, the participants gained academic inspiration as well as a better understanding of China. At the opening ceremony, Chinese vice cultural minister Ding Wei said, ＂Studies on the 21 st-century China is a compulsory course. Chinese development is closely related with world development and the Chinese Dream connects with dreams of the people from the rest of the world.＂