Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition of Bronze Inscriptions

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and carry forward thetraditional culture of the Chinese nation, the Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition of Bronze Inscriptions―Origin of Ancient Chinese Writing jointly sponsored by the CPAFFC, the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPPAFFC) and the Japanese Hokushi Seal Cutting Society was held in Xi’an Forest of Stone Steles Museum and the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum from August 19 to 26, 2007. A 13-member Japanese delegation led by Ms. Nanen Kitamuro, president of the Japanese Hokushi Seal Cutting Society，attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition and paid a friendly visit to Xi’an, Tianshui and Baoji.

Inscriptions on ancient bronze objects which started in the Shang Dynasty and became popular in the Zhou Dynasty are developed on the basis of oracle bone inscriptions. The bronze inscriptions, a link between the oracle inscriptions and the lesser seal characters formed in the Qin Dynasty, are another monument in the history of the Chinese calligraphy, making important contributions to the further development of the art in the technique of writing, formation of characters and composition.

Invited by the Japan-China Friendship Association of Ishikawa Prefecture and the Hokushi Seal Cutting Society, the CPAFFC successfully held the Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition of Bronze Inscriptions―Origin of Ancient Chinese Writing at the Art Gallery of Ishikawa in July 2006. After the opening ceremony, at the lecture hall Zhang Yawei, deputy curator of the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum, gave a lecture entitled the World of Inscriptions on Ancient Bronze Objects in an effort to popularize knowledge of bronze inscriptions and publicize Chinese culture. The two sides conducted a good exchange.

Shaanxi Province is rich in cultural heritage and particularly famous for the cultural relics of the Zhou and Qin Dynasties represented by bronze wares and inscriptions on them. With a view to promoting cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign localities, Xi’an and Baoji of this province were chosen to hold the Exhibition.

This exhibition larger in size with more exhibits was organized on the basis of the first one held in Japan. More than 140 works of calligraphy and seal cuttings by the Chinese and Japanese scholars and calligraphers, bronze wares, photos and other articles were displayed, among which 75 pieces were from Japan.

The year 2007 happened to be the 920th anniversary of the establishment of the Forest of Stone Steles in Xi’an. This exhibition as a prelude of a series of celebrations was attached great importance to by various circles. Liu Xianlian, vice president of the SPPAFFC; Qiang Yue,secretary of the CPC Committee of Xi’an Forest of Stone Steles Museum; Zhao Liguang, curator of the museum; Zhong Mingshan, vice president of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, and Zhao Xiong, president of the Zhongnan Seal Society, among over 300 people of various circles, attended the opening ceremony. Wang Xiuyun, director general of the Department of Cultural Exchanges of the CPAFFC, attended the opening ceremony and read out the message of congratulations from CPAFFC President Chen Haosu. In front of the Jingyun Bell, known as the “Number 1 Famous Bell under Heaven”, taijiquan and fan dance featuring Chinese tradition were specially performed to add more fun to the exhibition. On the spot there were crowds of people and the atmosphere was exciting. Wonderful performances won bursts of applause and attracted many visitors who originally just came for sightseeing in the Forest of Stone Steles. Even many European and American visitors also stopped to appreciate the beautiful ancient writing.

To facilitate mutual understanding between the Chinese and Japanese calligraphers and learning from each other, after the opening ceremony, they had exchanges in calligraphic techniques. CCA Vice President Zhong Mingshan and President Nanen Kitamuro respectively on behalf of the Chinese and Japanese sides, started writing. They showed their love for the Chinese ideograms through their writing brushes and reproduced in a modern artistic way the 3,000-year-old bronze inscriptions. Their superb skill won bursts of applause. The Chinese and Japanese calligraphic works were different in style and each had its strong points. The two sides could learn from each other in many aspects. For example, the contents of the Chinese works were mainly Chinese classic poems or the inscriptions on the bronze wares. They stuck to the original features of the inscriptions on ancient bronze objects, showing the Chinese calligraphers’ academic concepts of closely following the ancient ways. In the Japanese works more attention was paid to the combination of various artistic forms such as using traditional Japanese paper, setting the seals on gold foil and mounting the works on colourful paper to enhance the artistry of the works. Their works gave the viewers more feeling of modernity and laid more stress on giving a new look to the ancient writing.

The second leg of the exhibition was in Baoji, hometown of bronze wares. Vice Mayor of Baoji Sun Yi, and representatives of various circles including the Baoji Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage and calligraphers attended the opening ceremony. The calligraphers of the two countries had exchanges in calligraphic techniques.

When the days of the exhibition were closing in, the Japanese side requested to have the exhibited works edited into a collection.Though time was pressing and the task heavy, the CPAFFC overcame difficulties and had the collection edited and printed timely and handed out at the opening ceremony. It was welcomed and praised by the Chinese and Japanese calligraphers and viewers.

To “touch” the long-standing history of the Chinese nation, the Japanese delegation visited the historical sites including the Banpo Village in Xi’an, the Zhouyuan site at Qishan, the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui and the Emperor Yan’s Mosuleum, and had exchanges with the local archeologists, ancient writing researchers and calligraphers. The two sides traced the history of the introduction of Chinese characters into Japan, discussed the similarities and differences between the Chinese and Japanese culture and reviewed from the angle of evolution of the two cultures the long history of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges.

The Hokushi Seal Cutting Society is one of the main organizations lecturing and studying calligraphy and seal cutting in Japan’s Hokuriku region. Its President Nanen Kitamuro, an influential calligrapher and seal cutter in that region, loves Chinese culture very much. Almost every year since 1994, the Hokushi Seal Cutting Society under her leadership has held different kinds of exhibitions in China and Japan in cooperation with the CPAFFC, which has not only enhanced the Chinese culture in Japan and to some extent helped publicize the culture of ancient Chinese writing in China, and made contributions to Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges and people-to-people friendship.