Preparations start almost a year ahead of the exhibition of Chinese calligraphy in Moscow

A major exhibition of Chinese calligraphy and paintings will become one of the most prominent events in the cultural life of Moscow. The exhibit is scheduled to open next autumn, while long and meticulous selection of unique showpieces is underway as we speak. The main goal of the exhibition is to strengthen the friendship between Russia and China.

Host:
A major exhibition of Chinese calligraphy and paintings will become one of the most prominent events in the cultural life of Moscow. The exhibit is scheduled to open next autumn, while long and meticulous selection of unique showpieces is underway as we speak. The main goal of the exhibition is to strengthen the friendship between Russia and China. Marina Bulyga will share the details.

Reporter:
Paper, brush and ink in China are called treasures, and the art of calligraphy is a philosophy. At heart calligraphy combines painting and literature, when both substance and form matter. A text can be imbued with a different shade of meaning through thinner lines or a different angle of the brush. Why handwriting in the era of laptops and smartphones? Connoisseurs of calligraphy never ask this question, as the skill of fine handwriting is an art in its own right.

Zhao Xueli, the Head of the Academy of Calligraphy and Painting of the Chinese Political Consultative Conference Heilongjiang Provincial Committee:
If you look closely, you'll see broad and slim lines, which symbolize versatility. Combination of variously sized lines and forms is the Chinese balance, yin and yang.

Reporter:
Training takes years, but calligraphy skill in China equals to an extra degree. While the level of mastery speaks of the education, technique reveals the riches of the inner world.

Alexey Shaburov, the Director of the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy:
In the Middle Ages any candidate who aspired to become a public administrator or to occupy any other position in the government, had to pass certain exams, including calligraphy.

Reporter:
Thousands of hieroglyphs, dozens of calligraphy styles and sub styles, and seven linguistic dialects – fewer than all could comprehend the intricacies of it, with the majority of the population in China being unable to read or write at all.

Alexey Shaburov, the Director of the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy:
Around ninety thousand hieroglyphs were acknowledged to exist in China about 5 years ago, if I’m not mistaken, meaning that every character or word bears a certain spelling rule.

Reporter:
Mao Zedong, who established the Chinese state as we know it, reformed its educational system and simplified the rules of writing, yet even back then calligraphy occupied such a prominent position in the national culture that today it remained to be the national asset, which, however, is openly shared with friends. The next year will see the largest ever exhibition over the entire course of relations between China and Russia.

Li Hui, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China in the Russian Federation:
The Great Chinese Calligraphy exhibition, due next year, will play a very significant role in further strengthening of the traditional friendship between our peoples.

Reporter:
This friendship is officially 70 years old. Next year both parties will celebrate the anniversary of restoring the diplomatic relationships, where the calligraphy exhibition will become one of the many joint events.

Marina Bulyga, Anton Sitnikov, Dmitry Petrovsky – Vesti.