On May 13, 2025, the "Calligraphing Friendship and Building Peace Together" China-Japan-South Korea Calligraphy Masters Friendship Event was held in Beijing. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the China National Academy of Painting (CNAP), the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, and the Korea-China Cultural Exchange Council. CPAFFC Vice President Yuan Mindao; Wang Qingyun, Deputy Party Secretary of the CNAP; Hoshido Seiji, President of the Japan Calligraphy Institute; and Kim Yong-gi, President of the South Korea Calligraphy Association, attended and addressed the event. Other participants included Xie Xiaoquan, Deputy Director of the Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Institute of the CNAP; renowned Chinese calligraphers Wei Guangjun, Cai Dali, Tang Chaoyi, Zhao Jifang, and Mei Yuehui; Tsujimoto Daikun, Vice President of the All Japan Calligraphy Alliance; Nakano Akira, Executive Director of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association; and acclaimed Japanese calligraphers Yamauchi Kaori, Hirose Yūyuki, and Kobayashi Chihaya; Jung Do-jun, President of the Korean International Calligraphers Association; Vice President Jung Woong-pyo; and celebrated Korean calligraphers Son Chang-rok, Kim Jong-kyun, and Choi Jae-sik participated in the calligraphy exchange.
(Group photo of the main guests from China, Japan, and South Korea)
Vice President Yuan Mindao noted that the "China-Japan-South Korea Calligraphy Masters Friendship Event" was first initiated by CPAFFC in 2020 and has since been held three times online. This year marks the first in-person gathering of calligraphy masters from three countries. This will inject fresh momentum into deepening mutual understanding and trust, fostering mutual learning among cultures, advancing cultural and artistic exchanges, and strengthening the bonds among the peoples of the three countries.
Yuan Mindao further remarked that, China, Japan, and South Korea are close neighbors with intertwined geographies, cultural ties, and people-to-people connections. The CPAFFC is committed to leveraging the 2025–2026 China-Japan-South Korea Cultural Exchange Year to work collaboratively with all sectors in the three countries. The goal is to implement the important consensus reached by the three heads of state, deepen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation at all fronts, and jointly contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
Wang Qingyun emphasized that, the event not only paid tribute to the traditional calligraphy art but also reflected a heartfelt aspiration for peace and friendship. It served as a meaningful act of practicing the Eastern philosophy of "valuing harmony." We hope that this calligraphy gathering would serve as a new starting point for us to write new chapters of cultural exchange among the three countries, and gather the artistic strength to contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Hoshido Seiji commented that, in today's conflict-ridden world, enhancing mutual understanding and nurturing sincere friendship through exchanges is more valuable than ever. Japanese calligraphers are ready to join Chinese and South Korean peers in advancing the calligraphy tradition and deepening cultural ties among the three countries.
Kim Yong-gi stated that China, Japan, and South Korea—longstanding neighbors with shared histories and cultures—form a cultural community that jointly upholds the esteemed art of calligraphy. It's hoped that this event would be a springboard for further understanding and friendship through art and help expand shared cultural values among the three countries.
During the event, calligraphers from China, Japan, and South Korea each showcased their artistry in live demonstrations, using brush and ink to express aspirations for peace and goodwill. Their works symbolized the planting of seeds of friendship. At the conclusion of the event, the calligraphers collaborated to create a joint calligraphy piece titled "Calligraphing Friendship and Building Peace Together" in honor of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.
(Group photo of calligraphers and guests from China, Japan, and South Korea holding the jointly created calligraphy piece)
The delegation of Japanese and South Korean calligraphers visited China at the invitation of the CPAFFC. On May 12, Vice President Yuan Mindao hosted a welcome banquet for the delegation at the CPAFFC. During their stay, the delegation also engaged in friendly exchanges with institutions such as the China Calligraphers Association, the Palace Museum, and Rong Bao Zhai.
(Vice President Yuan Mindao hosts a welcome banquet for Japanese and South Korean calligraphers)
