"The 5th National Zhengti Calligraphy Exhibition" Unveiled in Qingdao

On January 8, 2021, the 5th Zhengti Calligraphy Exhibition, which gained wide attention from the Chinese calligraphy circle, was officially held in the West Coast New Area of Qingdao. 293 exhibited works, including seal script, official script, and regular script, were selected from nearly 18,000 summited works nationwide. Since the epidemic, this exhibition is the first high-level "national exhibition" launched and exhibited by the Chinese Calligrapher Association, which also marked the first national exhibition officially hosted in Qingdao since the new era.At this opening ceremony, in addition to children's calligraphy performance, special promotional films of "Deep Love Between Mountains and Seas, Calligraphy Qingdao" and "Calligraphy Shandong, Calligraphy world" were shown at the exhibition for the first time. These films showed Qingdao’s long history and splendid traditional culture, pre-Qin characters, calligraphy remains in Qin and Han Dynasties, stone inscriptions of Laoshan Taoism, and masterpieces of renowned scholars through the past dynasties, including reputed modern and contemporary writers, like Kang Youwei, Hongyi, Lao She, Wen Yiduo, The ceremony also presented the profound heritage of Qingdao calligraphy and outstanding achievements of Qingdao Calligraphy Association in recent years in creating a regional calligraphy style with the characteristics of the mountain and sea weathering; it also shows abundant historical resources of Zhengti calligraphy in Shandong province, masterpieces of celebrated calligraphers through the past dynasties, and contemporary calligraphy achievements.When it comes to the historical origin between Shandong and characters, it began as early as the Neolithic age. It is here that the ancestors of Dongyi lived and created colorful cultures of Dawenkou, Longshan, and Yueshi. The pottery image inscriptions with a history of 5500 years unearthed in Dalinghe River, Juxian county, Shandong Province, are regarded as the earliest prototype of characters, more than 1,000 years earlier than the oracle. The first emperor of Qin visited Langya county three times and built Langyatai. The stone inscriptions on Qingdao Langyatai are the only relic of Qin seal script so far, known as the highest standard of seal script.Qingdao calligraphy has rich historical resources, popular support, vast academic backing, perfect exhibition mechanism, and rich creative features, reflecting the cultural confidence and historical responsibility of Qingdao calligraphers. Affected by the epidemic, the event organizer has enhanced the prevention and control, from staff to all processes, to ensure safety. (Eden.Xu)