On the night of August 14, the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) hosted a reception known as the Night of NAMOC: Beauty of Chinese Characters for foreign guests, along with the International Department of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chinese Calligraphers Association. Held alongside with the 11th National Calligraphy and Seal Carving Exhibition, the activity was to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, and build a platform for exchanges of Chinese and foreign culture and art. Diplomatic envoys and foreign friends were invited to appreciate excellent Chinese contemporary calligraphic and seal carving works, and feel the beauty of Chinese characters.

Colombian Ambassador Carmenza Jaramillo, and envoys, counselors and representatives from over 20 countries, including Canada, Central Africa, Columbia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, Japan, Lithuania, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia and the United States, representatives of EU Delegation to China, students of the training class on Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Asia-Pacific Region, and international friends from the cultural and art circles attended the activity.

Many famous calligraphers and participating artists of the 11th National Calligraphy and Seal Carving Exhibition wielded their writing brushes to create calligraphic works on the scene. They exchanged with foreign friends to display the beauty and charm of Chinese characters, pushing the activity to a climax.

Wu Weishan, NAMOC curator, thanked everyone in his speech for their support of building the brand “Night of NAMOC”. He said that there were too many beautiful things in the gathering of the night. What was the beauty? First, it was the beauty of NAMOC where we got together. Second, it was the “cultural beauty” of the Chinese nation delivered in the works of outstanding Chinese calligraphers and the “beauty of creation” of the artists. Third, it was that everyone came to the art museum in a good mood and with aesthetic desire to appreciate the “beauty of Chinese characters”. This was integration of the beauty of art, beauty of soul and beauty of creation. Wu wished everyone to have a best night in the art museum.

Zhang Hai, chairman of Chinese Calligraphers Association, said that Chinese calligraphy has become a representative symbol of Chinese culture. It is a treasure of the oriental art, loved and accepted by increasingly more people in the world, because of its unique artistic features. The national calligraphy exhibition was an event in the sector with greatest influence, most participants and highest level. The 11th national calligraphy exhibition put on display over 600 pieces of calligraphic and seal carving works that reflected the overall level and mental outlook of contemporary calligraphic creation. Character is a bridge of communication, and calligraphy is a bond connecting emotions. Zhang invited everyone to watch together the calligraphy masterpieces that were permeated with spiritual characters and aesthetic pursuits, and got immersed in the artistic realm of Chinese ink and brush.

When the activity began, honored guests from all over the world appreciated the calligraphic and seal carving works in the exhibition halls in the first and the third floor of the art museum. The guests thanked NAMOC for providing a platform to understand the beauty of Chinese culture, and hoped that in the future, they could have more chances to take part in similar activities to appreciate and understand excellent Chinese art and promote Chinese culture to spread the world.