“From Wang Xizhi to Kukai – Chinese and Japanese Master Calligraphers” Exhibition in Osaka opened on 11 April, 2016

The Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi lived in the first half of the 4th century, and the Japanese calligrapher Kukai lived from the late 8th century into the first half of the 9th century. Kukai spent nearly 20 years in China and his calligraphy is said to have been greatly influenced by that of Wang Xizhi who is referred to as “the calligraphy sage”.

The TECO Osaka Director General Chang Jen-joe was invited to attend the opening ceremony opening of the “From Wang Xizhi to Kukai – Chinese and Japanese Master Calligraphers” exhibition on April 11, which was attended by approximately 700 people.

After hearing addresses by the mayor of Osaka, the president of Yomiuri Shinbun, the deputy director of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, and the president of the Japan Calligraphic Art Society, everyone viewed the exhibition.

The exhibition of 229 works is open to the public from April 12 to May 22. It includes important works from national collections. Taiwan’s National Palace Museum carefully selected nineteen works to be part of this special exhibition, none of which have ever been displayed in Japan before. These nineteen works include reproductions of Wang Xizhi’s Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Poems, and works from Yuan and Ming dynasty calligraphers, and by four famous Song calligraphers.

This is continuing and deepening the cooperative cultural relationship between Taiwan and Japan. The National Palace Museum borrowed important works from the Tokyo National Museum and the Kyushu National Museum to put on exhibition in 2014.

Photo: He Chuan-hsin, Deputy Director of the National Palace Museum speaking at the opening ceremony