On October 27th, the fifth “Confucius Institute Day” kicked off at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The Confucius Institute of Hong Kong, the organizer, held a series of cultural and artistic activities as well as the 1st Chinese Calligraphy Competition Award Ceremony in cooperation with a number of cultural organizations.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University was bustled with participants. People gathered to appreciate a performance characterized by traditional Chinese culture, such as folk dance, eastern dance, Peking Opera and Kun Opera, and recitation of the ancient poem “The Song of Mulan”. On the same day, a documentary on traditional Chinese medicine culture was broadcast, and cultural activities, such as free diagnosis by doctors of traditional Chinese medicine, paper-cut performance, tea ceremony, were held.
Jia Jinhua, Director of the Confucius Institute of Hong Kong, said that in order to promote calligraphy and traditional Chinese culture, the Confucius Institute of Hong Kong also held the first calligraphy competition which is warmly received by nearly 100 teachers, students, alumni and staff with the first, second and third prizes, five outstanding awards and several consolation prizes.
The brush exhibition held on the other side of the platform also attracted many people. The Hong Kong Brush Museum brought a variety of ancient brushes and treasured scrolls of calligraphy, including the pens used by historical celebrities and the Qing Dynasty royal family, and the brushes made of human hair and chicken feather by students of Pak Kau College who applied 3D technology to traditional crafts.
“This is the first time that we have brought traditional Chinese calligraphy culture and art into Hong Kong’s institutions of higher learning, hoping to deepen the audiences’ understanding of traditional Chinese culture and encourage people to love calligraphy, write Chinese characters well, and be a Chinese with artistic taste.” said Zhang Hongni, Curator of Hong Kong Brush Museum.
Held by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with the authorization of the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), the Confucius Institute of Hong Kong is officially launched in 2006 as the only Confucius Institute in Hong Kong dedicated to providing Hong Kong people with opportunities to learn Chinese, Chinese history and traditional Chinese culture. According to the statistics of the official website of the Confucius Institute, 525 Confucius Institutes had been established in 146 countries and regions by the end of 2017. (cited from Confucius Institute Headquarters, source: xinhuanet.com, Story by Ding Ziyi)
