The "Charm of Fujian: Ancient Art and Cultural Tourism Exhibition of China’s Fujian Province" Opens in Tokyo, Showcasing the Beauty of Fujian

Opening Ceremony

Wang Wei, Chief Representative of the China Tourism Office in Tokyo, Gives a Speech

To mark the upcoming 2021 Fujian Cultural Year, the "Charm of Fujian: Ancient Art and Cultural Tourism Exhibition of China’s Fujian Province" opened on December 22 at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo.Attendees at the opening ceremony included Shi Yongjing, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Japan; Wang Wei, Chief Representative of the China Tourism Office in Tokyo; former Japanese Senator Ryuji Yanagimoto; former Japanese Consul General in Chongqing Shimizu Seino; former Japanese Senator Kazuyuki Hamada; Tetsuji Nagata, Executive Director of the Japan-China Friendship Association; Shigekazu Sato, Director General of the Japan-China Friendship Center; Chen Xi, Chairman of the Huangbo Culture Promotion Association; and Liu Lisheng, Representative of the Fujian Overseas Cultural Station (Japan).The exhibition runs from December 22 to December 25。

Seated at the front of the stage, from right to left, were Luo Yuquan, Director of the China Cultural Center; Wu Qilong, President of the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association; Toyota Kae, Representative of the Japan Fujian Tourism Promotion Center; Huang Guoliang, Representative of Fuhuatang Fine Arts; and Professor Liao Chiyang of Musashino Art University, who participated as a guest speaker

The exhibition was co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Japan Fujian Tourism Promotion Center (Genesis Co., Ltd.), the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, and Fuhuatang Ancient Art. It was co-organized by Fujianese community associations such as the Huangbo Culture Promotion Association, Japan Fuzhou Ten Districts Hometown Association, Japan-China Fuqing Chamber of Commerce, Japan Putian Hometown Association, Japan Fujian Pingtan Hometown Association, and Japan Changle Hometown Association. The event was supported by the Cultural Department of the Chinese Embassy in Japan and sponsored by People’s Daily Overseas Network. The exhibition blends and continues the legacies of ancient and modern culture, showcasing Fujian’s unique traditional crafts and cultural heritage。

Displayed Dehua Kiln Manjusri Bodhisattva Statue

The exhibition was meticulously organized by Huang Guoliang, a Fujian Fuqing native and collector residing in Japan. It featured 31 items (sets) from his personal collection, encompassing a rich variety of ancient and contemporary works. Among the ceramic pieces were fine porcelain figures, vases, plates, bowls, censers, cups, and boxes from Jianyang Kiln, Dongzhang Kiln in Fuqing, Zhang Kiln, Zhangzhou Kiln, Tingxi Kiln in Tong'an, and Dehua Kiln, spanning the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The figurative works included a Shoushan stone sculpture of Bodhidharma from the Kangxi reign and a gold-lacquered wooden sculpture of Weituo by Fan Daosheng from the late Ming and early Qing periods. Tianhuang stone items included a dragon fish square seal by Xin Qi from the Qing dynasty and a lychee-colored lion seal by Yang Yuxuan. The Huangbo Zen series featured a Ming dynasty wood-carved calligraphy plaque by Huangbo Zen Master Jifei Ruyi, as well as Huangbo-style tea ceremony utensils and other artworks。

Exhibited: A Gold-Lacquered Wooden Standing Statue of Wei Tuo by Fan Daosheng from the Late Ming to Early Qing Dynasty

Exhibited: A Wooden Calligraphy Plaque by Huangbo Zen Master Jifei Ruyi from the Ming Dynasty and Huangbo-Style Tea Ceremony Utensils

Notably, the exhibited items related to Fuqing include a Southern Song to Yuan dynasty hare's fur-glazed tea bowl from the Dongzhang Kiln in Fuqing, a gold-lacquered wooden standing statue of Wei Tuo by Fan Daosheng who accompanied Master Yinyuan to Japan in the late Ming to early Qing dynasty, a wooden calligraphy plaque inscribed "Baofeng" by Fuqing-born Huangbo monk Jifei Ruyi from the Ming dynasty, a black-lacquered mother-of-pearl inlaid calligraphy plaque, and a calligraphy plaque inscribed "Tea Drinking," along with a set of Huangbo-style tea ceremony utensils. Additionally, the exhibition features representations of Fujian’s local crafts, including softwood carvings, Yalangjing enamels, and oil-paper fans, as well as cultural and scenic images reflecting Fujian’s world natural and cultural heritage。

Liao Chiyang, a Fujian-Born Professor at Musashino Art University, Conducts a Lecture on Huangbo Culture

Liao Chiyang, a Fujian-Born Professor at Musashino Art University, Conducts a Lecture on Fujian Ancient Art

On the day of the opening ceremony, Liao Chiyang, a Fujian-born professor at Musashino Art University, gave a lecture titled "The Beauty of Fujian in the History of Fujian-Japan Exchanges: The Eight Paths from Fujian to Japan." This lecture offered further insights into the enduring cultural heritage of Fujian。

Chinese Ethnic Minority Costumes Displayed at the Event

Wu Qilong, President of the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, Delivers a Speech

Wu Qilong, President of the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, noted that Fujian has historically played a significant role as a trading port. Particularly in its exchanges of people and culture with Japan, Fujian boasts a history of over 1,300 years. Wu stated that in 2021, the China Cultural Center in Tokyo and Fujian Province will jointly host the Fujian Culture Year in Japan. Through various exhibitions and events, they aim to introduce the beauty of Fujian to Japanese audiences and overseas Chinese living in Japan。

This exhibition is jointly organized by the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Japan Fujian Tourism Promotion Center, among other institutions。

Toyota Kei, representative of the Japan Fujian Tourism Promotion Cooperation Center and CEO of Japan Genesis Co., Ltd., stated that this inaugural exhibition showcases selected ceramics, carved seals, wood carvings, and cultural and scenic images. It highlights the longstanding historical exchanges between Fujian and Japan, presenting a fresh perspective on Fujian to attract more people to visit, sightsee, and invest in Fujian