Brussels Royal Library hosts cultural talk on Chinese art history

The Royal Library of Belgium, one of Brussels' main cultural landmarks, hosted a Chinese cultural talk on Monday, highlighting the interactions and exchanges between Chinese and European arts from the perspective of maritime culture.

Dr. Zhang Qing, head of the Research and Planning Department of the National Art Museum of China, introduced the intricate relationship between the development of arts in China and the maritime explorations led by China, which led up to economic progress but also influenced greatly exchanges in artistic achievements between the East and the West.

"Two thousand years ago, the Maritime Silk Road made it possible to exchange art and do business with the outside world. Especially since Zheng He's Voyage, China has been learning from others and developing various art forms," Zhang said.

Comparing China's culture with marine civilizations, Zhang said "as we explore the essence of Chinese art and maritime culture, we are in fact exploring their history and realities, which provide us a unique perspective to understand how the Chinese and European cultures influence each other."

Monica Urian de Sousa, program manager at the Directorate General Education and Culture of the European Commission, said: "From the perspective of the Maritime Silk Road, we can not only witness the abundance of Chinese art, but understand it is a valuable treasure of the whole world."

"Chinese Culture Talk" is a lecture program initiated by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. The talks have been happening all around the world since 2015, aiming to introduce Chinese culture to the world. Endit