Exhibition on Chinese woodblock printing opens in London

An exhibition depicting the preservation and development of Chinese traditional woodblock printing opened on Monday at The Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts (PSTA) in London.

The four-section exhibition, titled "Ten Bamboo Studio Woodblock Printing Art Exhibition," tells the history of ancient Chinese woodblock printing techniques and their development in the West and demonstrates through some 200 artworks the exquisite craftsmanship of Chinese woodblock printing and the profoundness of Chinese cultural traditions.

Among the 200 artworks on display, which were created collaboratively by a team of Chinese artists over years, some were opened to the British public for the very first time.

For example, print series "24 Solar Terms," based on the traditional Chinese calendar, have perfectly combined ancient Chinese woodblock printing techniques, Chinese calligraphy, ancient Chinese poetry with Chinese modern art.

The exhibition also has an interactive experience area, where audience can feel the unique charm of Chinese traditional woodblock printing by watching on-site demonstration or making their own woodblock prints with guidance from the masters.

The formation of modern printing is the result of mutual learning between East and West, said Yu Peng, minister counsellor of the Cultural Office of the Chinese Embassy in Britain, during the opening ceremony.

The exhibition, which promotes cultural exchanges between China and Britain, has further strengthened such mutual learning, Yu said.

Being one of the China National Arts Fund programs in 2019, the exhibition, co-organized by the Ancient Books Preservation and Conservation Association of China, The Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts and China's Hangzhou Ten Bamboo Studio Art Museum, will run at the PSTA until Aug. 19.

Woodblock printing, which first appeared in ancient China's Tang Dynasty (618-907) and reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is a technique for printing text, images or patterns. It was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of China in 2014.