Chinese characters are generally regarded as a major feature of the Chinese language, with their rich cultural connotations, intrinsic philosophical thoughts, and artistic charm.
The competition, by some principal elements of Chinese characters’ ideographic rationality and different scripts, through cultural and creative design, such as painting, pottery, cloth art, sculpture, toys, digital, home furnishing, clothing, stationery, calligraphy, makes Chinese characters burst into beautiful rays, so that people could understand the origin of sinographic, discover the beauty of Chinese characters, and explore the aesthetic force generated in the fusion of the cultures of Chinese characters and foreign domains, realizes a cultural transition, leading the culture of Sinographic to enter Europe and step into the world.
Following the first edition of the competition in 2019 entitled "the Happy Rat", organized by the Association of Chinese Characters Festival, France and co-organized by Cultural communication of SDSEI Co., Ltd. Shandong China, Region of Haut-de-France and Confucius Institute of Artois, the 2nd Competition named Ox in All Its Forms was launched on 1 February, 2021.
The preparation, solicitation, review, and exhibition of this competition lasted 3 months. Based on the results and experience of the first competition, the second competition has made breakthroughs and improvements in terms of the scale of the competition, the lineup of judges, and the organization and preparations. It won the support and participation of people from all sectors of society. A total of 283 works was solicited for this competition, covering various design fields such as handicrafts, art, calligraphy, clothing, stationery, etc., attracting students from various countries such as China, France, Britain, Germany, and Switzerland.
Shandong University of Finance and Economics，Qilu University of Technology，Zhangqiu Bilingual School, Senior High School of Baudimont in Arras, Junior Middle School of Moulin and Senior High School of Noordover in Grande-Synthe, Junior Middle School of Arthur Van Hecke and Senior High School of Europe in Dunkirk, Junior Middle School of Pierre and Marie Curie in Gravelines, Loughborough University, German-Chinese Innovation Entrepreneurship Association in German, Chinese School of Bern in Switzerland and other individuals attended this competition.
The president of the Chinese Characters Festival and honorary Inspector General of Chinese Education at the French Ministry of National Education, French sinologue, professor, Joël Bellassen was invited as President of committee of the competition and professor and Policy officer for intercultural activities, University of Artois, Director of Confucius Institute of Artois, France, Jin Siyan as Vice President. Several experts in artistic design and research on Chinese philology were invited as judges: Chang Yaohua, Executive Director and Vice-President of the Chinese Characters Festival Association, France, member of the academic committee of the Chinese Characters Museum and Professor, Beijing University of International Studies; Chen Nan, vice-president of the Chinese Characters Festival, France, Deputy Director-General of the Center for Research on the Art of Ancient Chinese Characters and Professor, Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University; Liu Guangfu: Associate Professor, Pingdingshan University, Master of Ceramic Art in Henan Province; Xing Wenjing,Chief designer, SDSEI Company, Shandong China; Ma Xikui, Director of Department of Digital Media Art, Shandong University of Finance and Economics; Zheng Feng, Director of Department of Industrial Design, Qilu University of Technology; Zhou Wenhao, Illustrator, Director of Exhibition department of Jinan Culture and Tourism Group and Joseph Cui：Curator, Art critic.
The world of Ox is full of its various forms. The coronavirus raged furiously in the northern region of France, where, under the severe situation of outdoors and group activities restricted and facing the risks of health and safety, people are still able to respond firmly, optimistically, and cautiously. Therefore, with long-term program, this International Competition on Sinographic Works of Chinese Zodiac was still held as scheduled, of which all links were promoted online.
In January 2021, the judges reviewed 283 works submitted by participating units and individuals. By the theme of " Ox in All Its Forms ", using their marvellousimaginations under the different cultural backgrounds, the candidates—the adults, the adolescents and the children from 5 countries, through their creative designs,collided with dazzling brilliance of thought and interpreted different understandings of the Chinese character the zodiac ox牛.
Among the 283 works, classified by art, art works accounted for about 37%, plastic art works for about 42%, calligraphy and calligraphy integrated art works for about 21%; classified by function, practical works accounted for about 43%, appreciative works for approximately 57%; from the content of the elements of the works, the characteristics of highlighting the artistic conception of Eastern aesthetics coordinate with the geometrical space characteristics of Western aesthetics. It is a creative feast of elegance, authentic interest, harmony and function.
In addition, even though the theme is " Ox in All Its Forms ", regardless of Chinese and Western, the conception of all works consists of optimism, positiveness, progress, sincerity, kindness, beauty and blessings for the New Year of Ox, realizing the cultural transition of the art following the goodness.
French sinologue, Joël Bellassen said, “The 2nd International Chinese Zodiac Sinographic Works Competition shone a brilliant light for the quantity of participants, the quality and creativeness of the works presented in the competition. Under the theme of the "Ox in all its states", the sinographic works play very successfully on the multiple facets of Chinese writing, semantic, symbol and aesthetics. Time will witness that this event will move to a higher level in terms of artistic quality and innovative connotation. Regarding the future development of the competition, Professor Chang Yaohua pointed out that, the profound cultural essence of sinographic and the rapid development of the times require future participants to keep pace with the world and the times. To strengthen the internationality and think about the concept of in-depth development are long-term issues for the followers of the competition.
（Edition/WEI Wenke）
