1st calligraphic exhibition of 'Bhagavad Gita' held in China

Beijing: A first-ever calligraphic exhibition depicting the verses of 'Bhagavad Gita' was held on Thursday in China, highlighting its growing popularity in the Communist nation.

Drawn by China's renowned calligrapher Dai Daosen, the calligraphic rendition of Chinese Translation Gita, titled 'Rendezvous in Hangzhou - Calligraphic Works from Bhagavad Gita' was held at the prestigious Zhejiang Museum in Hangzhou.

Gita has been translated into Chinese language earlier but this is the first time it was rendered on Calligraphy, Prakash Gupta, the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, told PTI here.
Dai has done this as he is deeply inspired by Gita, Gupta said.

The calligraphic exhibition was conducted by Consulate General of India in Shanghai with Zhejiang Museum.

It was organised as part of the India Week celebrations, and jointly inaugurated by Gupta along with Dai and Nie Bangrui, President of Wangxizhi Organisation.

The exhibition comprises 88 pieces of calligraphy, which took six months to prepare; and marks the first stage of 'Exhibition of Chinese Calligraphic Works from Eastern and Western Classics'.
Thematically, the exhibition centres on the cultural and artistic exchanges between China and India.

It aims to exhibit and universalize Oriental culture represented by China and India, including classics in both languages, a the consulate said in a stateent.

Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, Dai has been a successful entrepreneur, with enterprises spread across Zhejiang and Gansu provinces.

He has been practicing Chinese Tai Ji and probing Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist ideas, and also specialises in Chinese calligraphy.

Dai's inclination towards Gita was owing to it being not only a revered sacred scripture of Hinduism, but also as one of the most important religious classics of the world.

The exhibition brings together two ancient civilisations, Dai said.

The India Culture Week would also comprise India-China (Hangzhou) Business and Investment Forum and a photo exhibition of Buddhist images among others.

The consulate along with Zhejiang Provincial Museum jointly organised a rare exhibit of Gupta Period Sculpture and Art Works titled 'Across the Silk Road: Gupta Sculptures and their Chinese Counterparts: 400-700 CE' at the prestigious Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou today.