On 27 May 2026, the China Cultural Center Den Haag was filled with the fragrance of ink and distinguished guests as the “The Sea Embraces All Rivers — International Art Dialogue Exhibition of the Chinese National Academy of Arts” officially opened. Jointly organized by the Chinese National Academy of Arts and the China Cultural Center Den Haag, the exhibition brought together more than fifty artists, cultural figures, and art enthusiasts from China and the Netherlands.

Among the guests attending the opening ceremony were Yu Jian, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands; artists Mei Yuehui and Chen Sanyin from the Chinese National Academy of Arts; Chairman Van der Kooi of the Royal Hague Art Association; former Deputy Mayor of The Hague and former Chairman of the Netherlands-China Association Henk Kool; and renowned Dutch painter and geometric abstract art master Bob Bonies.

The exhibition features more than sixty selected works from the Chinese National Academy of Arts, including landscape painting, figure painting, flower-and-bird painting, calligraphy, and seal carving. It offers Dutch audiences a comprehensive view of contemporary Chinese ink art while creating a new platform for artistic dialogue between China and the Netherlands.

During the opening ceremony, Mei Yuehui delivered remarks on behalf of the Chinese National Academy of Arts. He stated that the Academy has consistently upheld the principles of openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and shared appreciation of beauty. While inheriting the essence of traditional Chinese aesthetics, the Academy continues to explore the integration of Eastern and Western artistic languages and hopes to promote mutual understanding between civilizations through art.

Van der Kooi highly praised the exhibition for its artistic excellence and creative vitality, describing it as a profound resonance between Eastern and Western aesthetic traditions. Henk Kool emphasized that greater cultural understanding helps reduce misunderstanding and bring people closer together, and that Chinese art serves as an important path toward such understanding.

The event featured lively exchanges and active audience participation. During the art-sharing session, Mei Yuehui presented a lecture entitled “Understanding Chinese Calligraphy,” guiding visitors into the expressive world of Chinese brush writing. Chen Sanyin, drawing on the exhibited works, explained how contemporary Chinese ink landscape painting builds bridges between traditional brush-and-ink techniques and modern life. Audience members listened attentively and actively engaged in discussion, experiencing the contemporary vitality of Chinese art through dialogue and artistic exchange.

During the interactive creation session, Mei Yuehui and Chen Sanyin demonstrated live calligraphy and ink painting, allowing visitors to experience the artistic charm of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy at close range. Many Dutch participants enthusiastically asked the artists to write their Chinese names, while the artists also guided visitors step by step in creating simple paintings on traditional fans. From ink preparation and brushwork to composition, every process was patiently explained. Several Dutch guests proudly displayed their first brush-written Chinese characters and posed for photos with the artists, expressing their excitement at discovering the unique beauty of Chinese brush art.

The event was hosted by Wang Zheng, Director of the China Cultural Center Den Haag. He noted that art knows no borders and cultural exchange has no limits. The Center will continue to promote high-quality cultural programs, using Chinese calligraphy and painting as bridges for mutual understanding between the Chinese and Dutch peoples, allowing more Dutch audiences to better understand China through the language of ink and brush.

Xinhua News Agency provided full coverage of the event.