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The “Xu Beihong Cup International Youth and Children’s Art Competition” is a public welfare art project founded in 2004 by Xu Beihong’s wife, Curator Liao Jingwen, to promote and carry forward Mr. Xu’s spirit of “dedicating his life to art education in China.” To date, nine successful editions of the competition have been held, with a total participation of over 400,000 entries.
Creative Theme: The Contemporary Spirit of “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” — any artwork that expresses positivity and the vitality of the present era.
As this year marks the 130th anniversary of Xu Beihong’s birth, the competition adopts “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” as its core theme. This serves both as a tribute to the artist’s spirit of using horses as symbols of the soul and painting as a medium for emotional expression, and as a vibrant interpretation of the contemporary spirit.
The galloping horses in Xu Beihong’s works are a symbol of the courage to break through constraints and a vehicle of uplifting, striving power — deeply resonating with the unyielding and self-strengthening spirit of the Chinese nation. Today, “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping” has been endowed with new contemporary connotations — it can represent breakthrough innovations in the field of technology, the vigorous vitality of cultural heritage, the dream-chasing journeys of the younger generation, and the thriving momentum of social development.
PS: Each participant is limited to submitting one (1) piece of work, and must choose one category from the three major categories — Painting, Calligraphy, and AI-Generated Art — to submit their entry. Cross-category submissions are not permitted. In the event of duplicate submissions, the participant’s most recently submitted work will be considered the valid entry, and all previous submissions will be automatically voided.
Submission constitutes authorization for the collection of personal information.
Xu Beihong’s life was deeply intertwined with the fate and rise of his nation. He embodied great patriotism, selfless dedication, relentless artistic innovation, and a keen eye for nurturing talent. His legacy reflects an unwavering spirit of independence, moral integrity, and enduring inspiration. (Engraved in the central hall of the Beijing Xu Beihong Memorial Hall)
Xu Beihong was a leading Chinese artist and art educator, known as the “Father of Modern Chinese Painting.” He was the first president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and chairman of the China Artists Association. His works, including Tian Heng and His Five Hundred Followers 《田横五百士》, Waiting for the Deliverer 《徯我后》, and The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains 《愚公移山》, laid the foundation for modern Chinese oil painting with their unique blend of Chinese style and Western technique.
He believed art should reflect real life and combined Chinese traditions with Western methods to create a new, influential style. Xu Beihong not only produced many masterpieces but also trained a generation of outstanding artists, shaping China’s modern art education system. His efforts promoted Chinese art worldwide, leaving a lasting legacy.