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On January 18, the 9th Annual Ceremony of “Chinese Culture on World Stamps” was held at the Mocha Art Center in Beijing, under the theme “Cultural China, Expressions of the Era.” Over three hundred cultural luminaries from China and abroad gathered at the scene to witness this cultural spectacle. The “Chinese Culture on World Stamps” exhibition held during the event was also warmly received by the audience, with each stamp showcasing Chinese cultural designs allowing viewers to once again appreciate the beauty of China’s humanities and nature.
“Stamps, though small in size, are artworks engraved with time and serve as universal ‘cultural messengers’ to the world. From historical classic patterns to contemporary human landscapes, from heroic figures to folk customs, the vast panorama of Chinese culture has been meticulously etched into these tiny canvases,” said Cui Enqing, former President of the Beijing Youth Daily, in his speech. He emphasized that “Chinese Culture on World Stamps” uses postal art as a bridge and culture as a bond, enabling Chinese symbols to transcend mountains and seas. Through this “international name card,” friends from around the world can better understand and fall in love with China.
Liang Bi, the 3th-generation core inheritor of the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Star School, stated in her speech: “Seeing traditional art forms like the Star School featured on world stamps, I have come to a deeper realization: intangible cultural heritage is not a dusty antique but a vibrant cultural symbol. Traditional art is not only a national treasure but also a shared cultural wealth of all humanity. Stamps serve as a crucial medium for cultural dissemination, carrying the charm of Chinese culture to every corner of the world. As inheritors, our mission is to revitalize these cultural symbols in the new era, ensuring that the stories of traditional art are heard, seen, and cherished by more people. I also look forward to more young friends falling in love with traditional art and joining the ranks of its inheritors.”
Xu Xiaoyang, Executive Director of the Xu Beihong Art Foundation and Director of the Xu Beihong Art Museum, emphasized in his speech: “Though small in size, stamps can carry the weight of millennia. The ‘Chinese Culture on World Stamps Annual Ceremony’ has journeyed through nine years, consistently using stamps as ‘national name cards’ to showcase the brilliance of Chinese culture on the global stage. This vividly embodies the theme ‘Cultural China, Expressions of the Era.’ The vitality of culture lies in inheritance and even more so in innovation; its influence depends on preservation and, more importantly, on dissemination. The theme ‘Cultural China, Expressions of the Era’ profoundly reminds us that traditional culture can only maintain its vitality and dynamism by integrating into the tides of the times and innovating in its forms of expression.”
He Yongzhi, President of Chongqing Little Swan Investment Holding Group and Chairman of the Chongqing Hot Pot Association, stated in her speech: “World stamps have precisely provided an irreplaceable, high-quality platform for the international dissemination of culinary and cultural tourism. When Chinese cuisine and magnificent landscapes are crystallized on these miniature stamps, these cultural symbols bearing the essence of Chinese heritage gain the power to transcend borders and traverse time and space. Let us take this grand ceremony as an opportunity to use stamps as a bridge and culture as a vessel, allowing Chinese culture to continue shining brightly on the world stage!”
The Year 2026 marks the Chinese lunar calendar’s Bingwu Year of the Horse. During the ceremony, the global launch of the stamp album “Soaring Through the Skies Again: Xu Beihong’s Horse Paintings” and the kickoff of the “Eternal Long March” series of cultural activities were held.
Nearly one hundred outstanding representatives from cultural fields such as theater, music, painting and calligraphy, photography, crafts, martial arts, cuisine, floristry, and design, both from China and abroad, have been honored with the 2025 “Annual Figures in the International Dissemination of Chinese Culture” award. This recognition celebrates their relentless efforts and contributions to promoting Chinese culture globally.
It is reported that the event was initiated by Shanshui Danqing (Beijing) International Art Center and co-organized with cultural institutions such as the United Nations World Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Foundation and the European Philatelic Association. Having been held for nine consecutive years, it has become a highly influential cultural brand event both domestically and internationally.
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.