Xu Peichen is an artist whose versatile skills run from painting to calligraphy. Photos provided to China Daily

Deserving a place on the stage at United Nations' Chinese Culture Day

The Chinese Culture Day will be celebrated at the United Nations headquarters, in New York City, on April 20 as part of a campaign to promote the diversity of languages and cultures.

This reflects the UN's equal use of six official languages -- Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic.

One of the main exhibitions of the event includes the calligraphy and painting of Professor Xu Peichen, because of their Chinese cultural connotations.

Portrait of Confucius, the renowned Chinese philosopher.

The Chinese language, in its written form, is regarded not just as a communication tool, but, in the case of calligraphy, an art form.

Chinese calligraphy and paintings have long claimed their place in the family of art worldwide.

Through cultural exchanges, its calligraphy and paintings have helped people around the world learn more about the depths of Eastern culture.

And, Xu is a contemporary representative of the nation's traditions, with his own achievements and artistic style:

First, his paintings cover a broad range of subjects such as landscapes, figures, flowers and birds. But, he has a special interest in monkeys for his paintings, giving him a reputation as the "Monkey king".

Second, he paints in a meticulous way or in a free-flowing way through various techniques.

Third, his calligraphy shows a controlled, but unrestrained manner, which reflects his own style.

Fourth, he has a deep understanding of the traditional culture so most of his works use his own poems that reflect his poetic and artistic sentiments.

Fifth, his calligraphy and paintings are a combination of the traditional culture and his innovative spirit of a new era.

Xu created a series of works specifically for the UN's Chinese Culture Day, including the painting "Portrait of Confucius"; calligraphy entitled, "Snow: to the tune of Qin Yuan Chun"; a classical painting, "Four gentlemen: plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum"; and a number of monkey paintings.

Xu trys to show the inherent harmony of nature and society through his portraits of monkeys.

These works bring a new touch of Eastern culture to people from around the world, a touch that is full of Xu's expression and a manifestation of traditional Chinese culture.

Professor Xu is moral and skilled and represents both the mainstream and the highest level of contemporary Chinese calligraphy and painting. He deserves a place on the stage at the UN's Chinese Culture Day.

The author is chairman of the American Chinese Culture and Arts Foundation