Chongqing- On August 8, 2020, the 6th edition of the Bauhinia Cup Cross-Strait, Hong Kong, and Macau Youth Painting and Calligraphy Competition was held in Chongqing Nanshan Botanical Gardens as part of the summer event Logicians Invite You to Nanshan.

Thirty young calligraphy and art enthusiasts met face-to-face with the famous calligrapher Li Zhonghua, and well-known painter Qian Kun. The children listened and painted attentively while the masters shared their expertise in words easy to understand.

The hot summer climes were no obstacle to parents and children, who enthusiastically traveled to the cooler heights of Nanshan to interact with the famous artists. Inside the lecture hall, there were no seats left unoccupied as the event opened to great excitement, as tables were neatly set out with brushes, paper, and inkwells.

Throughout the event, the masters studied the children's work and stopped to offer guidance on various aspects such as brushwork, outlines, and color. The students were fully engrossed in the session. While time was relatively short, it was a fantastic opportunity to cultivate an interest in traditional Chinese culture, foster creativity, and build on their current skills.

In addition to calligraphy and painting, there were also planting activities, popular science tours, and on-site sketching. Inside the beautiful greenhouse of Nanshan Botanical Gardens, the children studied a wide variety of plants, flowers, and trees, which they could choose to paint.

At the same time, students also picked up the pens and wrote messages for children from Hong Kong and Macao, whom they have never met. These friendship cards will be sent to Hong Kong and Macao with a batch of lotus and bauhinia seeds so that the seeds of friendship may take root in each other's hearts.

Secretary Shi Jian of the Nanshan Botanical Garden told in his welcome speech how Nanshan has the best viewing angles over Chongqing, which helps to instill a love of the mountains and rivers that adorn the city. Nanshan Botanical Garden also has abundant plant resources that can allow children to explore the world of greenery and fall in love with all things natural.

As the children performed flowing strokes with brushes in hand, they expressed their love for their homeland, nature, and culture through this fun and significant event.

On August 22, the famous painter Fang Fengfu will offer children an excellent class on freehand flower and bird painting techniques, as well as sharing decades of creative experience with students over a cultural exchange.

Since the Bauhinia Cup opened on July 15, 2020, and the individual competition areas have been organized for enthusiastic students. By the end of July, there were 180 schools registered in Chongqing, with the participation of 100,000 children.

Due to quota restrictions, not all students were able to participate. Still, organizers hope to arrange more activities so that more children can explore their love for Chinese culture, painting, and calligraphy.

The deadline for this preliminary contest is August 31, and the judging stage will conclude on September 7. The final selected works will be displayed online from September 8, 2020, from which 540 outstanding pieces will be selected to participate in the Hong Kong finals by September 30.