The 2022 "Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition - Calligraphy and Painting Challenge" is calling for entries from Chinese language lovers worldwide.

The challenge offers a chance for Chinese language enthusiasts across the globe to meet new friends, show their artistic skills and gain deeper understanding of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, organizers said.

The event is sponsored by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, co-organized by Chinese Plus and China Daily Website, and supported by Chinese Testing International Co.,Ltd. and Chinese Bridge Club.

Timed with two major Chinese festivals, Mid-Autumn Festival and the Spring Festival, the challenge will go through two phases over the course of half a year. Submitters may choose to participate in the calligraphy group, the painting group or both. The event's web pages include mini-courses on Chinese calligraphy and painting, meaning even novices can take part in the challenge.

Official Website: bridge.chinese.cn/shz/

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Want to learn Chinese characters, study the Chinese language, meet new friends and show off your artistic skills? Join this year's Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition - Calligraphy and Painting Challenge!

I.What are submissions about?

The calligraphy and painting challenge has two categories, Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival. Submissions for one or both are welcome.

II.When can I submit?

Phase One, Mid-Autumn Festival: From June 20 to 12:00 pm of Aug 25 (Beijing Time).

Phase Two, Spring Festival: From June 20 to 12:00 pm of Jan 6 (Beijing Time), 2023.

Overdue submissions will be rejected. (For mailed original works, the submission time will be determined by the postmark or processing date of the delivery service. Submissions past the deadline will not be accepted.)

III.Who can submit?

All Chinese language enthusiasts from around the world. No age limitation. The submitter must be a non-Chinese speaker, with a non-Chinese nationality. Underage submitters must obtain consent from their guardians. Submitters must use their real names. Participants who use false names to make repeat submissions will be disqualified.

IV.What we're looking for

1.Calligraphy

We accept soft pen calligraphy works. Writing styles are not limited.

We would like participants to write something related to Mid-Autumn Festival in traditional or simplified Chinese. You can also write ancient or modern Chinese poems, but please use authoritative versions.

You can also write about Spring Festival in traditional or simplified Chinese. You can write couplets, the Chinese character "fu" (meaning happiness or luck), Chinese New Year greetings, or ancient or modern poems so long as you use authoritative versions.

The content should be positive and express values like truth, goodness and beauty. Please ensure the accuracy, coherence and completeness of your content. If quoting, please credit the original author and note the name of the article.

Participants should obey laws and regulations to ensure no copyright or reputation rights issues are infringed in your written content. Any issues arising from the content or form shall be the sole responsibility of the participant.

2.Painting

No restrictions on painting forms: Chinese paintings, oil paintings, watercolors, gouaches, sketches, acrylic paintings, prints, comics, computer paintings or others.

We recommend original paintings pertaining to "Mid-Autumn Festival" and "Spring Festival". The content should be festive and positive, and express values like truth, goodness and beauty.

Submitters should obey laws and regulations to ensure no copyright and reputation right issues are infringed in your painting. Any problems arising from your painting shall be the sole responsibility of the author.

3.Calligraphy and painting vlogs

Participants can shoot video to show the intention or meaning of texts, and share stories of his or her painting and calligraphy works.

Length of video: less than 5 minutes
Video format: mainstream formats such as mp4, mov
Video resolution: 1920*1080 or above

Your submission will only be valid if it's submitted with your calligraphy or painting works.

V.How to participate

1.Via email
Send an email to [email protected]
Please send the following content via attachment or online download link

• Clear scans of your calligraphy or painting works
• Vlog
• Registration form for the calligraphy and painting challenge

2.Scan the following QR code to participate via WeChat

Contact: +86 15801002294

3.Mail your original works to the organizing committee

Participants can mail their materials to the organizing committee.
①Your original calligraphy/painting works (which will not be returned)
②Vlog (via flash drive, CD-ROM, online download link, email, or other methods)
③ A paper copy of your registration form
Mailing address: Chinese Plus, F18, Building B, Desheng International Center, No 83, Dewai Street, Xicheng district, Beijing, China
Postcode: 100088

VI.What you can win

1.Mid-Autumn

Calligraphy group:
5 Best Skill awards, 5 Best Presentation awards, 5 Most Creative awards, 5 Most Potential awards, 10 Popularity awards (5 Online Popularity awards, 5 Social Media Popularity awards)

Painting group:
5 Best Skill awards, 5 Best Presentation awards, 5 Most Creative awards, 5 Most Potential awards, 10 Popularity awards (5 Online Popularity awards, 5 Social Media Popularity awards)

2.Spring Festival

Calligraphy group:
5 Best Skill awards, 5 Best Presentation awards, 5 Most Creative awards, 5 Most Potential awards, 10 Popularity awards (5 Online Popularity awards, 5 Social Media Popularity awards)

Painting group:
5 Best Skill awards, 5 Best Presentation awards, 5 Most Creative awards, 5 Most Potential awards, 10 Popularity awards (5 Online Popularity awards, 5 Social Media Popularity awards)

About the popularity awards:

1.The five works with the most likes on the event page of the "Chinese Bridge" Calligraphy and Painting Challenge will win the Online Popularity awards.

2.The five works with the most likes on the following platforms will win the Social Media Popularity awards.

Facebook: Post your work on your personal account with the hashtag #ChineseBridgeCalligraphyPaintingChallenge. Follow and tag @chinesebridge2002 (The official page of Chinese Bridge) and @chinacultureorg (China Culture).

Instagram: Post your work on your personal account with the hashtag #ChineseBridgeCalligraphyPaintingChallenge. Follow and tag @chinesebridge2002 and @china_culture.

Weibo: Post your work on your personal account with the hashtag #漢語橋書畫展#. Follow and tag @漢語橋, @中國日報網(wǎng).

VII.How will works be judged?

1. The organizing committee for the challenge will formulate evaluation rules, the review process and regulations for the judges and the supervisor committee. They will ensure transparency and fairness.
2. The judges will examine what's written and the correctness of the texts. For calligraphy works at comparable levels, those which are most relevant to the two categories are preferred. Paintings will be reviewed based on color, structure, intention, creativity, and other metrics.
3. The review work for the "Mid-Autumn Festival" category will start in early September, while the "Spring Festival" work will begin after the Spring Festival holiday in early 2023.
4. All submissions must be completed independently. Please don't submit the same work repeatedly, or your submission will be disqualified. Submitted works will not be replaced or returned.
5. Participants can submit works for both categories and be considered for different awards.
6. All participants will receive certificates of honor issued by "Chinese Bridge".
7. Digital certificates and prizes will be sent or mailed to winners within 90 working days after the list of winners is announced.

VIII.Can beginners participate?

Of course! Start our online mini-course for beginners on the event page. Follow the instructions and you will be ready to join in!

Candidates for the HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test) examination can also find learning materials on our page, including "A Creative Course in Calligraphy for HSK Basic Chinese Characters". It pairs classic quotes from ancient China with illustrations of various calligraphic styles, designated with their levels in the HSK examination. Zhou Bin, a calligraphy professor with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, gives the lectures.

IX.Submit and enrich

For every 100 calligraphy and painting works we receive, we will donate 50 books.

"Chinese Bridge" and the People's Education Press will select books to donate to children's centers or primary and secondary schools in Nepal to enrich Nepalese teenagers' after-school lives.

We look forward to your participation in this "Chinese Bridge" public welfare activity!