Since ten years ago, Chinese culture has gained in popularity in Europe and the United States and still remains so. Confucian thought, Zen Buddhism, traditional forms of medicine, and even literary works have attracted many to the Far East.

Ancient Chinese culture attracts people; yet perhaps because the self-effacing modesty prized by Chinese tradition is out of place in the "toot-your-own-horn" world of today, although we have heard often in recent years of literary works being translated into foreign languages and traditional plays being performed abroad, the R.O.C. really has only just got started in the field of "cultural exports."

Li Ch'i-mao, who has had his paintings displayed in over ninety countries around the world, points out that, "the first step in cultural export is to let others get a glimpse of understanding Chinese culture, so in this area we need to be more diligent.

"It's due to this lack of understanding that others fail to respect and appreciate Chinese art."

Li represented the R.O.C. at the 1974 World Expo held in the United States, wielding his brush in the China booth for a month. At the exhibition someone criticized China as not having art and compared rice paper (used for painting and calligraphic work) to a napkin.

Li stood up and asked for ten minutes to speak. First, he took a traditional Chinese painting on a sheet of rice paper along with a sheet of paper with a watercolor painting on it and submerged them both into water. When he took them out of the water, the colors of the watercolor painting ran, yet the colors on the rice paper did not. Through this experiment the people at the exhibition had no choice but to acknowledge the superiority of Chinese art.

In addition to the difference in tools and techniques used, the internationally renowned artist Ou Hao-nien, who paints with black ink and water to bring out different shades of darkness, feels that foreign friends lack an understanding of the inner depths contained in the language of poetry and the philosophical thought of such art.

Sighs Yang Hsing-sheng, who tried to introduce Chinese ink painting to the U.S. art world thirty years ago, when he ran an art gallery in California: "Traditional Chinese paintings, for the most part, are done in black and white, in spite of the fact that there are six different shades. Whereas Chinese paintings emphasize style and mood, Western paintings tend to emphasize color. The two concepts behind creating a painting are completely opposite. Many foreign friends who are not familiar with Chinese culture may think this is strange and ask, 'Why is this mountain black? What's the reason for that big empty space of white?'"

Yang thinks that we cannot be anxious about culture export. "Foreigners are in no way inferior artistically. We just need to point out the idea of going from the easy to the difficult and complicated, as well as being terse and to the point, in order for them to fully understand our art, to enjoy it, and to accept it.

"Of course one has to consider first whether his own art is good enough, whether it has progressed enough, to enter the international art circle."

Although black ink and water paintings best express the traditional trend of thought of the Chinese, if the painting is dull and lifeless, then even modern Chinese, let alone others, will feel that it's intangible.

"We must prepare translated materials to allow those who are not native speakers of Chinese a way to understand our art," says Huang Ts'ai-lang, of the R.O.C. Council for Cultural Planning and Development. In addition, we must seek a newness in art; we've got to be better than previous generations. Of course, these are the most important conditions for culture export. However, don't forget: "Understanding another's culture, searching for cultural similarities will save you a lot of time and energy."

With European culture having a rather deep capacity, it is willing to view Chinese calligraphy from an abstract point of view in order to grasp its beauty. This has made them collectors of such artwork.

Among the various culture exports, Chinese ink paintings have received much acceptance abroad. Huang Chun-pi, Ho Huai-shou, Li Ch'i-mao, and other domestic artists are often invited abroad to exhibit their works and demonstrate their skills. Ou Hao-nien and Chiang Ming-hsyan have penetrated the Japanese art galleries to an even greater extent.

K'o Fu graduated third in his class from National Kanazawa University years ago. He has an excellent command of the Japanese language and is thoroughly familiar with Japanese culture. Many of his former classmates are now well-known persons in the government. In the manner in which the Japanese admire the good student, K'o Fu has received much welcome.

Due to the success of Japanese culture export, Huang Ts'ai-lang visited K'o Fu three or four years ago. On account of K'o Fu's rich experience and talent for planning, Huang Ts'ai-lang desired to open up a new frontier not only in Japan but also in other places as well.

However, K'o Fu suggests in an amiable way that the chance of being a success is not great.

It's not difficult to understand the reasoning behind this. You've got to act as a matchmaker between two different cultures. You've got to have an understanding of the two cultures, including language, customs, and so forth. In addition, you have to be familiar with the social backgrounds and human interactions. If there is a lack in any of the above areas, then it's difficult to carry things out despite one's social interaction or planning capabilities.

Perhaps culture export cannot always be like Li Ch'i-mao's exhibit in Korea, which is still a topic of conversation in art circles today. To upgrade the image of the nation and promote foreign relations, however, efforts like that one have no substitute.

There's still a great distance from the "economic R.O.C." to the "cultural R.O.C.," but the first steps are being made.

[Picture Caption]

In January 1987 the Chinese University of Hong Kong sponsored a conference on Chinese ink painting, which many artists from the inner circle attended. (photo courtesy of Chiang Ming-hsien)

A giant poster advertising the Taiwan Exhibition of Ming and Ch'ing Art is seen on a street corner in Paris. (photo courtesy of R.O.C. Council for Cultural Planning and Development.)

Li Ch'i-mao's "modern" artwork captures the events of human activity. (photo courtesy of Li Ch'i-mao)

His house is filled with treasures from the past. It's the best way he knows of introducing the Chinese culture to foreign friends.

Ou Hao-nien is a follower of the "Lingnan School," which infuses traditional ink and Western painting with a Japanese style. Shown here is his work "Footprints on a Frosty Wooden Bridge."

A view of Chiang Ming-hsien's studio.

The fresh color of this modern nature painting is one of many characteristics of his work. It is entitled, "The Wall of Ta Lung T'ung Confucian Temple." (photo courtesy of Chiang Ming-hsien)

A giant poster advertising the Taiwan Exhibition of Ming and Ch'ing Art is seen on a street corner in Paris. （photo courtesy of R.O.C. Council for Cultural Planning and Development.）

Li Ch'i-mao's "modern" artwork captures the events of human activity. （photo courtesy of Li Ch'i-mao）

His house is filled with treasures from the past. It's the best way he knows of introducing the Chinese culture to foreign friends.

Ou Hao-nien is a follower of the "Lingnan School," which infuses traditional ink and Western painting with a Japanese style. Shown here is his work "Footprints on a Frosty Wooden Bridge.".

A view of Chiang Ming-hsien's studio.

The fresh color of this modern nature painting is one of many characteristics of his work. It is entitled.

he Wall of Ta Lung T'ung Confucian Temple." （photo courtesy of Chiang Ming-hsien）