ASSCE Co-Hosts Chinese Calligraphy Symposium and Participates in International Calligraphy Exhibitions in New York

By Huiwen Li

NEW YORK — Nearly 100 calligraphers, calligraphy educators, and other participants from China and the United States gathered at Teachers College, Columbia University, for a symposium on “Globalization and Modernization of Chinese Calligraphy.” The event was jointly organized by the North American Calligraphers Association (北美書法家協會), the Denver-based American Confucius Culture and Calligraphy Academy (美國孔子文化書法院), and the American Society of Shufa Calligraphy Education (ASSCE) (美國書法教育學會). The entire event was chaired by Xinde Shen, President of the North American Calligraphers Association.

Professor Xinshi Tu (屠新時), a member of ASSCE’s Advisory Committee, delivered an invited keynote address titled “From Tianwen (‘Questions to Heaven’) to Dialogue among Civilizations: Two Exhibitions of Tianwen at the Denver Art Museum and Their Contemporary Cultural Significance” (從“天問”到文明對話——〈天問〉在丹佛藝術博物館的兩次展出及其當代文化意義). His presentation explored the exhibitions and their relevance to contemporary cultural dialogue.

Professor Huiwen Li, Honorary President of ASSCE, represented the society and presented “Integrating Chinese Calligraphy into the U.S. College Curriculum: Challenges, Opportunities, and Responses” (美國高校書法教育課程化的挑戰和應對：結合美國書法教育學會及巴德學院書法課程兩個視角). His presentation generated considerable interest and discussion about expanding Chinese calligraphy education in American higher education.

Participants praised ASSCE’s sustained efforts and achievements over more than two decades since its founding. They recognized the society’s work in bringing calligraphy educators together, organizing international symposia and teacher training, promoting the inclusion of Chinese calligraphy in academic curricula, and showcasing works by teachers and students. Attendees also offered constructive suggestions and expressed interest in future collaboration.

Alongside the symposium, international calligraphy exhibitions at the World Journal building and Queens Public Library featured more than 200 works by calligraphers from around the world. Participating ASSCE members included Professor Xinshi Tu (屠新時), whose work featured cursive script; board member Li Ren (李韌), whose work featured Yan-style regular script; and Professor Huiwen Li (李惠文), whose work featured oracle-bone script.

At the Queens Public Library exhibition, artists from China and the United States presented a program inspired by calligraphy, featuring music, dance, tai chi, poetry recitation, and Chinese opera. The performances brought calligraphy into dialogue with other art forms, complementing the exhibitions and the symposium’s exploration of the tradition’s global development.