Chinese youngsters are ready to welcome the opening of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Photo Provided to China Daily

Left: Yang Weize is the Nanjing's Party chief and executive president of the organizing committee for the games. Right: A Chinese painting by artist Sang Jianguo is on display in London. Photos Provided to China Daily

As London holds the Olympics, one of China's prettiest cities is showing off its art and talking about preparations for its own games

Under a setting moon, crows cry in the frosty air.

Under maple trees by the river, fishing lights trouble my sleep.

Outside Gusu city come the midnight chimes.

Across the water from Hanshan Temple to my boat.

So wrote the Chinese poet Zhang Ji during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) in his most famous work, Night Mooring at Maple Bridge, when he traveled to Gusu, now Suzhou, in Jiangsu province, East China.

More than 1,000 years later, for many people, Zhang's words still neatly encapsulate the beauty and allure of Suzhou and Jiangsu.

Those who know little about the province will get a chance to learn more about its rich historical and cultural heritage through Discover Jiangsu 2012 Culture Week in London from Aug 2 to 8.

"As the London Olympic Games take place, we hope to open up a window for people from Britain and the world to understand Jiangsu and Chinese culture," says Si Jinquan, director of the provincial government's information office.

The program, which will be held in Central Hall, Westminster, includes: Jinling figurative paintings of China, with 60 pieces of work illustrating the creativity of Chinese oil painting and traditional Chinese painting; folk singing, dancing, music and acrobatics; and demonstrations of art, including paper cutting and sculpture from Nanjing, the provincial capital.

In East Anglia, an exhibition titled Chinese Treasures, which opened on June 30, continues. The exhibition, at the Colchester & Ipswich Museums until January, includes 70 pieces of jade, bronze, ceramics and porcelain from Nanjing Museum.

Jiangsu province and Essex county have had close ties for 20 years, over which time they have had exchanges in areas such as economics and trade, education, culture, tourism, sports and environmental protection.

"I hope Discover Jiangsu will leave a deep impression and artistic enjoyment," Si says. The event has been held in more than 20 countries including the US, France, Japan, Russia and Malaysia.

The exhibition will not only give Jiangsu the chance to show off its culture and history but will also give Nanjing the chance to show off its preparations for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Jinling Figurative Paintings

Among all the events, Si singles out the Jinling figurative paintings as having "outstanding branding value". That exhibition derives its name from its permanent venue, Jinling, the ancient name for Nanjing.

Sun Xiaoyun, curator of Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, says the exhibition was first held in 2005.

"Two hundred paintings, half of them oil and the other half traditional Chinese selected from the whole of China, have been shown every two years."

The theme of the art, all by Chinese painters, is social development, urban and rural landscapes, natural scenery and public life.

The 60 pieces of work on display in London are the gold prize winners over the past few years, Sun says. Last year 60 works were exhibited in the Louvre in Paris.

The 2014 Youth Olympic Games

As visitors in London enjoy the artistic offerings from Nanjing, back in the Chinese city preparations are continuing apace for the Youth Olympic Games two years from now.

Yang Weize, Nanjing's Party chief and executive president of the organizing committee for the games, promises a spectacular event in 2014.

It will be "the most widely participated in, the most dynamic, and the most creative grand gathering of culture and sports for youth", he says.

"Youth is the unique DNA of the Youth Olympics. I hope youths from all over the world take part, bringing their wisdom and power with them. Nanjing holds many surprises for them."

The International Olympic Committee selected Nanjing for the games in 2010. The motto for the event, to be held from Aug 16 to 28, 2014, is "Olympics for the young, by the young".

Yang says the games will take in 28 sports, and more than 3,800 athletes are expected to attend.

"We have almost finished planning for 38 competition and training venues. Work on some, including the village and Youth Olympic Games Park, has already begun," Yang says.

The games aim to bring together athletes aged from 15 to 18 not only to compete with and against one another, but to learn about Olympic values and the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle.

Singapore held the first Youth Olympic Games in 2010, when about 3,600 athletes and 1,450 officials attended.

China Daily

(China Daily 07/27/2012 page25)