Different from Western painting, traditional Chinese painting is characterized by unique forms of expression. The roots of Chinese painting can be traced back to paintings on Neolithic pottery. Since similar tools and lines were used for the earliest painting and writing, painting is said to have the same origin as calligraphy. Thus, Chinese paintings usually bear poetry or calligraphy so that the three are often integrated, giving people a keener aesthetic enjoyment. Many ancient Chinese paintings were executed on walls or decorative screens. Today, murals can be found in the tombs of the Han, Tang and other dynasties. In addition, figure, landscape, and flower-and-bird paintings ¡ª important traditional Chinese painting genres ¡ª of the dynastic past are still highly valued today.

Contemporary Chinese painting world is very active. The China Art Gallery and other art galleries hold individual or joint art exhibitions year in year out. Also, exhibitions of traditional Chinese paintings have been held in Japan, the Republic of Korea, the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Chinese artists have also made great progress in Western-style painting, such as oil painting, woodcut and watercolor. Many Chinese painters have created works that combine traditional Chinese painting techniques with those of the West, adding splendor to both forms.

Chinese characters evolved from pictures and signs, and the Chinese art of calligraphy developed naturally from its unique writing system. The beauty of Chinese calligraphy lies in the fact that the calligrapher is able to create varied, ever-lasting artistic styles by just writing characters on paper with a brush and Chinese ink. Through the ages, great calligraphers developed representative calligraphic styles of their times. The love of calligraphy is deeply ingrained in Chinese scholars, and has been handed down to the present day. The Chinese Calligraphers¡¯ Association and local calligraphers¡¯ associations at all levels frequently hold exhibitions.