Chinese characters have evolved over six thousand years, from initial symbols and oracle bone script to five major traditional calligraphic styles, culminating in modern printed typefaces. In the digital age, they have been transformed into coded characters, completing a magnificent transition from handwriting to machine code.

Legend has it that Cangjie, a historian during the time of the Yellow Emperor, observed the tracks of birds and beasts and created characters to replace knotted ropes for record-keeping, earning him the title of “Ancestor of Chinese Characters.” Legend says he possessed “double pupils and four eyes,” enabling him to perceive all things and create characters, moving heaven and earth, who bestowed the Grain Rain as a celestial gift. To highlight the diversity of languages and cultures and to commemorate Cangjie’s creation of characters, the United Nations has designated the period around April 20th each year – Grain Rain, known as “UN Chinese Language Day.”

Since 2023, “Character Festival” has been an annual Chinese character art exhibition, aiming to pay tribute to the aesthetics of characters and the ancient sages who created them, and to reshape the imagery of characters through diverse art media. This year’s exhibition is co-organized by the curatorial institutions “ZLAB” and “字黨,” bringing together more than ten local and overseas contemporary artists to present philosophically rich visual creations, profound audiovisual expressions, and thought-provoking contemporary artworks.