Echoes of Time Exhibition: Contemporary Encounters with Cultural Memory Showcased at CCW 2025

Exhibition: Chinese Culture Week in Edinburgh showcased exhibitions from ink and lacquer to digital art, bridging heritage and innovation on the global stage.

EDINBURGH, CITY OF, MIDLOTHIAN, UNITED KINGDOM, August 26, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the 2025 Chinese Culture Week (CCW) came to a close in Edinburgh, one of the most celebrated features of the programme was the“Echoes of Time Exhibition: Contemporary Encounters with Cultural Memory.”Bringing together painting, calligraphy, lacquer art, youth creativity, curatorial innovation, and immersive digital experiences, the exhibition series presented a sweeping view of Chinese cultural heritage in dialogue with contemporary voices.

Eight landmark exhibitions unfolded across the festival:

Ink Visions: The Awakening of Form | Ink Art Exhibition by Fan Zhou
Renowned guqin master, painter, and philosopher Fan Zhou presented a contemplative body of ink works rooted in Daoist philosophy. His brushstrokes flowed between form and emptiness, embodying balance (zhonghe) and vitality (qi). Viewers were invited into a meditative encounter where ink became not only an aesthetic, but a philosophy of being. For many, the exhibition blurred the boundaries between art, music, and mindfulness.

Liu Xueshan | Reimagining the Classic: “Yet Again, Mountains and Seas”
Contemporary lacquer artist Liu Xueshan brought his acclaimed “又见山海” series to Edinburgh. Reimagining mythical beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Liu drew inspiration from Qing dynasty shadow puppets in Chengdu and Shanxi. By merging the intangible heritage of shadow puppetry with lacquer craftsmanship, he revived legendary creatures with texture and vitality. The works became a striking testament to how craft and imagination transform tradition into living myth.

“Panda Cup” & “Renmei Cup” Youth Art Exhibitions
The “Panda Cup” Youth Exhibition gathered young artists from across the globe to explore the symbolism of the giant panda and humanity’s shared future. Through painting, design, and digital media, participants reflected on themes of peace, friendship, and harmony with nature. The “Renmei Cup” Youth Ink & Brush Exhibition, under the theme “A Beautiful World,” invited youth to reinterpret Chinese painting and calligraphy with fresh perspectives. Together, the two exhibitions highlighted the imagination, responsibility, and cultural creativity of the younger generation.

Echoes of Overseas Education: The Taishan Schools Legacy
Curated by Professor Tan Jinhua of Wuyi University, this exhibition examined the extraordinary legacy of overseas Chinese philanthropy in education. By the 1930s, more than 1,200 schools had been built in Taishan, Guangdong, with diaspora funding. Combining archival material and architectural images, the exhibition reflected the blending of Chinese heritage and Western influence, and offered a window into the cultural contributions of the Taishanese community worldwide.

Masterstrokes: Chinese Calligraphy & Ink Invitational
This invitational brought together esteemed calligraphers and ink painters from across China, each contributing a single work of personal significance. With pieces ranging from sweeping calligraphy to finely composed landscapes, the exhibition revealed the meditative power and philosophical depth of classical brush traditions, continuing a living dialogue between past and present.

Ink Within Reach: Everyday Brushstrokes
This intimate exhibition featured works by Liu Ye and Shuxin Fu, two self-taught artists whose creative journeys emerged from personal transformation. Liu Ye, once intimidated by classical ink traditions, discovered beauty in the humble act of painting without mastery. Shuxin Fu, who began painting during recovery from a life-altering accident, turned brushwork into a path of healing and strength. Together, their works reminded audiences that tradition is not only inherited, but constantly renewed by everyday lives and experiences.

Kindred in a Foreign Land Multimedia Exhibition
Curated by Jiayi Chen. Through film, installation, and mixed-media, this curatorial project examined the persistence of memory across displacement and diaspora. Works evoked the voices of ancestors, sacred rituals, and symbols that resurface in new artistic languages today. In intertwining heritage and transformation, the exhibition celebrated resilience, continuity, and shared identity, asking audiences to recognise kindred spirits in distant lands.

Cyber Yunnan | Immersive Heritage & Folk Exhibition
Blending contemporary art with traditional culture, Cyber Yunnan transformed intangible heritage into engaging discussions and interactive experiences. Audiences immersed themselves in AI-powered Tonghai opera, motion-captured Yanhe dances, and reimagined traditional practices. Visual artist Wanrong Zhu presented TongHai GaoTai 2066, an immersive VR performance that reinterpreted the century-old Tonghai Gao Tai operatic form through speculative scenography and audience interaction. Contemporary artist Yuan Fang, now based in London, contributed Thread Between Worlds, weaving Chinese motifs, textiles, and paint to explore cultural identity and belonging. Together, the works staged a digital coming-of-age for heritage—merging ancient DNA with a vision of the future.

As the curtain fell on this remarkable series of exhibitions, Chinese Culture Week once again affirmed its role as a bridge between past and present, East and West. From ink and lacquer to digital worlds, from diaspora histories to contemporary reinventions, each showcase revealed the depth and dynamism of Chinese culture in dialogue with the world. With record audiences, unprecedented media resonance, and the support of distinguished guests and partners, CCW has not only illuminated Edinburgh’s festival stage but also charted a path for Chinese culture to echo globally.

For details on each artist, please visit our website.

Xin Wen
Intercultural Connections Initiative CIC
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