Xieyi - The Spirit of Free Expression: Worldwide Traveling Exhibition of Chinese Calligraphy
The special presentation of the global traveling exhibition “Xieyi - The Spirit of Free Expression: Global Traveling Exhibition of Chinese Calligraphy” in Berlin vividly illustrates the incredible cultural significance of calligraphy and bears the motif “Xieyi” in its title. “Xieyi” is a term specific to calligraphy and ink painting and loosely translates as “the spirit of free writing.”
The exhibition focuses on the innovative explorations of contemporary Chinese calligraphy in the tension between traditional roots and modern context.
The central question is how the art of calligraphy responds to the present and expresses the spirit of its time.
Over forty works are on display, covering a wide range of different writing styles, including seal script, clerical script, regular script, cursive script, and grass script. In this way, the exhibition provides a systematic insight into the diversity of contemporary Chinese calligraphy and its deep-rooted cultural significance.
Chinese calligraphy – the simple beauty of a brushstroke meets the depth of the human spirit.
As the bearer of the millennia-old aesthetic ideals and spiritual traditions of Chinese civilization, calligraphy is undoubtedly a very special art form.
- The exhibition is jointly organized by the Chinese Cultural Center Berlin and Shanghai Jiaotong University and supported by the China National Arts Fund (CNAF).
Exhibition dates: January 22, 2026, to February 9, 2026
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free admission
