10 years on: reunion of ancient painting commemorated

(ECNS) -- A cultural event marking the 10th anniversary of the reunion of two halves of the ancient painting Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains was held in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday.

Nearly 400 people from across the Taiwan Strait took part in the cultural pageant at the Zhejiang Provincial Great Hall of the People.

The reunion of the painting presents the strength of Chinese culture and the persistent pursuit of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, the peaceful reunification of China, Liu Jieyi, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at the event.

Famed as one of the top 10 masterpieces in Chinese art history, the 700-year-old Chinese ink painting was created by Yuan Dynasty painter Huang Gongwang (1269-1354).

In 1650, the 7-meter-long painting was split into two pieces. After changing hands for years, the right portion found a home in the mainland's Zhejiang Provincial Museum in 1948, while the left portion was conserved by Taipei's Palace Museum.

The two halves were reunited for the first time on June 1, 2011, and debuted at the Taipei Museum thanks to efforts of people across the Straits, which is regarded as a milestone in cross-Strait exchanges.

Zhejiang Province is geographically close to the Taiwan region. There are strong bonds in the culture, people and business between the two places.

"We warmly invite Taiwan compatriots, especially the young people, to visit the birthplace of Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, and to chase and fulfill their dreams here," said Zhou Jiangyong, secretary of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee.

Hung Hsiu-chu, chairperson of the Chinese Cyan Geese Peace Education Foundation, also expressed her congratulations and blessings in a video played at the event.

The reunion of the ancient painting demonstrated that the bonds between Taiwan and the mainland cannot be severed, Hung was cited as saying.

Young people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits also shared their stories of starting businesses or work experiences at the event.