Editor's note: "Witnessing a Thriving Nation — He Xiangning's Artistic Masterpieces" is now open at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and will run through Nov. 9. Organized to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the exhibition pays tribute to the life and work of He Xiangning (1878-1972)—a pioneering social activist and artist whose practice bridged personal artistic expression and China's broader national renewal. Through more than 50 carefully selected works from key periods of her career, this showcase illuminates how He channeled profound cultural ideals and patriotic spirit into her art, leaving a lasting legacy in modern Chinese cultural and social development.

"Witnessing a Thriving Nation — He Xiangning's Artistic Masterpieces" is underway at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Sept. 17, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]