A three-day exhibition of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy with the theme of peace and progress opened Saturday in Anji County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

On show are over 200 calligraphy works demonstrating the achievements of contemporary calligraphers in both countries. The works will be also displayed in Japan at the end of this year. The exhibition marks the 25th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty.

After the opening ceremony, scores of Chinese and Japanese artists painted calligraphy works on a 100-meter paper scroll, which will be stored in the Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall in Anji.

Wu, who was born in Anji in 1844 and died in 1927, was well respected for his poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal cutting.

In recent years, exchanges among calligraphers of China and Japan had become more frequent and the contacts helped calligraphers learn from each other and improve their skills, said Duan Chenggui, vice-chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association.

These exchanges attracted more Chinese to learn calligraphy and improve their skills, Duan said. The association had more than 6,000 members and the numbers were higher in local calligraphers associations.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2003)