SINCE hosting the G20 Summit in September last year Hangzhou has spared no efforts to shape itself into an international city on all aspects — politics, economy and culture.

In the latest move, the government has launched a campaign inviting people — literally anyone who visit Hangzhou — to contribute stories about West Lake on its newly-launched social media accounts.

Some of the state-owned, private museums, galleries and agencies have also contributed to the cultural development.

My Memory of West Lake

The Hangzhou government is looking for essays and poems on “My Memory of West Lake” from expatriates, tourists and international businesspeople.

Works that have any relevance to G20 Hangzhou Summit, or occurred around the summit time — September 4 and 5 — are especially welcomed.

Essays and poems should be written in either English or Chinese. The poems must be limited to 50 lines. The essays should not exceed 3,000 English words or 5,000 Chinese characters.

All articles must be sent to xihujiyi@163.com by September 30. In the subject box, mention “My Memory of West Lake.”

Participants must mention their name, phone number, mailing address, email address, and passport number in the mail.

In all, there will be 74 winners with prizes varying from 500 to 5,000 yuan (US$73 to 737).

In October and November, the selected pieces will be published in local newspapers and broadcast on TV and posted on social media accounts like Hangzhoufeel, Hangzhou’s official account on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

The campaign is to ensure domestic and international exposure after the success of G20.

About 3.63 million overseas travelers came to Hangzhou last year, up 6.34 percent from 2015.

Exhibition: This is Not Landscape

The exhibition features three Chinese artists who traveled in the US. Though the three artists were inspired by nature, they try to show the contradiction between reality, vision and concept through painting.

They say landscape is such a common theme in both Eastern and Western art history that they want to challenge it by presenting it in abstract paintings.

Artist/poet/director/bandsman Li Xingxing has a series of oil paintings depicting the beauty of water, such as reflection, the swirl and the ripple. Though these works appear refreshing, they are actually made of heavy paint.

Li Jiayang studied in the US for almost nine years. His works, at the first glance, appear like Chinese traditional water ink paintings about mountains and waters, but actually employs modern materials, such as resin, to express the Zen spirit.

“I love the fluidity of the material,” he said.

Dong Shi uses “anything to draw.” “It could be brush, iron ware, tape, branch, or finger,” she said. “Each of them represents its own characteristic, maybe sharp, maybe weak.”

In her abstract painting the shape of trees or rocks is ambiguous, but the vigor and rhythm are obvious.

Date: Through July 28, 10am-5pm
Address: ColorBox Space, Bldg 5, 1 Shangning Lane

Admission: Free

New Knowledge on Ancient Roads

Smarmatian Priestess of 6th century BC, Terra-Cotta Warriors of 2nd century, and Chinese princess of 7th century, what do they all look like?

Modern technology can help uncover that. The exhibition “New Knowledge on Ancient Roads — Silk Road Cultural Heritage Sci-tech Achievements” is currently underway at the China National Silk Museum and is showcasing both the excavated and the restored that tell the vicissitudes of the Silk Road.

This exhibition has been organized by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China and People’s Government of Zhejiang Province. It marks the third anniversary of the inscription of Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor to the World Heritage list.

The 144 exhibits were unearthed on the route, and are from various archaeological sites in Kazakhstan and China, some dating back to 6th century BC.

“Silk Roads are significant to the diffusion and development of culture, technology, science and so much more, thereby helping shape our modern world,” said Marielza Oliveira, director UNESCO Office in Beijing and Representative of UNESCO in China.

Modern technologies are used to protect, analyze, recover, and reproduce relics. So visitors can see the reproduced costume of Smarmatian Priestess and the Issyk Golden Man. Their tombs are in Kazakhstan. There is also the real-size sculpture of a Chinese princess, a Terra-Cotta Warrior as colored as the original, two carriages found in one tomb — one in Middle East style and the other in Chinese style.

Date: Through September 24, closed on Mondays
Address: No. 73-1 Yuhuangshan Rd

Admission: Free

Exhibition about India and Chinese Cultural Exchange

The Consulate General of India in Shanghai in association with Zhejiang Museum are presenting two exhibitions.

The first one is the calligraphic rendition of Chinese translation of Indian scripture Bhagavad Gita, titled “Rendezvous in Hangzhou — Calligraphic Works from Bhagavad Gita” by the renowned calligrapher Dai Daosen.

The exhibition comprises 88 pieces of calligraphy, which took six months to prepare. Thematically, the exhibition ‘Rendezvous in Hangzhou — Calligraphic Works from Bhagavad Gita” centers on the cultural and artistic exchanges between China and India.

The second showcases the Gupta Period sculpture and artworks in the exhibit titled “Across the Silk Road: Gupta Sculptures and their Chinese Counterparts: 400-700 CE.”

The Gupta Empire ruled over ancient India from the 4-7th century. Known as the Golden Age of Indian history, the Gupta era produced superb artists, scientists, mathematicians, and sculptors. During the Gupta era, the “Dharmaratna Road” connecting India with Central Asia and China became a channel for artistic and intellectual exchanges.

Date: Through August 31, closed on Mondays
Address: 6 West Lake Cultural Plaza, 581 Zhongshan Rd N.

Admission: Free

Mongolian Music — Hong Yan 2017 Hangzhou Concert by Ergun Band

The country’s leading Mongolian band Ergun Band will stage a concert on Sunday evening at Hangzhou Guangsha Stadium.

Based in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the band is best known for its signature piece “Hong Yan” (swan goose). It excels in fusing Mongolian music with western genres like rock, folk, and pop style. They use traditional Mongolian instruments like Morin khuur, drum, flute and gong, as well as modern guitar, bass, and keyboard. Sometimes they write both in Mongolia and Mandarin lyrics.

Critics say their music pieces are “originally from the prairie” yet “in the band’s own style.” And the band wants to prove that “we do not only do traditional music such as long song and throat singing, but are able to make modern Mongolian music,” says Ma Xi, the producer.

Call 13805759000 or go to https://piao.damai.cn/125666.html for tickets.

Date: July 23, 7:30pm
Address: Guangsha Stadium, 200 Tiyuchang Rd

Tickets: 180, 380, 580 and 880 yuan