Artworks of Chinese painter Qi Baishi now on display in San Francisco

Art enthusiasts in San Francisco are getting their first glimpse of the masterpieces by one of China's most renowned painters, Qi Baishi (1864-1957), through a special exhibition at the Asian Art Museum.

The exhibition titled "Qi Baishi: Inspiration In Ink" opened in the city in mid-December 2024, to mark the 160th anniversary of the artist's birth, and will stay open until April 7, 2025.

"Qi Baishi is one of the most important Chinese artists in the 20th century, and his artworks actually created lots of auction records. Qi Baishi, actually in the 1940s, 50s, was regarded as one of the avant garde artists and very contemporary, and also [he] refashioned, revitalized Chinese traditional ink painting," said Zhang Fan, curator of Chinese Art at the Asian Art Museum.

His work is being viewed as a bridge between Chinese ink painting and Western audiences. The exhibition marks the first time the 40 works of Qi Baishi are being shown in the U.S.

Enjoying the exhibition are art enthusiasts and artists, too, like painter Gary Bukovnik.

"It makes it look like, oh, I could do that, except it takes a lifetime to know how to just make it look like it doesn't take any effort whatsoever," Bukovnik said.

Qi's ink paintings depict ordinary moments and scenes, capturing the essence of nature's beauty and the delight found in life's simplest pleasures.

Among the works on display is a painting that depicts an everyday scene of an old man sending a tearful child to school.

"I was looking at this because I was a teacher. And so I thought a youngster going to school with a parent or grandparent. It's just like so typical of the family taking the children to school and then, okay, be good and learn all you can and all that. So, education and all that is so critical," said Betty Meissner, one of the visitors.

"I like the story that he told, how he came to paint the abacus, pursuing wealth without harming others," said Sally Whitehead, another visitor, observing the painting titled "Abacus".

Artworks of Chinese painter Qi Baishi now on display in San Francisco

The high-speed tourist train between Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Shanxi Province, both in north China, was officially launched on Sunday, injecting new momentum into the cultural and tourism development of the two regions.

The D4022 bullet train, with 420 tourists onboard, embarked on a four-day journey featuring cultural exploration and winter sports.

The new tourist train service follows the opening of the Jining-Datong-Yuanping high-speed railway on Tuesday, which spans from Jining in Inner Mongolia through Datong to Yuanping in Shanxi.

The tourist train, decorated with festive elements, provided an immersive Inner Mongolian cultural experience for passengers with performances of the horsehead fiddle and traditional Mongolian dances and songs.

"When I got on the train, I felt warm at heart as it was filled with the atmosphere of the Year of the Snake and the Spring Festival," said Li Zhiqiang, one of the passnegers. Upon arriving in Inner Mongolia, the tourists will have the opportunity to explore cities such as Hohhot, Ordos, Ulanqab, and Baotou, fully experiencing the charm of winter tourism in the region. "Going forward, we will continue to promote the 'high-speed rail plus tourism' model, striving to create more cultural tourism products and premium routes to offer better services to tourists from across the country," said Ma Jing, a staff member of the Inner Mongolia Department of Culture and Tourism.

The launch of the high-speed tourist train coincides with China's announcement of an expanded railway network on Sunday, with a new operating plan adding 230 passenger trains nationwide, bringing the total to 13,028. The updated schedule is expected to enhance travel convenience, particularly during the busy Spring Festival travel period.

First Shanxi-Inner Mongolia high-speed tourist train launched