The opening ceremony for the 5th Orchard Pavilion Calligraphy Biennial Exhibition takes place at the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall in the city of Hangzhou on Aug 24. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn]

The 5th Orchard Pavilion Calligraphy Biennial Exhibition, which featured 42 renowned contemporary calligraphers' xingcao style (a blend of xingshu, or running script, and caoshu, or cursive script) masterpieces, commenced at the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall in Hangzhou on Aug 24 and will run until Aug 31.

The exhibition's organizers include the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Publicity, the Zhejiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Shaoxing municipal government.

Orchard Pavilion, located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, is the birthplace of The Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchard Pavilion, the best known xingshu script in the history of Chinese calligraphy. The artwork was created by Wang Xizhi, a famous calligrapher from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), who is often referred to as the Saint of Calligraphy.

One late spring day in 353 AD, 42 literati, including Wang Xizhi, gathered at the Orchard Pavilion to dispel bad luck and pray for good fortune. During the event, 37 poems were composed, and the preface to the collection of poems was written by Wang.

The biennial exhibition is a high-profile cultural event with national influence. To commemorate the 42 literati, this year's exhibition is displaying not only the xingshu works of 42 famed calligraphers but also scripts from The Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchard Pavilion written in various styles by another 42 calligraphers selected from hundreds of contributors nationwide.

At the opening ceremony for the exhibition, seven distinguished calligraphers were named the "Seven Orchard Pavilion Calligraphers", which is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors for today's Chinese calligraphers.

Visitors appreciate xingcao style calligraphy works at the 5th Orchard Pavilion Calligraphy Biennial Exhibition. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn]