Culture of China, Talk by Masters
Haiwen Chen
Jan 29th, 2010 Fri 7:00pm
The China Press Exhibition Hall
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About the speaker Haiwen Chenwas born in 1958 in Shanghai.
Mr. Chen’s career as a professional photographer begins in the early 80’s. As a photographer, Mr. Chen’s early favorite subject is the scenery of Huang Shan located in the south of Anhui province. On December 1990, Huang Shan was enlisted in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List by the UNESCO. Mr. Chen has won many prizes in Pingyao International Photography Festivals including the silver medal for Outstanding Photographer, grand prize for Outstanding Photo Album. In 2008, a series of photo albums titled The Most Influential Photographers in China won prize for Outstanding photo Album. In 2008, Mr. Chen received the honor from China Photojournalists Society as outstanding photo journalist and the honor from China Photographers Association as outstanding photographer during the Wenchuan earthquake rescue effort. In August 2009, Mr. Chen received the highest honor of the 8th Chinese photography Awards from China Photographers Association. Presently, Mr. Chen is the member of CPPCC of Shanghai, member of the council of China Photographers Association, vice chairmen of Shanghai Photographers Association and the artistic director of Sanya Culture Communication Corporation.
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Features of China's 56 Ethnic Groups
China is a unified multinational country. In 221 B.C., the Qin Dynasty set up the first unified multinational country. In 60 B.C., the Han Dynasty established a protectorate in the western regions, forming the vast territory of China, Xinjiang areas included. In the 13th century, the Mongols founded a unified multinational dynasty the Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty established the Pacification Commissioner's Commandery in Tibet, which became an inseparable part of the Chinese territory hereafter. The Yuan Dynasty also established Penghu Inspection Division to administer the people of the Penghu Archipelago and Taiwan.
The founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ushered into a new era when all ethnic groups are equal, united and interdependent. Since the founding of the PRC 60 years ago, especially since the reform and opening up 30 years ago, the Communist Party of China and the government have remained committed to the policy of accelerating the economic and social development of the ethnic minorities and their residential areas as the fundamental approach of solving ethnic issues, upholding to integrate the assistance from the government and developed regions with the self-reliance of the ethnic minorities, and trying every effort to promote their economic strength and cultural prosperity and give impetus to a comprehensive development. The modes of production and lifestyles of these ethnic minorities have undergone a historic leap. At present, the development of the ethnic areas is in the best period in history. China's ethnic policy is widely recognized and praised in the international community.
On the occasion of approaching the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the production team led by the photographer Mr. Chen Haiwen has spent a year in traveling across 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and taking lots of photographs to reflect the current situation of today's 56 ethnic groups from a special perspective. The exhibition " The Family Portrait of Chinese Ethnic Groups" is a contribution to the enhancement of national solidarity, development and common prosperity.
