Collection of ancient Chinese paintings appeals to Malaysian audiences

Sim Polenn, director of Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers, likes the collection very much, saying it gives him both shock and inspiration. Pointing to a painting of Wen Zhengming, a Chinese painter during the Ming dynasty, he said: "This collection not only shows the whole picture of every piece of art but also marks clearly the magnifying scale. I am very touched by this detail. The editors are really attentive. I can learn this detail when I make auction catalogs in the future."

On the spot, Xinhua journalists also met some middle school students coming from Johor state of Malaysia. Among them is Zhang Yuhong, aged 13, who had been learning calligraphy for three years.

"At first, I learned calligraphy on the spur of the moment. But gradually I become more interested in it. After appreciating some calligraphy in the collection, I think I'll insist on learning and inheriting it."

According to Chen Jie, deputy editor-in-chief of Zhejiang University Press, the collection is an encyclopedia for the study of ancient Chinese art and culture, as well as an irreplaceable eternal record of human classical art history. This unprecedented cultural project was realized with the support of cultural institutions and collectors all over the world.

The KLIBF, an important cultural feast in Malaysia, was launched in 1981. This year's fair opened on May 26 and will last for 10 days.