New York Attendees at calligrapher Fo Tao's new exhibit in New York. From left: Steven C. Rockefeller, Jr., chairman of Rose Rock Group; Kimberly Rockefeller, wife of Steven Rockefeller; Master Fo Tao, calligrapher and scholar; Zhang Meifang, deputy consul general of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York; Li Pizheng, vice-president of the China Post Group.[AMY HE / CHINA DAILY]

One of China's most prominent calligraphers and scholars, Master Fo Tao, was honored in New York on Tuesday with a new exhibit of his calligraphy and an unveiling of a new series of special stamps issued by the China Post that feature his work.

The exhibit, China Dream, at the Asian Cultural Center will run until November.

"This exhibit wants to celebrate the 'China dream' and the 'China dream' is a dream of peace and harmony," Fo said at the event.

The dream is one that Chinese people have been chasing after from generation to generation, he said, and one that should encompass desire for growth in the world and the nature, along with growth in the country's people.

Fo also signed "China Dream" on a set of stamps issued by the country's official postal service, the second in a set of three "China Dream" stamp series, the first of which were released last year. "Fo's calligraphy adds to the stamps' artistic value," said Li Pizheng, vice-president of the China Post Group, adding that the third will be issued in 2015.

Guests at the event included Zhang Meifang, deputy consul general of the Chinese Consultate General in New York, Steven C. Rockefeller, Jr, chairman of Rose Rock Group, Mao Zongze, curator of the Asian Cultural Center, and Selig Sacks, co-chair of Foley and Lardner LLP's China practice.

"I come here today not in the capacity of an official, as the deputy consul general, but rather as a good friend, a long-time friend, a decade-long fan of Master Fo Tao. I'm also a big fan of his work," said Zhang.

"In 1776, after 200 years of development and great efforts, the Americas and the American people have worked very hard to bring about the American dream, to develop the United States to be the most developed country in the world. So what is the dream of China, and especially the China dream for the 1.3 billion Chinese?" she said. "To bring about the rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation, to bring about the prosperity of the nation and also the well-being of the peoples. This is the China dream. Let's join our hands together to bring about the Chinese dream as soon as possible, if not in the next decade. We hope that through this great event, we will join our hands together to bring much closer the people of our two great countries."

Rockefeller, a fourth-generation member of the Rockefeller family, has studied calligraphy under Fo, and said that learning about the art has allowed him to appreciate the power of the form.

"The first thing I would say is that I learned how calligraphy is the absolute foundation and root of Chinese art. It has to do with the way the keystrokes are executed, it has to do with the qi, summoning up the right energy and spirit for artistic creativity," he said. "I also think that there is a peace that can be attained from the practice and to that extent, I'd also like to share the idea that this practice is available to all of us and that it can be a forum of increasing international understanding."

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com