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Suzhou, is a city known for its dreamlike scenery, its poetic and melancholy history and its culture. The city, in east China's Jiangsu Province, is also known for its calligraphy. Its reputation here extends back to ancient times. Sunday, Suzhou was acknowledged, officially as a "City of Calligraphy". It is the second Chinese city to be awarded such an honor.

At the inaugural, Zhao Changqing of the Chinese Calligraphers Association granted the naming tablet to Suzhou. Ten renowned calligraphers from the city, all more than 80 years old, presented their works.

The appraisal of the "City of Calligraphy" is sponsored by the China Calligrapher Association. Xuzhou city of Jiangsu Province was the first to be recognized.

Ancient masters are not the only ones acclaimed, as the pride of Suzhou. So are their modern followers. Lu Ji, composed the earliest existing calligraphy work. "Pingfu Note" traces from the Western Jin Dynasty some 1700 years ago. Zhang Xu of the Tang Dynasty some 1200 years ago was acclaimed the "God of Cursive Hand". And Zhu Yunming and Wen Zhengming founded the most influential style of calligraphy during the Ming dynasty some 500 years ago.

Today, 126 Suzhou calligraphers are members of The Chinese Calligraphers' Association. Eight of them are winners of the "Orchid Pavilion Prize", the highest award in the field.

Source: CCTV.com

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