“China brought me closer to my artistic ideal”

The whole world writes Spring Festival couplets together

Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy work hanging on the wall, meticulously arranged redwood furniture elegant and dainty, Chinese ceramics of different shapes filling up the storage space...If you didn't see Lao Cai's "foreign face" in the living room, you would think you are walking into a Chinese home in Vienna, Austria. In the capital of Western classical music, Austrian artist Friedrich Zetkin's home is an altogether different world, a "treasure land" soaked in Chinese traditional culture.

Zetkin's Chinese friends refer to him as "Lao Cai". Recalling his days studying in China, Lao Cai's eyes are filled with excitement and yearning. "The experience was so wonderful! Immersed in the sea of Chinese traditional culture, I believed I was closer to my artistic ideal." Zetkin has been studying oil painting since he was young, and developed a keen interest in Asian, especially Chinese, culture. In 1978, Zetkin set foot on Chinese soil during its initial stage of reform and opening up, and attended the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) for five years.

"I am grateful that CAFA gave me an opportunity that continuously brought me closer to my ideal." The open artistic atmosphere provided the soil for Zektin's creations. Not only that, living near Wangfujing, Lao Cai could often walk to visit the Palace Museum and other scenic spots and historical sites. "I received a scholarship from the Austrian government, I can buy something special to eat at the Friendship Store, get some antiques on Glass Street, and gradually I collected some Chinese antiques," said Zetkin.

Not only can Lao Cai speak fluent Mandarin, write beautiful calligraphy, he is also skilled in Chinese traditional freehand brush work and seal cutting. He is a renowned "China hand" in both Austria and Europe. After getting back to Austria, Zetkin turned from a fan of Chinese culture to an agent pushing cultural exchange between China and the West. For many years, he is active in cultural exchanges between China and Europe. He held many Chinese traditional culture seminars and personal exhibitions, and participated in introducing the film "Sissi" to China as a member of the Austrian Embassy in China. He is also a witness to the booming cultural exchanges between China and the West since the start of reform and opening up.

Speaking about Chinese New Year, the most profound impression for Lao Ca was the liveliness. "I still remember scenes of celebrating Chinese New Year with my classmates in China. Everyone bought snacks and desserts, we were so happy gathering together." As a loyal reader of "Guangming Daily", after hearing about the activity of "Writing Spring Festival Couplets Together", Lao Cai went out of his way to ask friends in Vienna to find red couplets, which are extremely rare during the pandemic. After elaborate preparations, he wrote down "smooth sailing, everything is just fine" to all friends in China.

Contributed by: Jiao Shousong, reporter of Guangming Daily based in Vienna; Li Xiaomeng, reporter of Guangming Daily

Translated by Zhang Junye