Global Times: Exclusive interview with renowned Chinese sculptor and NAMOC Director Wu Weishan

BEIJING, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent years, Chinese culture has been blooming in all its diversity, continuously achieving remarkable success overseas. In this Cultural Outreach Talk series, the Global Times invites insiders from different cultural fields to share their experiences and insights into the "going global" of Chinese culture.

The bronze sculpture Lao Tzu Departing from Hangu Pass created by the renowned sculptor Wu Weishan, the director of the National Art Museum of China, was recently unveiled at the Russian State University of Design and Applied Arts. It is the first large-scale sculpture in Moscow inspired by traditional Chinese cultural philosophy.

Wu has long used sculpture as a medium to promote in-depth dialogue between Chinese and Western ­civilizations, tell Chinese stories through art and convey the Chinese spirit. 

The Global Times (GT) reporters Xu Liuliu, Zhang Ni and Liu Yating spoke with Wu Weishan (Wu), about how to better promote Chinese culture to go global from an ­international ­perspective and with a deep understanding of Chinese culture. 

GT: As a Chinese artist, what's your take on "telling Chinese stories well to the world?"

Wu: Human civilization has multiple forms. It is precisely because of its diversity that various civilizations have their own characteristics and coexist in harmony, constantly integrating through exchanges and mutual learning. 

Economic and cultural exchanges help deepen mutual understanding. Art, as a mirror of the human soul, can not only reflect the era and the country, but also highlight the common pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty of humanity. 

As a Chinese artist, I have always been thinking about how to tell the story of China to the world through art, demonstrating the Chinese spirit, the Chinese people, and Chinese stories. Only by understanding China's history can we truly understand today's China.

GT: Many of your works have gone abroad and "settled" in the squares or museums of many overseas cities. How do you view the cultural connotation carried by sculpted works? What unique role can sculpture play in "the going-global of Chinese culture"?

Wu: China has a long ­history, which is not easy for ­foreigners to understand in a short time. 

Without personal experience, it is necessary to rely on cultural carriers for communication and transmission, such as literature, painting, calligraphy, or sculpture. 

Literature needs translation, ­calligraphy is difficult to understand directly, and although painting is intuitive, it is limited by the two-­dimensional space. 

Sculpture, however, can overcome the obstacles of time and space, has strong expressiveness, and is a highly communicative and infectious form of art. 

As a ­sculptor who is also involved in multiple fields such as painting, ­calligraphy, ­poetry and art criticism, I have always hoped to tell the story of China and convey the Chinese spirit in my own way. 

More importantly, I have a powerful motherland behind me, with a profound cultural tradition and a great historical background, which is the foundation of my cultural confidence. Therefore, I choose sculpture to convey Chinese stories.

GT: How do you evaluate the significance of the "Dialogue" series of works such as Divine Encounter - The Dialogue between Confucius and Socrates in the international context?

Wu: The great creations of the Chinese nation have not only shaped its own history, but should also contribute wisdom to all mankind. 

In the field of thought, sages such as Confucius and Lao Tzu are known and respected worldwide, while in the field of science, greats such as Zu Chongzhi and Zhang Heng also deserve international recognition. 

When creating historical figures, I not only deeply study their ideological theories and the background of their times, but also pay attention to their living environment and spiritual state. 

These works that embody the ­Chinese spirit and moral qualities should not be limited to being displayed in China, but should go global too.

However, in the process of making these figures "go global," a kind of ­dialogue should be emphasized. Therefore, I have established a creative theme - the "­dialogue" between Chinese and Western cultures. 

I choose representative figures in world history to have artistic dialogues with ­outstanding figures in Chinese history and place these statues in the corresponding countries to arouse cultural resonance.

For example, my sculpture ­Dialogue Beyond Time and Space - Leonardo da Vinci and Qi Baishi shows two art masters from different ­countries, different historical periods, and using different languages. 

Many Italian audiences, after ­seeing this group of sculptures, were curious about who Qi Baishi was and why he was juxtaposed with Leonardo da Vinci. 

I also create Divine Encounter - The Dialogue between Confucius and Socrates. ­Although there is a ­difference of 100 years between them, it is not a long time in the history of civilization. 

The two being in the same place symbolizes the exchange and resonance of Chinese and Western philosophical spirits.

GT: What are your expectations for the future "going global" of Chinese culture?

Wu: As a major country with a profound influence worldwide, China ought to actively implement the concept of a community with a shared future. 

When this concept is implemented in cultural and artistic exchanges, it should promote mutual ­understanding between countries with sincerity, and promote ­communication and emotional integration between people. 

This is the responsibility of our generation of cultural workers. As long as we persevere, do it with our hearts, and do it for a long time, it will surely have a profound impact.