Graduation of Macao Phase V in Japan

Attending congratulatory meeting of the new book Harmony and Difference jointly composed by Kengo Kuma, Wang Chuanfeng, and Chen Renyi

Teaching Site of Japanese Design Center

Teaching Site of Cloud music kiln

　　"I am very grateful to the organizers for their meticulous arrangements for this trip to Japan. It is through effective learning and communication that I have a deeper understanding of the statements summarized by renowned Chinese scholar, Fei Xiaotong 'Respect for cultural diversity, Respect other national cultures, Respect for cultural diversity is an inevitable requirement for realizing world cultural prosperity'. To this day, I still feel the fulfillment and beauty." On May 25th, Meng Shu, from the Macau University of Science and Technology wrote these after the graduation ceremony of "Inheritance & Innovation: 2019 Macao Visual Arts Talents of CFLAC Visit Japan for Exchanging Activities (hereinafter referred to as the "Macao Phase V")". This is also the second time she has participated in a series of Macao visits and exchanges jointly organized by the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Macao Foundation, China Literature and Art Foundation and the Literary and Art Institute under CFLAC.

From May 12th to 25th, Macao Phase V has been held in Japan. The 14-day academic visit was held in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, including 8 on-site teachings, 8 special lectures, 1 forum for students, 1 embassy and cultural center visit, 1 attendance to the Japanese and Chinese artists' new book conference and 2 seminars, the participants learned about the development of Japanese visual arts from various dimensions, such as policy, theory, market and practice, the country's focus on the cultivation of art and literature talents, and the concept of "people-oriented" art development; learning the development of inheritance and innovation of traditional Japanese art, as well as the Japanese government's emphasis and supporting policies. The schedule of this visit to Japan has been highly commended by Macao students, as the satisfaction rate of the overall arrangement is 100%, the highest level ever.

Using "improvement" as a means to strictly enhance the quality of academic visit and students' satisfaction

During the visit to Japan, the on-site teaching institutions include the Agency for Cultural Affairs and other literary policy development and implementation departments, the world's top art education organizations, such as Tama Art University and Musashino Art University, as well as famous art galleries and traditional crafts studios etc. The experts and professors teaching the visiting students are also wellknown figures in the Japanese visual arts industry, such as Irobe Yoshiaki who has claimed the highest award in the Japanese design industry, and Tadanori Nagasawa，President of Musashino Art University. After the end of many courses, the students could not help hiding their excitement. In the schedule evaluation, the students wrote the following notes, such as “Irobe Yoshiaki is the most representative designer in Japan, it is really a precious opportunity to have him here explain his creative concept!"

In addition to special lectures and on-site teaching, the Macao Phase V also innovated the form of visits. The combination of teaching and field experience helps students to absorb and digest. The Chinese Embassy in Japan and the China Cultural Center in Tokyo are deeply involved in the event. During the days, the participants visited the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Tokyo Chinese Cultural Center for discussion. Some of the students also presented their works to the embassy and cultural center. Shi Yongjing, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy, warmly welcomed the group and joined the discussion. Luo Yuquan, director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Tokyo, and Ma Xiaochen, the institute's deputy director, introduced the exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and Japanese cultural fields, encouraging Macao artists to contribute to strengthening the cultural and artistic exchanges between the two nations. Zhang Yulian, artistic director of Macao Freedom Art Co., Ltd. wrote on his social account: "I am much honored to visit the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Chinese Cultural Center in Tokyo. My personal works are fortunate as one of the gifts, while also taking the opportunity to express my willingness to inherit, innovate and promote the Chinese culture." The visiting delegation has been accredited and highly appraised by the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Tokyo Chinese Cultural Center. Many of the colleagues in the Cultural Affairs Office of the Embassy joined the students for a number of times. The Cultural Center also welcomed Macao artists to organize exhibitions of works in Tokyo, laying a solid foundation for future cooperation.

During the visit to Tokyo, the publication congratulations of "Harmony and Difference", a new book jointly composed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, Wang Chuanfeng, Chinese artist living in Japan and Taiwan contemporary furniture designer Chen Renyi have been held and all the participants were invited. The level of publication of the congratulatory meeting was quite high as Cheng Yonghua, former Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, former Japanese Prime Minister, and the country's senators have sent congratulatory messages to the new book. The photographs of the new book presented by famous Japanese photographer, Shinoyama Kishin and so on. The traveling artist Wang Chuanfeng interacted with the participants at the event site. He shared his enthusiasm and frankness in his 30 years of exploration and experience on the art road, as well as his work and efforts in promoting China-Japan cultural exchanges. He earnestly answered the questions raised by the participants with great patience. Wu Minhui, a member of Art For All Society in Macau, wrote in the assessment questionnaire: "This week's favorite activity is the threegreat-master's new book congratulatory meeting. I have the opportunity to communicate directly with the famous artist to learn about the life, ideas and creative process.

Creating a rigorous, high-end and wonderful visiting exchange brand in the direction of "refinement"

In order to highlight the positioning of the "refinement" training for Macao art talents, the Macao Phase V strictly controlled all aspects in terms of students selection, demand research, curriculum design and implementation. In the research stage of student demand, the project team collected the visiting needs from the students through online questionnaire surveys in the form of open questions.

During the course design process, the leaders of the institute and the heads of the Japanese co-organizers in Beijing have held many discussions and communication, putting forward clear requirements, and constantly refining the specific agenda, so that the visiting organizations, institutions, and artists shall reach the requirement of "high specification and high level".

During the visit, the project team conducted an online course assessment questionnaire survey once a week to improve based upon the opinions and suggestions of the participants. The students' evaluation of the visit was quite high. Yan Shaoshi, an assistant professor at the School of Humanities and Arts of the Macau University of Science and Technology, wrote in the assessment: "This visit to Japan has taught me the protection and inheritance of the country's culture, which has strengthened my confidence of design in exploring the cultural elements of Macao, it also presents a clearer reflection on the development of Macao's culture and art, especially in the field of cultural and creative industries in which I involve."

With the goal of "going deeper", promote the visit's influence and theme scope

In Tokyo, design, animation, holographic projection and contemporary art are the focus of study. The students fully experienced the fashion charm, creativity and innovation of this cosmopolitan city. In Kyoto, the protection of traditional handicrafts, new product development and market-oriented operation of art were the main focus, the students have been deeply pondered about the relationship between the inheritance of traditional culture and the needs of the times, and the relationship between the preservation of cultural and artistic connotations and formal innovation etc. Yang Xiuping, chairperson of the Macao Visual Arts Industry Association, said: "I believe that the development model of Japanese culture and art is inspiring for the inheritance and innovation of Macao's balanced culture and art, on which basis promoting the development of related industries."

The visits and exchanges targeting art talents in Macao for four consecutive years have not only been recognized and expected by the Macao students who have participated in the event, but also by the Macao Foundation, China's overseas embassy, and the Chinese Cultural Center. In the future, it will further enrich the activities, such as endeavoring to organize Macao art talents to conduct students' achievement exhibitions in Tokyo, Macao and Beijing, substantially summarizing, promoting and sharing the outstanding achievements of the five-session visits via four years; further developing the functions of liaison, coordination and unity, and attracting the alumni from Macao to participate in the "Dream Project" and "Dream Project via Joint Efforts" of the literary and art training institutes to build a cross-disciplinary and multi-level training platform for Macao art talents from different fields; further exploring coverage of "Inheritance and Innovation" brand, continuing to engage in domestic and international visits for Macao regional art talents around the central government's overall work deployment concerning Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and trying to contact and organize exchanges of artistic talents for Taiwan and Hong Kong.

"Inheritance and innovation" is the topic that encounters every literary and art worker in the process of development and advancement. It is a problem that must be considered upon highlighting the vitality and influence of a region, a nation and a country's excellent new cultural splendidness. This trip to Japan was mainly carried out in Tokyo with its contemporary characteristics and Kyoto with its traditional features, further implementing the event's significance.