China National Academy of Chinese Painting was launched? on
Thursday.
The academy grew out of the Institute of Chinese Painting, which
was founded in 1981 with painting master Li Keran serving as the
first president.
The national academy will be mainly engaged in producing and
studying Chinese painting, calligraphy and seal cutting, according
to academy sources.
Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng addressed at the opening
ceremony to hail the establishment of the academy as a positive
push for the prosperity and development of the country's fine
arts.
(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2006)