Three hundred Japanese woodblock prints were donated to the National Museum of Fine Arts by China's celebrated print artist Li Pingfan on Jan.15. The largesse, along with the artist's works, have been put on show in the museum.

The donated works are the life-time collection of the 82-year-old artist, who studied woodblock printing in Japan during his youth. Put on display are 137 pieces of ancient Japanese woodblock prints, all floating-world pictures reflecting the special Kabuki culture. There are also contemporary Japanese prints. Meanwhile nearly 200 works of Li Pingfan are exhibited, including his international prize winner "We Want Peace".

"Floating-world" refers to the extraordinary lifestyle in Japan that developed under the military dictatorship of the Tokugawa Shogun during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Ancient print works from that period are of great artistic value.

(CCTV.com January 17, 2004)