On 19 April 2024, which marked the traditional Chinese solar term Guyu ("Rain of Millet"), the Open University of China (OUC) and Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd. (Founder Type) celebrated the 15th United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day.
The event, themed "Digital Creation of Chinese Characters, Shining with More Brilliant Glory in Each Passing Day," was held on 18 April. Liu Xuanxuan, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the OUC, and Zhang Jianguo, vice president of Beijing Founder Electronics and general manager of Founder Type, delivered speeches at the event. Zhang Yan, director of Customer Relations for the Northern Region at Founder Type, joined by Guo Yuhai and Yang Longlong, senior font designers, as well as leaders and teachers from various university departments, also participated in the celebration.
Group Photo in the Event
Liu Xuanxuan highlighted that the OUC and Founder Type seized the opportunity of the event to discuss how to better promote Chinese characters' culture and achieve a seamless blend of tradition and modernity in the information age. This initiative represents a practical implementation of the directives to extend the reach and appeal of Chinese civilization, as outlined in the report delivered at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It also serves as a significant effort to foster the internal inheritance and external dissemination of Chinese civilization. The event's theme and design are crafted to allow more people to engage with, understand, and appreciate the allure of Chinese calligraphy through the empowerment of digital technology. This will further encourage the personalization and diversification of Chinese font creation through user engagement. This effort is not only a continuation of traditional culture but also an innovation. Liu Xuanxuan called for collaborative efforts from schools, the public, and other entities to enhance the revitalisation and vitality of Chinese civilization in the digital age.
Zhang Jianguo stated that Founder Type applied for and received national approval in 2017 to officially launch the "Chinese Fine Font Library Project," following General Secretary Xi Jinping's directives to promote traditional Chinese culture. As of December 2023, 47 fine fonts have been released, all included in the public welfare program "Beautiful Characters of China." Additionally, Founder Type has introduced the "Handwriting Font Creation" app, which allows users to write 100 Chinese characters and generate their own personalized font library. This initiative aims to revive traditional writing methods in the digital age and helps the public appreciate and embrace Chinese characters. At the UN Chinese Language Day event, the collaboration between Founder Type and the OUC on “Seeing Words as Meeting People” in the digital age represents a profound and warm new endeavour.
Font Public Welfare Use Authorization Ceremony
During the event, the font public welfare use authorization ceremony for the "Chinese Fine Font Library Project" was conducted. Zhang Jianguo, representing Founder Type, granted a five-year authorization for the free use of the 47 fonts released from the Chinese Fine Font Library Project in the multimedia of the OUC.
At the roundtable meeting, representatives from the OUC, including Associate Professors Wang Haiping and Li Wei, engaged in discussions with Guo Yuhai and Yang Longlong, senior font designers from Founder Type. They explored the intersection of technology and Chinese writing culture, focusing on both inheritance and innovation. During the interactive experience session, teachers downloaded and installed the "Handwriting Font Creation" app. They created personalized fonts digitally by scanning or photographing handwritten characters on paper, or by using screen handwriting, enabling personalized font presentation and communication in a digital format.
Written by Cui Jiaxing and Zhu Lu and photos by Li Biao and Jiao Qiupeng , OUC