On September 23, 2025, the exhibition "Between the Lines: The Civilizational Codes in Chinese Characters" was grandly opened at the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the People's Government of Anyang City, Henan Province, the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center, the National Museum of Chinese Writing, and the Egypt-China Friendship Association. Representatives from the CPAFFC, the Cultural Section of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, the Egypt-China Friendship Association, and nearly one hundred distinguished guests from both China and Egypt, attended the opening ceremony.
In their remarks, both Chinese and Egyptian guests unanimously emphasized that China and Egypt, as two ancient civilizations, consider writing to be the wisdom crystallization of their respective civilizations. Egyptian hieroglyphs serve as the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian civilization, while Chinese characters, evolving from oracle bone script to their present form, embody the enduring heritage of the Chinese nation and reflect the Eastern philosophy that "harmony is the most valuable." This exhibition, through showcasing the development trajectory of Chinese characters and offering a comparative analysis of these two ancient writing systems, aims to deepen mutual understanding of the shared cultural values between the two civilizations and strengthen the friendship between their peoples.
The exhibition in Egypt is a significant stop on the international tour of "Between the Lines: The Civilizational Codes in Chinese Characters" and marks its debut in a Middle Eastern country. It was first launched at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris and also be presented at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the UN "Chinese Language Day" in April 2025. The exhibition, centered on Chinese character culture, uses a vivid and engaging narrative that links various dimensions such as politics, military affairs, production activities, science and technology, and the spiritual world, all through the life journey of an ancient Chinese prince. It systematically presents the origin and evolution of Chinese characters. On display are nearly a hundred Chinese characters, illustrating their transformation from oracle bone script to Song-style fonts. The exhibition highlights "The Civilizational Codes in Chinese Characters", conveying the unique imagination, emotional expression, and creativity embedded in Chinese characters, while deeply resonating with the cultural concept of harmony: "Uniting all nations, working together with one heart, and creating a world of peace."
Following the opening ceremony, an expert from the National Museum of Chinese Writing delivered a special lecture titled "Chinese Oracle Bone Script Meets Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs" to the Egyptian audience. In addition, a cultural dialogue took place with Professor Sawi Sawi Ahmed from Benha University on the topic " Status-quo and Development of the China-Egypt Museum of Culture and Art." The on-site exchange was lively, with guests and audience members engaging in in-depth discussions on the historical value of Chinese characters and their modern-day inheritance.
The exhibition will remain at the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center until September 30, 2025.
