刘晓明大使在“中国印·李岚清篆刻书法艺术展”开幕式上的致辞（中英对照）

刘晓明大使在“中国印•李岚清篆刻书法艺术展”开幕式上的致辞<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Opening of Contemporary Seals by Li Lanqing

2012年11月1日，大英博物馆

 British Museum, 1 November 2012

尊敬的鲍威尔勋爵，

尊敬的成思危先生，

女士们、先生们：

Lord Powell,

Mr. Cheng Siwei,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

　　首先，我对“中国印·李岚清篆刻书法艺术展”在大英博物馆隆重开幕表示热烈祝贺！

I warmly congratulate the opening of this exhibition – Contemporary Chinese Seals by Li Lanqing.

　　篆刻书法艺术是中国特有的传统艺术，至今已有两千多年的历史。在小小方寸之间，精巧的构思、精湛的书法和精准的刀功交相辉映，意趣横生，给人以无穷的审美享受。正因为如此，2009年，联合国教科文组织将篆刻书法列入人类非物质文化遗产。

Seal carving is a traditional art form unique to China. It has a history of more than two thousand years. It combines calligraphy and engraving in a small space. An exquisite Chinese seal requires exceptional skills in calligraphy and cutting. In addition, refined artistic taste must be combined with these skills to create the very finest seals.

For all these factors it should not surprise that seal carving has been given global recognition. In 2009 Chinese seal carving was included on UNESCO’s list of world intangible cultural heritage.

　　李岚清先生是中国前国家领导人，著名的政治家，他为中国经济社会的发展，特别是经贸、文化、教育和科技事业的发展做出了重要贡献。退休后，他致力于“健身健脑，读书创作”，潜心于音乐、诗歌和绘画等艺术领域，尤其是刀耕锋耘，成就斐然。

Mr. Li Lanqing is a former leader of China, a well-known statesman. He made a huge contribution to China’s economic and social development. This was especially notable in the progress in trade, culture, education, science and technology.

Since leaving government office Mr. Li has been committed to an active retirement. He says he aims to be “fit in body and have a sound mind through reading and creative work”.

In his retirement Mr. Li has delved deeply into music, poetry, painting and other genre of the arts. In particular we all applaud his outstanding achievements in seal carving.

　　我认为，李岚清先生对篆刻艺术做出了三方面突出贡献：

I believe Mr. Li Lanqing’s contribution to the art of seal carving is in the following three aspects:

　　一是在继承传统的基础上锐意创新，形成了反映当今时代风貌的特色和风格。他的篆刻艺术创作，在题材和内容、形式和技法、材料和工具上，都取得了重要的突破和创新，使篆刻这个古老的传统艺术焕发出新的活力，充满浓厚的时代和生活气息。

First, building on traditional skills, Mr. Li has boldly employed some new and innovative techniques. This has given his seals a fresh style and enabled him to better reflect what is happening in today’s China. He has pushed new frontiers on all fronts: content, theme, formality, skill, material and tools. From his innovation, the time-honoured art of Chinese seal carving has taken on a new look and vigour.

二是积极进行篆刻艺术的推广和普及，使“小众艺术”变成“大众艺术”。他通过举办讲座和著书立说等方式，深入浅出地介绍这一艺术门类，让很多人惊叹“原来篆刻这么有趣”、“这么易学”。在他的倡导下，篆刻艺术这只“旧时王谢堂前燕”，逐渐“飞入寻常百姓家”，从而获得了更为宽广的发展前景。

Second, Mr. Li is a strong advocate of popularising seal carving. However, seal carving is an art of the intelligentsia. So, by giving lectures and writing books in a user-friendly language, he has brought seal carving to interest ordinary people. Many of these are excited to find out how fascinating seal carving is. Growing popularity of seal carving is creating a bright future for this ancient treasure of China.

　　三是引领篆刻艺术走向世界，成为中西方文化交流的重要载体和桥梁。近年来，李岚清先生先后在俄罗斯、新加坡、法国、印度尼西亚等国举办了篆刻展，以印章为媒，讲述中国的文化、中国的历史和中国人眼中的世界。他以独具匠心的创作，拉近了世界与中国的距离。

Third, Mr. Li has introduced Chinese seal carving to the world. This has turned seal carving into a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and western countries. In recent years, Mr. Li Lanqing has held exhibitions of his seals in Russia, Singapore, France and Indonesia. His seals have become a means to increase understanding about Chinese culture and history, and about how Chinese people see the world. With his creativity, Mr. Li has brought China and the world closer to each other.

　　今天，李岚清先生的篆刻书法艺术展再次走出国门，走入了一个同样拥有悠久历史和灿烂文明的国度——英国。这次在大英博物馆举办的展览，精选了李岚清先生创作的108方印章和两幅书法作品，并配有他的印谱和篆刻工具。特别值得一提的是，李岚清先生还专门为此展创作了14方印章，其中有12方是为他心仪的英国历史文化名人篆刻的名章，如莎士比亚、牛顿、达尔文等。为祝贺伦敦成功举办第30届夏季奥运会，我们还特意请来了北京奥运会的徽标“中国印”参展，这枚融合了中国篆刻精髓的印章，当年正是由李岚清先生亲自选定的。相信大家能从展览中感受到篆刻艺术的无穷魅力，也体会到创作者的艺境情怀。

Today, we are very pleased that Mr. Li Lanqing’s seals have once again traveled abroad and come to the UK. I believe that Britain will much appreciate this opportunity as it is a country renowned for its appreciation of rich cultures from all parts of the world.

At this exhibition in the British Museum visitors will see 108 seals and two pieces of calligraphy by Mr. Li Lanqing. This is a selection of his finest works. A collection of the imprints of his seals and samples of his carving tools will also be on display.

I want to particularly mention that Mr. Li has specially created 14 seals for this exhibition. Twelve of them are devoted to famous British historical and cultural figures that he has long admired. These include Shakespeare, Newton and Darwin.

In addition there is an Olympic link. To congratulate the success of the London Olympics, we have put on display the famous seal Dancing Beijing. It was the official emblem of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. This seal is an epitome that embodies all the fine elements of Chinese seal carving. The seal was selected for the Beijing Olympics by Mr. Li Lanqing. I have no doubt that you will be impressed by its exquisite beauty and the author’s artistic stature.

　　李岚清先生与英国颇有渊源，他是中英友好与合作的积极推动者。1996年，他作为中国副总理访英，为发展中英关系特别是促进两国经贸合作做出重要贡献。今天，他的作品又将为中英文化交流增光添彩。

Mr. Li Lanqing and Britain are no strangers to each other. He is an ardent supporter of China-UK relations and friendship. In 1996 he visited the UK as Vice Premier of China and during his working career he played a major role in advancing China-UK relations. This was especially the case in promoting China-UK economic cooperation. Today, the seals of Mr. Li will add another highlight to China-UK cultural exchanges.

　　近年来，中英在文化领域的交流与合作不断扩大，富有成果。中英两国人民互为对方博大精深的文化所吸引，我们相信，中英文化通过交流互鉴，将实现共同繁荣；两国人民的相互了解和友谊也将通过文化交流，进一步深化。

Recent years have seen expanding and deepening cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Britain.

Chinese and British people have a keen interest in each other’s culture. So, I am confident that China and Britain will achieve common prosperity through cultural mutual learning.

In turn, mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples will also be strengthened through cultural exchange.

　　在中英文化的交流合作中，大英博物馆发挥了重要的作用。此次作为主办方，大英博物馆对展览做了精心设计和布置，还从馆藏中精选了５方作品。我对此表示感谢，同时也高兴地告诉大家，李岚清先生为大英博物馆创作了“大英博物馆”和“女史箴图”2枚印章，将连同其他12枚英国主题印章一并赠送大英博物馆，作为永久留念。

I want to stress that British Museum has played an important role in China-UK cultural exchange and cooperation. As host of this exhibition, British Museum has made meticulous efforts in the design and arrangement. It also selected five seals from its own collection for display on this exhibition. I highly appreciate what British Museum has done.

I also want to share with you the good news that Mr. Li Lanqing has created two seals, meaning respectively, British Museum and Admonitions of the Court Instructress. The latter is the title of an ancient Chinese painting now kept in the British Museum. Together with the 12 Britain themed seals I mentioned earlier, they will be presented to British Museum as a keepsake. I hope they will become part of the valuable collection in the British Museum.

　　最后，衷心祝愿“中国印·李岚清篆刻书法艺术展”取得圆满成功！

In conclusion, I wish the exhibition, Contemporary Chinese Seals by Li Lanqing, a great success.

谢谢。

Thank you!