Footprints

"I am honored to be among the few who have lived to see their works being collected in the Louvre," says Song Dong when sharing pictures of his paintings on social media. The 57-year-old Chinese artist is known for his daring abstract oil paintings and diverse body of works that crosses cultural and national barriers. Song Dong, who has remained close contact with French architects and fashion designers over the years, devised a multi-dimensional art form known as Omni-directional Integrative, or ODI, with the goal of weaving the idea of art into every sphere of life that can be universally appreciated by all.

Jerry Grey and Ann Liang made their home in south Guangdong province in Zhongshan in 2004. Over the past 2 decades, the couple took on the mission of traveling across China on bicycles and raise fund for local charity works in the city of Zhongshan. Culminating over 35,000 kilometers, they have cycled across the country "from north to south, from east to west, and from west to east," says Jerry. Along their journey, Jerry and Ann have borne witness to history while watching first-hand the phenomenal changes in China.

Blossoms Shanghai is an epic that depicts the profound social and economic transformations that Shanghai saw from the 1960s to the 1990s. Its popularity also brings 91-year-old actor You Benchang back to the spotlight. His supporting role as “Uncle”, a sharp, witty and charismatic business veteran, captivated audience young and old.

​Margaret Chen, originally from China, is a successful businesswoman based in Spain. Over the past several decades, she has been dedicated to promoting economic and cultural ties between the two countries. Having made a name for herself in both Spain and China, Chen says that she has simply been riding the waves of the times.

He is a dreamer. He wants to make his dream car. And he succeeded. In this edition of Footprints we meet Yang Yongxiu, the developer of a famous Chinese car brand and learn his story of making his dream car.

“It is my hope to use the form of a bridge as a symbol of China's commitment to the common prosperity of the world," says Shu Yong, renowned Chinese Modern and Contemporary artist and a member of China's Top political advisory body. Through his artwork and governmental proposals, Shu Yong aims to establish a series of Chinese national cultural symbols to help the world better understand China.

​Chen Huai, in his early 40s, is a renowned ecologist based in the city of Chengdu, southwest China. Over the past two decades, he has devoted himself to the research of wetlands and his findings have helped people better protect the wetlands and biodiversity. Also serving as a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, Chen has drawn from his expertise to make suggestions for Chinese authorities to better protect the ecological environment.

"Nowadays, artificial intelligence has become the pinnacle of the current technological and industrial development," says Professor Li Dongni of the School of Computer Science, Beijing Institute of Technology. As a scientific researcher and deputy of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, AI has been a major focus of her teaching, research, and policy suggestions. Hear Li Dongni's perspectives on current AI development, as well as her passion in cultivating the next generation researchers and computer scientists.

Enjoying lanterns is a custom of Chinese New Year celebrations observed nationwide. Xiashi Lanterns are well known for their unique pinholes technique, elegant shapes and vibrant colors. In this podcast, meet Hu Jinlong, master of this unique lantern art from Haining, Zhejiang province.

Yin Qi is an art collector and promoter of a particular genre of traditional Chinese art called Chinese New Year Paintings. Having an experience of almost two decades in the field, Yin takes us to explore the fascinating world of this traditional Chinese folk art to enjoy its beauty, culture and legends.