Form is Emptiness by Morihiro Hosokawa Photo: Bi Mengying/GT

A solo exhibition of former Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa's calligraphy works kicked off on Thursday at China's National Museum of Classic Books, which is housed in the National Library in Beijing. 

Running till December 15, the exhibition showcases 46 pieces of Hosokawa's calligraphy works. The themes vary from Zen sutra such as "form is emptiness" to Tang-dynasty poems such as "Fishing in Snow" and "Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night."

"Chinese characters and the way they are written have had a profound influence on Japanese culture. Today, calligraphy still plays an important role in cultural exchanges between China and Japan. The exhibition on Morihiro Hosokawa's work highlights such cultural exchanges and reveals the deep roots of the two countries' culture," said Chinese Culture and Tourism Minister Luo Shugang at the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Hosokawa is also chairman of the Eisei Bunko Museum, a Tokyo-based private museum. He donated 4,175 volumes of 36 ancient Chinese books collected by the Eisei Bunko Museum to the National Library of China in 2018 to mark the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. 

"From generation to generation in our family, we've been very interested in Chinese culture. I have been reading Chinese poems since I was a child," said Hosokawa who also attended the opening ceremony. 

"I remember a Chinese saying: 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.' I hope this exhibition can contribute to the friendship between China and Japan," said Hosokawa.