A young girl poses for photos in Hanfu costume while visiting the Chinese Pavilion at the Brussels Comic Strip Festival in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 8, 2023. The Chinese Pavilion opened its exhibition to the public on Friday during the Brussels Comic Strip Festival from Sept. 8 to 10. Photo: Xinhua

The Chinese Pavilion opened its exhibition to the public on Friday during the Brussels Comic Strip Festival from Sept 8 to 10.

Besides comics from China, the Chinese Pavilion also presents Belgian and European comic strip enthusiasts with around ten traditional Chinese craft techniques, such as Tang dynasty pottery, Erhu, pipa and Huimo ink making, with the art of comic books.

Chinese comics, called "Manhua" in China, is not a mere product of contemporary culture, but has deep-seated roots within China's rich cultural heritage, said Gong Yi, director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Brussels, which hosts the pavilion.

Visitors to the China Pavilion can also take part in various activities suitable for all ages, such as Hanfu Salon workshop, on-site handcrafting New Year Pictures, Book Corner of Chinese comics, selected Chinese animation screening.

Micha Kapetanovic, director of the Client Experience Department at Visit Brussels, thanked the Chinese Cultural Centre in Brussels for "showing off its fine work."

He said that this event is also an opportunity to showcase all the aspects of comics, including Franco-Belgian comics, independent comics and international comics.

The BD Comic Strip Festival, which was launched in 2010 and is better known as the Brussels Comic Strip Festival, is a major annual event dedicated to comics.

People visit the Chinese Pavilion at the Brussels Comic Strip Festival in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 8, 2023. The Chinese Pavilion opened its exhibition to the public on Friday during the Brussels Comic Strip Festival from Sept. 8 to 10. Photo: Xinhua

 

Young girls visit the Chinese Pavilion at the Brussels Comic Strip Festival in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 8, 2023. The Chinese Pavilion opened its exhibition to the public on Friday during the Brussels Comic Strip Festival from Sept. 8 to 10. Photo: Xinhua

 

People visit the Chinese Pavilion at the Brussels Comic Strip Festival in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 8, 2023. The Chinese Pavilion opened its exhibition to the public on Friday during the Brussels Comic Strip Festival from Sept. 8 to 10. Photo: Xinhua