In the midsummer of Rome, daytime lasts much longer. Located at the Piazza Venezia on the edge of the ancient Roman city, the stunning architecture and numerous visitors reflect the glory of this great city. The Vittoriano Complex in the square was given a familiar and new meaning on the day of July 18th: the two huge red posters were particularly dazzling in the sun, almost covering the ancient Roman ruins in red across the street. This time, it was from the other end of the Millennium Silk Road that let the ancient city glow with a different kind of brilliance - China's contemporary oil painting art. On July 18th, the "Implication of China---International Tour of Chinese Oil Painting (Italy)" has been held at the Vittoriano Complex in the capital of Rome.

　　The exhibition, hosted by China National Academy of Painting and China Literature and Art Foundation and undertaken by the Oil Painting Institute of China National Academy of Painting, has been held from July 18th to September 9th in Rome. Gianluca Vacca, Deputy Minister of Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Francesco Rutelli, former Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Italian coordinator of China-Italy cultural cooperation mechanism, LI Ruiyu, Chinese Ambassador to Italy, JIN Shangyi, Honorary Chairman of China Artists Association, ZHAN Jianjun, President of Oil Painting Institute of China National Academy of Painting, XIANG Yunju, Vice-president and Secretary-general of China Literature and Art Foundation, event curators as Claudio Strinati, Nicolina Bianchi, ZHANG Zuying and others have participated into the opening ceremony. Celebrities from Chinese art circles, QUAN Shanshi, SHAO Dazhen, XI Jingzhi, SHUI Tianzhong, SHANG Yang and others, and over 400 guests have attended the grand event, including Tiziana D'Acchille, dean of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Lole Siena, Curator of Vittoriano Complex, Gianni Dessi, President of St. Luke's College, Claudio Rocca, President of Florence National Academy of Fine arts of Italy, Andonio D'Acchile, former president of Accademia di belle arti DI ROMA and the painter, Gabriele Simongini, a historian of Italian art amongst others.

　　"Implication of China---International Tour of Chinese Oil Painting (Italy)" aims to implement the strategic direction of the Chinese culture going-out, let the world understand the current situation of Chinese oil painting, showcase the achievements of Chinese contemporary oil painting art, and promote the fine art to a higher artistic level. Meanwhile, it allows the world to understand the contemporary Chinese culture with the help of oil painting as an artistic carrier, and further enhance cultural exchanges between the East and the West. Having been inherited from the West, Chinese oil paintings are forming an overall appearance with Chinese artistic characteristics and spiritual connotations thanks to Chinese oil painters' unremitting pursuit for more than a hundred years. As another exhibition after that in Paris, France, the Italian tour will play an important role in strengthening the in-depth exchange of Chinese and foreign oil painting art and promoting the progress of world oil painting art.

　　The 63 participating artists of the Italian tour were mainly researchers of the Oil Painting Institute of China National Academy of Painting, and some outstanding pieces of painters from Chinese oil painting circles were also invited for the exhibition. A total of 146 works fully displayed the highest artistic achievement gained in contemporary Chinese oil painting to the Italian public for the first time. With the theme of Implication of China, the works are presented in three thematic sections: "Meaning of Life""Thoughts of Humanity" and "Realm of the Soul". "Meaning of Life" focuses on expressing the artist's attention to the rich and diverse life of reality and the expression of the unique feelings it triggers;"Thoughts of Humanity" emphasizes the emotional care and deep thinking of Chinese culture and history caused by the artist's thoughts based upon the reality; "Realm of the Soul" focal point is on the artist's return to the inner world, the metaphysical free expression of the Chinese spirit and aesthetics.

　　The oil painting is the essence of European literature and art. Its classic masterpieces of art masters appearing in various periods of Western historical development have attracted and influenced people and artists from all over the world. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Chinese artists have traveled to Europe to study oil painting art with great enthusiasm. After several generations of Chinese oil painters' unremitting efforts, the art of oil painting has been spread and developed in China. During this process, Chinese oil painters strive to use oil painting art language to express local life, reflecting Chinese spiritual and cultural characteristics, and gradually integrating the oil painting art into the historical process of Chinese modern culture, causing an important driving power to develop and create contemporary Chinese culture. ZHAN Jianjun believes that, at present, the Chinese oil painters, on one hand, rely on the profound cultural and artistic traditions of the nation, on the other hand continue to delve into and explore the unique artistic effects and expressive power of oil painting language, and strive to create more masterpieces with charm of the oil painting art and Chinese culture. At present, the Chinese oil painting art circle has formed a multi-faceted and prosperous situation, and the oil painting in China is showcasing a vigorous and powerful artistic vitality.

　　"As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy has many treasures of painting art with a number of important art schools and masters. Although the oil painting art started late in China, it has made great achievements through the unremitting efforts of several generations of Chinese artists. This oil painting exhibition has brought forth 146 pieces of 63 Chinese contemporary oil painters to Italy, which is not only a root-seeking journey, but also a valuable opportunity to discuss the future of oil painting art with Italian peers, featuring special academic and practical significance." Claimed by LI Ruiyu.

　　According to the introduction by XIANG Yunju, the Chinese Literature and Art Foundation, a public welfare social group headed by the Federation of Chinese Literary and Art Circles, is the only literary and art foundation with the highest level of 5A amongst many Chinese organizations of such kind. Since its establishment in 1994, it has implemented and funded more than 1,000 cultural public welfare projects, "It is a very important working content for us to fund international cultural and art exchanges and cooperation and enhance the international exchanges of the Chinese literary and art circles. This exhibition is a representative project we support. Exhibited in Paris, France in July 2016, it has achieved great success". 

　　At the opening ceremony, Gianluca Vacca and other Italian guests have highly praised the exhibition of Chinese oil painting art in Italy, and believed that this event would make an important contribution to the friendship and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Tiziana D'Acchille has introduced the study of Chinese students in Italy to all the guests, especially their performance at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in recent years, and highly commended the achievements of Chinese oil painting art. Claudio Strinati has accurately interpreted the unique temperament of Chinese art, including painting and music, pointing out that Chinese oil painting has already embarked on a different path from the West: China and Italy each formed brilliant artistic achievements under the influence of Confucianism and Christianity, and here again resulting in convergence ---"Between the 20th and 21st centuries, the exciting connection between the two ancient nations has returned to the art world, and this exhibition just provides an unforgettable testimony", he said. Nicolina Bianchi has, in particular, noticed the profound meaning of the word "Implication", hoping that the audience would carefully observe and think about these meanings so as to understand how Chinese oil painting learns from the West and then returns to the local for the rebirth. 

　　Prior to the opening ceremony of the exhibition, an academic seminar entitled "Chinese Oil Painting in the Perspective of World Culture" has been held at the Vittoriano Complex. The seminar has invited famous theorists and artists who have in-depth research in the field of Chinese oil painting, as well as important critics, theorists and artists from Italy. Starting by the "Chinese oil painting" as the core issue, they have launched a profound exchange of art and ideas. The high-level academic seminars attended by the Chinese and Italian sides were highly commended by the participating experts. The holding of this conference was not only an important artistic moment, but also of great significance for promoting the future academic exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and Italian oil painting circles.