The founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1921 was an earthshaking event in Chinese history. It profoundly changed the course of development of the Chinese nation in the modern era, the future and destiny of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, and the trend and pattern of world development. The past century has seen the CPC lead the Chinese people in undertaking heroic struggles and writing new legends. The period has been characterized by the Chinese people’s struggle for national independence and liberation, as well as the Chinese nation’s transition from lacking cohesion to being united as one and its journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects.

Generations of Chinese artists produced soul-searching brushwork and ink paintings, consciously devoting themselves to recording and depicting the great torrent of changes over the past century. They condensed the Party’s great historical journey into magnificent painting scrolls, recorded a century of great changes and depicted a century of Party history, leaving a large number of epic and soul-shaking classic artworks which became vivid footnotes of the century-long struggle of the CPC.

“Silent Ode to History: A Thematic Exhibition of Party History in Classic Artworks” focuses on classic artworks reflecting the theme of the history of the CPC. It selects valuable collections from the National Museum of China, the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, the National Art Museum of China, the CAFA Art Museum and the Guangdong Museum of Art, including oil paintings, Chinese paintings, prints and sculptures. This exhibition is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, featuring a hundred classic artworks.

These artworks consciously draw themes from the great creations of the contemporary Chinese people, capture the inspiration of innovation, tell the story of China, explain the spirit of the times, reflect the great changes in history and map the human spirit. Through the difficult exploration of painting portraits, writing biographies and defining virtues for the times, they radiate strong vitality and appeal. With beautiful artistic language, they demonstrate a profound truth to the people: the cause of the Chinese nation’s rejuvenation, which history and the people have chosen the CPC to lead, is correct, must be upheld, and can never be doubted. The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which the CPC has led the Chinese people in opening, is correct, must be upheld, and can never be doubted. The strategy of taking root in the land, absorbing the finest achievements of human civilization, and independently achieving national development, which the CPC and the Chinese people have employed, is correct, must be upheld, and can never be doubted.