A delegation of journalists from Ukraine visits the Red Peony founded by Jiang Hongsheng on Sept 10 in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Red Peony WeChat]

Sponsored by the foreign affairs office of Ningbo city, a delegation of journalists from Ukraine visited the Red Peony, an art society at Ningbo University in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on Sept 10.

The Red Peony, an art project for international students, visitors and expats, is designed to build up communication between China and the rest of the world by training foreigners in Ningbo traditional Chinese arts.

Jiang teaches Ukrainian journalists how to paint a peony in the traditional style of Chinese painting. [Photo/Red Peony WeChat]

The Red Peony teaches visitors how to paint a peony in the traditional Chinese way within two hours. Learning how to paint a peony flower from the society's founder Jiang Hongsheng, a non-artist will feel comfortable trying his or her hand at holding a brush pen, learning basic brush strokes, and combining simple colors.

Visitors show their paintings of peonies. [Photo/Red Peony WeChat]

With the help of Konstantin, a Ukrainian teacher at the Ningbo Institute of Technology, Jiang demonstrated the art of peony painting to the delegation. His tips were easy to understand and the journalists successfully drew peonies in different colors.

It was the first time that the foreigners had tried their hands at Chinese calligraphy. The event opened a window for them to peep into the cultural magnificence of the Chinese nation. A red peony is expected to be one of the symbols on the new Silk Road to run from Ningbo to Ukraine.