Jiang Hongsheng, founder of Ningbo's Red Peony art society, teaches children how to paint peonies in the traditional Chinese way in Sofia, Bulgaria. [Photo/Yinzhou News]

Jiang Hongsheng, founder of Ningbo's Red Peony art society, is giving a Chinese painting and calligraphy course in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria.

The 20-day course, which began at Sofia China Cultural Center on June 23, is aimed at building up ties between China and Bulgaria by teaching local residents about traditional Chinese culture.

During the course, Jiang is introducing Chinese painting and calligraphy and imparting the basic skills of Chinese arts to the Bulgarian participants. He will also demonstrate the art of tai chi.

Jiang said, after the course, he will organize an exhibition of his trainees' artworks at Sofia China Cultural Center to display what they've created in the 20 days.

The Red Peony is a Ningbo-based art project mainly for international students, visitors and expats. Jiang's course is famous for its teaching quality which enables non-artists to paint a peony within two hours and have a basic command of holding brush pens, learning basic brush strokes, and combining simple colors.

Since it was launched five years ago, the Red Peony has attracted thousands of people from 168 countries learning Chinese arts. Jiang himself has gone abroad many times to showcase Chinese arts on the international stage.

"Chinese painting and calligraphy represent the profound culture of our country and I hope the course in Bulgaria will let more people fall in love with Chinese arts," said Jiang.