Gao Jianhua, vice-president of the Xihang Group, at the fourth Cross-Straits Calligraphers' Couplets Charity Sale in Pingtan. [Photos provided to China Daily]

The auctioned calligraphies were created by artists from both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. [Photos provided to China Daily]

The fourth Cross-Straits Calligraphers' Couplets Charity Sale concluded at Xihang Group's sales and marketing headquarters in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, Pingtan Times reported on Jan 9.

Zhang Mingqing, vice-chairperson of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and Chen Dong Rong, vice-director of the zone's administrative committee, attended the charity sale.

Roughly 135 calligraphies and paintings were auctioned off in two hours. The auction raised 680,400 yuan ($109,340), exceeding the sum of the previous three charity sales. The auctioned calligraphies were created by artists from both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

The charity sale was hosted by the All-China Cross-Straits Painting and Calligraphy Artist Association, the preparatory office of the Pingtan-Taiwan Merchants Association, Pingtan Xihang Group, Pingtan's Calligraphers' Association and Taiwan's Cross-Straits Business Express magazine.

The most expensive item sold at a purchase price of 30,000 yuan at the charity sale. Works from famous Taiwan calligraphers, such as Cao Yuanzhang and Wu Jincheng, were all auctioned off at high prices.

In addition to calligraphy items, Yingxiang Haitan Cultural Creativity Company also donated 16 shell carvings worth a total of 10,000 yuan to the charity sale. An official from the company expressed his desire to make a contribution to the event.

An 81-year-old lady surnamed Chen, who left Pingtan for Taiwan when she was an adolescent, encouraged her son to bid for five spring couplets at the cost of 106,000 yuan to support the event.

All money raised will be donated to the Committee of Care for the Next Generation in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone.

The charity sale was held in Pingtan for the first time and will serve as a model for future events, said Zhang. Charity events in Taiwan, such as volunteer and donation activities, are well organized and operated. Zhang hoped Pingtan could learn from Taiwan's experiences to promote public undertakings and encourage non-government communication across the Straits.

Cao Yuanzhang, a Taiwan celebrity and calligrapher, initiated the charity sale. It has been held three times in the past in Xiamen, Fujian province. Organizers have also published three Cross-Straits Calligraphers' Couplets collections. All funds raised were donated to public charities.

According to the All-China Cross-Straits Painting and Calligraphy Artist Association, the charity sale will become an annual event to promote social charity.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai