A festival promoting the Huzhou calligraphy brush opens in Huzhou's Nanxun district on Sept 28. [Photo/WeChat account:huzhoufabu]

A festival promoting Huzhou calligraphy brush culture opened in Huzhou's Nanxun district on Sept 28, according to local media reports.

The festival, in its 10th edition this year, comes as part of local authorities' efforts to promote traditional culture and enhance the city's profile as the "Home of the Calligraphy Brush".

Awards for the top 10 writing brush brands and top 10 Huzhou writing brush makers were presented at the opening ceremony. 

In the coming days, activities such as the 2020 National Vocational Skills Competition and a carnival themed arund the qipao, music, and food are also set to be held amid the festival.

As one of the "four treasures of study" in traditional Chinese culture (the other three are xuan paper, duan ink stone, and hui ink), the Huzhou calligraphy brush became famous as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

The brush is very intricate, and producing one involves more than 120 processes. The art of making a Huzhou writing brush was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item in 2006. 

A performance held at the opening ceremony of the Huzhou Calligraphy Brush Culture Festival in Huzhou on Sept 28. [Photo/WeChat account:huzhoufabu]