On April 9, during the 2026 World Peony Conference, China Gongbi Peony Painting Industry Development Forum was held in Juye County, Heze City in east China's Shandong Province. Famous calligraphers and painters from all over China, as well as well-known experts and professors from relevant industry associations, gathered here to offer suggestions for the development of peony-themed Gongbi painting, a meticulous and highly detailed style of traditional Chinese painting.

China Gongbi Peony Painting Industry Development Forum opened during the 2026 World Peony Conference on April 9, 2026 in Heze, Shandong Province.

Photo Provided by the Information Office of Heze Municipal People's Government

Heze City is renowned as "China's Capital of Peony", and Juye Gongbi peony painting is an important part of Heze's peony culture. Leveraging the Gongbi peony painting industry, Juye County of Heze has consistently promoted local rural revitalization. Today, Juye County is home to 77 nationally-recognized calligraphers and painters, and has established one county-level training base for farmer calligraphy and painting, eight professional painting towns, 50 professional painting villages, 70 grassroots art academies, and over 160 calligraphy and painting training institutions. More than 28,000 people are engaged in the calligraphy and painting industry, including creation, sales, and mounting, producing over 1.5 million paintings annually. There are over 1,000 sales outlets for Juye Gongbi peony painting at home and abroad, with products exported to more than 100 countries and regions.

During the Forum, several ceremonies were held, including the Awarding Ceremony for the Overseas Promotion Ambassadors of Juye Gongbi Peony Paintings, the Appointment Ceremony for Doctoral Supervisors of the Peony Innovative Development Doctoral Station, the Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony for Exclusive Materials of Juye Gongbi Peony Painting, and the Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony for the Heze Citywide Sales Channels of Juye Gongbi Peony Painting.

As a cultural symbol of Juye County, Juye Gongbi peony painting has developed over decades into a complete industrial chain integrating creation, training, exhibition, and sales, which has boosted the income of local farmers and made it a fantastic calling card for Heze's international cultural exchange.