Friends among young Beijing art authors under the ideal that all people are brothers.

Encounters in life are always a surprise; my surprise in Beijing was even more unexpected.

In the global village, respecting others' differences is the best gift of friendship.

Text and images by Chen Chi-Hsiang. Under globalization, the compression of time and space, along with convenient transportation and communication, has formed a network of frequent interaction and exchange among people in today's global village. Humanity, social groups, and individuals no longer seem to be self-enclosed isolated islands; everyone's horizons and perspectives have become broader and more open. In Péguy's world, relationships are closer, and diversity and openness shape contemporary society. Of course, within this globalized landscape, if one possesses a macroscopic vision and sincere attitude, the global village becomes a place where all people are brothers. Cultural, traditional, or geographical differences remain obvious, making respect for difference the most excellent gift of friendship today. The great twentieth-century writer D.H. Lawrence wrote: "Every continent has its own great local spirit, every nation has its local character; that is home, that is homeland. On this earth, different places have different vitality, different vibrations, different chemical smells, different stars, different characteristics. You may call it what you will, but the local spirit is a great reality." Difference becomes the diversity of globalization, making the global village more colorful and vibrant. My trip to Beijing was originally an unexpected event in my life. I did not expect that a lecture on "Chinese Art under Globalization" at the Central Academy of Fine Arts would bring me greater surprises, allowing me to meet this group of young workers in future Chinese contemporary art. Amidst the surprises of Beijing, I celebrate this warm friendship. May we all build a beautiful prospect for the global village with a macroscopic vision. I bless my friends in Beijing. Although I dare not yet say that I have fallen in love with Beijing, I can certainly say that I have fallen in love with contemporary art. I wish to be an angel of peace in art, sharing the world of art with everyone. Beijing misses me, and I miss Beijing.