Chinese Language Day

Excellency [Fu Cong], Distinguished guests, colleagues, Zao shang hao (Good morning)!  It is both an honour and a pleasure to join you today, in my capacity as UnderSecretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management and United Nations Coordinator for Multilingualism, as we celebrate Chinese Language Day 2025 — a moment once again to revel in the cultural richness and beauty of Chinese, one of the world’s oldest languages. Each year, Chinese Language Day provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on the cultural heritage and global influence of the Chinese language. From the timeless wisdom of Confucius and Laozi, to the lyrical brilliance of Li Bai and Du Fu, from the graceful strokes of Chinese calligraphy to the melodic traditions of Chinese opera, the Chinese language and culture have made lasting contributions to our shared human story. Today’s activities give us a glimpse into this remarkable legacy – where poetry, rhymes, romance, art and song intertwine to tell...

According to Chinese legend, Cangjie, an official of the Yellow Emperor, is credited with inventing the Chinese writing system . Cangjie reportedly got inspiration for the characters by observing animal footprints . He is revered in Chinese culture for his contribution to writing. Cangjie's Role : The legend states that Cangjie, who lived around 27th century BCE, was tasked by the Yellow Emperor to develop a system of writing . Inspiration : Cangjie is said to have observed the unique markings of animal footprints and various other natural symbols, which he then used as a basis for creating the characters. Impact : The invention of Chinese characters is seen as a pivotal moment in the development of Chinese civilization, as it allowed for the recording and preservation of knowledge and history. Historical Perspective : While the legend of Cangjie is widely known, the earliest known examples of Chinese characters are found from the Shang Dynasty, around 1250-1050 BCE. These char...

The date for the Chinese day was selected from Guyu ("Rain of Millet") , which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars, to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie is a very important figure in ancient China, claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. From then on, Chinese people celebrate the day Guyu in honour of Cangjie. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around April 20.

Chinese was established as an official language of the United Nations in 1946. However, in early years, Chinese was not commonly used in the work of the United Nations. The situation was improved after restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations in 1971. In 1973, the General Assembly included Chinese as a working language, which was followed by the Security Council in 1974. More and more UN offices and staff members work with Chinese language.