National Ai Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

On April 26, National ‘Ai’ Day, you will discover the significance of this Chinese and Japanese term. Ai signifies ‘adoration,’ ‘affection,’ or ‘love.’ In Japan, the word is almost exclusively used as a female name, but in Chinese it is also occasionally given to males. This name is shared by notable figures such as Ai Wei Wei, Ai Sugiyama, and Ai Otsuka, as well as dozens of videogames, animations, and fictional characters in Japanese and Chinese media. It is pronounced similarly to the English word ‘eye’ in both cultures, but the kanji (Japanese) and hanzi (Chinese) characters are different.

The background of National Ai Day

Ai Wei Wei is a well-known Chinese activist and artist in both the East and the West. Wei Wei is persecuted by repressive government authorities due to his reputation for being politically outspoken and his art’s divisive nature. In 2005, he began using social media to comment on society. His blog website was discontinued in 2009. He moved to Twitter and continued his online journaling there, much to the Chinese government’s chagrin. This resulted in Wei Wei’s 2010 home arrest and 2011 arrest at Beijing airport. He was subsequently imprisoned for unspecified offences but was released after serving three months. Ai Wei Wei is still a critic of the Chinese Communist Party despite relocating to Portugal in exile.

Ai Sugiyama held the record for male and female players with 62 consecutive main-draw Grand Slam appearances until Roger Federer surpassed her in 2015. Sugiyama began playing tennis at 17, debuting at Wimbledon against world number 30 Gigi Fernandez. Throughout her nearly 20-year career, she advanced to the top of the WTA rankings, winning the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2000, the French Open in 2003, and Wimbledon in 2003 on her way to achieving the world number one spot. She retired after the 2009 Pan-Pacific Open and now teaches aspiring Japanese tennis players.

Ai Otsuka is a Japanese singer-songwriter renowned for her 2003 single “Sakuranbo.” The 39-year-old musician began playing the piano at the age of four and composing songs in her adolescence. Otsuka and her former classmate Mami Nishida began recording and uploading music online in the early 2000s, sending unsuccessful demo cassettes to recording studios. Due to the success of “Sakuranbo” in 2003, Avex Trax, one of Japan’s largest record labels, signed Otsuka. In 2004, she issued her debut album, titled “Love Punch,” which peaked at number three on the Japanese music charts and sold nearly 200,000 copies in its first week.

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NATIONAL AI DAY ACTIVITIES

View artwork by Ai Wei Wei

Ai Wei Wei’s art includes sculptures, photographs, and murals. Examine some of his most well-known works to understand the messages he was attempting to convey.

Consider Ai Qing’s poetry.

Wei Wei’s father, Ai Qing, was regarded as one of China’s greatest poets. On National ‘Ai’ Day, peruse his works.

Paint some ‘kanji’

Learn how to draw the Japanese name ‘Ai’. In addition to creating a work of art, you will simultaneously pay homage to the name.

5 QUICK FACTS ABOUT ‘AI’

Ai Wei Wei, a Chinese activist and artist, has an asteroid named after him.

Ai Wei Wei is regarded as an expert blackjack player.

Ai Sugiyama has portrayed herself in a number of Japanese television programmes, including “Sawako no Asa,” “SmapxSmap,” and “The Masahiko Katsuya Show.”

Ai Xuan, the son of Ai Qing and half-brother of Ai Wei Wei, is a member of the China Arts Association and is renowned for his hyperrealistic oil paintings.

At age 15, Ai Otsuka composed her first composition.

NATIONAL AI DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	April 26	Wednesday
2024	April 26	Friday
2025	April 26	Saturday
2026	April 26	Sunday
2027	April 26	Monday