National Ai Day 2024: On April 26, in observance of National ‘Ai’ Day, you will have the opportunity to discover the significance of this Chinese and Japanese word. The definition of ‘Ai’ is ‘adoration,’ ‘affection,’ or ‘love.’ While the term is predominantly applied to females in Japan, it is also occasionally used for boys in Chinese.
Ai Wei Wei, Ai Sugiyama, and Ai Otsuka are notable figures who share this name, and dozens of Japanese and Chinese media contain videogames, animations, and fantasy characters bearing the same moniker. Although the pronunciation is comparable to that of the word ‘eye’ in both cultures, the hanzi (Chinese) characters deviate from the kanji (Japanese) inscriptions.
National Ai Day History
Ai Wei Wei is a Chinese artist and activist whose imaginative works are renowned throughout the East and West. Wei Wei is subject to persecution by repressive government authorities due to his reputation for political activism and the divisive quality of his artwork. He began employing social media as a platform for social commentary in 2005. His blog website was discontinued in 2009.
His transition to Twitter and subsequent online journaling caused the Chinese government considerable concern. These events precipitated Wei Wei’s home arrest in 2010 and subsequent apprehension at Beijing airport in 2011. He was subsequently incarcerated for unspecified offenses but was released after three months. Ai Wei Wei continues to be a critic of the Chinese Communist Party despite his current exile in Portugal.
Roger Federer surpassed Japanese tennis prodigy Ai Sugiyama in 2015 regarding the number of consecutive Grand Slam main-draw appearances made by male and female competitors. At the age of seventeen, Sugiyama made his tennis début at Wimbledon against Gigi Fernandez, who was ranked number 30. She attained the WTA world number one position over the course of her nearly two-decade career by winning the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2000, the French Open in 2003, and Wimbledon in 2003. After the 2009 Pan-Pacific Open, she retired and is currently instructing aspiring tennis players in Japan.
Song “Sakuranbo,” which was released in 2003, made Japanese singer-songwriter Ai Otsuka renowned. She started composing songs in her teenage years and playing the piano at the tender age of four; she was a child prodigy at the age of 39. In the early 2000s, Otsuka and her former classmate Mami Nishida, who were both trained as nursery instructors, began to record and upload music online. They unsuccessfully sent demo tapes to studios. Due to the success of “Sakuranbo” in 2003, Avex Trax, one of Japan’s largest record labels, signed Otsuka. Nearly 200,000 copies of her debut album, “Love Punch,” were sold in its first week after its release in 2004. The album peaked at number three on Japanese music rankings.
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FAQs for National AI Day
What does the Japanese word ‘Ai’ mean?
In Japanese, ‘Ai’ signifies ‘love’ or’affection’.
What does the Chinese word ‘Ai’ mean?
In Chinese, ‘Ai’ can also signify ‘love’ or ‘affection’.
Is ‘Ai’ a name for men or women?
‘Ai’ is a gender-neutral name in Japan but functions as a masculine appellation in China.
Participation in National AI Day Activities
Exhibition of Ai Wei Wei’s artwork
Ai Wei Wei’s body of work consists of murals, photographs, and sculptures. Examine a selection of his most renowned creations to gain insight into the intended messages he sought to convey.
Practise Ai Qing’s poetry.
Wei Wei’s father, Ai Qing, was considered to be among the preeminent poets of ancient China. Observe National ‘Ai’ Day by reading his works.
Sketch some ‘kanji’
Learn how to draw the Japanese name “Ai.” You will not only produce a work of art, but you will also pay homage to the name with a single stroke.
5 Fast Facts Regarding “AI”
Why is a name given?
Artist and Chinese activist Ai Wei Wei is commemorated by an asteroid bearing his name.
An expert in blackjack
Ai Wei Wei is regarded as an accomplished blackjack practitioner.
Debuting on TV
Multiple Japanese television series have featured Ai Sugiyama in the role of herself, such as “Sawako no Asa,” “SmapxSmap,” and “The Masahiko Katsuya Show.”
A lineage of creatives
Ai Xuan, the half-brother of Ai Wei Wei and the son of Ai Qing, is a member of the China Arts Association and is renowned for his hyperrealistic oil paintings.
A youthful composer
Aged 15, Ai Otsuka composed her debut composition.
NATIONAL AI DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | April 26 | Friday |
| 2025 | April 26 | Saturday |
| 2026 | April 26 | Sunday |
| 2027 | April 26 | Monday |
| 2028 | April 26 | Wednesday |
