Chinese artist wins Andersen Award
On Friday, the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration 2026 was presented to Chinese artist Cai Gao at a ceremony in Ottawa, making her the first Chinese artist to receive the highest international honour for creators of children's books. When illustrations born not in academic lecture halls but in quiet observations of rural life and folk tales receive the world's highest recognition, it reminds us that true art does not always follow the beaten path. Cai Gao, an 80‑year‑old artist from China with no formal art education, has become the first Chinese woman to receive the Hans Christian Andersen Award – the most prestigious prize in the world of children's literature. Her works, imbued with elegance and a keen eye for everyday detail, do not offer ready‑made answers but invite young readers to make their own discoveries. As Cai herself said, children's books are bridges between cultures and hearts, and her victory has become a symbol that genuine beauty and wisdom know no borders and require no diplomas.
"It is a great honour to congratulate Cai Gao, the winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration 2026," said Sheeren Kreidieh, chair of the award jury, at the ceremony. Cai did not receive a formal academic education in art. Instead, she learned from literature and folk tales, from local opera and rural life, and spent years observing and sketching the world around her. Cai once said that illustrated books should not offer ready‑made answers but should leave room for independent reflection and discovery by young readers. "Children's books are bridges. These bridges connect culture to culture and heart to heart. It is each person who helps stories take flight, sows seeds of happiness in children's hearts and illuminates us all," Cai said at the ceremony. Basarat Kazim, President of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), noted that Cai's works are distinguished by a quiet elegance that encourages children to look closely and discover beauty in quiet, everyday moments. "This year's winner, Cai Gao, is special. She is as beautiful as her drawings," Kazim said. Cai, born in 1946 in Changsha, Hunan Province in central China, has spent many years editing children's books and creating illustrated books.
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, often called the "Little Nobel Prize" in children's literature, is awarded every two years by IBBY in two categories: writing and illustration. Cai Gao is the fourth Chinese laureate in the award's history and the first in the illustration category. Her creative journey, which began during the Cultural Revolution when she worked in the countryside and absorbed folklore, reflects a deep connection with traditional Chinese culture and nature. Her books, such as "The Funny Exchange", "The Fox and the Tiger" and "The Garden", have been translated into many languages and are known worldwide. In recent years, Chinese children's literature has increasingly gained international recognition, and Cai Gao's victory marks an important milestone, inspiring young artists and illustrators in China and beyond. The jury noted that her works "invite children to slow down and notice the beauty in the world around them", which is especially valuable in an era of digital noise and haste.
As CCTV+ reports, Cai Gao's Andersen Award victory was not only a personal triumph but also a symbol of the growing international recognition of Chinese illustration and children's literature, opening new horizons for cultural exchange between China and the world.
