A Conversation with Cai Gao: The world is full of innocence

On the evening of April 13 Beijing time, Chinese children's book illustrator Cai Gao was awarded the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, becoming the first Chinese illustrator to receive this honor.

Her artistic practice is highly diverse and integrative, deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture, blending ink-wash aesthetics with vivid folk art, and centered on a warm, healing childlike perspective – reinterpreting folklore, classical literature, and everyday life.

From February to April this year, CMG reporters conducted multiple exclusive interviews with her, talking about life, color and creation. No matter the topic, she always spoke with great enthusiasm.

"There seem to be many kinds of eyes in people – innocent eyes, aged eyes, nearsighted eyes, scientific eyes, literary eyes, foolish eyes, ghost eyes, thief eyes, snobbish eyes, black-and-white eyes, color eyes…

Whatever eyes you use to see the world, your brush will draw accordingly. The hand is always faithful to the heart and the eyes. Among all these ways of seeing, I still believe the innocent eye is the best. In old age, to regain innocence is true happiness."

From The World Is Full of Innocence by Cai Gao