Learning does not understand the scriptures, so-called secular learning, books do not understand the seal, called the vulgar books, painting does not touch the ancient, for the vulgar painting.
—— Zhang Daqian
If painting wants to get rid of the tacky atmosphere, wash the air, and get rid of the craftsmanship, the first is to read, the second is to read more, and the third is to read books systematically and selectively.
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian's Painting Theory
What does the ancients mean by "reading thousands of books and walking thousands of miles"? Because of the breadth of knowledge, it is necessary to obtain from practical observation, not only by books, but also by complementarity. Famous mountains and rivers, familiar with the chest, there are hills and ravines in the chest, the next pen naturally has a basis, to experience a lot of talent. Mountains and rivers are like this, other flowers, characters, animals are the same.
Everything I see is all I have!
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian's "Conversation with Xiaomin"
If a painter wants to form his own style, he must teach the present and the ancients, and even more importantly, he must be a teacher and a hundred families.
—— Excerpt from Zhang Daqian's Conversation with Lu Yuanding, a disciple of the Great Wind Hall
Be good at learning and fickle. Be good at learning the strengths of others, see a work, analyze, and go deep into it in order to understand the essence and the dross. To be good at learning the strengths of others is to first learn and become able to come out. First of all, it is the traces of others, and then it can be the intention of others. You can't follow the crowd.
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian's "Conversation with Xiao Jianchu, a disciple of dafengtang"
Chinese painting was abstract three thousand years ago, but we are usually spiritual abstraction, not formal abstraction.
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian's Conversation with Xie Jiaxiao
We all like to use old paper, not paper is good to draw when it is old, it is really the ancients who do not cut corners when they do things, and the essence is good and easy to use.
It's not hard to draw. If you can't paint a beautiful person, you can change it to a bell; if you don't draw a bell, change it to stone.
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian, "Speech at the Preparatory Conference for the Study of Fine Arts in Sichuan Kangyu, Taiwan"
When art reaches the final realm, it is all universal, the only difference is the tools and customs used, and the other principles are universal.
——Excerpt from Zhang Daqian, "Conversation with Taiwanese Journalist Cai Wenyi"