Overseas Chinese in Russia used calligraphy and painting as a medium to spread Chinese culture

On November 18th, the first Sino-Russian art exhibition "Yilin" was held at the Russian State Museum of Decorative Applications and Folk Art in Moscow. (The second from the left is Kong Lingmin). Courtesy of respondents

In recent years, many overseas Chinese in Russia have shouldered the mission of cultural envoys, using calligraphy and Chinese painting as the medium to spread Chinese stories, bringing fresh vitality to the spread of Chinese culture overseas.

Silver hook iron stroke heart admiration hand chase

"Chinese calligraphy is an independent art, mainly based on the form of Chinese characters, which has both a long history and a fine tradition." Luo Lei, a Chinese calligrapher who has lived in Russia for 25 years and vice president of the Russian Association of Overseas Chinese and Chinese, said in an interview with this newspaper, "I have loved calligraphy since I was a child, and I have been studying Yan Zhenqing, Wang Xizhi, Sun Guoting and other famous posters of all generations for many years. For decades, no matter where I am, I will continue to work hard. ”

"After the paper fell on the clouds and smoke, Shi Chengzhuyu looked back at the dynasty." Counting the gains over the years, Luo Lei proudly said, "Six years ago, I was invited by the Hermitage Museum Ancient Books Publishing House to translate the traditional masterpiece "Thirty-Six Plans" into Russian and collect it into a book in the form of calligraphy. The first copy of the book was given to the President of Russia, the second was collected by the Hermitage Museum of Ancient Books, the third was collected by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and the fourth was booked by the President of Russia and presented as a state gift to the President of China. ”

In order to make the calligraphy with the characteristics of traditional Chinese culture successfully "go out" and take root, 4 years ago, Luo Lei opened a calligraphy school in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the number of students continued to increase, he believes that finding the right way to promote is the key to the blossoming of Chinese calligraphy overseas.

Luo Lei said that in order to enhance the Russian people's understanding of Chinese calligraphy, he and his colleagues combined calligraphy with historical stories, removed the lengthy and complex teaching of traditional techniques, drew on the excellent culture of the host country, and focused on disseminating Chinese calligraphy from the perspective of the host country. In the end, it not only successfully stimulated the enthusiasm of the local people to learn, but also won their recognition of Chinese calligraphy.

While the iron is hot, according to the interest of the Russian people, Luo Lei will also actively participate in various calligraphy exhibitions to show Chinese calligraphy to more Russian people. "I hope that through calligraphy, I can show overseas friends the brilliant history of 5,000 years of Chinese culture and present the spiritual core of Chinese blood." Therefore, in the process of promoting calligraphy, I will continue to dig out more elements in Chinese stories that can attract and move the world, and open up new paths for the dissemination of Chinese calligraphy. ”

In Luo Lei's view, telling Chinese stories must stand in the perspective of others, cultural environment, and personal experience in order to achieve cultural landing. "A few years ago, I took in a Russian student with severe frozen shoulder, and she was particularly interested in Chinese calligraphy, but she was afraid that she would not be able to lift her arm. At that time, on the one hand, I encouraged her to practice slowly, and on the other hand, I taught her to use Taoist thought to release stress and precipitate her body and mind. Later, her condition gradually improved, and she became a calligraphy teacher. ”

The avenue is speechless, spring wind and rain

In order to promote the Chinese story to the world, many overseas Chinese living in Russia have been working the road of cultural promotion for many years. Over the years, not only has Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting "gone out", but also stimulated the local people's interest in Chinese calligraphy and painting.

Serbakov André, a Russian young man born in Moscow and who has loved Chinese painting and calligraphy for nearly 15 years, said in an interview with this newspaper, "I have loved painting since I was a child, but my parents felt that the profession of painter was not suitable for me, and there was no future, and they hoped that I could become an engineer." I was admitted to moscow Aerospace University with their expectations, and for me, I was admitted to Mohang Airlines entirely to fulfill my parents' wishes. ”

During college, André came into contact with Taoist thought by chance. "I greatly admired Taoist philosophical thought, which taught me to live with my heart and not to force myself to cater to others," he said. ”

Talking about why he has a special love for Chinese painting and calligraphy, André said that Chinese painting and calligraphy can not only cultivate people's sentiments, but also enhance people's spiritual realm. He believes that calligraphy and painting can not only bring people visual enjoyment, but also show the traditional Chinese humanistic spirit and philosophical thought.

"I believe that the personal character of a calligrapher and painter can affect the presentation of his works, so I pay great attention to improving my spiritual literacy." Andre said.

With the enhancement of comprehensive national strength, China's international status is increasing, and more and more overseas people have begun to have a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture. "Since 2007, the number of Russians who like traditional Chinese culture has increased year by year, and later I began to teach Chinese painting in the local area, and the cumulative number of students has also been about 5,000. Some students have also begun to work related to Chinese culture, becoming a new generation of Chinese culture 'disseminators', and building a bridge between Sino-Russian cultural exchanges, all of which make me feel extremely pleased. Andre said.

In André's view, Russians generally love Chinese culture. He said: "There was a 'China fever' in the West that lasted for nearly two centuries, so in many suburbs you can see small villages with Chinese characteristics. In the eyes of Westerners, such Chinese-style villages are like 'wonderland on the sea', while Chinese paintings and calligraphy, martial arts, qigong, tea ceremony, feng shui, etc., are like the magic of Harry Potter, wonderful and interesting. ”

Gather sand into a tower, gather armpits into qiu

Also enthusiastic about spreading Chinese calligraphy to overseas friends is Kong Lingmin, a direct descendant of Confucius in the 76th generation and president of the Russian Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Association. He said: "I have a deep affection for Chinese culture, and as a calligraphy training instructor, I hope that I can spread the essence of the country and carry forward the Chinese spirit by teaching calligraphy." ”

The process of development of things is not always smooth. Kong Lingmin said, "I was not exposed to Russian when I was in China, so the biggest obstacle was the language problem, but because the training courses are small class sizes and are equipped with on-site translators, the current teaching work is still going smoothly." ”

At the beginning of the OUTBREAK, Kong Lingmin, at the initiative of the director of the Museum of Modern Russian Calligraphy, cooperated with a famous Russian calligrapher to write "China Refueling, Wuhan Refueling" in Russian and Chinese characters respectively. "This is a good attempt, and I hope that there will be more similar opportunities for cooperation in the future to contribute to the development of artistic and emotional exchanges between the two countries," he said. ”

On November 18, in order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, the Russian Decorative Arts Museum and the Russian Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Association jointly held an exhibition of calligraphy and painting works. "This art exhibition mainly exhibits excellent oil paintings, Chinese paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and other works of art by Chinese and Russian artists, including original works created by Chinese students with Russian cultural elements, and this exhibition has successfully attracted many local people to actively watch the exhibition." Kong Lingmin said.

Gather sand into a tower, gather armpits into a fur. With the continuous deepening of Sino-Russian relations, looking to the future and telling the Chinese story well, it is still necessary for every overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese to shoulder heavy burdens, gather consensus, and give play to their advantages. Kong Lingmin said: "The closeness of people's hearts and minds is the foundation for the development of bilateral relations, and I will continue to be a good practitioner, promoter and disseminator of friendship between the two countries for generations." ”