Qi Baishi
As early as the early days of liberation in 1950, Rong Baozhai and the old man of Shiraishi successively established a friendship relationship. The old man of Baishi has been based on calligraphy and painting all his life, and Rong Baozhai is buying and selling calligraphy and paintings, and it is also printed, not only selling the original works of the old man of Baishi, but also selecting his works to be printed with woodblocks, which not only increases the number, but also reduces the price, basically achieving popularization. Indeed, it was once prosperous and lively, well-known at home and abroad, and won praise from all parties. Mr. Misery's work was also sold at this time, and a copy of his "Running Horse" was published. At the beginning of Rong Baozhai, it is true that he started with Qi and Xu, but this is a later matter.
When Rong Baozhai reopened, the works of the old man Shiraishi were snubbed and experienced many ups and downs. At the beginning of 1950, Rongbaozhai public-private partnership was established, and through the cultural land of Rongbaozhai and the commodities it operated, the society was to carry out "new democratic education". Of course, most of Shiraishi's works are flowers, birds, fish and insects, which do not contain political education content, and are considered harmful. The works of the old man Shiraishi were beaten into the cold palace and dormant in the storeroom.
Unexpectedly, from the opening to the end of the year, a total of less than half a year, the enterprise has been crumbling, basically collapsed, the so-called "new" goods are lost, the store business is not cared for, the sales of less than a few cents all day, even three meals a day has become a problem, seeing that it is really impossible to support it, I have to change the goods, re-operate the calligraphy and painting category, of course, the first is to contact the old man of Baishi, so that his works meet with the appreciators again. However, at that time, the old man's works were visible and could be seen everywhere, from calligraphy and painting shops to small market stalls abounded, and the price was very low, Rong Baozhai priced it at two yuan a foot, and the small market stall was two yuan a piece, although the price was low, but who bought it in the early days of liberation? In this way, it was left out in the cold for a long time.
Soon, museums were built and expanded in various places, and the works of contemporary calligraphers and painters were successively received, and hotels and restaurants began to decorate rooms, so that the works of contemporary calligraphers and painters gradually became marketable, and soon the supply became tight. The changing picture is there for all to see. Rong Baozhai then also considered that he planned to select Mr. Qi's works and print them with suitable woodblocks, increase the number, and gradually meet the needs of society. As the social form moves forward, people's perceptions change.
At this moment, the disciples around the old man of Baishi spoke to the old man one after another, and drafted a letter for the old man, asking for an increase in the price of the painting, and Rong Baozhai had to double from the original two yuan and one foot to four yuan.
At the same time, just at this time, Rong Baozhai published the first part of the "Painting Collection of Old Man Shiraishi", so the disciple of Old Man Shiraishi grabbed the knife and ghostwrote for the old man, and wrote a letter to the General Administration of Publication for the old man to inform Rong Baozhai that the remuneration was too low. Director Hu Yuzhi, and in his personal name drafted and printed the letter, instructed the manager of Rong Baozhai to take the letter to explain the situation to the old man of Baishi, and apologized, and renegotiated the agreement by the way. Then, through the joint agreement of several disciples of Elder Baishi, it was raised from the original four yuan and one foot to eight yuan. (Of course, after that, it becomes an accompanying market, and the ruler is only a reference)
Rong Baozhai published the "White Stone Old Man Painting Collection", the manuscript fee is excellent, the old man is also very happy, after he has leisure, he often comes to Rong Baozhai to relax, every time he comes, he always has to warmly receive him. He also prepared refreshments and fruits for him, which also left a laughing stock: whenever a friend went to visit him, he introduced himself to the friends who went to visit: "You want to eat oranges, go to Rongbaozhai to buy them, their oranges are delicious; they have many sisters there, and they are particularly enthusiastic." "But Rong Baozhai never sold oranges, in order to entertain the good ones he bought in the market." There are more female employees in our house, and the old people take the time to run to the living room to see him, so he feels particularly enthusiastic. In this way, I have more contact with us. Of course, it is casual to talk to each other, in addition to mainly talking about the art of calligraphy and painting, but also talking about other things. There is not much to say about the discussion of calligraphy and painting here, and most of what he talks about is that Rong Baozhai is good.
Before the liberation, the old man of Shiraishi had lived at the Ghost (Country) Gate, and he was very familiar with the Commercial Press, and he said: "They (business) published my paintings, I came to collect the manuscript fee, sat there and waited for two hours, and gave me a dollar." Like sending a child, hello, give more, give new tickets, send me home, good, good. "We signed an agreement with the old man, which is the old man's handwritten handwriting, which is still stored in the archives.
In the future, the number of exchanges has increased, or to negotiate, or to visit him specifically, in order to connect feelings and deepen friendships. Every time he went, he had to prepare refreshments and sweets. He has a quirk, perhaps an elderly relationship, where to go to his house must be refreshments and candy, if you do not eat, you have to take a hand, otherwise he will be greatly unhappy. The family members around him told me: "Manager Hou, prepare these refreshments and candies, you are not polite, if you are not interested in eating, but please in front of the old man, take the hand, compare, otherwise he thinks that the friendship is not thick and unhappy." "So, I had to do it. It was indeed very psychic, and immediately he smiled and talked more. If you ask him to do something at this time, it is almost a request. For example, ask the old man to write a large horizontal plaque: "Carry forward the national culture" (this character was cut by Comrade Chen Yi, and the large-scale exhibition held for the elderly has been borrowed and exhibited), and asked him to paint some works suitable for woodblock printing for us. In particular, he was asked to draw a large -- eight-foot-long "Frog Under the Banana", which was copied out, and his arrogance was extremely great, which won the praise of people from all walks of life. And so on, are usually achieved in such a cheerful situation, which shows that the friendship between each other can be called deep.
Once he was chatting in the old man's home, when he had already painted many paintings with a wave of "morning excitement" and was resting. His paintings were flow-through, which had already been drawn at that time, clipped to the wire pulled in the room, and six were placed on the paintings, and after he mixed the ink colors, they were placed in the upper right of the paintings. The first one is to ink first, put each ink at once, and so on, and so on, and the various colors are laid in turn, and finally they are completed. There were several paintings he was about to stamp, first dipping the seal in the mud and covering the painting, and then he took the sealed painting and walked over to the window, lifted a bunch of keys hanging from the long chain from his belt, chose one of them, opened the cabinet door, and then stuck his head in.
I was curious to look at it, the original cabinet put a porcelain box, the box is filled with cinnabar powder, the powder is sprinkled on the stamp that has been made of mud, shaking back and forth and then poured back into the porcelain box, and the original seal is suddenly raised very high, this hand is really amazing. After the cover, he locked the kitchen cabinet door, walked back to the couch and sat down, telling me why he used this hand. The old man said: "They imitate my paintings, to identify the authenticity, you can see it from the stamp, I have also used steel seals, but steel seals can also be counterfeited, this kind of stamping method, outsiders do not know, do not let others see." "But I saw it.
We sell the highest number of works by The Elder Shiraishi, and the number of reproductions and publications is also the largest variety, including a set of 12-page albums borrowed from the State Foreign Affairs Commission for Foreign Culture and Literature of his early works. In short, the number of publications and sales is very considerable, and it has obtained a double harvest of social and economic benefits.
In 1956, the Shanghai Science and Technology Film Studio, which had originally imported color film from abroad, intended to be used to first shoot a large and medium-sized Rong Baozhai woodblock watermark and business reality, and the commentary was written by Deputy Director Ye Shengtao and recited by broadcasting expert Qi Yue. Of course, the picture lens in the interior is indispensable to Mr. Qi Baishi, "Qi and Xu Qijia". Unfortunately, Mr. Misery Hong has been ancient, mainly the old man of Shiraishi to enrich the picture lens. It was rare that the old man was ninety-six years old and was willing to suffer from this, so he dressed him up and sat happily in front of the camera. He wore a small black satin hat made in his homemade hand, a purple-red shouzi robe, a foundation soap boots on his feet, and a five-foot red wooden cane. I asked him in a strange and playful tone, "Why doesn't the old gentleman take the cane and take a ruler?" The old man threw the ruler to the ground and pestle it, then patted the ruler with his right hand and said, "I am a carpenter, and I can't forget Ben at any time." These words are very deeply educational for those present.
Of course, the film must have a shot of the old man painting on the spot, but the old man of ninety-six years old is really difficult. Director Mu Shenghua and several other comrades have a way, the whole scene is the old man himself, and the hands and pictures that are painting crabs have become the old man's fifth son, Mr. Qi Liangji. Supporting the old man to sit up was Mr. Wang Xuetao, the old man's eldest disciple. Part of the filming site is in the North Film Studio, and part of it is at the scene of Rong Baozhai. After the large-scale color science and education films were screened in major cities across the country, the response was great. Museums, libraries and enthusiasts from all walks of life have written to inquire about and purchase the original works and reproductions of Rongbaozhai's calligraphy and paintings, which has played a role in promoting the business development of Rongbaozhai. International bookstores are exhibited and sold abroad, and they must carry this film and broadcast it on the spot, which has a huge impact.
In the late spring of 1957, the old man of Baishi passed away at the age of 97, and a large memorial service was held at the Changqiao Funeral Home, Premier Zhou personally came to the scene, and we also went to many people to send funerals for the elderly, and the old man of Baishi will always live in the hearts of rongbaozhai workers.
Hou Kai (Former General Manager of Rong Baozhai)
Source :50th Anniversary of the New Chronicle of Rongbaozhai (荣宝斋新記).