Text/Feng Haitao Photo/Pan Tianshou
Chinese painting has a long tradition, and famous artists have appeared in every era. The famous artists of the times will have their own views on painting and the language of pen and ink. When we study and study the sages and masters of the past, we find that most of them are people of high moral character. Therefore, there is also the saying that the style of the picture is determined by the character. Therefore, in the relationship between the teacher and the inheritance of early Chinese painting, the teacher's words: learning Chinese painting "cultivating the heart and cultivating morality" is the first; "master's creation" is the second; and the practice of technique is secondary. On the other hand, the current inheritance and study of Chinese painting, "cultivating the heart and cultivating morality" has no one to talk about, there is no need to talk about doing it! "Teacher's creation" is often mentioned in the mouth, but in practice, this is not the case. The meaning of the ancients " teacher creation" is distorted to the extreme, thinking that holding a paintbrush to depict nature is "master creation". I don't know if this is ridiculous or pathetic. However, there is one phenomenon that is extremely prosperous in this era, that is, the practice of technique.
Works by Pan Tianshou
Now the study of Chinese painting, that is, the era of technical practice, not only the ancients to paint Chinese painting techniques to learn and carry forward, the key also appeared all kinds of "techniques", some for the performance of the technique, borrowing scientific means to add some chemical materials; some are more direct, not in the way of Chinese painting, but directly Western painting. They also give themselves a name! What is the first person, what fills the gap in the creation of Chinese painting, etc. This kind of study and creation of putting the cart before the horse and losing the soul of Chinese painting has led to a great obstacle to the development of Chinese painting, and some people have said that Chinese painting should withdraw from the stage of history.
The sad status quo of Chinese painting has been since the end of the Qing Dynasty, and it is the mentality of those so-called new scholars who have come into contact with Western painting, "lynx entering the city". As a result, Chinese painting will become history if it does not change. And many so-called celebrities at that time. I have also written many of these articles. However, these so-called new scholars have forgotten one thing, that is, Chinese painting has been progressing with the pace of society, and the soul of Chinese painting is our culture, not the shape, structure and technique emphasized by the West. The creative direction and expression of Chinese painting are the character of "cultivating the mind and cultivating morality"; it is the "teacher's creation" that unites with the natural heaven and man; and the second is the unique technical relationship "pen and ink" of Chinese painting.
If Chinese painting wants to return to its heyday, the most important thing is not the height of technique pursued by modern people, but the re-cultivation of the mind and morality and the true understanding of "teacher creation". Even the practice of techniques should begin with the "teachers and ancients", and should not be made up out of thin air.