Yinchuan, 24 Apr (Xinhua) -- Reading a hundred times is self-righteous, but the 83-year-old Chai Peike is not satisfied with this. For this elderly man who loves to read and paint, reading a good book focuses on understanding, and he likes to "draw" books more than "reading" books.
At the Guyuan City Archives in Ningxia, 108 four-foot rice paper portraits of good men of Liangshan are hung on both sides of the corridor, which is chai Peike's "reading experience" that he "wrote" in a year after reading "Water Margin".
"Reading should be in the eyes and into the brain, and my requirement is to enter the heart into the painting." Chai Peike said.
Chai Peike works on the desk. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Jianwen
Chai Peike has loved "Water Margin" since he was a child, and he has read it twice in junior high school alone. Engaged in art education for decades, he also did not forget to inspire students with the unique characteristics of Liangshan characters in the classroom, and the portrait should be painted with spirit and "painted like". After retiring, Chai Peike had more time to study the Water Margin classics and examine the character image.
"After reading it so many times, these characters have distinct personalities, and each of them comes alive in my mind." He said, "Now that I'm idle, I'll draw them all according to my own understanding." ”
At the Guyuan City Archives in Ningxia, 108 four-foot rice paper portraits of good men of Liangshan hung all over the corridor. (Courtesy of Guyuan City Archives)
"Timely Rain" Song Jiang, "Flower Monk" Lu Zhishen, "Black Whirlwind" Li Kui... These well-known figures, through Chai Peike's brush, "walked out" of the famous works and "lived" in the paintings with his understanding.
However, in the process of creation, it is difficult to see a good picture and a god. There was always a copy of "Water Margin" in Chai Peike's hand, and whenever he encountered Caton, he would always turn over the book for a while, resting and pondering. "Paint with emotion and understanding." He said.
Chai Peike's painting of the "walker" Wu Song. (Courtesy of Guyuan City Archives)
"Walker" Wu Song is Chai Peike's favorite character. Different from other paintings, Chai Peike gave up the famous scene of "Wusong Fighting Tiger" when he created, and did not choose the image of "one-armed man" in the book, but used a head with a double knife to dress, the figures in the painting have their arms crossed, standing upright, flying messy hair and resolute facial expressions are telling his love and hatred, evil and hatred.
"This is not the Wu Song in a certain chapter, but the overall image of the Wu Song in my heart." He was a perfect man and was not allowed to have mutilations, so I drew two arms. Chai Peike said.
Compared with male generals, female generals' characters are more rigid and soft. When creating the Third Lady, Chai Peike decided to use the red brocade lasso of the weapon instead of the sun and moon double knife, "the noose dance is just soft in the middle, the female general's image should be delicate, and the costume should be flowing." In the same way, he said, the general should be distinguished from the general, and the lines should be softer when painting.
Chai Peike's painting of "YiZhangqing" 肓三娘. (Courtesy of Guyuan City Archives)
Today, Shuihu 108 has been living in the Guyuan City Archives for half a year. Wang Lun, director of the Guyuan Municipal Archives, said that Guyuan is the core area of Xihaigu and the birthplace of Xihaigu literature. The heroic spirit of The Water Margin 108 will be tenacious and bold in the face of suffering, which is in line with the spirit of the masses in Xihai to overcome poverty and fight against the heavens and the earth.
Wang Lun said that this is the first time that the archives have received such a large-scale individual donation, and the value of the archives lies in cultural inheritance and education of future generations, and this Water Margin 108 General Map not only enriches the collection, but also has both historical and practical educational significance.
"I hope that these Water Margin portraits can guide more people to read classic masterpieces and understand and inherit traditional Chinese culture." Chai Peike said.