Those seemingly casual handwriting and paintings may be heirloom treasures! Is Li Bai's 16-word "Balcony Post" an excellent example? History is not littered with examples where even in modern times, a casual menu can be turned into a family heirloom.
From ancient times to the present, countless literati and artists have left behind many amazing works, and their value is often created by the author unintentionally. For example, Li Bai, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, whose poems are still sung by people today, but you may not know that a short poem he wrote casually later became a national treasure-level calligraphy work. This poem of only 16 words, "On the Balcony", was waved in Wangwushan when his sad friend died. Who would have thought that these few lines of words would go through thousands of years, and they are still precious, known as the ultimate in calligraphy.
In a blink of an eye, a Sichuan young man named Zhang Zhengquan, who later became known to the world as Zhang Daqian, his story is even more legendary. In 1916, Zhang Daqian and his friends decided to go on a hike, but were kidnapped by bandits on the way, and this accident became a turning point in his artistic career. When the bandit leader saw his calligraphy, he actually made him a "master" in the cottage for three months. This experience not only did not destroy him, but instead stimulated his deeper artistic potential.
Zhang Daqian's artistic path is full of twists and turns and legends. After returning from his studies in Japan, his art exhibition in Shanghai was very popular and became famous for a while. He is not only proficient in painting, but also has the skill of imitating the paintings of the ancients. Such skills made him famous in the art world, and he became as famous as Qi Baishi, becoming "Southern Zhang and Northern Qi".
Zhang Daqian's story doesn't stop there. He has been obsessed with collecting and creating all his life, and an interesting story with Zhang Xueliang is particularly praised. Zhang Xueliang was also an avid collector of Shi Tao's paintings at that time. Once, Zhang Xueliang invited Zhang Daqian to dinner, and Zhang Daqian actually wrote a menu by hand. You might think it's just an ordinary menu, but in Zhang Xueliang's eyes, it's a precious work of art, and he even framed it and treated it as a treasure.
These stories tell us that often, inadvertently, something that seems ordinary becomes extremely precious because of the story and emotion behind it. Zhang Daqian's life is full of colors and accidents, and his works and experiences are not only the inheritance of art itself, but also the testimony of a period of history. Over time, the stories behind these works have added an indelible value to them.
When discussing these works that have been preserved by chance, we are not only looking back on the trajectory of those arts, but also feeling the cultural atmosphere of that era and the twists and turns of the fate of the characters. For example, Li Bai's "Balcony Post" is not just a calligraphy work, it is a microcosm of Tang Dynasty culture, an expression of the poet's emotions, and every stroke carries the weight of history.
Similarly, Zhang Daqian's life and artistic journey reflect the artistic changes and social outlook of an era. His paintings, whether landscapes or flowers and birds, are depicted to the fullest, conveying his unique understanding and deep love for natural beauty. Zhang Daqian's artistic career is also an important chapter in the history of modern Chinese art, and his works and stories have left a rich artistic and cultural heritage for future generations.
Not only that, Zhang Daqian's love and respect for traditional culture has enabled him to constantly explore and innovate in his artistic creation, pushing Chinese painting to a new height. His life and works allow us to see an artist's pursuit of beauty and love for life, and at the same time, it also reflects the profound cultural heritage of an era.
It is often those who reveal extraordinary details in the ordinary, and make immortal legends. Whether it is Li Bai's short poems or Zhang Daqian's menu, they have inadvertently become cultural inheritances across time and space. The stories behind these works not only enrich our cultural vision, but also reveal that the true value of art often lies beyond the material itself, but also lies in the history, culture and human emotions it carries.