When it comes to Zhang Daqian, many people's first thought may be those breathtaking Chinese paintings, or his legendary imitation painting skills. But in the colorful life of this master of Chinese painting, there is also a little-known story of his private life, that is, his marriage to his daughter's best friend Xu Wenbo and the tragic fate of their son Zhang Xinjian.
Zhang Daqian, formerly known as Zhang Zhengquan, was born in 1899 in a scholarly family in Sichuan Province. His mother was the first painter in his life, which had a profound influence on Zhang Daqian's artistic path. In the early years, Zhang Daqian's talent had begun to be revealed, and his paintings not only won praise from his family, but also gradually attracted attention in the art world. However, Zhang Daqian's life is by no means smooth, and his emotional world is particularly complex.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Zhang Daqian traveled east to Japan to study dyeing, weaving and painting, an experience that greatly broadened his artistic horizons. After returning to China, he gradually emerged in Shanghai's art circle, and formed an indissoluble bond with the art masters of the time, such as Zeng Xi and Li Ruiqing. His paintings are highly regarded for their unique style and superb technique, especially his ink paintings, which are known as "the stroke of genius".
Zhang Daqian's private life is quite tortuous. His first marriage was arranged by the family, and his marriage to Zeng Zhengrong did not bring him much emotional comfort. Subsequently, he met Huang Ningsu, a young and beautiful woman who soon became his second wife and bore him eight children. But the life after marriage is not the perfect ending in a fairy tale, frequent childbirth and family responsibilities made Huang Ningsu gradually lose its former brilliance, and Zhang Daqian's heart began to drift to other desires.
In 1935, Zhang Daqian's life ushered in a turning point again. He met Yang Wanjun, a famous opera actor in Beiping, in a performance. The two fell in love at first sight and quickly developed a deep relationship. The good times didn't last long, and as time went by, Zhang Daqian's heart began to wander again.
In 1949, Zhang Daqian and his fourth wife Xu Wenbo left the mainland. Xu Wenbo is not only Zhang Daqian's daughter's classmate, but also her best friend. This relationship caused a lot of controversy in society at the time, but for Zhang Daqian, the appearance of Xu Wenbo seemed to be a new beginning in his emotional world. Xu Wenbo is young, beautiful, and gentle, and she is full of support and understanding for Zhang Daqian's artistic career. The marriage between the two seems to be happy, but in this relationship, there is an unknown shadow.
Although Zhang Daqian has achieved great success in art, he seems to be a little weak in the role of a father. Zhang Xinjian, the son of him and Xu Wenbo, has lacked the love and attention of his parents since he was a child. In the eyes of outsiders, Zhang Daqian is a successful painter and a romantic talent, but in the eyes of his own son, he may be a distant and indifferent existence.
Zhang Xinjian's upbringing was full of loneliness and pain. Due to the lack of care and love from his parents, his personality becomes more and more introverted and inferior, and even many times, he feels abandoned by this world. This deep emotional trauma eventually led to a deep tragedy in his life.
Although Zhang Daqian's life has left a brilliant chapter in art, it always seems to have a tragic color in family life. His many marriages and complicated emotional entanglements ultimately failed to bring him true happiness. And his relationship with Xu Wenbo, as well as the fate of their son Zhang Xinjian, makes people feel an unspeakable sorrow.
Zhang Daqian's story, like his paintings, is full of color and variety. His life is like a complex picture, with both brilliant colors and deep shadows. His emotional world, especially his marriage to Xu Wenbo and the tragedy of Zhang Xinjian, show us another side of a genius painter's private life, which is a profound reflection on human nature, love and pain.
Zhang Daqian's life is a legend and a tragedy. He wrote countless amazing paintings with extraordinary artistic talent, but in his private life, he experienced complex emotional twists and turns and family tragedies. The marriage of Zhang Daqian and Xu Wenbo, as well as the tragic life of their son Zhang Xinjian, let us see the struggle and helplessness of a great artist in real life.