This is an article by Chen Wenxi in 1982, and probably the only one in his life. It was his oral narrative, his student, the famous prose writer Ms. Zhong Meiyin, who recorded it.
I taught middle school in Shantou for many years. At that time, there was a shortage of art teachers, and even fewer returned from Shanghai to "study abroad", so the east also please, the west also please, and at the most concurrent time, they used to teach three middle schools and one primary school at the same time. There is a middle school in the county seat of Shanyang, and each class takes a two-hour small steamer. Although the treatment of instructors is meagre, it is not entirely for money. For example, the principal of the county town specially prepared a bed for me in his dormitory, so that I could stay overnight during class, people valued me so much, treated me like a guest, and my high and primary education was completed in Jieyang, and the memories of my childhood and the feelings of the countryside made me go without quitting the road and gladly going.
Speaking of my life as a teacher, it was also a very pleasant experience. I love the children who love to draw and teach some good students. Every time I go to class, the window is always crowded. Looking at how I demonstrated, I really opened up the atmosphere of Chaoshan painting at that time. Although I didn't have much time left for myself, whenever I had time, I always went to the countryside to paint, and I painted every day. So I should thank Uchiko for her generosity, although I am married to her, my real lover is painting. Occasionally, she also went with me to sketch, but this was more time for her to stay alone in the empty boudoir. After having children, she took on all the parenting responsibilities. I'm like a friend of the children myself. I have been very fortunate in many artistic families who have had tragic lives, and my success has also come from a happy marriage.
In my later studies, I gradually learned about a problem, that is, I don't have to seek shape to paint, I should pay attention to the change of lines, and how to divide the surface. For example, the division of diagonal lines, centerlines, figure-of-eight lines, parabolas, and triangles, cylinders, and squares can make the picture more beautiful. Especially the intermittent line, but also to study in many ways, this line will have a great effect on the picture. So in the years that followed, the division of lines and surfaces became the main part of my own research.
When I was in my thirties, I saw that some people had successfully held art exhibitions in Nanyang, and I wanted to rely on my own achievements, so why not go out and try it? Although Chaoshan is my hometown and humane and so strong, I have dedicated the best time of my life to it, and I have asked myself that I am worthy of the place where I grew up. However, at that time, I was not prepared to wander the world, I just wanted to come out and try my luck, and young people were always full of adventure and eager yearning for the unknowable future.
Many students are reluctant to let me go, and I am reluctant to let them go. I said I would go back in three months, but unexpectedly three months became thirty years, and I never went back, and I taught in Central China in Singapore for another twenty years, and I also taught a lot of good students, and they still praise me for teaching seriously and miss me very much. I also like this life very much, although it is very hard, but the mood is happy, if God gives me another twenty years of youth, I am still willing to be with the students, in fact, I have not stopped teaching painting to this day.
When I was in Shantou, I saw Mr. Xu Beihong's work "Dead Trees and Cats" from the newspaper, which looked natural and vivid, and the pen posture was vigorous and free, and I felt that my calligraphy was quite close to him. At that time, he was the head of the art department of Chuo University, and I wrote to him in admiration and sent him two volumes of paintings for criticism.
The reply letter soon came, and there was a sentence in it: "The great work is bold and powerful, and it is uniquely made, such as the Pisces double eagle rain lotus and the goose are all exquisite, this is the avenue, the brother also strives to engage in this way, and is ashamed that he has not been able to achieve success." Respect for the bird's foot more attention, when especially perfect, do not know Mr. Kenner despised? If what is built today is invincible to China, how can it be measured? Pesh Pesh! ”
(To be continued...) ）