Chinese Painting 

cctv.com 03-15-2005 18:43

These brushes or "Brush pens" as they are called, can do amazing things when in the hands of a skillful writer. The artisans carefully choose different animal hair, such as wolf or horse hair, to craft the perfect brush tip. All the hairs are tied together so that they taper to a point, and are then fastened to the end of a culm, usually a bamboo reed. The hairs of the tip can hold enough ink to allow for line variations within a single stroke.

Unlike Western painters who prop their canvases on easels and stand opposite them, the ancient Chinese scholars kept the tip of the brush pen vertical to the paper with arms held above the desktop. This way, they could write smoothly, adjust the fatness or thinness of the characters and present variety in their calligraphy.

There are no limitations for the size of a brush pen. It depends only on the painter's preference and the content of the painting. The diameter of the tip of the smallest brush pen is just 1 mm, while the largest one, like what Mr. Zhang Shufan is using now, can reach 40 cm. This particular brush pen weighs 41 kg. Writing one character that is 6 meters long and 4 meters wide takes about 6 kg of ink. It's quite possible that among all the writing instruments in the world, only brush pen is capable of this.

In 105 A. D., 'paper' was invented by Tsai Lun, a eunuch in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Because it was more convenient and light-weight than other materials, 'paper' was accepted soon after its invention. But Chinese people were not satisfied to just write on the paper, so they used brush pens to create a unique painting style.

When westerners first saw Chinese brush paintings, they couldn't appreciate their artistic value. They even went so far as to not consider it art. They believed that Chinese painters had no concept of realistic interpretation, how to produce a third dimension with the use of shadow and light, or add hues by imitating nature.

Chinese brush painting is a unique tradition which has existed for thousands of years with almost no change in the art. The beauty of Chinese brush painting lies in 'shi' and 'xu'. Shi is the element that can be seen such as the structural composition, use of space, method of expression, and the technical use of the brush. Xu refers to something hidden inside the painting such as its theme and artistic content. The combination of shi and xu is a unique feature of Chinese brush painting. In today's program, we'll step into the world of this ancient art.

The invention of paper and brush pen encouraged the rise of another art: painting. Today, it is called Chinese brush painting so as to distinguish it from western oil painting.

Other than to record history, the greatest purpose of Chinese brush painting is to deliver a certain message. The subject can be anything in nature, but the goal is to present the emergence of life.

For example, pine trees are often used to refer to those men of honor whose strong inner power can be compared to the shape of pine tree. Bamboo can fight against cold weather, so it can be symbolic of scholars who will not give in to outside presure. In this sense, trees, stones and mountains are not just attractive objects, they carry a deeper meaning, for those who understand Chinese brush painting culture.

Qi Baishi is hailed as the most influential painter of the 20th century in China. At that time, no one could surpass him. Even Picasso, when he studied Chinese brush painting, modeled his technique after Qi Baishi's.

In his youth, Qi Baishi was a wood carver. Later, he learned traditional Chinese poetry, seal cutting, calligraphy and painting. He made a living by selling paintings and seals. His innovation in freehand brushwork, giving his subjects a likeness not only in appearance but also in spirit, has had a great influence on modern Chinese painting.

The rocks in these paintings are characterized by their sharp edges and rugged outlines. It almost seems they have been cut down from the mountains with an axe. This unique style, called 'Fupingcun' was created 1,000 years ago. Instead of using the tip of the brush, the painter bears down on the paper with the side of the brush and makes jarring strokes downward. But due to its complexity, few painters can master it. This technique allows the painter to accurately present the characteristics of the rocks and mountains in China's coastal areas.

Chen Shaomei's achievement can also be seen in his selflessness and great effort in sharing his painting and calligraphy skills to some art lovers, when, at the young age of 22, he served as chairman of the Tianjian Branch of Hushe Painting Society, the most influential painting community in 1931. Now, many of his students have become well-known painters. This is a certificate he gave to one of the students.

Taught personally by some famous painters, new painters are gradually making their mark on the art world.

Yao Shaohua, born in Beijing in 1942, first studied under Wang Jinglu, a famous painter who taught him about landscape, flowers and bird paintings. Later, he learned, from Hu Shuang'an, to draw tigers. After mastering the two painters' skills, he formed his own style. The postures and expressions of the tigers he paints are distinct from each other. Sometimes he uses several lines to draw the tigers. But the essence of the paintings is clearly more than just lines. His paintings vividly illustrate the medium of Chinese freehand brushwork.

What is reflected in Chinese brush painting is not confined to what we see with our eyes, such as the shape and outline, but the essence of things. To gain a clearer understanding, let's accept the invitation of the painters, appreciate Chinese paintings with them, and explore their painting process.

Chen Dazhang, a native Beijinger, was born in 1930 into a painting family. With his rich painting experience and practice, he is now a renowned painter in China.

Painters of different dynasties have left a rich heritage of painting plum blossoms. Chen Dazhang was the first to paint white plum blossoms at night. He uses white powder to paint petals, gold powder for the pistils, and dark green for the branches. Some blossoms are in full bloom, others are just buds. He likes to paint the plum blossoms from various angles. With the moonlight for a background, he vividly presents the integrity of the plum blossom to the audience: a delicate flower which will not give in to snow and frost.